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Showing posts with the label Holly Humberstone

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Music Observer: March & April '24 highlights

on May 05, 2024

amistat Ber Chappell Roan Dictator Francis of Delirium Fraulein Holly Humberstone Lizzie Esau Noga Erez philine Platinum Mind Quiet Houses Quiet The Art ROE Sophia Alexa The Mercians Thom Yorke

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Holly Humberstone + Medium Build: O2 Academy, Leicester [Live]

on March 26, 2024

alt-pop dreampop Holly Humberstone Leicester live music Medium Build pop

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The Music Observer 10: Looking back at 2023 [Albums]

on December 21, 2023

2023 Album best of Coach Party Fizz Hannah Grae Holly Humberstone Josienne Clarke Lanterns on the Lake Lastlings Olivia Rodrigo RAYE The Murder Capital The National

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Music Observer: October '23 highlights

on November 03, 2023

Carpark Edie Bens Hannah Grae Holly Humberstone IDLES Lizzie Esau Lossline She's in parties Sigrid The Boxer Rebellion

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Holly Humberstone: Paint My Bedroom Black [Album]

on October 09, 2023

Album alt-pop dreampop Holly Humberstone pop preview

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Barn on the Farm: Keeping it real

on July 08, 2023

Barn on the Farm Beren Olivia Bleachers Carpark Dylan festival Fizz Flowerovlove Holly Humberstone Kingfishr live music Sigrid Swim School The Big Moon The Royston Club

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New release horizon scanner:

11/1/25 - Rosie Gault: Dim lights
29/1/25 - Dictator: Middle of the road (EP)
7/2/25 - Arliston: Disappointment machine (Album)
28/2/25 - Hachiku: The joys of being pure at heart (Album(

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Carla Aakre: Through

Every so often a song comes along which leaves me speechless. 'Through' is one of those songs. Carla Aakre is a Helsinki-based singer-songwriter who has a profound and rare ability to focus in, very closely, on small details – brief, fleeing moments and gestures which paradoxically say so much. With a piece of music like this, I sometimes need time to let it sink in. There's an immediate reaction when I listen and am struck dumb; but I need to give some time and space before I come back and try to write something vaguely coherent. 'Through' begins (after a moment of studio chatter) with softened piano chords, accompanied by minimalistic drums and the hint of a violin note. That sound of strings is like a hanging moment of suspense, held in the air, balancing on the edge of something yet unexplored. It's an unrequited promise, a faraway glimpse of beauty. The remainder of the song develops in subtle waves, delicate rises and falls which lull us through the almos...

Tove Lo: Dirt Femme [Album]

Tove Lo is a bit of an enigma, in many ways. I’m not quite sure how I managed to avoid knowing about her before last year, or exactly how I became aware of her (awesome) music. I think it was through hearing a cover of ‘Habits (Stay High)’ by Greysha but, as with many things Lo-related, I can’t be entirely sure. What else is mysterious about Lo? It’s her ability to transcend pop/alt-dance boundaries; she writes very good songs, in the most traditional sense of the word, but those songs are anything but traditional. They’re beautifully structured, bringing a real sense of satisfaction as you listen; they’re highly varied in their themes and style; and they’re delivered in a way which is frequently surprising: the smile-factor is strong with Lo. This album, ‘Dirt Femme’, has been on my playlist since its release in November, and on my mind almost continuously. The delay in getting this blog post finished has been entirely due to my struggle to translate what I feel and hear from this re...

Lizzie Esau: Jellyfish

'Jellyfish' is Lizzie Esau's first release of 2023, and comes in the wake of a successful and exciting 2022 for the Newcastle-based singer-songwriter. Last year, she not only released four strong singles, but played some major live dates, including Radio 1's Big Weekend in the summer. All of Lizzie's singles to date have been strong, engaging, brilliantly-written, and just that little bit different. Although there are clear nods to her alt-rock inspirations, her songs are always experimental in some way, with liberal sprinklings of creativity. In 'Jellyfish', this creativity and innovation features at a number of points. The track opens - from the first split second, no dead air here - with four bars of an infectiously-fuzzy, bass-heavy and chunky guitar riff, which has a strong '70s feel. There's a subtle sense of unease during those four bars, introduced cleverly by the way the guitar hesitates briefly - before repeating. Then, Lizzie's spoken...

Olivia Rodrigo: GUTS [Album]

"I am light as a feather, I'm as stiff as a board" , Olivia Rodrigo sings, over finger-picked, richly reverberating electro-acoustic guitar which sounds as if it could be Green Day in the '90s. Then, a few lines later, the scene opens up hugely into grungy guitar and barbed emotion. This is perhaps one of the best album openings of the year so far, Rodrigo’s 'all-american bitch' from her massively-anticipated second album. The song feels like a mood swing (all credit to my friend Úna for that spot-on description), with its contrasting sections. At the same time, it's a searing exposition of the unrealistic expectations repeatedly placed on women. This opening track hints at the depth to Rodrigo's second album. It’s a coming of age record, a step forward further into the limelight, and a reflection on what that limelight can be. And, yes, it's an American teen-pop/rock anthem record, too: abounding in tales of love, friendship, enemies, and the rol...

Grace Calver: My Life and Its Disasters [EP]

It’s just over a year since Grace Calver released arguably one of the best ever songs related to the undead - her debut single, ‘Zombie Conversations’ - pivoting from popular music blogger to accomplished artist in a way which felt natural and preordained. And now, here’s her debut EP, building on the success and catchiness of that first release. The brilliantly named 'My Life and Its Disasters' is five tracks of Grace Calver's well polished, finely honed brand of dream-pop-meets-grunge, sugar-coated angst rock. It’s an infectious, deceptively innocent style of writing - like a rainbow with a pot of boiling oil at the end. And let's also not forget that Grace plays all the tuned instruments, too, leaving only the drums to be outsourced (in this case to Oscar Liddiard). Two of the tracks on this EP are brand new, and perhaps best represent where Grace is now as an artist. She’s come a long way in a very short time, playing countless live shows, including several festiva...

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