Friday, 15 July 2016

Feature: The Ollie West Band (15/07/16)


The Ollie West Band is fronted by 18 year old pianist and singer/songwriter, Ollie West. Currently studying Popular Music at the Royal Northern College of Music, his work has been recognised by established musicians such as drummer Liberty DeVitto and guitarist Dominic Miller. Alongside being the keyboard player for 'Watching Planes' and gigging solo from a young age, Ollie has fronted this band for the past two years, having gigged with them across the country, including a summer tour. The five piece consisting of Ollie, Ashely (bass), Pete (drums), Will (violin) and Tom (violin) recently released their debut single 'So Far Away' along with a B-side in the build up to an EP due later this year... 

General Questions:

1. How old were you when you started getting involved in music and how?
I've been playing the piano since I was 7, but I didn't get really into it until I started writing music when I was 14. I had all these songs written but I hadn't gigged them, until my mates formed a band and started playing in bars round the local area and I would then do support slots at their gigs. From there I gigged solo for ages until I formed the band about two years ago, and since then we've progressed so much to where we are now. 

2. What is the most inspiring musical performance you've ever seen?
For my 16th birthday I got to go see Billy Joel at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. His performance was unreal, but what really stuck with me was watching Fyfe Dangerfield, who was supporting him. It was just him and a piano, and it made me realise that what I was doing could lead to something, and that it was possible to make it. 

3. Who have you been listening to lately?
I'm really enjoying Radiohead's new album 'A Moon Shaped Pool', and I've been listening to D'Angelo and the Vanguard's 'Black Messiah' a lot. I've also just been introduced to Robert Glasper by a good friend of mine, and what I've heard so far sounds awesome. 

3 Qs for The Ollie West Band:

1. What inspires you lyrically and who influences you musically?
Lots of stuff inspires me lyrically, but often being outside or in big open spaces helps. It sounds stupid but it gives me room to think, and if you can clear your head and focus while outdoors it's a really great place to be mentally while writing. I've always been inspired by people like Billy Joel, Bruce Hornsby and Jamie Cullum who I can relate to as pianists and singer-songwriters, but people like Prince and Sting are massive influences on me as well. 

2. Which would be your dream venue to perform at and who would be your dream act to perform alongside and why?
I think playing Madison Square Garden in NYC is a dream I want to fulfil, but I'd have to play Ronnie Scotts as well. I'm going to see Gregory Porter there in July and I can't wait. He's someone I'd love to play alongside, his charisma on stage combined with this amazing voice makes him a massive musical force and it would be awesome to sing with him. 

3. What process did you go through creating 'So Far Away' and how much did it differ to the B-side 'Summer Rain'?
I started writing the music for 'So Far Away' based on this riff I'd had in my head for ages, and just sat at a keyboard with it and the rest of the music just came really quickly, which I love. The lyrics came later, based on a long distance friendship where the person does not know whether the other person is into them or not, and is begging them to 'let me know'. 'Summer Rain' was based on this pedal G chord with various extensions, and was trying to recreate the feeling of rain in the summer, being warm and constant, but not unpleasant. Again, the lyrics came later based off the one lyric I had, 'summer rain', and represents an escapism that summer rain is, at least to me. Someone saying let's pack it all in and run away into the summer rain seem quite romantic to me, plus rain in summertime is one of my favourite things in the world, hence why I wanted to record the song. Neither process was particularly different musically, but my mental approach to the lyrics in both tracks differed greatly and I guess this translated in the music. 

Random Q:

If you could go to the moon, which song would you play first?
Definitely 'Space Oddity' by David Bowie, more for the novelty than anything else. Imagine staring at Earth from the moon, and just hearing the voice of Bowie singing 'Ground control to Major Tom' in your ear... 

'So Far Away' Review:
'So Far Away' is a brilliant easy-listening track, full of jazzy piano riffs and funky bass lines. The steady drums work well with the guitars and pianos to create an infectious melody, that's pretty hard to get out of your head after listening. A combination of jazz and pop creates a brilliant track that Ollie's vocals intertwine with wonderfully. I'm looking forward to hearing more from these guys, and think their EP is something to be excited about! 


The Ollie West Band's Links:

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Wednesday, 13 July 2016

Feature: Elk + Mammoth (13/07/16)


Since forming in 2014, Elk + Mammoth have established a herd of followers, performing signature blend of unpredictable humour, unusual subject matter, and mid-set-on-stage outfit chances at venues all over Melbourne. They've played with artists such as The Pierce Brothers, Slim Jeffries, and Pockets, and gained traction with the release of their single 'Fabric' in 2015. This indie rock four-piece have now released their debut EP, 'Culprit', so we caught up with drummer, Alex, for a Q&A... 

General Questions:

1. How old were you when you started getting involved in music and how?
I started taking notice of and singing along to music that my parents had playing around the house from pretty early on. When I began incessantly tapping along, Mum suggested I put that energy to good use and so I started playing drums at 8 years old, starting my first band soon after. The first incarnation of what became Elk + Mammoth formed at high school when we were about 15-16 and jamming in the school’s music rooms at lunch.

2. What is the most inspiring musical performance you’ve ever seen?
The Melbourne band/collective called 30/70 always blow our minds, and their album launch at The Gasometer last year was like entering another world. They’re soulful, have serious groove and an admirable attitude towards music and art. I think it’s good to look up to local artists, not just in terms of musical ability and sound, but also their progress. It can be difficult to know how to tangibly follow and the footsteps of rockstars and famous artists, but you can easily follow local artists and learn from them whilst also supporting them towards bigger things. I guess, in that way that it’s not just inspiring creatively, but pragmatically too.

3. Who have you been listening to lately?
Going back and listening to guys like Charles Mingus and Sun Ra is phenomenal, as is the new stuff from Radiohead and Death Grips as well as Bowie's 'Blackstar'. Aussie bands like The Love Junkies and our good mates in Pockets always get cranked up to 11.

3 Qs for Elk + Mammoth:

1. What is the biggest thing you’ve learnt about the music industry since forming in 2014?
You spend a lot of time sending emails... but also that there is an insane amount of talent in the local scene and a lot of camaraderie, which makes all that time spent emailing worth the effort to play shows, release music and share ideas with the other artists you meet.

2. Which three countries would you most like to tour and why?
The U.S. because there are so many cities with completely different audiences, Spain because I feel like it would have the best after-parties, and Japan because we want to gorge ourselves on all their amazing food and we could say that at least we’re big there.

3. What process did you go through creating ‘Shiver’ and how did it differ to the other tracks on your EP ‘Culprit’?
Shiver is a song we've had for a while, from the early days of Elk + Mammoth. It started with lyrics and a few riffs that Tim had and was slapped together during an acoustic jam in one of our bedrooms so we'd have enough material for a gig. Like a lot of our tracks though, we've pretty much completely overhauled it over the last year or so. Portrait is the only track on the EP that remains mostly as it was originally written, but it is the most recently written track as well.

Random Q:

1. Favourite pizza topping?
Given that the band is mostly vegetarian, I'd say majority rules on that one.

'Culprit EP' Review:
The EP kicks off with 'Culprit', one of my favourite tracks from the release, guitars layered up and a strong bass line pulling them together. It's a laid back track with really neat layers and tight vocals.  'Shiver' starts with stunning electric guitar complimenting the lead vocals, slowly building into a chorus with memorable lyrics and melodies, thrashing drums, a pretty funky bass line. 'Faded' follows on from 'Shiver' well, being generally more upbeat with a regular beat that forces the listener to tap along and melodies that are impossible not to hum along after listening. The release comes to a close with 'Portrait', a mellower track with a steady beat and bass line, dreamy guitar riffs and a chilled back vibe to the whole sound. I really like this EP, it offers varying aspects of indie rock and it's a good one to kick back and chill to in the sun. 

Shiver - Elk + Mammoth (link)

Elk & Mammoth's Links:
'Culprit EP' (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/culprit-ep/id1117268839
Website: http://www.elkandmammoth.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elkandmammoth
Twitter: https://twitter.com/elkandmammoth
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/Elk+Mammoth

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Monday, 11 July 2016

Feature: Olivia (11/07/16)


Captivating audiences since the age of 12, Olivia has already accomplished more than most artists twice her age. As one of the top 12 finalists in the 'Our Kids Have Talent' competition, she began building a fanbase early on; her Christmas single 'Christmas For Two' made it into the Top 20 on Canadian radio two years running, garnering her attention from writers and producers in America. 2013 saw her venture out to LA and began working with songwriters and producers, developing a unique sound. Now she releases her debut EP 'Weightless' full of positivity and powerful pop music... 

General Questions:

1. How old were you when you started getting involved in music and how?
I always liked singing when I was little and so I started taking vocal lessons at age 11 to see if I would like it, and I was definitely hooked. After a couple months of lessons, I decided to audition for my very first local music competition called 'Our Kids Have Talent'. I remember wanting to do it so badly, but being terrified once I got there and saw the crowd and the stage. I am so glad I got up there and performed, as things really started after that. I started getting local little gigs, and then a friend of my family took a video of one of my performances and sent it to Sony / ATV writer Andrew Allen, who then had me come out and perform with him, and then he and his wife Julia became my managers. The doors really opened from there, and I started flying our to LA to write songs with Andrew Allen and other amazing artists. 

2. What is the most inspiring musical performance you've ever seen?
I was recently invited by my friend to catch the Hedley concert in Kelowna, and I loved it. They were amazing live. Sometimes when you go to a concert, you can leave a little disappointed when the live performances don't sound like the recorded music. But Hedley was fantastic and pretty inspiring to see how much they seem to love performing. 

3. Who have you been listening to lately?
I feel like my music taste is always changing, and right now I am really into some of the upbeat summer songs that are coming out like JT's 'Can't Stop The Feeling' and Matt Simon's 'Catch & Release'. I am always an Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith fan as well. 

3 Qs for Olivia:

1. Which three countries would you most like to tour and why?
Wow great question, as I love to travel and it would be amazing to be able to perform outside of Canada. I guess I would say Australia, the UK, and the US. I have never been to Australia and it is so far away, but I do have fans from there and also a small community of support for some of my music. So it for sure would be cool to go there. I love the UK. I have been to England and Scotland, and I love the people there. I also have some really great fans from the UK that are often tweeting me and commenting on my YouTube page. And lastly, the US. It would be great to road trip through the US. There are so many different places that I have always wanted to go to, like Nashville and New Orleans. Any of it would be an adventure! 

2. How important do you think promoting self-love and empowerment is, especially in the world of music? 
People listen to music for fun, to get energy, because they are sad, or because they need to be uplifted. I love writing music that can pull you up when you are down. There is nothing better than listening to a song that just makes you feel good and happy, and that reminds you of your value. This industry can be super critical, and there are always those few people who seem to like to share the negative, but for the most part I have found that people are very supportive and there is more good out there than bad. Music should always be something that makes people feel good. 

3. Which is your favourite track from your EP 'Weightless' and why does it stand out to you?
I have to say that I really relate to the lyrics in 'Weightless'. When me co-writer Robin and I sat down to write it, we were both talking about those moments in my life when you feel 'weightless', when everything is good, when you feel so light and optimistic, that it just puts a smile on your face. Those are the moments we have to hang on to, that we often have to remind ourselves of. It is a song that just reminds you to let go of the bad, and move forward with the good. 

Random Q:

If you could invent a chocolate bar, what would you call it and what would it be made of?
Ha ha! I LOVE chocolate? How about 'Weightless' a delicious, no calorie, guilt-free, all milk chocolate bar! The no regrets candy bar. 

'Outshine The Stars' Review:
'Outshine The Stars' is the latest song to be shared as a music video from her debut EP 'Weightless'. At first listen, this is an incredibly catchy pop song, sung by a very talented artist; after a few more listens you pick up on the extremely positive and powerful lyrics, emotion and youthful innocence that shines through. These are all themes that run throughout the rest of 'Weightless' and this song is one of the stand out tracks in my opinion, if you like this one, you'll love the rest of the release too! 

Olivia's Links:

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Friday, 8 July 2016

Review: Barn on the Farm 2016 Pt. 2 (03/07/16)

Barn on the Farm, is perfect for finding new up and coming artists that you may not have heard of before, as well as the few new acts from the first two days of the festival, Sunday also pointed me in the direction of some new (and very talented) musicians. Lily Rendle-Moore was one of the artists, with a sound reminiscent of Duffy or Amy Winehouse and stunning acoustic guitar led songs she kicked Sunday off to a great start. Another lesser known act at the festival was sibling duo Ardyn (who you may remember from a recent Spotlight blog post...) They did a brilliant set on the Main Stage and it was great to finally see them perform live. 

Our early afternoon on Sunday consisted of mainly chilling at the Outdoor stage, starting with Pleasure Beach, they reminded me a lot of Noah and the Whale, and I really enjoyed their energy and overall indie sound; it was perfect for the sunny day that we were lucky to have, and even better live. Having heard a lot of good things about Prose but having never listened to them before, we headed to the Main Stage to see them do their thing. Well, let's put it this way, I came home and have since listened to all of their songs a good few times and will definitely be getting their album. They clearly enjoyed what they were performing, they got people singing along and their songs are brilliant written with thought-provoking verses and infectiously memorable choruses. If you like the Streets or Plan B, you'll love Prose. 

Home Of The Brave - Prose (link)

Tom Walker was next and his set was definitely a highlight from the whole weekend for me. With a set up similar to Jack Garratt, vocals reminiscent of Gavin James with a bit more punch and an overall sound that left me taken aback and excited to hear more. We had another walk about and enjoyed listening to a couple of songs from Hidden Charms when we gravitated back to the Outdoor Stage. 


The Amazons were also really great and brought a huge energy to the stage. Frustratingly we only managed to catch the last song and a half of Dan Owen's, but what we did hear was incredible, he was able to show a softer, mellower side to his music and then go all out blues with strong harmonica, guitar and some box, it was quite something! 

Easily one of my biggest highlights from the whole weekend was getting to see Fickle Friends on the main stage. I missed them earlier this year on tour and have been really enjoying their songs 'Swim' and 'Say No More', so was excited to see them for the first time. I think they're now on my list for best bands live, their stage presence and commitment (Jack was ill and still put in 100%) was incredible, and that meant their live set just brought their upbeat indie pop music to life. 
Continuing on the indie route and getting a little rockier, we headed back to the Outdoor Stage and enjoyed High Tyde's set. It was clear that everyone else enjoyed it too, there was even a mosh pit, I'm not sure how, but it happened... Eliza and the Bear were on the Main Stage after and of course, we made sure we didn't miss them, it was a good set, and 'Friends' got a loud cheer and singalong. 

When I found out Dagny was performing at Barn on the Farm, I made a mental note to make sure I saw her, having featured Dagny two years ago and still not managing to see her live, I thought this was my perfect opportunity! It was a great set full of upbeat pop songs and she definitely knew how to keep the crowd captive with catchy melodies to hum and dance along to. Next to the Wooden Barn Stage was the mystery act... Hudson Taylor, one live and one on FaceTime (Harry broke his leg...) with guests, Gabrielle Aplin and Hannah Grace. It was a good set, full of well known songs and everyone sang along to 'I Don't Know', which seemed to also get stuck in many people's head as during the evening you could hear it being faintly hummed in most corners of the farm. 


The evening started becoming mellower and chilled out when Frances took to the Main Stage and completely owned it! She performed my two favourite songs of hers, 'Grow' and 'Don't Worry About Me', as well as her other original songs and very nearly left me with a tear in my eye. It really says something about a musician's music when they leave people speechless and just watching and listening in awe (and silence). Frances has a wonderful talent for telling stories through her music and her whole set was compelling and emotive. 


We wandered back to the Wooden Barn Stage for my most anticipated sets of the whole weekend. Ry X. The creator of one of my favourite songs 'Berlin' and after promising my friends we'd leave 'when I know what the next song is...' turned into two more, when he performed 'Berlin' and 'Sweat' arguably his best two songs in the middle of his set. The silence that surrounded the Wooden Barn Atage during his stage added to the ethereal atmosphere he created with his stunning music and soundscapes. Definitely a set that will stay with me forever. 


To bring Barn on the Farm 2016 to a close, who else but Jack Garratt?! An incredible hour and 15 minutes of inspiring and atmospherically intense music. Nothing will quite beat feeling the bass in your chest and singing along at the top of your lungs and dancing your heart out to this year's most promising musician. Even when his technology faulted, he carried on as if nothing happened and covered S Club 7, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and his infamous mash up of Justin Timberlake and Craig David, later also covering Spice Girls after realising everyone he'd covered the wrong 90's/00's pop group... It was a fun, energetic, atmospheric experience and I think Jack summed up his thank you speech pretty well, not only is it Josh and the Barn on the Farm organisers, volunteers and musicians that make it the best independent festival, it's the family of music lovers that go year in and year out. 

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Wednesday, 6 July 2016

Review: Barn on the Farm 2016 Pt. 1 (02/07/16)

Barn on the Farm is an independent and intimate folk-orientated music festival, held in several barns on Over Farm, Gloucestershire. Created in 2010 as a small venture, driven by a passion for decent, new music; now in it's sixth year, it's gained a reputation as a place you will see the next big thing whilst meeting people with the same passion for music. With names like Ed Sheeran, Ben Howard, Nina Nesbitt and Bastille taking to the stage in previous years, there's only one place this fantastic festival is heading and that's to even bigger audiences and awards. Joshua Sanger and the rest of his Barn on the Farm family are brilliant, friendly and should be thanked and congratulated on creating such a welcoming festival, full of brilliant live music and moments. 


This year we managed to get tickets for the intimate Friday, which added to the whole Barn on the Farm experience. Highlights included Jade Bird, Aaron Rowe, Plested, Barns Courtney, a stripped back set from Amber Run and the secret headliners, Bear's Den. (The other acts unfortunately we missed in between food and drink breaks, but from what we heard - they were great too!) 

Saturday went off to a good start as we got to see Joseph, one of my favourite folk bands, I knew they were going to be a trio that would be great live, but I didn't realise quite how great they were actually going to be. My two friends and I were left standing speechless and goosebumps, their tight harmonies, phenomenal songwriting, stage presence and personalities created a half hour set that I won't ever forget. 


We walked about a bit and really took in our surroundings, waking up a little more and grabbing some food from The Den for breakfast (which was very tasty). We sat at the Outdoor Stage for a few of Will Joseph Cook's song, he definitely woke everyone up with his brilliant pop tunes and got people dancing. However, I was keen to see Mahalia in the Wooden Barn, so headed there and got to see her perform the one song I knew, 'Back Up Plan', a cleverly written song with spoken word verses and a catchy chorus. Her set seemed to go down really well with others too and understandably so, she's an act to be watched! 

Back Up Plan - Mahalia (link)

We headed down to the Main Stage to chill to Samm Henshaw's soulful pop, it was great to see (and hear) new music from him, in addition to the songs I fell in love with the last time I saw him at Barn on the Farm last year. Isaac Gracie and Ady Suleiman performed at the same time, so made sure to see half of each set, both did a fantastic job attracting audiences, Isaac's stunning electric guitar led songs and emotive and raw lyrics brought to life with his wonderful vocals, and Ady's upbeat and incredibly catchy reggae, pop songs. 


JP Cooper was on the Main Stage this year and as I'd seen him (and enjoyed his music) last year, I thought I'd go see him again. As always, he did a fantastic job and performed a mixed set of older songs that people knew and newer songs, more recently released. Unfortunately I didn't get to see his whole set, but what I did see, I thoroughly enjoyed. We left early to go get a good spot in the Wooden Barn for Ryan Keen's set, and it was worth it! It was my second time seeing Ryan live and I'm pretty sure he did the same set (which definitely wasn't a bad thing), however he also got Gavin James up on stage with him and they covered 'Royals', originally by Lorde, really really well; their voices complimented each other well along with Ryan's unique playing style and Leroy on percussion. 


Another clash between acts that we wanted to see, Billie Marten and Clean Cut Kid. We enjoyed the first few songs of Billie's but as we'd seen her the previous year, and were becoming pleasantly sleepy, we decided to go check out Clean Cut Kid's set. Their upbeat indie pop got everyone dancing and singing along, and as the first time listening to them live, I added them to my list of bands to listen to when I got home. I particularly enjoyed 'Vitamin C' and their new single 'We Used To Be In Love'...


The Farm Band, Hudson Taylor, Gabrielle Aplin, Hannah Grace and Joe Keogh (from Amber Run), came together to perform a collection of their own songs. Their chemistry as a group shone through their performance and it was clear they were really enjoying it up on stage. A fair selection of songs from each acts releases, an incredible a cappella arrangement of 'I Found' and a cover of 'With A Little Help From My Friends', which of course ended with the whole Barn on the Farm family singing along and feeling an almighty togetherness. 


A clash of acts sets hit again, this time between Dan Croll and Gavin James, and again we decided to make the most of both sets, starting with Gavin James and his incredibly soulful acoustic songs (including a fantastic cover of Wonderful World' that went into his original 'Say Hello', which was another goosebumps moment from the weekend). On the way to the Main Stage, we saw a few songs of Dan Croll's set, full of fantastic alternative pop tracks built upon great riffs, beats and Dan's vocals. 


After trying to see Jose Vanders and Ant West as their previous projects live for a fair few years, I was incredibly excited to see Oh Wonder headline the Saturday of Barn on the Farm, and was not disappointed. They did a phenomenal set, comprised of tracks from their album, including a stunning stripped back version of their track 'Midnight Moon' and a brilliant cover of Beyonce's 'Crazy In Love'. They had everyone dancing and singing along and created an incredible atmosphere that will stay with me for quite some time. I'm so pleased I finally got to see them live, and for it to be at Barn on the Farm just added to the moment. 



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