Addicted to…

So what is it I’m listening to at the minute? Well, recently I’ve been getting into the Australian indie folk-rock band Boy & Bear. I first discovered this group of Aussie’s a couple of weeks back in a media lesson when my teacher requested our opinion as their new album had just been released and he was in need of advice on buying it. It only took me one song to realise this was right up my street. Think: Summer’s evening, the smell of BBQ drifting by and a kind of Fleetwood Mac mellowness that comes with Stevie Nicks’ voice, a dreamy soulfulness.

Formed in 2009 as simply a solo act, Dave Hosking then went on to join Killian Gavin, both on vocals and guitar they needed to expand out to create the sound we hear today so a Jake Tarasenko landed on bass guitar and vocals for the band along with Tim Hart who is on drums and vocals. Bringing the rawer folk sound to their music is Jon, brother of Hart who brings the addition of a banjo, mandolin and keyboards.

Their latest album Harlequin Dream is more than enjoyable, I can happily sit listening to it all the way through. It’s that perfect kind of background music – I often mind myself listening to it whilst doing homework – optimism is on an all time high with this! It just seems to have that feel-good feeling with Hosking’s laid-back voice and Australian twang adding a touch of uniqueness.

Tracks I would recommend to check out include; Southern Sun, Old Town Blues and the title track Harlequin Dream. Southern Sun is a particular favourite; heart warming and completely absorbs you into this other dimension, a great opening track!

You Me At Six – Cavalier Youth

The title of this album, Cavalier Youth is very fitting for the nostalgiac album You Me At Six present to us and well, I really cannot praise this album enough. These guys keep coming back and they provide us with sweet tunes time after time. Sometimes it’s nice to see bands experiment a little but this time I was a bit apprehensive before I heard You Me At Six’s new album in case that was what they’d endeavoured upon. I didn’t want them to sway from what I knew and loved and thankfully, you can find a very fresh but most definitely recognisable YMAS in Cavalier Youth.

The album opens with a reminiscent Too Young To Feel This Old coming across slightly cheesy in parts with the bridge bringing lyrics such as, ‘”I’m just a boy,” he said. “I’m just a girl,” she said. “We’re in love,” they said.’ making me cringe a little but yet I can almost let this slip based on the chorus being very enjoyable and incredibly catchy. Perhaps, it would attract a more poppy audience for this reason, gaining more radio play than most of the other tracks.

With a great opener, the album moves on to the two singles that were released to promote it; Lived A Lie and Fresh Start Fever which I would have to say, completely make the album. I find it hard to see why you wouldn’t like these two songs, pop rocky and almost anthemic, I’d put money on betting you will sing along to these.

They stick to their roots bringing numerous ballads such as; Cold Night, Be Who You Are and the closing number Wild Ones, which YMAS have always done well, with previous album tracks sticking out at me being, Crash and Fireworks. They all have the potential to fire up that image of a stadium lit up by gleaming phones and lighters, along with youthful desires. Be Who You Are is a personal favourite, short but sweet really is the key with this one. A bouncy beat sails the song through, giving the feel of it being a backing track to a slow dance in an old romantic 50’s film.

I really admire how far the YMAS boys have come, having seen them perform at Margate Winter Gardens a mere three years ago, their music has matured greatly and a part of me feels like a proud mum seeing so many dates lined up for them in much bigger venues with their new 2014 tour. Everything sounds so much sleeker, with improvements down to the quality of the musicianship and in particular the songwriting, which can be found in Room To Breathe; a stronger contender amongst the rest of the tracks, being edgy and almost haunting with the howling “oooh’s” as backing vocals.

Not really a bad word to say for this album; it’s inspiring, it has the right amount of the pop and rock to the pop rock calibre that they fall under and more than anything it’s full of youth, really widening their audience and I think this can only bring good prospects for their future. Good luck guys, I wish you all the best!