Nostalgia is a facet that’s probably been slightly overplayed at festivals in recent years. However, when there’s a chance to relive one of the golden moments of hip hop in all it’s funk laden, smoked out glory you can’t help but get a little excited.
London festival Lovebox has pulled out all of the stops by convincing Snoop Dogg to perform his classic debut ‘Doggystyle’ in full at this year’s event: something that has been getting hip hop fans seriously hot under the collar. ‘Doggystyle’ is an undoubted stand out moment from one of hip hop’s most fertile periods. Mixing a young Snoop’s rabidly real lyrics with the G-Funk sound, an electro inspired tribute to bands like Parliament and Zapp, ‘Doggystyle’ remains one of the most important rap albums ever committed to vinyl. With stand out tracks such as ‘Gin And Juice’ (above) and “What’s My Name’, the record remains a sure fire way to get any party started.
The performance of “Doggystyle’ at Lovebox will have the rumour mill wiring that collaborators such as Nate Dogg, Warren G and Kurupt will also be performing at the London show. Whatever the case, Lovebox has managed to assemble a considerable number of exciting acts that will serve a suitable support for the Doggfather. With Scissor Sisters, The Drums, Blondie, Kelis and Lykke Li all in tow, Lovebox is staking a serious claim as London’s most exciting summer event.
Continuing their assent in 2010, this week saw the release of the debut album from much hyped Brooklyn four piece The Drums. Tying in nicely with the album’s release, the band played two sold out shows in London’s Heaven. After topping many to watch lists at the start of the year – including Shazam’s own ‘Sound Of 2010’- the band have shown that the early attention they received was fully deserved. The Drums’ debut is a joyous collection of upbeat indie pop, showcasing the group’s seamless knack for forging addictive hooks. Despite hailing from New York, The Drums seem mainly to draw their influence from UK indie bands such as Orange Juice and The Smiths. However, the presense of the legendary Phil Spector can clearly be felt on tracks such as tonight’s set closer ‘Down By The Water’.
Live they are a surprising entity. Their surly pouts in press shots hint at a band that would appear cooler than thou onstage; yet that couldn’t be further from the truth. Animated from the offset, lead singer Jonathan Pierce attacks each song with an impressing array of dance moves. On paper attempting to mix erratic Ian Curtis style jerks, Bowie-esque posturing and kinetic robo-boggaloo moves may seem laughable; but in truth he pulls it off with impressive aplomb.
Despite only forming in late 2008 the band have already built a healthy arsenal of tracks, with tonight’s set showcasing songs from their debut album and the ‘Summertime EP’. While at times their live show borders on pantomime – their lack of bassist is still notable – The Drums have developed comfortably into a ‘headline band’. Predictably the night’s biggest cheer was reserved for stand out single ‘Let’s Go Surfing’; with the crowd, almost, matching Pierce’s enthusiastic moves.
The Drums continue their quest for domination in 2010 with the release of a new video for ‘Forever & Ever Amen’. Taken from their eponymous debut album, the track has all the hallmarks of their trademark sound - juxtaposing jangly surf rock guitars and icy synth lines. The video sees lead singer Jonathan Pierce display his knack for angular dance moves, while the rest of the band diligently hold the back line.
The band are currently supporting Florence & The Machine on her Cosmic Love tour and look set to continue their hectic schedule over the summer. With US and European shows plus several festival dates lined up, you’ll be sure to have this infectious track stuck in your head for a good while yet.
This weekend saw the final performance in the annual NME tour. As always, the weekly music mag pulled out all the stops to ensure they delivered a wealth of sonic delights. The headline slot this year was filled by South London indie outfit The Maccabees, still enjoying the rapturous response given to their second album ‘Wall Of Arms’. Also on the bill were Bombay Bicycle Club, The Big Pink and The Drums.
Despite having the opening slot, The Drums attracted a respectable audience for their set. The much hyped New Yorkers tore through their set, with lead singer Jonathan Pierce proving himself to be the epitome of hip shaking frontman. While the biggest cheers came for the singles ‘Let’s Go Surfing’ and ‘I Felt Stupid’, the band also showcased several promising new tracks. After appearing in our ‘Shazam Sound Of 2010’ poll, it appears things are going according to plan for this lot.
As the year draws to a close, the focus quickly shifts from assessing which acts were big in the last 12 months and turns to working out which artists will break through in 2010. Buzz lists such as The BBC’s Sound Of 2010 and Spin magazine’s ‘10 Artists to Watch’ are widely recognised as being among the best at predicting which acts will breakthrough in the following year. However these lists are mainly subjective, based on the individual tastes of those compiling the pole. Shazam’s Sound Of 2010 is different. Derived from the music tastes of its 50 million users, Shazam’s Sound Of 2010 brings a quantifiable quality to its predictions for the New Year and picks many bands that have been heavily talked about on this very blog! As Will Mills, Shazam’s Music & Content Director says; “User generated data from Shazam has for the last two years picked out some of the most successful acts mooted for stardom by the critics from Duffy to Empire of the Sun. Our 50 million users have spoken and this year have picked out acts like The Drums, Nicki Minaj and Delphic as ones to watch in 2010.”
The Drums currently sit atop Shazam’s Sound of 2010 chart thanks to the success of their debut EP, ‘Summertime!’, to be shortly followed by the release of their first album in January. Shazam users have really got behind this explosive band, who mix the pop sensibilities of the Beach Boys with the post punk output of Factory Records. Acts like the Mancunian electro-influenced guitar band Delphic also made the Shazam top five with users across the globe forecasting big things for them next year. Recently signed to Polydor, Delphic produce harmony laden electro pop tunes and have already appeared on the Jools Holland show in the UK. Music pundits across both sides of the Atlantic seem to be betting heavily on soul and rock next year. The BBC is predicting the half Jamaican soul singer Rox to take the music world by storm in 2010 and US-based Spin magazine is rating rockers like Free Energy and Final Fantasy as the next big thing. However, Shazam users have shown a little more diversity in their musical tastes and predictions, tagging breakthrough acts like Queens-based rapper Nicki Minaj and smooth crooner Chase Coy as just two of their preferred sounds of 2010. A teenage acoustic troubadour, Chase Coy has been wowing his MySpace followers with a clutch of songs already this year, whilst Nicki Minaj is the latest discovery by Lil’ Wayne’s record label Young Money Entertainment. The pundits and the public do agree on some of the acts set to do well, with both the BBC pundits and Shazam users rating Brit Award-winning Ellie Goulding as a rising star for 2010. Born in Wales, this singer songwriter completes Shazam’s Sound of 2010. Fronting an eclectic mix of styles with her enchanting voice, Ellie Goulding has attracted a wealth of hype with her single Under the Sheets.
The Drums finished last night their presentation mini-tour in British shores at Camden’s cosy rock venue rock venue, The Barfly. The band’s unique combination of contagious summer vibes from 50’s surf with slightly darker elements taken from such 80’s icons as The Cure or Factory Records’ roaster has earned them the attention of talent scouts and trend makers around the globe; everyone from Pitchfork to NME is currently tagging The Drums as the next big thing.
The New York based foursome offered a powerful display of energy and enthusiasm, having grown from previous adventures (Goat Explosion; Elkland; Horse Shoes; Cape Of No Hope) into something quite special. Part of a night organized by their UK’s record Label, Moshi Moshi, their brief showcase didn’t disappoint. It was mainly comprised by tracks of their debut EP “Summertime”, with the whistling “Let’s Go Surfing” and the closing song “I Feel Stupid” as highlights. Vocalist Jonathan Pierce’s assured live presence and the other member’s enthusiasm, helped on stage by two “drummettes” adding a note of colour to their performance, more than confirmed the audience’s high expectations.
