Who To See in Brighton in November 2014

As the autumn leaves adorn the trees (and pavements) we welcome in the closing months of the 2014 - Where has the time gone really? With the Brighton Comedy Festival passed, November is the perfect chance to get back into live music and wean yourself off evenings at home in front of the TV or reading the latest Buzzfeed about absolutely nothing. This November has an exceptional variety of artists from jazz to folk and everything in between so why not take a look at my hot picks for for the month in Brighton and see what you like the look of. Keep music live and alive.

Wednesday 5th November

Melting Vinyl Presents: Ben Watt Trio - Komedia - 8:30pm - £15/£17

Ben Watt, it's safe to say, has more than a few strings to his bow. As a performer, songwriter, singer, DJ and author, he certainly has plenty to keep himself busy and I'm sure that he rarely has idle thumbs! Former half of alt-pop duo Everything But The Girl, Ben has embarked on several other projects since their final performance in 2000 including a successful DJing career, setting up his own independent label, an online radio show, writing and publishing a couple of books and as of March 2013 continuing his solo career as a singer-songwriter. This month he will be performing some of his recent material with his trio. Support from Meadowlark. 

http://benwatt.com/

@ben_watt

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Thursday 6th November

The Sonic Agency Present: John Power - Sticky Mike's Frog Bar - 7pm - £10

Formerly of The La's and Cast, John Power is a Liverpudlian singer-songwriter who has been performing music since the 80's. Probably most famous for the song "Guiding Star" with Cast, his solo material has a grainy detail to it, with experienced hands of a seasoned guitarist and undeniably relaxed stage presence, he is just as comfortable flying solo as playing with a full band. For fans of Ocean Colour Scene and other Britpop/folk acts. With support from Alex Lipinski and local solo artist Lewis McKale

http://www.sonicagency.co.uk/

@TheSonic_Agency

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Saturday 8th November

The Thirst - Green Door Store - 7pm - £5

I first saw this band supporting Will and The People back in September 2013 and they were actually the first band that I ever did a video interview with, discussing Jamie Oliver, viral videos and of course their music. The guys were really friendly, hard-working and perform their catchy upbeat funky music with style and swagger. For fans of Bloc Party and funk bands. Check out their great cover of Get Lucky below!

http://www.thethirst.co.uk/
@TheThirst

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Wednesday 12th November

Gregory Porter - Brighton Dome - 7:30pm - £27.50 - £37

Having seen Gregory perform at Cheltenham Jazz Festival and Love Supreme Festival two years running, I can safely say that he is not somebody that you will ever get tired of seeing live. His band of piano, double bass, drums and sax are super tight, supporting Mr Porter's huge and beautiful voice which can fill concert halls and stadiums with ease. His songs are catchy, rhythmic, heartfelt and melodic, earning him great critical acclaim including the Best Vocal Jazz Album Grammy for his second album Liquid Spirit. Having spoken to him on several occasions, I know that Gregory loves performing in the UK and always puts on a fantastic show so dig deep for this one and come along to check out a contemporary jazz legend in the making. You won't be sorry!

http://www.gregoryporter.com/

@I_GregoryPorter

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Tuesday 18th November

iluvlive - Komedia - 8:00pm - £2

iluvlive is a live music event which launched in London in 2004. Supporting homegrown talent through regular nights in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Nottingham and Manchester, it has previously featured big-hitters such as Jessie J, Ed Sheeran, Tinie Tempah, PLan B and Emile Sandi. Following the launch night in October, iluvlive is returning to Komedia for the second installment, showcasing local artists featuring Staniford, Kyra, Lu'Ami, Ceezlin and more artists to be announced. With 15 minute sets and a penchant for hip-hop/dance music, it's a chance to see a wide range of up-and-coming artists for just a couple of pounds, or free when you sign up for the guestlist on http://www.iluvlive.co.uk/.

http://www.iluvlive.co.uk/

@iluvlive

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Wednesday 19th November

Paul Thomas Saunders - Green Door Store - 7pm - £9

Reviews of "Devastatingly Brilliant", "Sensational" and "A revelation" from the national presses captured my attention with Paul Thomas Saunders, and rightly so. With rich synth textures Snow Patrol drums and Fleet Foxes style vocals, his music is quite poppy, friendly and very easy to listen to. With interesting track titles including 'A Lunar Veteran's Guide To Re-Entry' and 'In High Heels Burn It Down' his album Beautiful Desolation is certainly an interesting addition to any CD collection. Check out the video 'Appointment In Samarra' below.

http://www.paulthomassaunders.com/

@PaulTSaunders

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Thursday 20th November

Marika Hackman - Green Door Store - 8pm - £9.20

Another find of mine from Latitude Festival this year, Marika Hackman is closing her November tour of the UK with a performance at Brighton's Green Door Store. I was instantly captivated by her song "Bath Is Black" and from then on I was hooked. She combines a lyrical rhythm and narrative style often associated with the likes of Arctic Monkeys, telling things how they are, underpinned by a wash of bouncy synths, guitars and drums. Lots of acute little melodies to keep you humming along for weeks after. Don't miss out!

http://marikahackman.com/

@MarikaHackman

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Monday 24th November

Melting Vinyl Presents: Asgeir - Komedia - 8pm - £12.50/£14.50

Writing and performing catchy Icelandic folk-pop songs with a beautiful atmospheric edge to them has brought Asgeir a strong international fanbase. I saw his set at Latitude this year and the audience were captivated by his soft falsetto vocals and simple yet moving lyrics: 

"Higher, higher
Far away
And the glare of this world
Is small and humbled"

For a man with a clearly limited knowledge of English language - there was not a lot of talking in between his tracks - Asgeir is a straight down to business kinda guy with the music to back it up.

http://asgeirmusic.com/

@AsgeirMusic

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Tuesday 25th November

Ruarri Joseph Trio - Komedia - 7:30pm - £11.50

Edinbugh-born Ruarri Joseph found his roots in songwriting after moving to New Zealand at the age of 11 in a remote farming community called Dannevirke. After moving to London (age 16) and then Cornwall (age 17) Ruarri had the first of his three children aged just 19. After prioritising his family, he decided to venture on with his music as a solo artist, with his first EP 'All Substance and No Style' catching the attention of Atlantic records who oversaw the release of his debut album 'Tales of Grime and Grit' in 2007. Since then, Ruarri started his own label, Pip Productions which he released his following albums on, including most recently Big Brother in 2012/2013. His folk songs are personal, warm and sincere. For fans of classic folk artists like Dylan and Cohen, as well as next generation folk artists like Jack Johnson and Ben Howard.

http://ruarrijoseph.co.uk/

@ruarrijoseph

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Wednesday 26th November

Melting Vinyl Presents: Perfume Genius - The Haunt  - 7pm - £10/£12

Fresh from the release of his third album, Too Bright, Seattle-based solo artist Mike Hadreas aka Perfume Genius, is touring America in October before heading over the Atlantic for his European and UK tour, Performing in Brighton on 26th November. With a reputation for piano ballads, Perfume Genius builds on this in his critically acclaimed new album which is no longer "a little timid" and more staring you straight in the eye and giving you a good talking to. As he recently told Port Magazine 
“[For this album] I have this very specific man-dressed-as-a-woman-dressed-as-a-man kind of thing, like an Inception drag. I want things to look iconic and have a classy feel, but still feel like me”. 
Check out the video below for his track 'Grid'.

http://perfumegenius.net/

@perfumegenius

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Sunday 30th November

Ian Shaw - The Brunswick - 8pm - £12/£10 advance

Twice winner of "Best Jazz Vocalist" at the BBC Jazz Awards, presenter of the Ronnie Scott's radio show on Jazz.fm and performer on a number of highly acclaimed albums, Ian Shaw's name has become a household name when talking about male jazz vocalists. Having performed on a number of TV shows from Jools Holland to Top of the Pops and collaborated with everybody from Quincy Jones to Cleo Laine and Joe Beck, Ian has had a prolific and successful career in the jazz arena. His latest show, A Bit of a Mouthful, fresh from his run at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, combines comedy, original songs and great musicianship for a night of class and entertainment.

http://www.ianshaw.biz/

@ianshawjazz

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For more updates of local music reviews, articles and interviews, follow my blog or follow me on twitter @tomsayeruk. If you have any gigs that you would like me to review, drop me a line on tom@tomsayer.co.uk.

REVIEW: Luke Sital-Singh, Karima Francis and Jacko Hooper @ Haunt 9th September 2014

As the buzz around Brighton was that there was to be a secret (not so secret) last minute Foo Fighters gig at Concorde II the next day, I was getting ready for a gig that I had been looking forward to for weeks, singer-songwriter Luke Sital-Singh playing at The Haunt in Brighton, with supports from previously unknown to me Karima Francis, who is supporting Luke for the whole tour, and local champion Jacko Hooper, a personal favourite of mine since seeing his EP launch gig at The Brunswick back in July. Read my review of the show and his EP here.

The venue was quite sparsely filled as Jacko opened up the proceedings for the night, far from empty yet not the audience that he deserved. I must admit that I do tend to favour the "one man and his guitar" approach to songwriting, but that said Jacko is a fine example of how that should be done and how you can do so much with just a voice, a piece of wood and six strings. His confident control of the music was exercised with the surgical precision of a Swiss watch-maker, skillfully manipulating every aspect of the songs from the tempo to the melody, the dynamic to the timbre of his voice. As he played through the tracks from his debut EP and a few older numbers the audience filled out, but I still often wonder why people don't arrive earlier to gigs and see all of the music that they've paid for. I'd say that it is their loss but in truth it affects the artists too so I'd strongly suggest people to check out the supports if possible because you never know what you might be missing out on! Fingers crossed in a year or so Jacko will be headlining his own shows in similar venues, with an album under his belt and a fanbase deserving of his songwriting and performing talents.

The main support was Karima Francis, a singer-songwriter from Blackpool, armed with a clean electric guitar sound and a serious head of hair that fell somewhere between Brian May and Slash. Her opening couple of tracks were really good, using some lovely floaty chords and showing a good range in her voice through her interesting melodies. She talked in a very relaxed way to the audience between the songs, coming across as very down to earth but as her set continued, I felt that her voice was slightly lacking in the upper register, not quite belting and not quite going into falsetto but sounding somewhere in between which sounded like it needed a little support. As she spoke about usually playing with a band, perhaps she was a little unaccustomed to performing solo, but nevertheless she gave an assured performance. 

At 9pm Luke took to the stage, sitting quietly at an electric piano before bursting out with his first song. His voice is tremendous and he is a fine pianist and guitarist too, skills which are consistently delivered throughout the performance. He was accompanied by a friend on electric guitar and backing vocals whilst he split his time between piano and acoustic guitar, in the way a child shares their time between divorced parents. Having already listened to his album, see my review of it here, I was familiar with the majority of the songs, which were delivered faithful to the recordings but with more room for interpretation in the vocals when performed live. The combination of vocals, particularly in Bottled Up Tight, 21st Century Heartbeat and Greatest Lovers, sounded very lush, but not a touch on the performance at Latitude with the backing of the London Contemporary Voices Choir. 

Luke's way of talking in between the songs seemed very mismatched to his music, which is fairly introvert and gentle. He declared flippantly his dislike for festivals, calling them a massive pain (which granted did get a laugh from the audience, but it was hard to tell how sincere he was being at the time), and suggesting that everybody take a minute to delete the new U2 album from their phones which Apple had kindly gifted its users (whilst this is a weird publicity stunt from U2, I can't help but feel that any 'un-camaraderie' between musicians is a bit of a step in the wrong direction.) He was very outspoken in a kind of playful way but with a slight bite to him. Also, I guess I just wasn't as impressed with his "depressed-ival" idea as some of the audience were. His 45 minute set had no encore and his thanking of the supports just before the final song felt like an afterthought that lacked sincerity, which is far less than what they deserved. As somebody who has been in their situation not so long ago, I expected a little better.

 

Whilst I am still a fan of his music and have a strong admiration for his songwriting and musicianship and wish him all the best for the future, I think that he would do well to remember his manners and bite his sometimes acid tongue in order to keep his fans coming back for more. And perhaps an extra couple of songs at the end would go a long way too.

Luke Sital-Singh's Album 'The Fire Inside' is out now.

http://lukesitalsingh.com/

@lukesitalsingh

  

Who To See in Brighton in October

"As the days are getting shorter and it's colder every night, there's something in the water saying everything will be alright." These words were from a song called Keep Digging that I wrote back in 2011 but seem appropriate for the time of year. Whilst the summer sun has retired for another year, we are looking onward to a great month of gigs ahead, and before you know it, Halloween and the Christmas countdown begins! Take a look at my hot picks for October in Brighton and see what you like the look of. Keep music live and alive.

Sunday 5th October

Brighton Philharmonic - Dome - 2:30pm - £11-35

For those of you unaware, Brighton Philharmonic is a firmly established local orchestra, about to begin is 90th concert season. Formed in 1925, the orchestra has been resident at Brighton Dome for almost all of this time with each season consisting of around one concert a month between October and March, and a series of smaller ensemble performances over the summer. Conducted by Barry Wordsworth, the former BBC Concert Orchestra conductor and Covent Garden's Royal Ballet musical director, the opening concert has a Russian theme with compositions from Glinka, Rachmaninoff and Shostavovich. For a full programme of the BP concerts pick up a brochure at Brighton Dome or check their website here. Below is a link to the first piece of the evening, Glinka's Ruslan and Ludmila Overture performed by the Berlin Philharmonic. Come and experience the wonder of these Russian composers in the beautiful Brighton Dome for a lovely afternoon out.

http://www.brightonphil.org.uk/

mail@brightonphil.org.uk

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Tuesday 7th October

LOUT Presents: Southern - Green Door Store - 7:30pm - £5

Southern are a brother-sister duo from Bedlfast, made up of Thom and Lucy Southern and joined by drummer Eoghan Clifford on the drums to complete the band. Based in Liverpool, the band have definitely taken a southerly direction, although I think most locals would agree they need to move this side of the Watford Gap to be really considered "southern". Their musical style featured elements from pop-rock, indie, acoustic and blues, mixed together in a pop way that sounds reminiscent of the 90s, in the good way of course! The track below "Where I Want To Be" is catchy, rhythmic and poppy, and a damn good song. Have a listen and see if they take your fancy in the way they took mine. 

http://www.facebook.com/thisissouthern

@thisissouthern

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Wednesday 8th October

Melting Vinyl Presents:  Grant Lee-Phillips + Howe Gelb - Komedia - 8:30pm - £16

Described by ABC News as 'One of the most gifted songwriters of his generation...', Grant Lee-Phillips is a great talent from the Americana scene. Imagine the stories of Johnny Cash and Leonard Cohen told through slightly less weathered lungs and you're part of the way there. His voice has a delicacy to it with a warm tone to match his folk guitar playing. Also on the bill is Howe Gelb, an American folk legend often referred to as the "elder statesman of freewheeling Americana", with five decades of performing experience, countless albums and a resume that reads like a small festival line-up. The pair with both play solo sets before teaming up for what is sure to be a magical collaboration. Below is Grant's track 'Dream in Colour' for your enjoyment.

http://www.grantleephillips.com/

@GrantLeeTweets

http://howegelb.com/
@howegelb_

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Thursday 9th October

Neil Cowley Trio - Corn Exchange - 8pm - £15/£12.50

Jazz can be very hit and miss. Even amongst the most weathered listeners, contemporary performers often go "too far" into the weird and dark textures, isolating the performers from the listeners. It's kind of like asking a question in latin and wondering why all you get are open mouths in response. Neil Cowley Trio is NOT like that. Melodic, intricate, inventive and most importantly aesthetically beautiful, the track below 'Kneel Down' demonstrates perfectly the easy-listening side of jazz, verging on ambient. Neil Cowley has won numerous awards for his compositions, working with a number of pop/soul acts including Adele, whom he played piano for on her breakthrough album '19'. Come and be amazed by the textures created with just a trio and maybe even open the door to jazz, even if just slightly ajar, to see what you might like.

http://www.neilcowleytrio.com/

@neilcowleytrio

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Friday 10th October

Wille and The Bandits - Green Door Store - 7:00pm - £8

Combining influences of folk, roots and rock music, the south-west coast trio Wille and the Bandits are coming to a Brighton favourite, Green Door Store, as part of their Ireland and UK Tour, in support of their new live album 'Live in Gouvy', released 1st October 2014. With only three days off in the 22 date UK tour this month, the boys are certainly putting in the effort to get their music heard across the country, following on from their international tour earlier in the year. With a host of rave reviews and from listening to some of their live recordings I can tell that the show is going to be a great one and I am looking forward to seeing them live for the first time this month. Support for this gig comes from Chris Marsh, a Kent-born Brighton-based singer-songwriter who combines powerful vocals with his impressive guitar playing (watch out for his tap-guitar and instrumentals: they're the bomb!) with a strong set of original songs and changed-up covers. Also the rasgueado master Edd Mann will be playing a few of his songs for you. Watch out for his signature track, Spanish Dancer! Check out clips of WATB and Chris Marsh below.

http://www.willeandthebandits.com/

@Wille_Bandits

Monday 13th October

One Inch Badge Presents: Glass Animals - The Haunt - 7pm - £8

Glass Animals are and indie/rock quartet from Oxford, led by Dave Bayley and formed of three friends whom he showed his very first recordings to, the product of his insomnia whilst at medical school in London. The band were the first signing on Wolf Tone, a record label set up by superhuman producer Paul Epworth (the man behind everybody from Adele and Florence and the Machine to Coldplay, Paul McCartney and Bruno Mars), so you can assume they're pretty amazing! The track below, 'Black Mambo', recorded live in London captures the band's charisma, precision and understated infectious simplicity of their melodically rich music. Catch this intimate show at The Haunt before they take off to higher heights and bigger stages.

http://glassanimals.eu/

@GlassAnimals

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Wednesday 15th October

Live Nation Presents: The Neighbourhood - Concorde II - 7:30pm - £12.50 

A five-piece from LA, The Neighbourhood are hardly known in the UK, judging by the modest success of their releases so far. Their debut album 'I Love You', released back in April 2013 only reached number 70 in the UK charts, compared to top 10 positions in the US Rock and US Alt. charts. Their single 'Sweater Weather' (below) topped the US Alt. charts and was in the top 10 for the US Pop and US Rock charts too, whilst barely breaking the top 50 in the UK. I can only assume that the band simply need to develop their UK fanbase, which hopefully their October UK tour. The band have previously played sold out shows in London and toured with Interpol, so they must be doing something right. The NBHD are quite brooding and atmospheric, reminding me of a chilled out 1975. Support from D/C. 

http://thenbhd.com

@thenbhd

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Thursday 16th October

The Loft Sessions Presents: Charlotte Carpenter - Latest Music Bar - 7pm - £5 adv/ £7 otd

Charlotte Carpenter is a young singer-songwriter from Northampton who is definitely making some strong moves on the UK acoustic scene. Having self-released three EPs, the last of which 'Whole' reached number 10 in the iTunes singer-songwriter chart, her new EP 'Take It All' has some big shoes to follow. Moving in a more rocky direction, diverging from the acoustic path that she has established so far with a slightly further reaching project. The title track from the new EP has a simple accompanying riff that bounces up and down in the background as the superb vocal hooks take the foreground. The track definitely has a KT Tunstall meets Kings of Leon feel to it. Lovely stuff. Come along and check out her performance in the intimate setting of Latest Music Bar.

http://www.charlottecarpentermusic.com/

@ccarpentermusic

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Friday 17th October

Melting Vinyl Presents: A Winged Victory for the Sullen - St George's Church - 7:30pm - £14/16

A Brussels-based duo made up of ambient soundscapist Adam Witltzie and accomplished pianist Dustin O'Halloran, AWVFTS (it is a long name after all!) produce moving atmospheric music which is as rich and deep as a 4-tier fruitcake. Perfect music for films, relaxation or aiding peoples comedowns at 3am at the summer festivals, the sounds that they create are diverse and universally beautiful.Their new album ATMOS is released on 6th October, so will be available to buy at the gig. Set in the wonderful St. George's Church in Brighton, this is going to be an evening of great wonder.

http://www.awvfts.com/
@AWVFTS

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Monday 20th October

Melting Vinyl Presents: Nick Mulvey - Komedia - 8:30pm - VERY NEARLY SOLD OUT

I saw Nick Mulvey performing a SOLD OUT gig at Cheltenham Jazz Festival this year and I could see why he was so popular. After moving to Havana at the age of 19 to study Music & Art, he formed the Mercury Prize nominated group, Portico Quartet. Since leaving the group, he has been flying solo, and rather successfully at that, having supported the likes of Laura Marling, Laura Mvula and an upcoming support show for Elbow at the iTunes Festival this September. With a sparse acoustic sound and a minimalist sensibility, there is nothing in the way of the craftsmanship of his songs. Guarenteed to be a wonderful evening. Only 3 tickets left at the time of writing. Check out where to get them quickly, here.   

http://www.nickmulvey.com/

@nickmulveymusic

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Wednesday 22nd October

Festival Republic Ltd. Presents: The Antlers - The Old Market - 7:30pm - £13 

Transcending from lo-fi bedroom folk into a lushly orchestrated rock group with a penchant for rich layers and experimental vocals, The Antlers are a 3-piece Indie-rock band based in Brooklyn who are embarking on a comprehensive European tour, starting off their string of dates in the UK with a performance at Hove's The Old Market. Fresh of the back of their new album 'Familiars', the band are sure to be full of energy for this tour and eager to share their music with new audiences as well as faithful fans. Check out their track 'Parade' below for a little taster of what's in store.

http://antlersmusic.com/

@theantlers

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Monday 27th October

Melting Vinyl & GDS Present: Haley Bonar - Green Door Store - 7pm - FREE ENTRY

By the age of 19, Haley had already recorded an album, moved from Rapid City to Duluth and dropped out of college, supporting Low with a guitar and her drummer cram-packed into her Honda Civic. Since then, Haley has branched out in every direction, described as 
"...more than a hard working musician. She is an innovator, creative ass-kicker and visionary dug into the trenches of living." 

With an all-star cast of rotating bandmates who have performed with the likes of Bon Iver, Rogue Valley and Alpha Consumer, Haley is well supported in her creative endeavours, with her songs finding their way into TV shows and films as well as filling her diary with local and international touring. Don't miss this great chance to see her perform for FREE at Green Door Store.

http://haleybonar.com/

@haleybonar

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Tuesday 28th October

Melting Vinyl Presents: Real Estate - Komedia - 8pm - £14.50

Descriptions like "dream pop" and "shoegaze" always make me chuckle a little, as they seem to describe more the audience's reaction to the music, which are clearly as varied as a Woolworths' former pick'n'mix selection, rather than comment on the actual music itself. For those of you who may find youself a little confused by these terms, interchange them with "atmospheric indie-rock" and "evocative" and you're somewhere close. Real Estate (the band not the property market) formed in New Jersey in 2008, and a couple of members and several labels later are still alive and kicking. Their latest record, Atlas, was released in March this year, reaching 34 in the Billboard Top 200 in the US. Check out the video for the opening track off the album, 'Had to Hear' below.

http://www.realestatetheband.com/

@realestateband

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Thursday 30th October

Melting Vinyl Presents: Pale Seas - The Hope -  8pm - FREE ENTRY 

It was the night before Halloween...and everybody was heading down to The Hope before the monsters started getting ready, to see Pale Seas perform a free gig! Singer and guitarist Jacob Scott started songwriting in 2011 when he decided to part ways with his formal education. His reverb-drenched first efforts were bitter-sweet and honest, giving him the confidence to move home and form Pale Seas with his old school friends. Their latest release, 'Place to Haunt' EP, which was recorded on the Isle of Wight, sounds in the same vein as Alex Turner's 'Submarine' film soundtrack, with interesting vocals, nice harmonies and whirling synths providing lift off to the track. Check them out for FREE. Wash your hair another night.

http://paleseas.com/

@paleseas

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Friday 31th October

Normanton Street 'Much Respect' EP Launch - The Haunt  -  7pm - £3 adv/£5 otd

After the success of their last two EP launches at Green Door Store in 2013, MOVES in August and PHOEBE FREYA EP in December, Normanton Street are back bigger than ever with a bigger venue and one of the best local line ups going for their next EP launch night for their new record Much Respect, released on their own label QM Records. Always gigging and airing the new material in Brighton and all over the place, Normanton Street are touring across the UK at the end of October, with their adopted hometown gig sure to be a heavy hitter. Support comes from London-based new-soul outfit New Street Adventure, folk/world music from their local amigos Time for T and four-piece indie rockers Wolflung. With advance tickets for just three pounds, you're literally an idiot if you don't go.   

http://www.normantonstreet.com/

@normantonstreet

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For more updates of local music reviews, articles and interviews, follow my blog or follow me on twitter @tomsayeruk.

Luke Sital-Singh - The Fire Inside - Album Review

After seeing Luke Sital-Singh perform for the first time last month at Latitude Festival I did a little digging and found three pieces of good news: Firstly he was coming to Brighton to perform in September; secondly he had just released a collection of cover songs that he recorded from his favourite films (including great tracks by The Shins, Simon and Garfunkel and the like); and finally his debut out was due for release soon (OUT NOW).

For those of you in Brighton, or elsewhere that he is playing in his UK tour, I would strongly urge you to have a listen to his music and if it's your cup of tea then get on down to a show near you! It's really important to support emerging artists at the early stages of their career and to support your local music scene too. The venues aren't massive and the ticket prices aren't in the hundreds so why not have a great night out for around a tenner! For the Brightonians amongst you, as well as Karima Francis who is supporting for the whole tour, we have local minstrel Jacko Hooper, whose debut EP 'For You' was released last month and is rather fantastic. Check out my review of it here of have a listen below.

Here is my track by track breakdown of his debut album, 'The Fire Inside', which is available to buy now on itunes for just £6.99.

1. Nothing Stays The Same - Opening with an "ooh" reminiscent of Ben Howard's 'The Wolves' without fear of imitation. With a simple melody and uplifting chorus (which when played live at Latitude was with the backing of London Contemporary Voices) the first track has the passion of Frank Turner and astute relatable lyrics which show that his view of the world is a keen one:

 "Let your guard down

Get your heart pounded

We all bleed

We all breathe

And nothing stays the same"

2. Greatest Lovers - The chorus effect on the guitar at the start sounds slightly 80s/90s, like a Chris Isaak or The Smiths intro. In a music scene filled with introspective shoegazing self-deprecating acoustic folk, it is very refreshing to have an uplifting track, even moreso one that sounds like an uptempo Damien Rice track (in fact I can imagine him doing a down-beat version which would be equally great).

  

3. Bottled Up Tight - This song is a bit of a dark horse. It starts simply with a finger-picked guitar accompaniment and a soft vocal, remaining under the radar even in the first chorus: 

"I feel a fire, 

I see a flame set me alight,

Bring me desire bottled up tight" 

Then the drums and piano kick in and the song builds and builds for the last few minutes, moreso than your average construction site manages in a week.

4. 21st Century Heartbeat - A social commentary, unrestricted by location or social class, simply looking at the crazy world that we live in at the present, wherever we are on earth! 

5. Lilywhite - A touching piano ballad in the style of Billy Joel (more my parent's generation) or Fyfe Dangerfield, which once again builds and swells as it progresses organically. 

6. Nearly Morning - This track is like an un-Americanized version of a Secondhand Serenade track, with less sap and better lyrics. Once again the vocal layering in the backing sounds great - a good tip for any aspiring songwriters out there is to befriend a fantastic choir so you can replicate this live! The a cappella bit at the end could probably be drawn out a little longer, but maybe that's for the live shows!

7. I Have Been A Fire - Sparse to the point of almost a cappella, the vocals dominate this track like a Jeff Buckley song, with an almost Bon Jovi like rise in the chorus and when the distorted guitar enters after the second time around. Powerful stuff!

8. Everything Is Making You - Definitely getting a Starsailor vibe from this track, with maybe a bit of Travis thrown into the mix. Acoustic led with throaty vocals, underpinned by the percussion and backing vocals, this song will definitely come to life when played live.

9. Fail For You - Starting with a chorus of voices over a Buckley-esque reverbed clean electric guitar, the lush harmonies and emotive lyrics are sure to draw a few tears for those of a gentle disposition, in a post-breakup lull or who have seen too many charity adverts that day. In all seriousness, it is a beautiful track. Watch the official video below. 

"I bought you the sky and the oceans too

Why the look in your eye

The only thing I couldn't do

Is fail for you, fail for you"

10. We Don't Belong - Juxtaposing the softest track on the album so far with this upbeat almost-boogie piano led track, the album is never stagnant, jumping all over the place but not in a random uncontrolled way as many do. I can definitely see this song in a future Zach Braff film. Check out my review of the soundtrack to his current release "Wish I Was Here" here.

11. Cornerstone -Like a philosopher in the audience of Question Time, Luke's words definitely carry more weight than perhaps taken in at first listen, questioning himself as well as the others around him in this song: "Every life needs a cornerstone, and are you mine?"

12. Benediction - Closing the album on a somber note, in the vein of 'Fail For You', with this piano and vocal track, like a stripped back version of The Fray or a David Gray track. You can feel the album physically unwind, like when you take a hot bath after a long day at work. 

The album is a time-matured collection of his works so far, not rushed and not compromised. The production is excellent and the variety is impressive. The backing vocal arrangements are brilliant so kudos to whoever did those! Luke's songwriting is mature and charismatic without shouting for attention, and his vocal abilities should not be overlooked in this stunning paragon debut album. The future looks to be very bright for Luke from where I am looking.

http://lukesitalsingh.com/

@lukesitalsingh