Monthly Archives: March 2021

03.21.21
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PleasePrettyLea – Birthday Card

‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned‘ is a phrase that’s been around for donkey’s years. The etymology of the phrase can be traced back to the late 17th century where its commonly attributed to playwright, William Congreve. But the concept of the hysterical woman, crazy in love and taking rejection into her own hands won’t have been a new one for a theatre-goer who would have recognised the character traits of the mourning woman from many of their cultural reference points. 

In the latest single from PleasePrettyLea, we’re treated to a dark and delicious tale of revenge. The ‘Birthday Card’ that has been purchased for a cruel lover lays charred in a heap of ash whilst PrettyLea reflects on the path that has been taken to get to this point. Lyrically taut but graphic and explicit, Pretty Lea refers back to moments of stalking outside hotel rooms and controlling aspects of the couple’s sexual liaisons. It’s delightfully disturbing and weirdly enticing – perfect for a Sunday morning blow-out. 

Sound-wise, PleasePrettyLea appears to draw influence from a number of sources. At its core, Birthday Card is a jazzy, trip-hop upgrade; you can hear bits of Amy Winehouse in the delivery but so too Kate Bush and good, old traditional nursery rhyme. It certainly marks out PleasePrettyLea (from Bewdley, Worcestershire) as one to watch moving forward. There’s promise of other characters and manifestations before the year is out. 

And that’s made easier by the kit that PrettyLea now has. “The highlight (of the year) so far is that I now have my own home set up so I can lay down vocals from the comfort of my home.“, she says in our brief e-mail exchange. “I’m just getting ready to release my new single.”

This makes Sonic Breakfast very happy. Have a great Sunday and, if it’s your birthday today, the card is in the post.

03.20.21
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Apteekii – What’s Real? & Secrets.

Regular readers of Sonic Breakfast will know that I’ve been drawn to tales of adaptation and flexibility in the past months. The last year has been a global nightmare and many of us have just put our heads in our hands and screamed at it all. There’s nothing wrong with that. Others have used the shit situation to their advantage; they’ve got on with things despite the bum set of cards dealt. Those people deserve much respect.

I suspect that David Gane falls into that camp. A touring technician for some top stars (Lana Del Rey anyone), the collapse of the live industry hit him hard. But, to fill that void, he got in touch with mates, Mark and Matt, to jump-start a fledgling project back into life. The world now has two tracks from Apteekii to savour with a full EP to follow next month. Ever up for the challenge, the entire EP was recorded remotely with the trio being in separate locations; David and Mark are just down the road from here in Cambridge with Matt residing up in Stamford.

 

You wouldn’t know that this is the product of different studios; there are no obvious cracks in the seams with Apteekii. Take the first song of theirs that I heard – What’s Real’s a neat comment about fake news and the ridiculousness of Donald Trump. It’s impeccably performed pop, a statement that says we’re confident in what we’re doing and we think you’ll approve. Apteekii’s most recent single, Secrets, grows from this base; an enduring riff and a song all about the moment when living a lie becomes too much. 

Apteekii get their name from the Finnish word for ‘pharmacy’. “We like the idea of music being a medicine, and bands or artists taking on the role as a kind of drug store/pharmacy.“, they mention in their press releases. I like that idea as well. These two tracks are definitely painkillers; sometimes soothing and always offering a decent distraction from the difficult stuff that’s going on. 

 

03.19.21
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Thom Morecroft – The Beast (Live)

They’re getting closer; “those heady days of socially un-distanced live performances“, as the press release for Thom Morecroft’s latest single so eloquently puts it, are surely on the horizon? For now, we can all just about recall what intimate and raw gigs were like. And, should we need an immediate reminder, you need look no further than today’s Sonic Breakfast track. 

The Beast (live) has been part of Thom’s live repertoire for a little while and was released as a single last month. Written when he was just 17 in response to growing up with an alcoholic Dad, it’s a song that contains an almost-uneasy vulnerability. You sense that there’s therapy in the making every time that Thom plays this tune. And don’t doubt that those growing up in similar situations will identify with the desperation and wasted optimism within. Here, on the stage of Studio 2 in Liverpool, with just an acoustic guitar and a powerful, soaring voice, Thom belts it all out. 

He’s in perky and positive mood when we briefly exchange E-mails. “I’ll probably be getting a haircut as soon as restrictions are lifted.“, says Thom. “Definitely missing live gigs. It’s been a bit of a funny year so far, but it’ll get better.” 

Yep, it’s getting better all the time and should you find yourself with a little time on your hands this weekend, don’t hesitate to check out some of the many Beatles’ covers that Thom has recorded and added to YouTube during lockdowns. There’s some neat collaborations and some sterling work in reaching the high notes of ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ on offer there. It all rather flies in the face of my observations about cover versions made just yesterday (here).

But The Beast (Live) is a total original. Let’s revel in the rawness of intimate art this Friday. 

03.18.21
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Elina Filice – First World Problems

We’ve all been there; you’re watching a local band in a bar and thoroughly enjoying their original material when they say those dreaded words – “And now we’re going to do a cover version of one of our favourite songs“. Chances are that it’s a cover version of a song that you really like also. The band think they’re Rock Gods and begin to play completely overlooking the dynamics that made the song initially so great. You have to walk away as you feel the anger rising.

Ok – perhaps we’ve not all been there and maybe it’s just me? But I don’t deal with live covers well. And don’t even get me started on tribute bands. I realise that people gravitate towards familiarity when out and about (or at least did when they could go out). For me, originality is the key.

You won’t find many covers featured on Sonic Breakfast for this very reason. The exceptions to that unwritten rule are that the song is a cover of something so obscure that I’ve never heard the original – or that by covering a song, an artist has bought something new and unique to the table. In this cover of ‘First World Problems’, an unreleased track by Chance The Rapper, Elina Filice ticks both of those boxes.

Fans of Chancelor Johnathan Bennett have long yearned for him to officially release the track he performed live on a TV show. For some reason he never has. Elina has taken the song, rewritten the spoken word verses to make them much more personal to her and simply left the chorus in tact. It’s a complete renovation of an under the radar song. And it’s quite wonderful. 

“The song is a critical reflection on the last few years,“, says Elina. “From leaving the comfort and structure of university to figuring out what to do with my life, the struggles of being an artist, searching for meaning, and trying to understand the world around me.”

The artist from Canada enlists the help of Dublin-based singer/songwriter, Cat, to provide a haunting backing vocal. This is perhaps none too surprising given that Elina has previously spent much time in Dublin. “Yes I miss (pre-covid) Dublin terribly!“, she says in a short E-mail exchange. “It’s a great city with a vast music/arts scene, not to mention a cheap flight away from anywhere in Europe.”

You can’t say fairer than that. Elina Filice, alone in the studio, following dreams and thinking critically about the world recognises it’s a tough and sometimes lonely road. I hazard a guess that regular readers of Sonic Breakfast will be keen to follow. 

 

03.17.21
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Barbara – BRB

Since it’s moved to Netflix, I’m probably not up to date with my watching of the ‘Black Mirror’ TV series. I’m not a big consumer of TV and just tend to forget or lose interest as things enter multiple seasons. But, back in the day, I’d look forward to a new series of ‘Black Mirror’ with excited anticipation. It was a time when Ollie, my son, would visit at weekends and we’d watch whatever was new. They never failed to prompt discussion and conversation – scientific advances upsetting and confusing the world as we knew it. 

Be Right Back is one of my favourite episodes. If you haven’t seen it then you must. It’s the one in which a grieving Martha loses her partner to a premature death. She’s put in touch with a sinister company who are able to recreate that partner based upon his online and social media activity. It’s creative, startling and unsettling as it hurtles towards a disturbing ending. A totally compelling watch. 

I sometimes wonder what the Sonic Breakfast bot might be like. I expect they’d be exceptionally annoying. You’d hate that they brought all conversations back to new music that they’d heard. They’d only be revealing a small part of their actual life; some parts would remain hidden. Sometimes, the bot would make stories up, just because it felt mischievous to do so and nobody would know any different. 

Barbara are Henry and John Tydeman, songwriting brothers from Hove. Their debut single, BRB, is directly inspired by that episode of Black Mirror. “It’s an amazing episode because of all the moral questions it raises,”, says John. “Especially as it’s inevitable that this sort of technology will be available in the real world some day soon. Perhaps it already is! That’s what the song’s about: we’re retelling that story, from the perspectives of the human and the android.”

You sense that Henry and John are no mugs. “We’re trying to enjoy the journey instead of being obsessed with goals.“, they say when I enquire about plans for 2021. “The first thing we’ll do when lockdown lifts is have a nice pint at the local pub. Hopefully in the beer garden with the sun out!”

Musically, BRB is right up Sonic Breakfast’s street. Inventive and yet familiar, the song dances along not afraid to draw influence from all manner of places. I hear the pomp of Queen, the harmony of the Beach Boys, the choir of the Polyphonic Spree and the vintage sounds of music hall all coming to the fore at different points in the tune. That could descend into an almighty chaotic mess of a whole in lesser hands but Barbara are too talented to allow that to happen. 

That talent really does come across strongly in the lockdown live video that Barbara released to accompany BRB. They released this after a lyric video. Both contain slightly different versions of the same song – one has the studio whistles and bangs whilst the other sounds more organic. Both are vital and I make no apologies for sharing the pair today. 

I’ll see you soon. 

 

03.16.21
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Fred Red, Matthias Hetzer & Bernhard Hollinger – Waska

I have never taken Ayahuasca. And I dare say I never will. My brain is a complicated box that teeters on the edge of sanity/insanity and I’m not sure that messing around with the delicately balanced neural pathways within is the best of ideas. But I can’t help being fascinated by the spiritual medicine used amongst the indigenous people of the Amazonas. I think I’ll stick to vicariously watching those documentaries in which intrepid travellers head to Shamanic ceremonies to discover transcendental states and higher levels of consciousness. And are always horrifically sick in the purging process. 

 

For Fred Red, Bernhard Hollinger and Matthias Hetzer, Ayahuasca is still on the list. I confirm this when briefly connecting with Bernhard in advance of publishing this piece. Their collective curiosity about ‘Waska’ though has led to the production of a fine psychedelic groove. This is a track that will transport you to the Shamans; the delicious layers conjuring up all sorts of magical melody and Amazon spice. 

The simple video that accompanies Waska is also a fine watch. A static camera, perhaps set up as CCTV, observes a residential street in day-to-day operation. At first, it looks like very little is happening but gradually you get drawn in to the minutiae of the street scenes. You notice people going about their daily business and the animals that come out to play. I guess there’s a point to it all. As our mind focuses on the one scene, more and more is revealed. The ordinary becomes fascinating and we feel calm. Towards the end of the video, the scene somewhat abruptly ends and we observe more of the beautiful surroundings. The simplicity is transcendental. 

Fred Red, Bernhard Hollinger and Matthias Hetzer are now all living in Berlin. They were all born in Ingolstadt in the South of Germany. Fred produced ‘Waska’ whilst Bernhard recorded the bass, guitars, KeySolo and vocals. Matthias provided the tropical rhythm of the drums. I’m reliably told that each will be taking time out from their own projects to record together again before this year is out. 

When the combined curiosity is of such quality, it’s a no-brainer to suggest that I can hardly wait. 

03.15.21
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Robert Vendetta – Colombian Spice

Another working week beckons for many of us and I’m sure we all need a bit of glam sassiness to get us through. Best look no further than today’s Sonic Breakfast track from the self-styled Norwegian mariachi, Robert Vendetta, an entertainer who labels himself old-school as a badge of honour.

 

The concept for ‘Colombian Spice’ is simple. Robert Vendetta has just bumped into a ‘gorgeous Colombian girl’ coming out of a hotel lift. And the moment made him want to dance in celebration. “It is inspired by real events,“, says Robbie when I check in with him and ask about the veracity of the tale. “I’ve met a lot of amazing women.”

The sound is a mash-up of all manner of vintage influence. It’s glam Bowie, funky crooner and quirky rock ‘n’ roll. It’s a song that wouldn’t seem out of place back in those glorious days of Stiff Records just after the peak of punk when songwriters such as Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson and Nick Lowe came to the fore. It’s bouncy, pastiche-laden fun. 

I ask Robbie how things are in Norway right now, conscious that an extrovert performer such as he is might be struggling more than most. “I miss the casual interaction.“, he tells me. “We’re back in lockdown here in Oslo. The goverment are coming with new information soon, since the numbers of infected people here in Norway are going up. But even tough 2021 has been good to me, thanks to the internet.”

Robert Vendetta is clearly a man with oodles of positive spirit – and nobody can deny that’s what we need right now. 

03.14.21
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The Director’s Cuts – STAR

What on earth is happening? I hardly feature any instrumental tracks in years of publishing Sonic Breakfast posts and then, within the space of a few weeks, I post two. Unlike the piece by Sacha Hoedemaker though (here), today’s track has an accompanying video. My desire for narrative is sated by the film that wraps around ‘STAR’ by The Director’s Cuts. 

The Director’s Cuts is essentially Peter Pahor, a filmmaker from East London. Peter tells me that he has a few projects on the go; “A music video for a very cool rap rock duo, various cinematic portraits (https://peterpahor.com/cinematic-portraits) and a humanitarian documentary featuring a nobel peace prize! 🙂“.

With a post-rock soundtrack, a piano loop that builds to a cinematic crescendo, ‘STAR’ finds us in a hotel room. Our main protagonist mauls a small trophy. There is sadness in his eyes. Perhaps, he’s thinking back to the night when he won the trophy and wondering how it all came to this? Perhaps, the trophy he actually wants is bigger and better than the tiny one in his hands? He’s the runner-up and he’s about to let his partner know how angry this makes him. 

It all reminds me a little of watching a live show by Nordic Giants. I take a look back into the archives of the eGigs back catalogue and am reminded that I’ve now been writing about things for a long time without much accolade. (Review here).

The press release fills in some of the blanks. STAR is inspired by the failed dreams and frustrations of the millennial generation, a bunch who have been sold the dream of success and fame as the only way to really being happy. It’s brooding, chilling and laced with sad menace. It’s also expertly executed and marks Peter out as one to watch. 

And that, brief and to the point for a Sunday, is a wrap. 

03.13.21
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Lena Minder – Stay Around

I’m not sure why but the often-cited ‘fact’ about Paul and Linda McCartney used to bring me out in a rash; Paul would say that, since meeting Linda, they had never spent a night apart. I’d wonder about the impossibility of this; Surely Paul’s work must have got in the way of such doting practice? Or, at the very least, surely there were times when one or the other fancied a night out with their own crowd? I’d try to validate my own objections (not that it’s any of my business) by mumbling something about ‘absence making the heart grow fonder’ and suggesting that it’s just not healthy to live in your partner’s pockets. By then, I think some of my friends had just written me off as cold and callous.

It’s true that I have friends now who are such a compatible match that they’re barely apart. It’s lovely and it makes me sick. In their togetherness, they’re able to find such happiness that they need no external distraction. They’ve sailed through lockdown and the challenges of Covid-19 largely because their lives have barely changed. I suppose, at the heart of my feeling, there’s an envy that such stability can be found within such limited horizons. Of course, the properly advanced state of thinking here would be ‘each to their own’. There are many ways to swing a cat and one man’s liquor is another man’s poison. 

Today’s Sonic Breakfast track, ‘Stay Around’ by Lena Minder, is a song all about togetherness and the enduring nature of some relationships. Conversely, it could also be about never quite being able to deal with the memories of a break-up. I guess the simple lyrics are left inconclusive to enable the listener to layer their own interpretation over. At its core though, Stay Around is, without doubt, a tender love song.

Beautiful and lush, Lena treats her listeners to enticing harmonies and vocal effects. Over a finger-picked guitar line, the song gently meanders with occasional piano chord to a sweet conclusion. Originally from Zurich and now living in Berlin, Lena recorded this out of ‘The Famous Goldwatch’ studios. 

I ask Thomas from the studio how things are going right now. “For now Lena plans to release a few singles which I’m sure she’ll eventually compile as an EP or even album.“, he tells me. “Lockdown is still hard for the musicians of course, but at least the weather now allows for busking and we try to keep our studio running as much as the restrictions allow us to.”

Have a lovely Saturday full of happy coupling moments if you can. 

 
03.12.21
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Luke Lanzon – Saving Grace

I still chuckle somewhat when I think back to the barnstormer of a Twitter row that I had with the Mum of an act I once reviewed. Taking offence at a gig review I published (here), the Mum of a ‘star from Nottingham’ got all uppity with me suggesting that I’m an awful writer with poor judgment. Whilst she might have had a point, I couldn’t help myself and had to respond pithily. “Pushy parent?”, I suggested and the floodgates opened. Even the act himself had to get involved threatening me with all sorts of cease and desist nonsense. 

You suspect that if I said cruel words about today’s featured Sonic Breakfast act, Luke Lanzon, his family might not be so quick to rush to his rescue – or at least his 90 year-old Grandma wouldn’t be. 

“Grandma is here to humble me, as she still does not enjoy my singing, which is also a deal breaker for her appreciating the songs themselves.“, says Luke by correspondence. “Maybe if my rival Frank Sinatra were around to sing it she’d feel differently, but all the same I’m determined to change her mind!”

Luckily for Luke, he has nothing to worry about. I couldn’t possibly have bad words to say about his debut single ‘Saving Grace’. It simply oozes charm. An indie-folk song about following your dreams and overcoming inertia, it’s the sound of an artist beginning to break free from the ties that bind. Luke tells me that after years of writing and stockpiling songs, it feels great to finally be putting out music. It’s something that will continue across 2021. 

“I have several more singles planned for the rest of the year that I’m hoping will win Grandma over.“, he says. “The goal is getting into the groove of releasing music regularly and doing what I can to get people to listen. It’s definitely more work than people think, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Sonic Breakfast readers – I’ll leave it with you to decide if you’re a Betty (Luke’s Grandma) or not…