Does Listening To Music Increase or Hinder Productivity?

This is a debate that’s been going on for as long as I can remember, especially in schools and in the workplace. Everybody has their own way of working of course, some prefer complete silence whereas others want a full on rock concert going on in their office.

There has been test after test to determine what the “right answer” is and it seems like there is never going to be anything completely definitive – the correct answer purely depends on the person and the situation.

For exmaple, I find that listening to music whilst I work helps me focus on the task at hand (like writing this post) and block out everything else around me – l’ve also used music to help my memory when it comes to subjects that I’m rubbish at like Maths. My Maths tutor at college was amazed at the affects music had on me, suddenly something  I couldn’t do 10 minutes ago was as simple as 1 2 3 (no pun intended but feel free to laugh.)

Now seems like the right time to introduce you to an infographic created by WebPageFx, an internet marketing company. I discovered it from an article on the Linkedin Business blog and was both pleased and blown away by the numbers, have a look:

As you can see from the above, the overall concensus is that listening to music whilst you work is the best thing for you to do. Lately I’ve been making the effort to read up on music and the brain and am putting a lot of time into showcasing the importance of music therapy for those with mental illnesses. Music has incredibly positive affects on the human mind – the infographic shows that increased concentration and productivity is one of them.

Of couse there are people that can’t work with music in the background which is fine. Sometimes I have to turn it off because I’ll find my musician’s brain taking over and I’ll start analysing the song, it’s a habit of the job I suppose – but 9 times out of 10, I can’t survive those 2000 word Music Education essays without rocking out to my favourite aritsts!

What does your experience with music and productivity look like? Leave your thoughts and lets discuss!

E.P Review: Drakmah – Storyteller

Drakmah are an Indie Alternative Electronic band, formed in 2016 in Naples, by Stefano “Learning Panda” Mattozzi (keyboard/lead vocals), David Rapicano (guitars/keyboards/backing vocals), Mario Manzoni (drums) and Gianmarco Angelone (bass). The band is now, partly, based in London.

Their debut single “Storyteller” was released in May 2017 so I’m a bit late to the Drakmah party but I figured I’d check them out either way and I was immediately drawn in by their whacky electronic, keys driven sound.

Like a lot of unsigned bands I get asked to review on the site, these guys seem determined to stand out from the crowd. The vocals aren’t completely perfect and it did throw me off a little because it didn’t match the almost perfect instrumental production but it’s clear that Drakmah are wanting success and willing to work hard for it in the long term.

The second track “Ithaca” is filled with this infectious guitar riff that sits perfectly within the vocals smothered in reverb and various samples embedded in the track. Overall, the Napels natives seem to have created a unique world for the listener of their music, whilst at the same time keeping their work “normal” enough to be enjoyed by the average Joe.

Although this EP sounds slightly less polished than I was expecting, it’s clear that Drakmah are aiming for greatness within their music and I think if they work hard enough, they’ll get it.

“Storyteller” is definitely on my playlist, who else?

You can listen to “Storyteller” here: https://drakmah.hearnow.com

Album Review: Maggie Rogers – Heard It In A Past Life

The album artwork for “Heard It In A Past Life”

Maggie Rogers came to fame after gaining the chance to have her  track “Alaska”  critiqued by Pharell Williams. He was so impressed he got emotional and declared “I don’t think there’s anything I can say about that to make it better.”

The video of their masterclass went viral and Maggie became  an accidental star, through the ranks of the industry and eventually getting signed by Capitol Records. Since her life changed forever, she has released her debut album titled “Heard It In The Past Life.”

Maggie with “Happy” singer Pharrell Williams

 

The first thing I noticed about the album is that it is incredibly production heavy, although this wasn’t a surprise to me as this follows the trend of her previous releases. The opening track “Give A Little” sets the tone of the entire album with a really catchy chorus, great vocal production and solid instrumentation.

Rogers at Capitol Records 75th Anniversary

Having not listened to Maggie for a while before this album, it took me a second to get used to her sound but I immediately fell in love with her music all over again. She is so unique and she’s never been scared to push the boundaries of the norm and express her creativity as she sees fit.

“Heard It In A Past Life” is the perfect blend of “over-produced” Pop and honest, emotive and grab-you-by-the-balls songwriting. Rogers has got a 50/50 balance of the innocence of your typical young, uncorrupted artist and the business sense of an industry yes girl, everything a label could ask for.

This album was long awaited and I was thinking that Maggie been one of the unfortunate cases that fell through the corporate cracks, how wrong I was! She has timed  this release just right, hopefully the first of many!

The debut release of student turned viral sensation screams one thing to me “I’m Maggie Rogers and I’m coming for stardom with everything I’ve got!” She doesn’t have to brag about how amazing she is, her music and work ethic speak for themselves.

I feel like I know Maggie personally after watching her shoot to the top and I couldn’t be prouder of who she is and the work she is putting out.

If you want something fresh but comfortable, go and listen to “Heard It In A Past Life.”

 

My 2019 Playlist (So Far)

I’ve always had an extensive and varied music taste. From Jazz, country, rock and everything in between, its something I’ve always been able to use to my advantage as a session musician because I am comfortable when it comes to playing different styles and genres. I thought I’d give you all an insight into the music I listen to with a quick overview of my playlist for 2019.

1. Back To Life – Rascal Flatts

I became a Rascal Flatts fan about four years ago when I discovered their song “I Wish.” In fact, it was this particular group that got me into country music in the first place. I was very pleased to discover that they had been released new music (although I’m a fan I don’t actively seek their releases) and found “Back To Life” on the list of new songs. I played it, and I loved it, there’s so much joy and emotion in the song and I really connected with the lyrics.

2. Home – Nickelback

Nickelback are one of those bands that are much like Marmite, you do either love them or hate them. I am one of the people who don’t have a bad word to say about their music, it’s intense and high energy and really gets you in a pumped up mood. The same can be said for this song, it has a great balance of intensity and calmness in the instrumental and vocal arrangement and really gets me riled up whenever I have a big day ahead.

3. I Only Have Eyes For You – Jamie Cullum 

If you know me, you’ll know about my obsession with Jamie Cullum. Jamie has been one of my  biggest musical influences for a long time now and I can never get enough of his music. His take on this classic standard is nothing short of a masterpiece, he respects the integrity of the orignal track whilst putting his own unique twist on it, something that Jamie has been great at throughout his career.

4. Lingus – Snarky Puppy

Go to most music universities and pretty much everyone you ask will have heard of this song and better still, be aspiring to play it note for note on their instrument – I’m still struggling to even touch that monstrous keys solo from Cory Henry, I will get there one day! Lingus is definitely my favourite instrumental track, it never gets skipped when it comes on and watching live videos of it gets me drooling like a baby. If you like weird time signatures and dirty solos, Snarky Puppy are the band for you.

5. Everything She Wants – Wham!

Wham or George Michael usually fall onto the guilty pleasures list for most, not for me. The arrangement and groove of this track really get to me, it’s a massive 80’s banger like most George stuff but I just keep coming back to this over and over again. Ironically, it’s one of the songs NOT in the set list for the George Michael tribute band I’m in, might need to sort that.

6. Lose Yourself – Eminem 

One of the first Eminem songs I heard and still on the playlist today, this is the perfect track to get anyone out of the dumps and give them a fresh burst of motivation. In fact, the lyrics of this one are what frames my drive and desire to not give up when working my way up the industry ladder, or  when having a tough day at uni working through my degree – I even put it on before a show sometimes to get the blood pumping.

7. Hell Above – Pierce The Veil

I was introduced to the world of metal through my younger brother when he was going through this particular phase. It took me a while to adjust to the style of music I had previously dismissed as “just noise”, but I got there and haven’t looked back since. Pierce The Veil are much like Nickelback in the sense that they receive a mixed reception from the metal community, some swear by them and others instantly insult anyone caught listening to them. I’m not a huge metalhead, I just happen to like the agression in their music, don’t ask.

8. Do I Do – Stevie Wonder

Another artist integral to my musical develpoment has been Stevie Wonder. One of my favourite tunes to play is Supersition but by far my favourite tunes to listen to is Do I Do. Like most Stevie tracks, it is less complicated than it sounds when broken down, that keys run is a different story though, will I ever be able to be fast enough to play it? who knows.

9. Phsyco – Muse

I heard this song around two years ago whilst studying music at college. Many of my classmates seemed to develop a Muse obession during the final year and I was introduced to this song through them, it comes on most days when I put my headphones in and takes me instantly back to my college days, some of the best days of my teenage life.

10. I write Sins Not Tragidies – Panic! At The Disco

For years, I heard this song and could never get the name of it. I eventually met a huge Panic! fan and she finally gave me the name of the song, it’s been on my playlist ever since, I doubt it’ll ever be replaced. This one is also the soundtrack to many a teenager’s “emo phase” – I don’t think I had one of those? You’d have to ask my parents I guess.

And that wraps up my 2019 playlist so far! I hope you enjoyed delving into my musical world with me and have hopefully some more songs to add to your playlist!

 

The Ex-Factor: Is Simon Cowell Losing His Grip Of The Music industry?

Music industry mogul Simon Cowell

Simon Cowell is one of the most influential and famous music industry moguls in the world. He has dedicated his life to building solid brands such as his label “Syco” and worldwide talent competitions like The X Factor,American Idol and two “Got Talent” programmes in the U.K. and U.S.

The success he has acheived in his career cannot be disputed. However, in recent years it has been no secret that rating on all of his shows have dropped significantly, it even looks like The X Factor UK is getting either axed completely or given a complete overhaul by Simon and his team.

THE X FACTOR: Logo.

Well, that looked like the plan anyway. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be gaining the backing that Mr Cowell had hoped for. This coupled with the ever dropping ratings and the recent shocking news of girlband “Little Mix” parting ways with Simon’s label “Syco” really has made me start to wonder if the music mogul is losing his touch and influence within the music scene.

Although he has been known to give stars the breakout they have been waiting for (Louisa Johnson, One Direction and Olly Murs are the top three examples), his shows have also been plauged with negative press, with accusations of fixing and many former contestants  openly speaking about the fact that they had no control over their song choice during the audition process and at other stages in the competition.

Capital FM Summertime Ball at Wembley Stadium – Arrivals Featuring: Louisa Johnson Where: London, United Kingdom When: 11 Jun 2016 Credit: WENN.com

In my mind, there isn’t really any use for shows like X Factor and Got Talent anymore. The shows have become less about talent and more about commical acts gaining airtime to drum up ratings, Simon has lost sight of what the music industry is about and is ruining careers before they’ve even started in some cases.

Furthermore, musicians and artists are becoming increasingly aware of how easy it is to release their own music without the need for a contract with a big label. I think that this will be the ultimate cause for Cowell’s downfall.

 

He has created success stories I won’t deny that. Equally, he has used artist’s lack of knowledge to take advantage of them during the most crucial time in their career. Simon isn’t the only selfish big name in the industry, but I think he has made too many mistakes and that his time at the top is coming to an end.

I know he won’t give up without a fight, but a fight means doing desperate things and the first thing that’s going to happen is the increase in low-standard contestants being placed on TV for commical appeal to increase ratings. I for one, am not looking forward to the industry being turned into a circus for the benefit of one person.

Has the biggest industry name become an ex-factor in today’s modern music world? I guess we shall have to wait and see.

 

Track Review: 100 – Past Kings

Loyal readers of this site will recognise the name Past Kings, they have been featured on this blog twice. They went quiet for  a short while and I was beginning to get concerned that they’d decided to call it a day.

Thankfully, I was wrong. The boys were just working in silence, writing new music and getting gigs booked. The mention of new music leads me nicely into talking about their upcoming release “100”.

The cover art to “100”

Recorded at SS2 Recording in Southend, this is the most professional and thought out release I’ve heard from the boys. The opening guitar lick is instantly filled with emotion and draws you in, leaving you wondering what sort of journey will take you on. The vocal performance from frontman Sam Charles is the strongest I’ve heard from him, he doesn’t do too much but he also isn’t timid either. He peaks in all the right places.

100 takes you on a 100 Mile Per Hour ride, showcasing everything the boys can do with even a solo from guitarist Jack Smith making an unexpected yet welcome appearance to close out the track, it could’ve been higher in the mix though! Come on Jack, you’re 6 foot 4, don’t be shy.

Although I have complimented this tune to no end, I have to confess that when I first recieved the track for review, I wasn’t expecting much. Past Kings have always been somehwat of a dark horse to me, they conduct themselves in a way that doesn’t scream talent or confidence when their on stage. However, audience members end up recieving a very pleasent shock to the system with tracks spanning across various tempos and styles and all of them having well crafted lyrics to compliment the tight instrumental backing.

The indie Essex lads have a few gigs coming up, including a performance at The O2 Academy Islington on 2nd March. ticket information for those interested can be found HERE. 

To round off my thoughts on the re-emergance of Past Kings I’ll say this; Don’t ever judge a book by it’s cover, these boys work hard behind the scenes andby the looks of things , its paying off.

100 will be released on all major music platforms on Friday 22nd Febuary, go get it!

 

Break Up With Your Girlfriend I’m A Whore?: Everything wrong with Ariana Grande’s latest release

Ariana Grande comes back into the limelight with new album

After taking a short break from releasing records, pop music sensation Ariana Grande has come out with a new album titled “Thank You, Next.” I was scanning the tracklist earlier today and came across a track with a title that rang alarm bells immediately, it is titled  “Break Up With Your Girlfriend I’m Bored.”

The title pretty much explains the gist of the track without anyone having to listen to it. There’s a man that Grande is clearly interested in, unfortunately he is spoken for. Of course you can see where this is going. Sweet little Ariana doesn’t care about the man’s relationship status and basically spends the entire song encouraging him to break up with his partner and be with her instead. She even goes onto sing about how she knows it’s the wrong thing to do, but she doesn’t care because she’s bored.

Ariana performing with fellow popsar Justin Beiber

I listened to the track as well as scanning the lyrics and let me tell you, don’t be shocked if the act of cheating in relationships becomes even more common and “normal” than it already is. Grande is (supposedly) a role model for many young teenage girls with many youngsters wanting to be a world famous popstar like her. It is due to this fact that many of her fans will soak up the lyrics of her songs as if it were a verse in a holy book. So, if she’s talking about wanting to break up a relationship to get the man she wants, the chances of her fans thinking that this is the right way to go about things is pretty high.

I’m not saying that just because Grande is in the public eye that she needs to write PG material, but writing songs about wanting a man to leave his girlfriend for you because you’re bored isn’t exactly the most positive message to be preaching. This society needs celebrities that use their fame in a responsible way, by encouraging people to be accepting of different cultures, sexualities and genders and writing songs about working hard to achieve your dreams.

Grande is preaching one thing and one thing only; if you want something, spread your legs and wreck some homes to get it.

Break Up With Your Girlfriend I’m A Whore – That seems a much more fitting title to me.

I don’t know what has happened to sweet little Disney Ariana, but she has developed all the class and morals of a backstreet sex worker and it’s certaintly not a pretty sight.

 

The Importance of Networking and How To Go About It

“It’s not what you know, its who you know.” A fairly common phrase that couldn’t be truer when it comes to the Music industry. The way I get most of my sessions, wedding performances and teaching clients is through reccomendations from previous clients and colleugues.

Of course, I have built up a reputation as a session musician and music educator over time through performing and networking both on social media and at events such as open mics and jam nights. Getting your name out there in the industry and introducing yourself to people you haven’t even met can be a hugely daunting task when you first start out, it most definitely was for me!

With that in mind, I’ve devised a short list of tips and tricks to make networking on social media and in person easy for anyone.

1. Have a solid online presence
There’s no use in making yourself known within industry circles if you’ve nothing to showcase your work! Make sure you have a website and social media pages full of quality content (such as photos, videos and audio clips) that you can refer people to once you meet them.

2. Join online groups and forums
Social media is at the centre of how our society operates these days and has proved a brilliant tool for networking. If you’re too shy to go out to public networking events, you can start by joining the various groups and forums online. I’ve found Facebook and Linkedin to be the best place for this. Just go to your preferred one and type “Musicians” in the search bar and you’ll be spoilt for choice! There’s groups for session musicians, covers bands and music teachers, something for everyone.

3. Don’t be shy to say hi
when I first started out, I found it impossible to introduce myself to people. It’s perfectly natural to feel overwhelmed at the prospect of walking up to a random fellow industry person in the room and going “Hi my name’s Gary Cunningham, I play Piano!” Did anyone else hear a five year old’s voice in their head when reading that? I know I did *Cringe.*

That being said, you MUST take the plunge, the best ice-breaker for me when it came to making introductions was complimenting somebody’s performance. Something like: “That was amazing! I’m Gary by the way.” It may seem really kiss-assy but you’d be surprised at how well the conversation begins to flow after that.

4. Follow up
This is the biggest mistake people make when it comes to networking. You spend all night make introductions, complimenting performances and exchanging business cards to then get home and forget to follow up the next day. What.a.waste! If you’ve managed to bite the bullet and make some connections in person, make sure to keep the relationship going online by sending a DM or email, or even giving them a cheeky follow. It’s important to keep the image of you in the minds of the people you meet for as long as possible and keep that connection alive, you never know what that person may be able to do for you one day!

There we have it, four tips to help you make yourself known in the industry. I hope all of these little nuggets help you get as many gigs and students as possible in 2019.

Is The CD Dead (and is it killing the music industry?)

The CD or Compact disc has been the most popular form of audio consumption for years, decades even. Everyone remembers their first CD, mine was Mcfly’s “Room On The Third Floor” – A great record that I still own. As time has gone on and generations have succeeded mine, I have started to notice a decline in the purchasing of CD’s, in 2019 people much prefer to stream their music instead of having a physical disc copy.

HMV have been fighting closure for a number of years.

The rise of streaming coupled with the slow death of brick and mortar music stores such as HMV have made me really question the future of the CD as a viable audio consumption and distribution method. Let’s be real here, what are you more likely to do, add your favorite song to your Spotify playlist for free and from the comfort of your own home OR go out to an actual store and spend money on a CD? Unfortunately, the majority of the modern generation, including myself, would choose option one.

 

Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming platforms

The only time I’ve even seen a CD in recent situations is if I go to see an unsigned live band and they happen to be selling an E.P of some kind, but even then the band rarely make sales and would be much better off promoting their Spotify handles.

Why has the music and audio industry become so streaming heavy? Purely due to the convenience OF streaming. As stated above, in order for someone to grab the latest tune, all they have to do is add the track to their Spotify playlist with one simple click. Frankly, the modern generations have become lazy in many ways of life and would rather not venture outside and spend money when they can get the music they want online to stream for free.

So, we’ve looked at why the CD is becoming less and less popular, what does that mean for music industry professionals and the music they write, produce and distribute?

Let me start this off by saying that it’s not a pretty picture. It is near on impossible for unsigned artists to make a solid living off of streaming royalties, if you want to make money from your music, you’ve got to think of other ways to do so. I can imagine some of you are skeptical about this so rather than take my word for it, lets look at the actual figures.

Pretty shocking numbers right? What the above image tells me, is that in order to make any form of decent money purely from streams, you have to have serious backing from a label. Obviously, bands at all levels make the majority of their money through touring and merch sales anyway but its a real kick in the teeth for artists knowing that in the streaming world, their music that they’ve worked extremely hard to create, holds pretty much zero monetry value.

I’ve heard the argument that if you want to make money from your songs then you’re better off selling CD’s. My response to that is always that nobody in this day and age is going to buy a phsyical CD when they can just go home and stream the track online. It may be an extremely pessamistic way of looking at it, but no matter what bands do, the reality is there is no money in selling records anymore.  This is the conseqeunce of streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.

I’d like to wrap this up by encouraging music consumers and fans to support their favourite unsgined bands by going to shows, buying their merch and if they have a CD for sale, by that too! They would’ve slogged in the studio for days, sometimes even weeks to get the record finished, the least they deserve is some form of small finacial reward.

My Top Five Unsigned Artists of 2018

As 2018 comes to a close, I want to take the time to reflect on some of the great unsigned or independent talent I have discovered throughout what has been an interesting musical year. This list is in no particular order, it is just a list of unsigned artists I have discovered and really admire.

1) Orla Gartland

You would’ve seen two features of Orla Gartland for the blog this year. I reviewed her latest release “Between My Teeth” recently and also featured her on “Artist Spotlight” when I first discovered her. Since I last wrote about her, she is doing extremely well, releasing new content regularly as well as touring for the rest of the year, I’m excited to see what 2019 holds for Gartland and will be following her career closely.

Listen to “Between My Teeth” HERE.

2) Harry Cash

Photo Credit: GEth

Musician & Producer Harry Cash has started to make a bit of noise recently as a solo artist, deciding to release a single “Beauty” which was his first solo release in five years. With the help of the mysterious, yet clever “GEth”, Harry has been able to gain lots of exposure and create a big buzz behind his music, receiving requests for signed photos from across the world as well as having regular airtime on local radio. Who knew that gaining himself a new girlfriend would spark such a creative fire inside of him!

Watch the official music video for “Beauty” shot by Reiss Beckford Media and GEth Films HERE. 

3) Harry Adams

Another “Harry” who caught my attention this year was the intriguing Harry Adams. The most recent winner of the “Undiscovered Live Music Project” in Essex, Adams has gone on to release a brilliant single in the form of “Accessory” and perform lots of live gigs around London and hopes to continue her studio work across 2019. I for one, am looking forward to seeing what tricks Harry has up her sleeve!

Watch the music video for “Accessory” HERE.

4) Past Kings

Past Kings are a 4 piece indie rock band hailing from Essex. They are perhaps the most fresh faced band outfit to feature on the blog, still gelling together and honing their crafts as individuals and as a band. Nevertheless, they certainly made an impression on me, especially with their original material and arrangements. They have been rather quiet recently but do have gigs booked and recording time planned so be sure to keep an eye out for these lads!

Stream their latest track “Night Time” HERE.

5) Fortify

Last but by no means least are Easycore band Fortify. These guys caught my attention when they supported my friends “Fyresky” at Chinnerys, Southend a while back. They too have been in the shadows recently but we are assured it is for a good reason! I intend to go and watch a few of their live shows next year whenever the chance comes up!

Listen to their E.P “Valhalla” HERE