Now that autumn is pretty much in full swing, it’s time to take a look at another handful of new songs which have graced our office speakers over the last two weeks. Read on for more.
EDITORS – OUR LOVE / TRACK OF THE WEEK (Out now)
Our Love is one of the standout tracks on Editors’ new album In Dream, which was released on Friday (2 October). It encompasses frontman Tom Smith’s newfound love for falsetto vocals alongside an almost funky mix of wobbly synths and dark basslines. “I always knew” sings Smith throughout the song, his vocals intertwining effortlessly with the underpinning instrumentals. Although the whole of In Dream is more in vein with Editors’ 2009 album In This Light and on This Evening, it still sees the band launch themselves in a new direction, namely electro funk. In Dream is one of the best records of 2015, and Our Love is just one element to it.
CHVRCHES – KEEP YOU ON MY SIDE (Out now)
Featuring in our New Music Roundup once more is Scottish electro pop trio Chvrches, who released their sophomore effort Every Open Eye a couple of weeks back. The album doesn’t stray away too much from their standard sound, although you can definitely sense an extra, injected element of power and bombast. Keep You on My Side is a perfect example of this, utilizing everything Chvrches do so well by means of Lauren Mayberry’s sickly sweet vocals and Iain Cook and Martin Doherty’s pulsating electronics. Chvrches are well on their way to world stardom, it’s now just a matter of time.
GIRL BAND – FUCKING BUTTER (Out now)
Back in September, we sat down and spoke with half of Irish post punk quartet Girl Band. During the 20-minute discussion, the band told us a bit about the most interesting track on debut album Holding Hands With Jamie – Fucking Butter. The name, which hails from a biscuit obsession, isn’t the only thing which is confusing about the track. Musically, Fucking Butter is a post punk curveball which, at almost eight minutes long, is the longest track on the album. It’s full of warbled guitars, pulsating bass and Dara Kiely’s manic vocals. Girl Band aren’t the most conventional band to ever come out of Ireland (see: The Script), but they’re certainly one of the most interesting.
THE LIBERTINES – HEART OF THE MATTER (Out now)
The Libertines releasing a new album isn’t something which many people would’ve expected a couple of years back. With frontman Pete Doherty in and out of rehab multiple times, the subject of a reunion (let alone a new record) was always a shaky matter. Now, though, the band are back even stronger than ever with new album Anthem for Doomed Youth. One of the standout songs on the record is the ramshackle Heart of the Matter, a track which sounds like the culmination of old and new era Libertines, all compressed into one track. Doherty and co-frontman Carl Barat sound as strong as ever before, and this newfound chemistry really helps the whole record sound like more than just a “for the money” reunion.
RYAN ADAMS – STYLE (Out now)
Earlier last month, Ryan Adams unveiled his full take on Taylor Swift’s massive 1989 record. Covering the record from start to finish, Adams demonstrated his ability to reconstruct a whole record and extract the true meaning out of each individual track. On Style, Adams has managed to turn Swift’s bland pop banger into a classic rock behemoth akin to the likes of Bruce Springsteen. Instead of yet again coming across as an emotionless track, Adams has managed to give Style meaning through its lyrics, which now sound more like a proper story. Full album covers can be considered amateurish at times, but Adams’ rendition of 1989 is far from it.
ARCADE FIRE – GET RIGHT (Out now)
Closing out our first October roundup is the legendary Canadian collective Arcade Fire, who recently put out fantastic documentary The Reflektor Tapes. Alongside this, the band also released a deluxe edition of 2013’s Reflektor which includes five brand new songs and one remix. Of the new songs, Get Right is the best of the bunch. Before Reflektor came out, it was used as part of television advertising, however nothing came of it. Now, the track is out in all its glory, sounding every inch like the raunchy, gritty blues rocker it was originally made out to be. “Better get right before you die” sings frontman Win Butler, before the second half of the track sprawls in and out of rocky consciousness. Recently, band member Will Butler said that he expects Arcade Fire’s new album to come out in February 2017. Will it be worth the wait? Yes, it definitely will be.
Check back in two weeks for more new music.
