The Next Big Thing?

 

During the last days I listened to various independent radio stations and it is conspicuous that many of them featured Kid Kapichi a band from Hastings, not far away from Dover. I don't know if there is a music scene but the band soaked up newer British music. Their sound is modern British punk rock located somewhere between the sound and attitude of the Idles, Slaves, Sleaford Mods, Slowthai & The Streets. Surely not a worse taste and the result is I.N.V.U. They envy him - NOT! - the Mr. MTV, who stumbles around with his alligator shoes and his Rolex and can afford to sleep comfortably while the whole world has to get out of bed early. The four musicians have now packed their disgust at this kind of person and his staging on social media into a song. I am not sure if their whole album is as good as this little song that I can't get out of my mind after listening the first time but I am sure the medias will feature them massive during the next weeks.

I Love You Will You Marry Me

Almost half a year ago I featured Dominic Harrison at this place because his mix-up of musical influences impressed me. Now he's back with his alter ego Yungblud and a new single. And I still like the way he merges different sounds from the last decades in music. You can hear reminiscences of revolution rock by The Clash, ska-punk by The Specials and Bob Dylan's protest-folk. And over all a snotty rap The Streets used to do. Not too bad to start into the last quarter of the year.

King Charles

One of the best new songs I heard the recent days come from a 19 year old musician from Doncaster. Dominic Harrison aka Yungblud has a lot of energy in this song. Growing up surrounded by music from people like Bob Dylan, The Clash and The Streets, protest songs are natural outlet for Yungblud and King Charles is two and a half minute rage against the system. Rhymes like Get our your wallet and give us your money / And you might as well throw in your soul are seldom heard these days and were supported with a driving  backbeat and lead to a hip-hop crossover. You can describe it as a kind of mix of Jamie T and Arctic Monkeys - and that is not too bad for this young kid.

And then one day it happened - she cut 'er hair and I stopped loving 'er

Last Friday JC from The Vinyl Villain featured Billy Bragg and his record 'Don't try this at home' from 1991. I took this for a chance to listen more to his music over the last weekend. It is astonishing how many songs and lyrics are familiar to me after all this time still presently. About him is is nearly everything told.

In different blogs it is discussed whether his political songs are the better ones or the love songs. I turned into his music with his first record 'Life's A Riot with Spy vs Spy'. On this record and also on the following records he sung very political songs. And most of them I played while I worked as a DJ for the weekend in our local pub. I agreed with lots of his political statements - especially against the Thatcher administration.

When I listen to his love songs nowadays I've to confess that a know only a few white singer who are able to sing songs of love and resignation like he does - with his whole heart and empathy.

One of my favorite love song is 'Walk away Renee' - his version of the 1966 single from the Left Bank, around own verses complements. Beside the blog-title the song still contains this miraculous dialogue:

I said 'I'm the most illegible bachelor in town'. 
And she said 'Yea, that's why I never can understand any of those silly letters you send me'.

Billy Bragg - Walk away Renee

Another great song about going separate ways to go:

The Streets - Dry your eyes

Listen, enjoy and have a good week.
Walter