I go through bands quite a lot; I get obsessed with one band for a while then move on to the next. I come across a band from time to time that catches me from the get-go, and I'll listen to it for weeks on end. The latest band that has been blaring through my speakers is the emerging Irish band, Kodaline.
Previously known as 21 Demands, in 2011 they had a revamp of the band, with the addition of two other band members, they released two EPs at the start of this year in a lead up to their first album early last month. In a Perfect World is smashing it over in Ireland, reaching number 1 on the charts only six days after being released and once you get an earful of it you can understand why.
The album on whole has a great sound, having a distinct rock vibe in each song, but infusing it with a folk base that will have all different demographics loving it. There are some catchy hooks that you'll find yourself humming to days after, which will bring you back over and over again. Then underneath all that you'll find yourself singing along to some really heartfelt lyrics.
Each song tells a whole new story and it will have you hanging on to every last word, and you won't get bored. Kodaline have harnessed the very potential that song writing has, and they execute it in a way that really highlights the power that songs can have in connecting with a listener and feel everything they are saying.
There are some albums you come across that make a great album for your car, or can be great to have on repeat in the background of your room as you study, or have you belting out choruses from on top of your bed, or your soundtrack for the year; well this album can be all those things. A right combination of everything, that will have grab you and have you grabbing right back.
High Hopes (one of the album's singles), All I Want and Way Back When are my personal favourites of the album. I think they sum up the new flavour of alternative rock that Kodaline have concocted with this record, and All I Want really takes you for a journey through a range of emotions. A slow start, to a powerful climax; put it on repeat and Ah, you're set for the day.
Rarely I come across an album where I love every single song, this is one of those albums!
P.S. Go watch the film clip for All I Want, it's a whole new story in itself.
Last night, I did a gig. It was the first time I did a proper, run of the mill, mundane, no perks, open mic night. I've done organised gigs before, and I've done festival shows. But this was the first time I had ever just rocked up to some pub, where no one knew me, got up for five minutes, got down and that was it. There was nothing more to this night, a four hour travel for five minutes of desperation. I can't believe I actually choose to do this.
I guess not many people talk about their first open mic night. It's usually a horrible experience. It's a common thing for the first open mic night to destroy a person. YAY COMEDY! It's the reason why I have put of doing the open mic circuit so much. The stories I hear from friends; the deafening silence, the awkward crowds and the sole crushing gigging. Comedy was the thing that was fun and made me feel great. So to know that comedy will one day be the thing that destroys me, you know, that doesn't sound awfully appealing thank you very much. But it had reached a point, where if I wanted to be a professional, I needed to man up and just do it (because I am quite the man).
The gig went well, people came up to me afterwards and said so, which is why I do this I guess. But that doesn't make me feel any better about my material, nor will it console me in future gigs. When you're off to the side of the stage, and your name gets called out, all your confidence falls out your ass and you're just left with all the voices in your head that say "you're not funny". Which is just a lovely feeling. I'm making very broad statements here. Experienced comics grow out of this and I guess maybe one day I won't feel like this every time I get on stage, but at this stage in my ... comedy career I guess you'd call it ... there nerves rule me. Because I just don't want to die ... I just really want people to like me.
I think I know I'll die one day on stage, and I think that's something I have to make my peace with. I think I know that people will not like me, but that's something I don't want to make my peace with. I think I know that this is going to be a long road. I think I know that this will destroy me, in pretty much every way possible.
But for some reason, that random man in a hoodie coming up to you after in the bar saying "hey mate, great gig, I loved your stuff" is oddly enough to get me through for now.
