SHANGRI-LA - ALBUM.

UK-singer/songwriter Jake Bugg is back, and at only 19, the quick release of his new album 'Shangri-La' is an ideal indication that the youngster is bursting with new ideas and is quickly settling in to stardom and fame. 




Recorded with the infamous producer Rick Rubin at Shangri-La studio in Malibu – hence the album title – 'Shangri-La' portrays an artist who is clearly expanding exponentially but is still able to keep his trademark sound. By 'trademark sound' I'm referring to, of course, his nasal vocals which have continued to link comparisons to the immortal, Bob Dylan.

It's obvious that Jake Bugg is making strides to widen his repertoire, and working with Rick Rubin is undoubtedly the beginning of something tremendous waiting just around the corner. Although not everyone has a taste for Rubin's  fondness for excessive compression and loudness, this style is certainly perfect for Bugg. The 'nakedness' of tracks that he applied with artists such as Johnny Cash and The Red Hot Chili Peppers works beautifully on the garage rock revival tracks like "There's a Beast and We All Feed It" and "Slumville Sunrise." The album is a constant mixture of folk and rock, like "Messed Up Kids", which introduces us to a new side of Bugg, providing us with a much more poetic viewpoint ("It's a washed-out Saturday, a sky of pastel shades, under breeze-block palisades").


We see Jake exploring more of that rough, tough, 'working-class' feel with developments on his bad boy image created in older material (like previously featured 'Two Fingers', which was pretty badass) - such as in the song 'Kingpin' with the lyrics "Pay off the police to stay out of my way / I got it all sewn up and I'm kingpin for a day" - and with the more gritty, low-fi dirty sound this album produces. Other examples of this more jagged, unpolished atmosphere is seen especially in songs such as 'What Doesn't Kill You' with its ferocious guitar distortion and Jake's flinging delivery, paired with uninhibited vocal projection.


There is no doubt Jake Bugg will live up to his potential within his next few releases. However, on 'Shangri La', Bugg is still searching within himself for that special something and - providing he manages to discover anything breathtaking by the time he begins working on album number three, he could very well establish himself as a serious performer for years to come. But for now, Jake Bugg is a 'Mercury Award Nominated' performer and I'm sure there will be plenty more nominations in the near future.

Jake will be touring Australia as part of Bluesfest 2014, and will be holding a few sideshows in the major cities. Tour dates are below:

Thursday 17 April
Melbourne, Palace Theatre


Sunday 20 April
Sydney, Enmore Theatre


Wednesday 23 April
The HiFi, Brisbane

Check out some of the optional e's favourites: "What Doesn't Kill You" and "Slumville Sunrise"

THE RED LIGHTS - INTERVIEW.

The Red Lights are a super snazzy indie rock band from Melbourne who have won fans over with their catchy hooks, warm harmonies and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. They've supported and performed alongside major acts such as The Rubens and Hunting Grounds, and we were very happy to catch up with drummer Davin Johnston after the release of their new EP 'Neighbouring Patterns'.

What's in a band name?


(I) don't think there is any particularly great story behind it. I'm pretty sure the other boys (Dean Valentino and David Liistro) had just started doing shows and were thinking of names- Dave suggested it and it just stuck! For us; a lot (on its importance) - our band name is pretty synonymous with who we we have become. We have built a reputation with it and it has built our outlets for connecting with fans via Facebook, twitter, Instagram etc.

Who are The Red Lights?

A healthy dose of 3 piece Indie/Rock, full sound and warm harmonies.

When did you guys start playing music?

We really spent a lot of time honing our debut EP and finding a sound that was just us on a record for 'Not In This Town'. It was raw and in some ways lo-fi. By the time we hit the songwriting stage for the second record we had matured a lot as a band and had gone through some life changes personally. 'Neighbouring Patterns' has our signature sound but there is a lot more substance- there are some songs like our lead single 'Chaperone' that is crisp and has warm harmonies which breaks away from what we have previously written in the past.

Biggest influences?

We have a mutual love for bands like Phoenix & The Kooks- but we have a lot of different other influences too, some of my personal favourites still to this day are bands like Death Cab for Cutie and early 90's rock like Jimmy Eat World. (the optional e loves these band to bits as well.)


What are you guys working on at the moment?

We are just really getting back into some shows after taking a little break to recoup - some ideas are starting to float around for some potential new tunes, looks like we will be booking in some time soon to get back in the writing process!

Any final comments and/or cool stuff?

I do believe David is set to be married (arranged) in Laos early 2014 so it will be nice to fly up and make a speech for that, maybe we can play as his wedding band, hmmm that could be pretty nice.


Thank you so much to The Red Lights for talking with us. Grab a copy of their fabulous new EP 'Neighbouring Patterns' or their fantastic 'Not In This Town' EP. We're so pumped for when these guys (hopefully!)  release a new full length album, and congratulations to David (ladies: AWW).

Check out 'Chaperone', the lead single from 'Neighbouring Patterns' and an optional e fave:

TOM PLANT - INTERVIEW.

We at the optional e caught up a while ago with Sydney act Tom Plant.


Tom is a solo act, crafting heartfelt lyrics with emotional delivery and acoustic intimacy. His song, 'Endless', peaked at number 33 on the Triple J Unearthed High chart - it's a beautifully poignant song with understated subtleties reminiscent of personal memories.



When did you get into music?


I first became interested in music when my dad used to play the didgeridoo to me to help me sleep. Funnily enough the didge used to calm me to sleep, however when he started playing guitar I became increasingly interested. I have grown up listening to all kinds of music, mainly from dad introducing me to his collection of music. I then started playing the saxophone when I was about 10, which eventually made me pick up a guitar and start playing. From then on I have also developed a knack of singing, which has also developed an increased interest in the art of song writing and producing. 


Who are your main musical influences?


My main musical influences are Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Dallas Green, Matt Corby, and Lakyn Heperi. Jeff Buckley has also been an influence in the way of giving me an insane appreciation of talent for his vocal and lyrical capabilities - I always aspire to one day having such an incredible vocal range. Justin Vernon and Dallas Green have inspired my writing acoustically, in terms of how to add different instruments and sounds into a song. Justin and Dallas both have incredible lyrical skills and because they are both in my most played I think I adopt the most from them... Matt and Lakyn are probably my biggest influences in terms of sound as their acoustic sounds influence a lot of the way I play the guitar, and the way I sing. 


What are the inspirations behind your songs?


Most of the songs I have written are about my girlfriend, she gives me the happiness and eagerness to write songs in the manner I do. However a few of the lyrics I have written have been about other things going on through my life, like any musician I guess! But my girlfriend mostly for the style of songs I have recorded. 


How did you become the musician you are - how did you become interested in your style of music?


I first started listening to acoustic music when I first heard Matt Corby on Australian Idol... since then I have been listening to acoustic and alternative music. I listen to a heap of different styles of music and I have made some songs in different genres such as rock and indie pop, however acoustic music seems to settle close to my heart and I feel it is my main style. 


Where to from here?


Well, from here I would like to record a heap more of my songs! I have a whole bank of lyrics on my computer which I am really keen to record, so look out; they will be on Youtube and Triple J's Unearthed page soon! I would love to start playing gigs around the place and start heading into the industry, which is my main goal. I would love to perform for a living, like any musician! 
Thanks to Tom for spending his time with us.
Listen to his song 'Endless' here and check out his Unearthed page.

His music rings of other successful Australian acoustic acts, such as Matt Corby and Whitley. It's very exciting for us at the blog to be able to interview such a promising young local act - here it is!

YOUR BODY IS A WEAPON.

Falls Festival this year is set to amaze with a brilliant lineup. We thought we'd review some of the artists that are performing, so after the jump, here is THE WOMBATS.

CHANGING OF THE SEASONS - EP.

Two Door Cinema Club's latest EP 'Changing of the Seasons' is, as well as being a poppy party-worthy record, a showcase of a variety of great tunes from the band.

The title song kicks it off with an upbeat feel, combining an electric style with some catchy vocals. As the song progresses, more layers are added above the initial drum + synth show, creating a colourful, danceable tune.

Before you are ready to dismiss the rest of the EP as an electro-pop fantasy, listen to what is up next. 'Crystal' is, in contrast to the high energy of the opening track, a gentle, melodic tune, featuring spacey, textured vocals and a majestic orchestral lineup. Although this feature adds the feel of a fantastical film score, the lyrics are that of a pretty ballad - 'I listen to your words/flowing like hummingbirds all around me'. Aw.

'Golden Veins' is a steady piece of work, referring back to the band's dancy style, while also exuding a stronger, darker character via some fancy vocal jobs and a dynamic melody. A remix of the title track follows, managing to make it even more danceable, if that is even possible.

It seems as though this EP is hinting at something bigger to come from the band, especially considering their use of French DJ Madeon as the producer, which allowed him to inject a danceable feel into the band's sound.

This handful of diverse tunes may signify a new musical direction for the Club, as well as maintaining their light-hearted, poppy sound for the fans to enjoy.

CLOUD CONTROL - DREAM CAVE.

Cloud Control's highly anticipated sophomore release Dream Cave is a boundary-pushing album that seeks to shake up the band's poppy sound.

We had quite high expectations for this album, considering the critical success of their debut album Bliss Release. The lead single, 'Dojo Rising', while not as initially as catchy as 2010's 'There's Nothing In The Water We Can't Fight', is a more experimental and floaty track. In fact, the entire album is a bit of a musical trip, filled with weird vocal wobbles and swirling backing tracks.

The whole trippy feel of the album is great. It definitely pushes the boundaries of the band's easy-going dream pop sound, dipping into dark percussion on 'Island Living' and reverting to further exploration of an iconic sound on 'Ice Age Heatwave'. There are beautiful sections within songs where the lyrics and musical craftmanship mould together with delicacy or anthemic vigour or sheer energy, and there is the continual sculpting of the eponymous 'dream cave', with the addition of (sometimes rather odd) drips of water and arching vocals.

Overall, the entire album does a very sensory justice to the cave, and adventures to very exciting places with the sweeping vocals, sweet harmonies, dreamy backing and eclectic percussion. At times, however, it just feels a bit disconnected and wandering into too many different dimensions - in their pursuit of a new sound they seem to have been a bit confused as to which sound that is. However, it is still a very solid release that I can say I did indeed enjoy.