Life Like This - Kurt Vile single review

Kurt Vile’s latest single, Life Like This, is initially rather good. The first few times the piano part is played you are filled with optimism for what is to come; sadly, it seems that this optimism was unnecessary. The initial melancholy beauty is soon replaced by mismatched instrumental parts that don’t quite fit together but are not too obviously disjointed and out of time, thus making it more annoying and much harder to listen to. Then, from here, comes the dreary, almost monotone vocals from Vile himself, leading you deeper into a state of utter loathing. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, in comes the poor excuse for a guitar solo, whining pathetically in the background like a small child in a supermarket. Overall, Life Like This is a highly repetitive, bland song with not a lot going for it and is a waste of 4 minutes 5 seconds of your life.


Written by Hannah Lee

Dreaming Of Another Girl - Hidden Charms single review

Hidden Charms have never been afraid to flaunt their musical influences boldly and Dreaming Of Another Girl is no different in that sense. They are masters of effortlessly weaving together rhythm & blues, 60s pop, psychedelia, rock & roll and soul, amongst other things, into their songs, with gutsy results.

Unafraid to look back into the past in order to be different in the modern age, Hidden Charms have released a delightful tour de force in the form of Dreaming Of Another Girl; produced by the genius that is Shel Talmy (responsible for the production of songs such as “My Generation” by The Who and “You Really Got Me” by The Kinks). A glistening gem of faux 60s vibes combines sultry, gravelly vocals with crisp guitar noises in this spirited tale of love and deceit. The bridge brings with it a sudden tranquility, quickly broken by a fierce guitar solo and strained vocals over the top of tight harmonies. On the whole, Dreaming Of Another Girl is an exuberant and lively tune, that will inevitably get stuck in your head.

The b-side to this 60s mock up is Long Way Down, a more relaxed song with harsher vocals and more prominent harmonies, especially on the word "way"; they are rather a shock first time round but soon grow on you and add a much needed element of power to the song. Long Way Down, rather differently to Dreaming Of Another Girl, has a guitar sound that provokes an image of a wild western showdown. The song feels rather repetitive and has no change in tempo throughout but it isn’t dull in the slightest. Overall, it is a catchy tune that bores into your mind, much like Dreaming Of Another Girl.

4.5/5 two songs reminiscent of the 60s british invasion but with their own unique elements.

Written by Hannah Lee

Aeons - Telegram single review

“Gritty yet poetic”, no more needs to be said about London 4 piece Telegram. Having formed just under two years ago their repertoire is limited, only releasing songs every 6 months or so, but every song, so far, has been a gem giving us an exclusive insight into the band themselves and what they have to offer. Their live energy is infectious and has been inimitably preserved in the three singles prior; Aeons is no different.

When this vital energy is tied in with an enigmatic aura, eight seconds of a pounding bass line are all you need to be drawn into their idiosyncratic world of blistering guitars and ghostly vocals. Aeons, like all their previous singles, has arrived clad in black and ready to latch onto your brain with its catchy glam-psych swirl of incomprehensible noise.

Needle In The Camel's Eye was always a song I could imagine Telegram covering, so seeing it as the b-side to Aeons filled me with anticipation and dread at the same time. Upon striking the first few chords it was clear there had been no need for dread and that this was going to be a brilliant rendition. Telegram's depiction of the Eno classic contains grumbly vocals, a much heavier guitar sound than the original and discreet harmonies. This cover proves how avant-garde and revolutionary Brian Eno was in the 70s as the song isn't at all out of place in the modern music scene.

4.8/5 would recommend to anyone searching for something interesting and original.

Written by Hannah Lee