Announcement: Indefinite Hiatus

As of today, It's Raining Planes & Helicopters will be on indefinite hiatus. This is because of other commitments, both personal and professional.

Even though content on this blog has been gradually decreasing anyway, it's very sad to acknowledge that I do not have as much time as I first started to continue giving this my best. Inbetween work, Musical Mathematics, Muzikaliti, and several other projects, It's Raining planes & Helicopters has fallen on the wayside.

It's a sad day for me as It's Raining Planes & Helicopters had given me so much experience and so many opportunities, from making friends with bands, promoters and record labels, to getting free tickets and records, and getting an offer to write for Musical Mathematics, recording acoustic sessions with the likes of The Xcerts, interviews with my favorite musicians, and much more. What first started as a personal outlet for me to write about music then became something that gained a very small but very appreciated readership.

The first time a band came up to me at a gig to offer thanks for reviewing their record, I was astounded. The appreciation was very much mutual. Whenever a band linked my review of their record on Facebook or Twitter, I felt like a schoolchild. That feeling has never and never will get old. This is the same for whenever a reader shows appreciation for introducing them to their new favorite band.

These may seem like small things to be proud of, but I am proud of them nonetheless. As someone who is incompetent at making music, I am happy to make a mark, however small, with my writing.

I will continue writing, but not on IRPAH. At least not for a while. I will continue writing on Musical Mathematics, the Leeds-based zine collective I have so much love for. I will continue in my attempts to make Muzikaliti, a Brunei-centric music website, work.

It will no longer be raining planes & helicopters,

So long,

Jay

Review: Luke Leighfield - New Season

When I pressed play on Luke Leighfield's 'New Season', my first thought was how it brought me back to New Found Glory's underrated 'Coming Home'. Much like parts of 'Coming Home', 'New Season' brings on piano-led pop rock pleasers with a straight-forward approach to the lyrics and a knack for spirit-rousing melodies.

But that's where the New Found Glory comparisons end. Leighfield will probably be more comfortable being mentioned in the same category as Ben Folds, Jack's Mannequin, and Coldplay. For a 24-year-old, Leighfield is a very seasoned musician, with 3 albums and hundreds of shows under his belt before 'New Season'. This is evident from his songwriting, which comes off as well-polished and earnest with a maturity not usually seen at this age (this coming from a fellow 24-year-old). 

The whole album is filled with energy, embodying the orchestral powerpop ethic Leighfield claims to carry. Songs like 'Live For More' and 'It's You' drive the point home with rousing choruses and feel-good lyrics. Even when it takes its foot off the accelerator, the tracks still carry with them an unmistakably cheery, life-embracing sound that comes off as likable and even at times spiritual.

I've never been comfortable with the label 'singer/songwriter', as for me it carries the connotation of acoustic guitar-carrying singers peddling the same old songs, and trying to get away with as many Oasis covers as possible. Now I certainly can't place Luke Leighfield in the same category. This is an excellent pop album bursting with potential house party anthems which brings into it a depth and sincerity missing in so many other so-called singer/songwriters.

'New Season' is out on Got Got Need Records and also available as a digital download on Bandcamp, iTunes and Amazon. 


Official Website / Facebook / Soundcloud / Bandcamp / Twitter / Tumblr

Musical Mathematics // Single Review // The Cast of Cheers – ‘Family’

Irish outfit Cast of Cheers came out of nowhere in 2010 to stun absolutely everyone with their incredible (and incredibly, free to download) debut album, Chariots. Considered by many to be one of the best debuts of the year, their rise - which included being nominated in the Choice Music Prize and playing to a sold out Brixton Academy with Two Door Cinema Club – is definitely deserved. 

While we wait feverishly for their second album (and for their debut to be properly released this year), they have released their newest single ‘Family’. Before we continue with this review, consider this: Zane Lowe played the single twice in a row on his show on Radio 1. Think what you will of Lowe, but you certainly can’t blame him for that unusual act of approval. ‘Family’ is a rip-roaring good tune. 

Read the rest of my review on Musical Mathematics

Review: Tatterattles - Tatterattles EP

Open e-mail. Read press release. Look at the name Tatterattles. Let images of Tera Melos and Battles come to mind. Play EP. Realise that it's definitely not that. Check it out anyway. Slowly fall in love with said EP. Write review. And now here we are. 

A single pluck in Handsmedown almost made me cry. Not a single note had ever done that to me before. It took a while to sink in. Maybe it's the thought of my girlfriend thousands of miles away for Valentine's Day. Maybe it's just me being overwhelmed by many of the things happening around me at the moment. So many maybes, and only one certainty. Damn you, Benjamin Fletcher aka Tatterattles, for your contributions towards my inevitable nervous breakdown. 

Other tracks aren't moments of relentless sunshine either. Take 'Alas, Alack!' for example. It's a morosely melancholic yet somewhat hopeful track, dominated by an endlessly repeated series of finger-plucking and vocals reminiscent of Stuart Warwick at his most brilliant. This comparison holds up in 'Dead Letters' too, evoking memories of Warwick's song 'Ex-Gay' in some parts.

It's a similarity most definitely a consequence of mutual influences more than anything, and by the time 'Learning How To Fly' comes along, Tatterattles are a little more upbeat. An unnamed female vocalist sings a not-quite-twee, simple and short song accompanied by bird whistlings and Fletcher's supporting vocals. It's a wonderful change from the melancholic start, even if the lyrics aren't all about the fine and dandy. 

'Too Soon' is the most folk-ish out of the five tracks on offer, but the essence stays the same. The overall sense is that you are listening to a man in a state of indulgent sadness, deriving both pleasure and pain from heartbreak. Emotionally, it's a very moving record. Your heartstrings will be pulled, tears will be shed, and sheds will be made into personal fortresses of solitude.

Cry your beardly tears, Tatterattles, it's okay. We are here for you, and we hear you.

The EP is due to be released on 18th February on Holy Ghost Records.

Twitter / Facebook / Bandcamp

Musical Mathematics // Album Review // Love Among The Mannequins - Radial Images

Let’s get this out of the way, Love Among The Mannequins features some big names. Members of Crooked Mountain, Crooked Sea, O You Broken Eyes, and Shoes & Socks Off all come together to release Radial Images. This album is littered with literary references and classical allusions, many of which I’m probably far too ignorant to recognise without a full-day googling session that is, and even that might not suffice.

While you knowledge of the lives and passions of such figures as Nikola Fyodorovich Fyodorov, Arnold Schoenberg or George Robert Price would provide insight into some of the themes, a listener doesn’t need to spend hours dissecting the song titles and lyrics to enjoy Radial Images.

At times a challenging listen, the album is mostly shoegaze punk with intermittent bursts of hardcore sound. As the members are so diverse, the sound of this record is hard to categorize.


Taken from MM Issue 6 - Buy it HERE

Words by Jay Johar


Read the rest of my review HERE.

New Music Video: Brontide - Colour Tongues

Brontide have released their new music video for their latest single, Coloured Tongue.



The single is available on pre-order at Holy Roar Records.

Facebook / Official Website 

Album Review // Hyms - Cardinal Sins / Contrary Virtues // Musical Mathematics

It’s always risky for a band to release a double album at any point in their career. To do it for your debut – as a two-piece, no less – seems nothing short of audacious. Further more, to call yourself Hymns, make use of church organs in your music and then describe yourself as atheist rockers smacks of intentional provocation. But despite all this, there’s no denying that Cardinal Sins / Contrary Virtues is a mammoth of a release.  

The first half – titled Cardinal Sins - is the more rock heavy disc of the two albums, with a venomous garage rock sound that’s very much influenced by the likes of Nick Cave. ‘Prologue’ begins your listening experience with a short, apt choral introduction flowing into ‘A Punch To The Temple’, the first single from the release that truly sets the tone to this epic piece of work.  

Read the rest of my review on Musical Mathematics. 

This review is published in issue #6 of the Musical Mathematics zine, which you can buy HERE. 

Top 50 Albums of 2011

Alright, it's that time of year again. It's the time when pretty much every music publication publishes its albums of the year list, and I intend to follow suit. Wait, no it's not. I'm incredibly late to this party I've invited myself into. This is embarrassing. It's almost February 2012, and I've only just posted my Best of 2011.

This lateness is mostly out of being incredibly busy with my new job, and the whole settling back at home and finding my groove thing is another part of it too. I won't bother you with a long-winded introduction, like the one I wrote for 2010. Here's my top 50 albums of 2011.

Note: where available, click on the album title to listen to a stream of the album. [S] signifies you need Spotify. If you don't want to/can't register for Spotify, go search for the album in the legally-gray waters of Grooveshark. If you like the album enough, I strongly suggest you buy it.

Album Review // Johnny Foreigner - Johnny Foreigner vs Everything

Brummie noisemakers Johnny Foreigner’s Johnny Foreigner vs Everything seem to have purposefully named their album as a confrontation, and given frontman Alexis Berrow’s infamously outspoken blog that has been known to irritate the likes of Rick Martin of NME, it’s not a surprising choice. But what at first glance may seem to be merely the intentionally confrontational Youtube rants of a naïve, teenage, and self-described rebel, the band never does veer off into that abyss of cynical immaturity.

In fact, vs Everything is a record by a band that’s had their share of fun with the music industry while at the same time have also experience firsthand its failings. Nostalgia is hidden not so subtly in the noise, and the noise is, for the most part, an absolute joy to listen to. 

Read the rest of my Johnny Foreigner review on Musical Mathematics. 

Purchase links: http://alcopop.wordpress.com/shop/ 

Check out Johnny Foreigner at www.johnnyforeignertheband.com

Musical Mathematics // Single Review // Blacklisters - I Can Confirm

Blacklisters’s new single is exactly what you’d expect. It’s a mind-fucking, ear-murdering masterpiece of uncontrollable noise from Leeds’ finest. Taken from their upcoming debut album that’s due out sometime in 2012 (hopefully it will be before the world ends); it’s an excellent teaser to what will be one of next year’s truly skull-crushing releases. 






When we take it out of the context of the album though, it’s still a beast of a track. The unmistakably haunting, gritty vocals are one of the highlights of I Can Confirm. 

Read the rest of my review on Musical Mathematics.  

This was taken from zine issue #5, which you can order HERE. 

Review: Knorx - Opportunity Never Knorx Twice

Knorx knorx. Who's there? Knorx. Knorx who? Knorx featuring Joe and Jamie of Tubelord and Tobias Hayes of Shoes & Socks Off / Meet Me In St. Louis fame. Oh how wonderful, do come in. I was just boiling some tea.

So, Knorx featuring the Joe and Jamie of Tubelord and Tobias Hayes of Shoes & Socks Off / Meet Me In St. Louis fame, what brings you here to our quaint little house? I see you've brought some grungy, distorted sounds with you. Oh my, you really needn't to, but it's lovely all the same. That muffled voice of yours, I do apologise, but for someone hard of hearing like me, it's not easy for me to make out what you're saying. Saying that though, it's an intriguing trait. It suits you well.

 
Oh, did you say your parents are Tubelord and Shoes and Socks Off? I must say you don't sound much like them. I do see that little bit of resemblance though. You have Tubelord's yelpy and math-y influences in you, and Shoes and Socks Off's dark, bubbling undercurrents. Still, you are definitely your own person. That much is clear. 

You know, I wouldn't think your parents would marry and have a child like you, but seeing it now, it's a wonderful thing. I can't help but wonder if they're planning any more baby Knorxes. That would be quite lovely, isn't it? Oh, you're leaving already? But you've only just been here for 18 minutes. You must come over again some other time. Have a safe walk home, and do say hello to your parents for me.

Download it free on Bandcamp

Musical Mathematics // Zine #5 Christmas Special // Pre-Order

For 50p you can pre-order our special Christmas issue, which comes free with an A3 screenprint of original artwork from Matt The Horse.

In the issue, we have Johnny Foreigner, This Town Needs Guns, Big Success, The James Cleaver Quintet, Cloudkicker, Michael Kiwanuka, Munroe Effect, Blacklisters, and many more. As usual, I also have my column, Free Music For All, with this particular one focusing on math pop.

You can pre-order it HERE.

It comes out on December 19th. Put that in your calendars, people.

Album Review // Tubelord - Romance

After almost exactly two years since their quite excellent debut album, Our First American Friends, Tubelord are now releasing their long awaited follow-up under the Big Scary Monsters/Holy Roar/Blood & Biscuits record label collective, Pink Mist. 

As was hinted in their Tezcatlipoca EP, this was never going to be OFAF Mark II. They’ve moved from a math rock, Biffy Clyro-esque, ‘pop song for rock kids’ sound to a more indie math-pop vibe, a change brought about mostly by the addition of James Elliot Field on synths/keyboard. Nowhere is this more evident than ‘4t3’, a guitar-free, synth-dominated affair that plods along with quirky grace. 

Read the rest of my review of the album on Musical Mathematics, with links to buy the album. 

This review is from the print edition (zine #4) of Musical Mathematics

Review: Dad Rocks! - Mount Modern

You know that feeling when an album you've been waiting so eagerly for the past few months for actually turns out to be utter crap? Well, that feeling can go suck a line of asses because that's not what happened with Mount Modern, the debut album of Snaevar Njall Albertsson (Mimas frontman) under the moniker of Dad Rocks! [Read my interview with him HERE]

At the core of it, Mount Modern retains many of the traits that make Digital Age the successful record it was: the cynical, ironic lyrics, the light-hearted yet slightly mournful music, and the earnest yet incredibly thoughtful tone the whole thing is packaged in. While his Digital Age EP was an absolutely wonderful piece of work with instant classics such as the incredibly titled Aroused By Hair and the cynical yet superb Kids, Mount Modern is several steps forward in Albertsson's maturity as a songwriter. Mount Modern dwarfs Digital Age with its depth and songcraft.

It is less of a lo-fi offering than his EP, with a myriad of instruments complementing his intriguingly idiosyncratic fingerpicking style. Mount Modern attempts to pose questions and tricks you into giving some thought into the grievances he brings up, when all you probably wanted was to listen to an acoustically-led album to spend your lazy weekend with. 

Dad Rocks!'s songs are sunny days that come along when the world is slowly going to shit. It works as well when you're having a lovely cup of hot chocolate and there is a thunderstorm outside as it does when you're having a picnic at the beach while warships and battleships occupy the horizon.

Mount Modern is without question the album of the year so far, in my honest opinion. Every listen only convinces me more and more of this. It will take an absolutely special record to come out in December to topple Mount Modern off its high pedestal.

Facebook / Bandcamp / Twitter / Tumblr / Soundcloud

Review: Ornament Tournaments - Tacheles

Ornament Tournaments, with an excellent name which rolls off the tongue, have released their debut album Tacheles, and it’s a corker of of an introduction to the three-piece from Horsham. Last month I interviewed the band, talking about the album, the band, and all sorts of other good stuff. You can read the interview here. 

The record starts with ‘Crab Face’, which is reminiscent of melodic punk bands such as The Attika State and Grown Ups. This is true for most of the album, with jangly, twinkly guitars aplenty and math pop playing a heavy influence in their sound. ‘Flower’, which was previously an exclusive download from Musical Mathematics, is a familiar favourite. The extra instrumentation on the song adds welcome depth to what is arguably the best song of the record.

Then we move on to ‘Bungee Scream’, which - suggested by its title - starts with a bang, and then as quickly slows down and vocal harmonies come into play. This is before it erupts into a gang-vocal, riff-tastic segment interjected by the classic ‘parappa’ moment, and then concluded with syncopated riffs and glockenspiels.


‘Brass Buttons’ goes for a different approach, with a more conventional alt pop rock sound. Keep in mind that when I say ‘conventional’ here, I mean it in a relative sense compared to the other songs. ‘Avoid it’ slows the pace down slightly with its vocal harmonies and alternating quiet-loud-quiet structure. 

Title song ‘Tacheles’ is surprisingly not representative of the whole album. It’s a fine, slow-burning instrumental piece that’s maybe too short for its own good, and probably would’ve served better as an introduction or a closer. I would love to hear this song fleshed out more, because it deserves its own explosive climax.


Alas, ‘Tacheles’ is not a closer, ‘Alas’ is. At five minutes and seven seconds, it’s by far the longest in the album, and it uses that length well. Meandering guitars, driving basslines, tight drumming and woo-ohs are put to excellent use. 

Tacheles by ornamenttournaments

It’s an excellent record, and at ₤3, is an absolute bargain. Get it, listen to it, love it. I know I did.  

Facebook / Bandcamp

Musical Mathematics // Review// Yes We Canada - ‘Hector Oswald’

I was pretty gutted when Folkstone’s finest, Elephants, decided to call it a day. So imagine my delight that certain members would be teaming up with ex-members of another animal band (Wolves). So what do you get when you breed an elephant with a wolf? What, you don’t think it’s possible? Oh you skeptic, hear us exclaim in unison; indeed it is possible. Indeed, Yes We Canada.

How’s that for a long-winded, totally unnecessary introduction? Anyway let’s move forward, forget that atrocious piece of writing and listen to Yes We Canada’s new single, Hector Oswald.

Read the rest of my review and the link to listen and buy on Musical Mathematics.

Musical Mathematics // Review // Ed Wood Jr - ‘Silence’

Ed Wood Jr was a man who became a cult figure, not because he was a great director or writer, but because he was so utterly shite at what he thinks he does best. But what does this have in common with his French duo namesake? Not a whole lot, as I can tell.

‘Silence’, their upcoming EP, is an exercise in loops, syncopated rhythms, samples and some fine drumming that drives the whole experience forward. Maybe I can blag it and say that the layered rhythms and use of samples are reminiscent of Wood’s recycling of footage, sometimes creating jarring, stuttered stories that made little sense to anyone but himself. Sure, that sounds credible. And it might even be true. But unlike his films, the Lille duo has actually created something rather competent.

Read the rest of my review and the link to buy the LP on Musical Mathematics.

Musical Mathematics // EP Review// Bombers - ‘Film Fanatic’

Bombers. What an apt name. They come, they drop a bomb on you, and they’re gone. With songs that range from 1.30 to 2.30, you can listen to the whole EP in your fag break. Post-punk with a pinch of Art Brut-ish indie, it combines a frenetic sound with witty, dark lyrics sung with devil-may-care vocals. These Brummies rely on a very rate of high hooks per minute to pull you in into their sweaty brand of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it doom punk.

Read the rest of my review and the link to buy the EP on Musical Mathematics.

Musical Mathematics // Review // NGOD - Bait Head

Musical Mathematics favourites NGOD have come out with their brand new single ‘Bait Head’, and it’s a corker. Made up of tracks ‘Probably Not’ and ‘Bait Head’, it’s an excellent alt pop rock offering reminiscent of the likes of The Xcerts and The Attika State.

‘Probably Not’ starts proceedings in fine fashion. It’s a wonderfully crafted track, so much so that you completely forget that it’s over 5 minutes long.

Read the rest of my review and find listen/purchase links on Musical Mathematics. 

EP Review // LA2019 – ‘Deco’ // Musical Mathematics

What if, as food for thought, instead of Daft Punk we had Sigur Ros do the soundtrack for Tron: Legacy, or instead of Vangelis, we had a very synth-obsessed Explosions In The Sky soundtrack for Blade Runner? What’s that? You’ve been wondering the same thing too? Well, wonder no more, for LA2019’s Deco EP will satisfy that curiosity.

This EP debut from London-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Tom Skyrme is ambitious in its scope, with its far-reaching, cinematic songs basking in memories of when 80’s electronica ruled supreme. The most obvious influence here is the aforementioned Blade Runner soundtrack by Vangelis, even down to the name (referring to the film setting, Los Angeles in 2019).

Read the rest of my review on Musical Mathematics.

This review was taken from Musical Mathematics Zine #3. Buy it HERE.