Songs of the week

Coming Apart Again — Dear Prudence 

Inspired by The Cure, Siouxsie Sioux, and Depeche Mode, Brighton five-piece Dear Prudence have a powerful noir-pop sound fused with a dark and moodish stage presence, reminiscent of the 80's with their own fresh modern day twist. Singer songwriter Madi Poncia's smoky, haunting vocals are stunning and sure to leave you hitting repeat all day. Do yourself a huge favour, and check out their YouTube channel for more. 


Black Chandelier — Biffy Clyro

You know what I most love about Biffy? No, it's not Simon Neil's exquisite beard of Zeus. It's that after listening to one or two seconds of their music you KNOW it's them — but the magic lies in that they aren't samey. So many incredible bands create a beautiful, distinctive sound and stick with it — forever. And, yeah sure I can get behind that, if it ain't broke don't fix it right? Well, Biffy mix it up, they take risks, and they're creative. But most importantly they're always damn good. This is no exception. 


My Life — 50 Cent ft. Adam Levine and Eminem 

It's nothing new to hear Mr. Cent collaborate with Mr. Shady — but it is a risk. It's dangerous to have Eminem feature on your track because, inevitably, it becomes his track. But the two have worked together a million times, and it's never been anything short of fan-fucking-tastic.  Having said that, it was a genius move to bring the Maroon 5 frontman in  — his distinctive voice juxtaposes brilliantly with the rap verses. 

Time After Time

If there's one thing I love, it's a great cover song - especially when you discover something completely new about the song when you listen it to it sung by someone else. The trick to a good cover is to make it your own, and make the listener feel as if they're not listening to you sing someone else's music.
One of my favourite songs by the beautiful, and crazy talented Cyndi Lauper is, of course, Time After Time, and recently one of my favourite new bands Dear Prudence did their own stripped-down, exposed version and it's gorgeous....

What do you think? Fan of cover songs?

Brighton's Great Escape Festival, 2012.

My favourite bits...


Day 1:


Yukon Blonde were the first band to kick off my TGE experience this year at The Hope. The four long-haired indie rockers came all the way from Canada to squeeze a couple of vibrant performances into their jam packed schedule. The band's high energy set, and dress code, was reminiscent of an early Kings Of Leon: their distinct sound filled the venue with smooth harmonies, indie rock riffs, swing rythmics, and a power-pop edge. 


Dear Prudence played their debut TGE set at Above Audio, and proved to the crowd they've got something special to offer. The Brighton band looked right at home on stage and lead singer Madi Poncia's smoky, haunting and powerfully unique vocals were a stand out of the day. Their noir-pop sound fused with a dark and moodish stage presence is reminiscent of the 80's with their own fresh modern day twist. Dear Prudence are best described as Siouxsie Sioux meets The Cure, with a bit of Depeche Mode thrown in. They commanded the stage impressively, with a tight rhythm section and catchy hooks that left the crowd wanting more.


The Skints treated the Coalition crowd to their own brand of reggae, ska, and dub. Their set was fresh, and tight but lacked much-needed energy during the middle. Their cover of Katy B's 'On a Mission' was the highlight of their set, showing their ability to put their own spin on a well known track. Lead vocalist Marcia Richards had a flawless, and raw vocal performance as she worked her way through the rich texture of songs in their set. 

Spoek Mathambo were the highlight of day one with an infectious, high energy, balls out futuristic performance at Coalition. Their colourful, no-holds-barred set held a carnival-esque atmosphere and at times like Jazzy Jeff meets Kanye West meets Africa Express Sound System. Their passion, interaction with the crowd, and genius cover of Joy Division's 'Control' set them apart from the rest of the acts on the bill. Techno, rap, hip-hop, melodies, synthesizers, jumbled, harmonized and electric sound fused together to create an unforgettable, mind-blowing performance that epitomised The Great Escape, and proved you can find a hidden gem around every corner. 

Spoek Mathambo

Stay tuned for Day 2's shenanigans....

Dear Prudence.

Brighton based five-piece Dear Prudence have put their own new-wave spin on classic pop, and are set to release their debut single 'Valentine' in May (have a listen to a beautiful acoustic version below). 

Lead singer Madi's voice has a raw, beautiful, and breathy quality to it that looks set to ensure this band have a huge future ahead of them.

If you like what you hear, be sure to check them out on their upcoming tour...

MARCH
30.03.12 Kasbah Nightclub, Coventry
31.03.12 Unit, Southampton
APRIL
04.04.11 Magnum Opus Tattoo, Brighton
19.04.11 Green Door Store, Brighton
20.04.12 The Bowery, Sheffield
21.04.12 Stealth, Nottingham
MAY
03.05.12 Dot To Dot, Bristol
05.05.12 Live At Leeds, Leeds