New Music Monday #28

Pope Innocent X (P.I.X.) [Album]

by Bertie Blackman

this album is for adventure. for the curious. for imagination. for hope. for the shadows. 

for the grip. for wonder. for love. for all that is between. for you. - Bertie Blackman

"Hear me, follow me, and tumble around in worlds that fall down constantly." Bertie Blackman's fourth album, P.I.X. is, in a word, stunning. A collection of eleven songs that will ensure when you hear Blackman and enter her world, you'll have no choice but to fall for her. Hard. The ethereal beauty of opening track 'Tremors' is full of expressive, world-building lines which immediately grab your attention. "My world is on fire, scorching the ground, in a rage I perspire. Look! Have you heard who you are?" Its spellbinding effects linger as the sound of the infectious 'Mercy Killer' play out a story of deception. Bertie has always had a wonderful way with words, but it's here that she's at her finest form. How can you hear a lyric like, "Still I hunger to come clean with a confession, but you are a relic in my black and jealous heart," and not feel your heart excitedly jump just a little bit higher? 'Mercy Killer' is one of the true highlights of P.I.X. and an excellent choice for the album's first single. Throughout P.I.X., Blackman completely lives up to her admission above. It's certainly adventurous on 'Accordion Boat' and 'Maps.' There's no shortage of imagination on the indie-electro future crowd-pleaser, 'Hide and Seek.' Shadows? Well, there is a song called 'Shadow Chasers' so that's covered. As should be expected, it's quite heartbreaking. In one of those amazing heartbreaking ways. "And the memories, should keep me out of trouble for a while, with black marker on my skin, and the smell of the dark, a unique acquisition, to bury a splinter deep in my heart." Bertie Blackman has always had a wonderful way with words. Curious... wonder... that's got to be 'Boy.' It bounces along and in the process plants itself straight into your long-term memory. Another standout track. Love is sprinkled throughout each track. Love is where the best music is born, the good and the bad aspects of it. From 'Tremors' through to the closing/beautiful 'Mistakes;' it's all about love in one way or another. "If mistakes could talk, what would they say? Warn me of the truth, and hurt that lies ahead." If you're a fan of fantastic lyricism and adventurous and catchy indie, you're going to want to grab yourselves a copy of P.I.X. You won't regret it. 

Matt Bond gives Pope Innocent X four Michael Hutchence's out of five...

NEW MUSIC VIDEOS OF THE WEEK

I Awake: A Short Film

by Sarah Blasko

Album: I Awake (October, 2012)

Sometimes I am a little apprehensive about musicians who release songs that go for over seven minutes, let alone clips. I needn’t have worried, as the clip Sarah Blasko has released for ‘I Awake’ is actually exactly what it’s titled, a short film filled with four songs from her album of the same name and pieced together with some stunning imagery. Now, I could get all intellectual and talk about the images and metaphors and meanings in relation to Sarah (who doesn’t appear in this clip) and her lyrics, but instead, let me simplify it. There’s gorgeous images of buildings, a beautiful man, a dog, a bird, a seashore, a forest and a road, amongst other things; all shot incredibly beautifully and somehow pieced together perfectly with stunning percussion, dramatic strings and Sarah’s understated, lovely vocal. (You don’t have to worry either, the credits start at six and a half minutes so you don’t even have to commit to the full seven and a half minutes, if you don’t want to.) This clip is beautiful and only makes me want to submerge myself endlessly in the entire I Awake album, right now.

 
 

Jo Michelmore gives the 'I Awake' video four Michael Hutchence's out of five...

The Walk On By

by Velociraptor 

A little puzzle for you.

Things I like: zombie related things, low budget films, vintage inspired sounds, retro stylings and catchy songs.

Things in the clip for The Velociraptor’s ‘The Walk On By’: zombie related themes, deliberately filmed low budget shots, vintage inspired sounds, retro stylings, a catchy song and even some bonus animation.

Do I like this clip?

Yes.

How much?

A lot.

Jo Michelmore gives 'The Walk On By' video four Michael Hutchence's out of five...