States Of Emotion - Black & White to Gold

Do not underestimate how much blood sweat and tears went into this album. Record labels are not interested bands right now, the ones that are, have no money and the one that did show interest, treated the Essex outfit poorly. If there is a game to be played in life, States of Emotion have already won it. 

‘Black & White To Gold’ for the most part, is a rare gift which delivers so many avenues of joy. Where it doesn’t however, are valiant attempts to achieve big rock n roll epics. 'Inside Out' is one such instance, it throws bombs from the opening bell but none of which land that clean shot. Nevertheless, in the context of this album, you can see why they went for it, its in there locker and one day, it will be theirs.   

‘Back To Back’ and ‘Seeking Oblivion’ are great places to start for any newcomers to the band. ‘Back To Back’ slowly builds an escapist and slightly warped indie anthem which, when in the final moments packs so much heart and soul, the desire to change life for the better will coarse through your veins. 

‘Seeking Oblivion’ takes the early work of the Editors and combines it with a unique pacing style to lift it beyond their peers. The rasping drums and firing guitars come at you in sporadic assaults and, without any warning fall away like a dubstep breakdown. Once the element of surprise of these moments has passed, the anticipation of the tempo quickening becomes enthralling.  

Taking themselves further away from their indie roots is ‘Rag n Bone Men’. The desolate drum loops combine with short blasts of guitar psyche to produce a truly defiant and free-spirited record. To take their image and shove an alternative one so good right in your faces is a glorious act of rock n roll rebellion.  

The album is not without its moments of pop music either. ‘Lena’ has guitar riffs and parts of sublime beauty. The bubblegum pop nature of the verses is so romantic and infectious, daytime radio should be clambering after this.  

Yet again, band leader Olly Hookings has conjured a character that offers hope and a desire for something. So few bands have this ambition or effect now. There seems to be an apathy now that BBC6 heeds a career for bands. For States of Emotion, there is a purity oozing from them that this is a vocation. It was this or die and that, that is what is truly beautiful about them.  

The pop sensibilities keep coming with ‘She Cuts Shapes’. In essence, it’s an indie standard but, the production and backing vocals are so free-flowing, and soul-cleansing bedroom dancing is inevitable. Lyrically, this is straight out of the Jarvis league of brilliance as Hookings tells the tale of a of young enigmatic female tearing up the dance floor on drugs. 

As mentioned earlier, this is an album that can only make young folk want to be in a band. There appears to be a case that Noel Gallagher had this effect on the band. 'Black & White To Gold' is that rare thing that replicates the heart and soul of Gallagher's work which is overlooked for the bravado and soundbites. The juxtaposition of sun-drenched escapism and melancholy combine regularly here and will leave you feeling inspired and nostalgic simultaneously.   

The ability to stir creativity in others is what this record should be remembered for. For the first time in a long time, a band has transcended the greedy and spiteful age we live in. Thank you States of Emotion. 

Broken Hands - Four EP

Broken Hands just get better and better. Every time they return on record or live, their riffs are more aggressive and better crafted. Everything is tighter, faster, and more polished. This is a band with momentum and hopefully, on the brink of a breakthrough to bigger things.

This time they have returned promoting the latest single ‘Four’ with a UK tour. Here is our track by track review of their latest EP:

Four

Short and sharp, ‘Four’, showcases everything there is to like about Broken hands. Bullish yet infectious vocals combine with aggressive guitar riffs which, if were written by Josh Homme, would be garnering far more attention.

Levitation (Magic Carpet Remix)

Remixes are often a token gesture for single and EP releases. This one however, refreshingly elevates the song into interesting new areas. Broken Hands are rock band with lots of nods towards its glorious past. This remix demonstrates there is still new ground to tread, possibly by them.

The psychedelic and floaty beats take the song from balls out rock to a record with a sprinkling of magic. Will this be something the band work towards? Probably not, but, it’s definitely exciting territory to consider for their b-sides of the future.

Cadet H (Demo)

The flip side to adding production wizardry on a remix comes from this raw demo. There is a great sense of danger lurking in the basslines here whilst Dale Norton’s vocals stray from powerful to prog rock seamlessly.

The bands fascination with outer space continues and its one that serves them well. It appears well educated but better still, it comes loaded with emotion and fanaticism that makes the listener immerse them in their world.

Gravity(Scott Demus Remix)

This remix is a solid affair and the type which is common on b-sides for bands. It doesn’t create any real excitement but is perfectly pleasant enough for background noise. Part of the problem here is that it remains one paced. However, fans of house music would probably argue that this sets a good tempo and grooves along quite nicely. 

Recreations – Digital Ghettos

Recreations are the new sobriquet for Sam Duckworth (aka Get Cape Wear Cape Fly!). His nationwide tour with the excellent Rob Lynch and Sean McGowan begins on 22nd April so, we thought we'd check out his latest EP 'Digital Ghettos'.

Built To Last

This Bridges the gap between the melodic and inspirational Get Cape material and the melancholic introspective solo albums perfectly.

From the outside it seems outrageous to claim “im not built to last” as he is about to release his 8th album in ten years. An 8th release which, based on this showing, is set to maintain an incredible level of consistency.

We sometimes wonder whether he should release an album of tripe so his next album can be seen as a heroic return to form because glory is

Icicle

The DnB and jungle influences, so often his USP, serve this track well as ‘Icicle’ ebbs and flows from spiky to euphoric. This tale of trying to be cool in an impossibly cool world inside the M25 has a wryness that should be thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Shake It Off

The shackles are off on this track. This is the most unabashed track Duckworth has written for years. The Get Cape moniker may be no more but the hordes of fans who flocked to his debut ‘The Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager’ should be ready for another joyous journey.

This is everything alternative pop music should be. It’s spritely, catchy and bears witness to heavyweight social commentary:

“So throw out your rage / it’s the 70s again / a disgruntled youth / Who will not go away / But they don’t like bands / Because everyone is sleeping with their favourite brands”

This writer and Duckworth maybe the only two in the world that see things this way but the alternative music world of yesteryear with tears in eyes at the levels of corporate attachment today. Yes record sales are down because people steal but principles and symbolism are everything in this world right? Purists may be losing in this world but making a great album, juxtaposing art with commercially viable single and entertaining crowds is art and should not be cheapened.

Polemic aside, this is a great pop song. The soaring chorus is destined to be echoed around far bigger audiences than the upcoming tour is set to play to. Simply put, it is too good not to.

Digital Ghetto

To round things off is a simple and warming ballad about the isolation that technology can bring about. Technology is supposed to bring us together, and in a way it does. However, what Duckworth brilliantly gets to here, is that sense that we know more about our friends than ever before but arguably know them less.

The torture in Duckworth’s vocals as he sings “oh I don’t want to be another one” is gut wrenching. He is detailing how he doesn’t want to drift apart from friends and the world in general but, his lyrics and melancholic music signify it is inevitable:

 “If knowledge is power / why do I feel so powerless”

It’s a horrible sense of hopelessness and remoteness he gets across and he should be applauded for it. No matter how happy you are, this song will stop you in your tracks and reflect for four and half minutes.

States Of Emotion - Rag n Bone Men

It’s been a long time coming but States Of Emotion release their debut album 'Black & White To Gold' next month. To whet the appetite, they have released 'Rag n Bone Men', a free 5 track EP.

Here is our track by track analysis:

I Broke The Mould

This opener is brimming full of confidence and attitude. The strings and crashing drums give this a menacing impetus. The guitar parts and the breakdown towards the end are steeped in desperation and determination for success. There is a trippy element to them akin to Noel Gallagher's 'Stop The Clocks' but with more intensity.

Rag n Bone Men

This is by far the most interesting piece on the EP. It is a real gear change for the band who had been paving their way with indie anthems up until now.

Desolate Drum loops, short blasts of psyche on the guitars and distant vocals move away from their defiant rock n roll towards the sounds of Hurts and Bipolar Sunshine. That fall to floor rock n roll attitude is forever lurking though. Their is a sense that this measured approach could descend into chaos at any moment which, is equally exciting as those all guitar efforts.

Black and White to Gold

What will be the title track of their debut album showcases band leader Olly Hookings' vocal abilities. The emotion he conveys is reminiscent of Sam Duckworth's early Get Cape work. Again though, its more intense than their peers. There is a real sense this is everything to Hookings, that this album has to be a success.

For a band who haven't done anything of note yet, one assumes the budget was minimal. This only makes the use of strings on this track more impressive. They are not here to provide the big single which their career is made off. No, they are haunting and create a mood of uneasiness which is risky for a fledgling band but, the greater the risk the bigger the reward.

The Unsung

Long time fans will know 'The Unsung' well. They self-released it back in 2010 and had long time friend James Buckley in the video.

Despite being an older track, it still resonates. This is the song which defines who States Of Emotion are and what they are about. The euphoric and fist in the air chorus of 'We are the unsung' is soon to lure the big following of The Rifles to their cause on their February support slot tour.

The guitars and the backing vocals are hypnotic from start to finish. We said it back in 2010 and we will repeat it now. This should be a staple of any indie disco. It's a fiery and infectious anthem!

Rag n Bone Men (Draig Cavid Remix)

Last up is a Draig Cavid remix of the title track 'Rag n Bone Men'.​  

Old Town Souls - Old Town Souls

Kevin Iverson formerly of Springtide Calvary and Dogs is now fronting a new band Old Town Souls. The Kent based band have released their new self-titled EP via Bandcamp.

It opens with ‘Crawl’, a cross between the pub rock of Dr Feelgood and the driving riffs of Queens of the Stone Age. There is much to admire about this breezy rock affair, not least keyboard solo.

This opener sets the tone for the rest of the album. It’s good and in parts promising but there is a sense it could have been better considering band leader Iverson’s fine pedigree with Springtide Calvary and Dogs.

For example, ‘Guiding Light’ for the most part is a solid rock number and enjoyable to boot. However, the Curtis Mayfield-esque breakdown mid way through is terrific. The clash between the smooth soul sound and their instincts for classic British rock feels like something which could achieved great results.

There can be no real complaints with his mini-album. Its a solid rock effort and at times, has some real flair. To say those moments leave an air of 'what might have been' is too pessimistic for an EP. If this develops into an album however, one hopes they combine the more diverse moments with their fine ability to make British rock music.

The EP is availble to download here:

https://oldtownsouls.bandcamp.com/releases