Irish Music Gets A Platform To Shine
Bands!!! Soloists!! Get yourselves signed onto Breakingtunes.com if you haven't already!!
Frockstar was thrilled today to read of a new partnership between HMV Xtra-vision and First Music Contact who promote the Breaking Tunes initiative for new artists.
It's called Breakingstage and Irish bands will be given an opportunity to perform their new releases in the HMV flagship store on Grafton Street and in Belfast in the Donegall Arcade store. This will be a regular slot every Saturday at 1pm, kicking off on May 16th.
Band releases will be prominently on sale within HMV and they will also have an chance to sell merchandise thanks to a HMV pop up which will tag along on the First Music Contact's annual tour and showcase.
This marks a change in national recognition for contemporary artists in Ireland and comes after some controversy surrounding the Arts Council's decisions in previous years to allocate greater levels of funding to classical and traditional music projects.
PROGRESS!
Frockstar says HELL YEH
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Click for full article:
http://www.imro.ie/industry-news/breakingtunes-breakingstage-initiative-launched/
NEW IRISH MUSIC: Cavalier
James Vincent McMorrow
I got a little package this morning in the shape of James Vincent McMorrow's...(that's your mind not mine) debut single from his forthcoming album, Post Tropical.
The track is called Cavalier. As I pressed play, my eyebrows raised involuntarily and I digested the realisation that McMorrow, with this track anyway, has shifted from the folk thread that neatly sewed up his debut Early in the Morning. Presuming this is a general sound shift, (and one would presume a debut track release from a new album would set the scene for the rest of the songs within) it's a brave move from the Irish native who enjoyed phenomenal success with his debut folk style album, complete with world tours and international acclaim. McMorrow has previously been open about the fact that he is a fan of hip hop fan and we laughed when he joked that that he would like to work with T-Pain. At the time that seemed an unlikely collaboration, but perhaps not so anymore.
My ears locked onto James with his early track If I had a Boat where the middle 8 brought me out in a rash of goosebumps (a good thing for those confused), and he's done it again with that haunting voice in Cavalier as he chants how he remembers his first love.
This marks a departure for McMorrow, but despite how difficult it can be to switch genres in this game, this particular shift is likely to be a success. That voice can permeate any genre and still retain his musical fingerprint.
Post Tropical is released January 13, 2014 and you can hear it on 'You Need To Hear This' here: http://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/read/youneedtohearthis-james-vincent-mcmorrow-cavalier
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The Marshall Mathers LP 2
Eminem's 13th (believe it or not) studio album is scheduled for release on November 5th. So far we've been privy to 3 tracks from the forthcoming release, Survival (which will be on the new Call of Duty), Berzerk and Rap God. Based on this trio of single releases, the new offering from Marshall is promising to pack punch particularly as there are some new collaborations to look forward to on the album with the likes of Rihanna and Skylar Grey (we like the latter, the former needs to at least put some pants on).
I can't help but be completely fascinated when I hear Eminem rolling off a salvo with 76 syllables in one breath. Rap God is a captivating example of this and whether you like Eminem or not, you cannot deny his talent for articulating that which is his current bugbear in a way that may pack a punch but is nonetheless impressive. Despite the tinge of rage in most aspects of his writing, he has an unbelievable ability to capture this emotion with the use of vicious sarcasm and tongue in cheek nods to industry drama:
"How could I not blow? All I do is drop F-bombs, feel my wrath of attack Rappers are having a rough time period, here's a maxipad"
We here in Frockstar are really liking Survival, as we love the rock guitars as the platform for Marshall's unrelenting verbal assaults and assurances that he's not going anywhere:
"Cause I'mma fight 'til I die or win
Biting the dust it'll just make me angrier, wait
Let me remind you of what got me this far, picture me quitting
Now draw a circle around it and put a line through it, slut
It's survival of what?"
He is an enduring artist and leader in the hip hop world, but a rap God? I think Kanye may take umbrage with this and perhaps issue a statement to 'his' public warning us about the follies of worshipping false gods. However, Marshall manages to just retain the cool edge over Kanye, I would prefer to hang out with him any day.
Frockstar says: Kanye 0 - 1 Eminem
Take a listen to Rap God and Survival from Eminem's upcoming album release, The Marshall Mathers LP2
Hey Frockstars!
Our song of the week is... drumroll...
TAKE ME TO CHURCH by Hozier
I had the pleasure of working with Hozier as he and I sang with Billy Ocean last year. He's a gent and I'm loving the leading track from his EP, Take me to Church. It's a stunning production that has a serious edge and pulls you right in to the lyrics and the melodic progression right up to the end. The video for this track documents an emotive look at homophobia, beautifully produced by the team of Feel Good Lost and brilliant to see young artists addressing very real issues. Musicians being people that kids can look up to again? Praise the Lord!! Frockstar wishes you all the best Hozier, but with beautiful hooks like the chorus in this track and an intoxicating vocal to top it off, your future is bright young sir. Take a look at the video for Hozier's debut release, Take me to Church.
What do you guys think? Like if you Like!
LORDE
There is a sea change as far as we here at Frockstar are concerned in terms of pop music. As mentioned already, our focus will be on new music that is breaking moulds, catches our ears because it's goddamn good, not just because it's got a relentless ear worm burrowing through our brains and out the other side leaving us wondering if we blacked-out and mourn the loss of precious minutes and days of our lives... dramatic much?
This week we are loving a young artist by the name of Lorde. Her new single 'Team' represents that musical shift for us as it steadily moves along, the focal point being a pure vocal, with loads of space around it to breathe in the production. Team is actually proving to be the highest mover up the Billboard charts this week and her debut album 'Pure Heroine' has been tipped for a Top 10 on the Billboard. She's only 16 and from New Zealand and is challenging the current status quo when it comes to popular music. If you like Jessie Ware, Lykke Li, Sky Ferreira, check this girl out. She tells us she is over being told to throw her hands up in the air. So we <3 you Lorde!
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