Tame Impala - Currents Album Review

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Tame Impala - Currents

Callum Thornhill

Wow. Kevin Parker has done it again. This time though incorporating his psychedelic prowess into dance based tracks on upcoming album Currents.

After the release of Let it Happen and Cause I'm a Man I was eagerly anticipating the new album, and oh boy have I been impressed. Everything from the repetition of the synthesizers to the echoing of Parker's dreamy vocals is flawless.

The Australian psych outfit have fascinated fans everywhere with this follow up to Lonerism. It was a hard task to better both Lonerism and Innerspeaker, but Tame Impala have somehow managed it.

For something that was written, produced and recorded by Parker himself it is simply incredible to have such a ear-pleasing album finally out and able to listen to.

Currents takes you on a journey. From the head nodding groove of The Less I Know The Better to the mind bending Reality In Motion. Any of the tracks from Currents could be used as instrumentals and soundtrack the year 4050. An absolute space age masterpiece.

Personal highlights for me are The Moment - an eighties kind of feel with misty vocals that linger for what seems a lifetime. Another is Past Life - an ensemble of deep, galactic, distanced voice at the start before breaking into a distorted breakdown. Interweaving this into yet more harmonized Parker vocal it is a perfect blend of bliss.

It should be interesting to hear these songs live in Liverpool (September 9th) and set listing them in between Innerspeaker and Lonerism tracks is the recipe for a perfect night of space age psych.

Without a doubt this is, for me, the album of 2015! Solid 10/10 performance all round. Excellent.

Listen to Currents here

Spotify. Yay or Nay?

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Spotify - much better for bands to use it than not.  Yes or no?

Callum Thornhill

Spotify has come under attack by acts for apparently not paying enough royalties. Some artists, including global superstar Taylor Swift, have even pulled their music from the site. Swift has strongly voiced that she doesn't agree with the idea "that music has no value and should be free." A very fair statement, however I believe that Spotify can help boost a band's income.

The latest Apple invention, Apple Music, took a massive U-turn with their decision of not paying artists during the three month launch trial period. Taylor Swift once again taking a stand for fellow musicians. After this trial period users will be charged £9.99 a month, the same as Spotify premium, but Apple Music features Swift's music.

Musicians need money to continue, that is the truth. No one wants to work for free, and bands grafting their lives away to receive next to nothing is not a fair way to go about business. Selling merch, CDs, records and tickets help fund their existence, but royalties are certainly important.

So how do bands actually make money from Spotify that isn't classed as royalties? As simple and basic as it sounds, it is quite simply by users discovering them. For example, you're listening to your favourite band and on the 'related music' section there is a band that you've never heard of. You give them a go and suddenly you have a new love.

You look further into the band and realise they're playing at a venue 5 minutes down the road next week and tickets are only a fiver. Of course you're going to go to it. All from clicking a link on Spotify. I only got on the Spotify hype a few months back, but I have discovered so many new bands. It has allowed me to 'try before I buy' so to say.

For example, when Noel Gallagher's new album came out I was going to pay £20 to get it on vinyl, but that is understandably risky for an album I've not heard. By listening to it on Spotify and paying not a penny more to my bill to do so I was able to 'sample' it. Brilliant.

Personally though I'll always prefer to have a physical version of a release. Why? I'm not really sure, maybe just so I have something that I can look at and hold. But at a student rate of £4.99 a month it'd be ridiculous not to take advantage of Spotify premium and continue to discover new bands that otherwise wouldn't come to my knowledge.

To sum up as simply as I can, Spotify is a brilliant discovery tool, but of course we should not stop buying physical products. Maybe Taylor Swift doesn't need the exposure or discovery aspect that Spotify gives, but then again she is well within her right to protect smaller bands from being exploited.

A small royalty fee given from you to the musician via Spotify is much better than illegally downloading the tracks.

SUPPORT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND ACTUALLY PAY FOR QUALITY  

Coping With Studying at University

Coping with studying

Callum Thornhill

As part of my work experience placement I've been asked to write about how to survive uni. Basically, over three or four posts I'll be giving my thoughts and top tips on how to stay chill.

This first one is how to get over the massive workload that universities always give you. I hope it helps anyone that is going to uni this summer.

The best piece of advice that I can give is to try and stay on top of things. This sounds so much easier than it actually is, but if you start leaving work until last minute you’ll constantly be playing catch up and that isn’t beneficial to anyone.

Like, you get so much time to plan essays and the quicker you start drafting, the quicker you get feedback. It sounds so obvious, but it is beyond belief how many people will get to a week before the deadline to start writing their full essay. For example, one of my deadlines was March 20^th so I started writing it around New Year’s Day. By doing this I was able to get regular suggestions from my lecturer, eventually getting a grade that represented my studies fairly.

The other necessary thing to do is to actually revise! Throughout my school and college years I didn’t revise, and when I did it wasn’t really worth doing. However, when I arrived at university I knew I had to change this or it would be a waste of a course. My course was mainly assignments and coursework so I only had one exam, still do I didn’t become complacent; instead I devoted the majority of my study time to the exam.

A combination of revision and planning MUST be scheduled efficiently in order for them to work. Time management and personal dedication are what will either make or break your university career. If you’re using all of the gaps in your timetable to sit in Wetherspoons there is a very low chance that you’re putting enough in to your workload.

If everything does get a bit much you can always take a couple of days break. Endless times I’ve found myself with writer’s block so left my essays for a day to get inspired before returning to it. Obviously only go down this route if you’ve got time to spare before the deadline. See, starting early does have its perks…

Another way to do well is to actually make use of the readings that your lecturers give you! You’re paying a hell of a lot of money for your course so make the most of their generosity. Of course you have to find your own texts as well, but those handed on a plate for you will probably be as good as they get.

By actually reading relevant texts to your subject you will gain a deeper knowledge and a higher interest in your course. The more you want to know, the better off you’re going to be. Keep reading your texts because believe it or not the information will actually come back to give you inspiration at 3am when you’ve been staring at the same blank essay all night.

You could always get a ‘study buddy.’ It sounds ridiculously cheese and cliché, but think about it; you’re a new student with no friends, as are most people. You need to meet new people as well as find others that actually want to get work done. Why not invite them for a revision session over a bite to eat and a few drinks? Kill two birds with one stone.

The final piece of advice I can offer when coping with studying is to accept that you are struggling. Don’t let your pride prevent you from asking for help. If things aren’t coming to mind for you, seek assistance. The likelihood is that more people than you on your course will be in the same position. Don’t just brush it all off to one side or you will regret it when you’re pulling your hair out last minute.

10 Greatest Songs Ever Written (In My Humble Opinion)

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10 Greatest Songs Ever Written (In My Humble Opinion)

image: mashable.com

Callum Thornhill

There is always music going on in my life. Whether it be falling asleep to a slow acoustic playlist, or showering to heavy guitar based rock, I feel like my life is somewhat documented by bands.

While at a loose end during my work experience placement I decided to try and pick TEN of the best songs that I've had the pleasure of listening to. These were selected by both music and lyrics. As it is just my opinion I fully understand that your choices are bound to be much different.

So, without further ado, I present to you the 'best*' ten songs:

1) David Bowie - Heroes

2) The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition

3) Death Cab For Cutie - The Sound Of Settling

4) Rusted Root - Send Me On My Way

5) The Smiths - How Soon Is Now?

6) Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone

7) Doves - Black And White Town

8) The Kinks - Waterloo Sunset

9) Coldplay - Fix You

10) Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

*by best, I totally mean favourite so don't cry because Coldplay are above Nirvana.

NME To Become a Free Publication

NME Set to Become Free in September

Image: crackmagazine.net

Callum Thornhill

NME have announced a “major brand transformation” where the cost of the magazine will be scrapped. In replacement, the magazine will become a free publication and deliver 300,000 copies around universities, stations and retail partners.

No longer will you be able to simply go into your local newsagents and pick up the magazine, instead you’ll have to pray that somewhere local will stock them. It will be a similar, but at a much smaller scale, to picking up the Metro at London Tube stations.

Whenever I’m in the capital and use public transport the carriages are always littered with the newspaper and it is a rare sight if anyone is actually reading it (what I tend to do with the Metro is use it as an umbrella if it is raining). If the NME ends up in similar circumstances the reputation of the music magazine will take a huge plummet.

Why is print publication still important you may ask? Well, seeing your favourite bands on the cover is the first thing. Once you’ve read it you can take clippings from the publication, or even get it framed and signed for extra indie points.

I’ve collected NME on and off over the past five or six years, usually when someone I love is on the cover (personal favourites being Jake Bugg, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Arctic Monkeys – cliché, I know), but what if anywhere in the north east doesn’t stock it?

As a journalism student at Teesside University it would make sense for the publication to be delivered here. I mean, surely if it is going into universities students that are going down that route should get preference?

NME’s website is where the majority of the content will now be published, but will it have the same audience as print? With every Tom, Dick and Harry running a blog now it is certainly a risk for NME to focus mainly on online.

After being launched in 1996, online publication reaches just short of four million people every week and this is the latest example of how digital media is overtaking print in the journalism industry. Earlier this year it was reported that print publication was “below 15,000.”

Since forming in 1952, the NME has changed the design many times, but this is the “boldest ever move” according to editor Mike Williams.

Will the removal of cost lose NME’s credibility as one of the leading music magazines in the UK? Or reinforce the fact that technology is quickly improving and NME are simply getting a head start over their rivals?

There have been varied responses from readers of the magazine. Callum House, of Kent, said: “the decline in NME sales has very little to do with the price” and instead criticised the content. Describing the workmanship as “below par journalism” and claiming that NME will constantly be on a downhill spiral “unless they improve their writing.”

Dylan Whatley, a student (who has featured on this blog before), was “saddened” by the move to make NME more technology based. “It has been the source for many people for over 70 years, but now less people will feel the need to get it.”

Nat, Twitter user @swwimdeep, sees both the positives and negatives in the change. "Circulation will increase, but to generate revenue they will have to also increase advertising. This extended advertising may discourage reader." A very good point, and with the majority of the back half of the NME is already adverts and listing anyway, music will be even more difficult to focus on.

I’m not getting too disheartened because the magazine isn’t disappearing. It is simply a rebranding and 300,000 copies being distributed is far better than 15,000. NME has always been my preferred music magazine, although if it is no longer accessible I may have to turn to Q or Rolling Stone.

It will definitely be interesting to see the impact that this technological rebranding has on readers, as well as aspiring journalists.