Category: Writing

Your Name

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A REVIEW OF THE ANIME FILM, YOUR NAME

I wish I could aptly express in words the impact 2016’s smash anime hit, Your Name, had on me, but this movie was so unbelievably stunning in every way that I feel slightly lost for words altogether. I’m a long-standing and huge fan of Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki’s near-perfect gems, but when the end credits rolled on Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name, I just had to sit back and take it all in for a few moments to truly appreciate how perfectly it was crafted, despite tackling tricky body switching and time travel elements, which can sometimes be a story’s undoing. I’d been meaning to watch this film since its release, and I wonder why the hell I waited so long because for me, it completely blew anything Ghibli have ever produced out of the water. I thought From Up On Poppy Hill was my all-time favourite anime – but not anymore. In short, this film is an absolute must-see, and I urge anyone and everyone to experience this emotional rollercoaster of sheer beauty for yourself.

The story is a rather complex one, following two teenagers, Mitsuha and Taki, who have never met but who are magically tied by a mysterious bond. They periodically find themselves switching bodies in dream sequences and living each other’s lives, which at first is just bizarre but soon becomes very poignant as their unconventional relationship grows and the stakes are raised to life-threatening proportions when they attempt to track each other down. I had no idea where the story was going to go, but I was not disappointed, and the ending left me in floods of tears as I just simply couldn’t keep my emotions in check any longer. It’s hard to really think very critically about something that touches you so deeply, though parts of the story are admittedly a little confusing or at least slightly flawed. Yet somehow, as long as you’re paying enough attention, you can get around these slips.

The main characters are charming in their own unique ways, and the supporting characters are equally interesting. They don’t get much in-depth development, but they complement the leads beautifully, both in the small rural town of Itomori and the bustling streets of Tokyo. Another beautiful thing about Your Name is the animation itself, and of course the impossible love and tension these kids are feeling throughout. It’s mostly romantic drama, but while the plot becomes pretty harrowing at times, the film isn’t without its humorous moments either, such as Taki’s embarrassment when Mitsuha sets him up with his crush, or his obsession with her breasts during his phases in her body. There are some incredibly touching scenes too as they try to understand and engage with each other’s lifestyles, so it’s easy to see why this movie has received so much media attention and was rated the number one film in Japan last year – a title very much deserved.

An Interview with Carly Paoli

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AN INTERVIEW WITH CLASSICAL SINGER CARLY PAOLI DURING HER UK TOUR WITH BGT WINNERS, COLLABRO, FOR VOXX MAGAZINE

You might not have heard of her until now, but British-born Carly Paoli is a wonderfully talented classical singer with a wealth of experience and a gorgeous personality, coming towards the end of her tour with Britain’s Got Talent winners Collabro. Entering 28-year-old Carly’s dressing room at the Grimsby Auditorium, I’m met with a warm reception and bright smiles. I try to draw my eyes away from the enormous case of make-up and focus on the job at hand. I’m here to talk music, and what a talk it is…

To begin with, how have you been finding this tour?

This tour has been like a completely new experience for me. I don’t think I could have been in better company for my first tour. It’s been full on, but every place has had a fantastic reception so it’s been really nice. I went to Glasgow last week, Stirling – that was wonderful, you know just to go to all these different places, lots of them that I haven’t visited before. So it’s been the best way to go in and discover a new place, a lovely way to experience a new city or town.

Do you have time to look round each place then?

We’ve made time, yeah. Because we’ve usually stayed in hotels along the way which has meant the following morning we’ve been able to go to the town centre and have a cup of tea or coffee, look around the shops, or we’ve gone earlier to the next venue and had a shop there. Me and Mum are shopaholics, so my poor Dad’s made time for us.

So you’ve bought a few nice things!

I have, yeah, and got to stock up for Christmas along the way.

So how long are you touring for?

Well, this tour started on October 24 and we officially finish on December 2. Then I get home to West Sussex for one day and the following day I’m in Sloane Square for the Children in the Arts concert for Classic FM. After that I come back and have another concert in my local church to help build a roof, which is nice, and I’m really looking forward to that. They’ve made it really Christmassy so it should be lovely. Then it’s on to Bari in Italy. I fly out there for a concert in the basilica. I come back and then I fly to New York on the twentieth where I have two more concerts, one at the city hall.

Have you been to New York before?

I have, yeah. I performed there two years ago at Carnegie Hall, but this is really exciting because I’ve got my album now and so I’ve got something to show. I’m singing with The Tenors, who you may have seen sing at the Queen’s birthday celebration last year. And they’re a fab group, they really are.

And what got you interested in classical music in the first place, rather than more conventional genres?

I think honestly it’s just the voice that I’ve got. I fell in love with music as young as three years old; I was singing to the Disney movies. And then I loved the MGM musicals with people like Julie Garland and Barbara Streisand. They became sort of my idols who I followed, but it was at nine years old when I started having lessons. A lady heard me singing at Stagecoach and told my mum I should have private lessons and that I had a good voice. And from day one it was always a classical sound that was my default sound. Then obviously it richens and develops as you get older. We always laughed because my voice was always bigger than my body, so you have to wait to eventually grow into it.

That’s cool. So what’s your thought process before going on stage? How is that feeling that all those people will soon be listening to you.

Yeah, I was actually talking about this yesterday with my mum and dad, who have been on tour with me all the way. This must be the 22nd or 23rd tour date and I still get nervous. I kind of thought by now I would have overcome the butterflies as such, but every time I’m stood at the side of the stage I still get butterflies. I always say a prayer; I never go on stage without praying. And then you get on and the first minute or so is the nervous bit but then you settle into it and you really love the room. It’s just a wonderful feeling.

Do you have any particular way you prepare to go on stage?

I think it really helps to have a routine, doing the same thing night after night. Sitting and doing my make-up is my little downtime. I curl my hair and put it all up too. I’ve got better at that. I still have my bad hair days, but I have got better as I’ve gone along. Then I have dinner and at around 7.30 I warm up, spend some time doing my scales. I’ve been taking a keyboard along with me to quite a few events if they don’t have a piano because actually while I’m here in my dressing room I’ve been learning the songs for the next concert, which is mental but you know, there’s a lot that happens in these dressing rooms as we go along. I always choose to drink honey and hot water to keep my voice happy. It’s nice to not have to think about it too much.

So have you found your work is generally well received?

Well, I mean this is Collabro’s tour so they stand on their own from their success in Britain’s Got Talent, but I’ve had beautiful comments each night and it’s been a real pleasure looking at my social media and seeing the lovely things that people have put, like the way that my music has touched them, moved them, because that’s why I make it as such. You want to create an emotion for the audience. A common piece of feedback I’ve received is “We’ve never heard of you until today, and we’re so pleased that you’re here singing for us.” I really hope that I can embrace more people with my music and that they enjoy it as much as I do. I’ve even had the chance to meet the audience in each show. I always come out during the interval to meet people and to sign albums or programmes, so that’s been a really special part because it’s not something I’ve had the opportunity to do before. I’ve never been in that situation. It’s just been a really lovely experience and I feel like I’ve learnt a lot as well on this journey.

So what kinds of lessons have had the most impact?

I think it’s probably the art of primarily singing with four boys as opposed to one. I’ve dueted in the past but it’s always just been with one tenor, so to go on is actually really lovely in a group. It’s not something I’ve had the chance to do as I’m usually on my own. I do perform on my own in this show too, but we also do two duets together and I’ve really loved that, just creating rich harmonies. Four voices can add another element to a song that you’ve not been able to do before. Meeting people, as I say, that’s been really lovely, but I’ve also had to learn to run around the venue, where you don’t know each venue, to find your way around to get to front of house. It’s been exciting for me and my family because my dad’s been the driver and my mum’s been with me all the way, and then of course my manager keeps popping in and out. As a team we’ve got really good at it and we’re going to miss it when it’s finished, definitely.

Well, I’m sure you’ll do another one.

Yeah, I hope so, soon. I mean, I have got my own concert on February 15 at Cadogan Hall in Chelsea. That’s something that I’m excited about. I’ve got a 60 piece orchestra joining me at that venue, and Steven Mercurio is coming to conduct – he’s a Grammy award-winning conductor from New York. The Tenors, who I’m singing with in New York, are going to perform there and also Federico Paciotti, who is a young tenor from Italy who I had the pleasure of performing with on two occasions, one in the Roman Forum when I sang for the Pope’s Jubilee and the other was an occasion called La Dolce Vita.

So have you done a lot over in Italy then? And how did the performance for the Pope come about?

I have, yeah. My mother’s Italian so it’s a place I grew up in as much as Mansfield I suppose. I spent all my summers out there and it was a place that gave me the chance to grow as an artist and perform. I gained so much performance experience there when I was young, just in piazzas or something, but you know it was five times a week so it was priceless really. It really started in 2015 when I performed at Terme di Caracalla, which is the Roman baths where the three tenors first premiered for the football. It was when the World Cup was being held in Italy, and sat in the audience on that evening was a representative of Pope Francis. It was him who contacted my management afterwards. He said we really love the Ave Maria that Carly sung at the beginning of that show and would we possibly be able to adopt it as the official song for the Jubilee. And that’s what happened. So naturally my whole world moved over to Rome for a little bit while that Jubilee year was taking place, and the song that I’ve been performing in Collabro’s show is one called ‘Time for Mercy’. It was the song that closed this special evening in the heart of the Roman Forum. It was nominated the Year of Mercy by Pope Francis, hence where the title of the song came from. Actually, it was taken out of his book; A Time for Mercy was the name of the first chapter.

Wow, it sounds like exciting stuff then.

It’s just lovely to see how different things unfold out of the unexpected. Never would I have thought that there’d be somebody sat in the audience that night in Rome that could have changed my life, and they really did.

So how did it feel to get that call?

It was big! I mean, I kind of thought, “Ok”. They explained what it meant because at first I thought “The Roman Catholic Jubilee, right…” I’m a Christian so I did my homework and I went over to Rome and met with Monsignor Andreatta, who is the private secretary of Pope Francis. We had a lovely dinner at his house where he took me round the archive of all the books from all the Jubilees of the past. What normally happens is the Jubilee happens every 25 or 50 years, unless the Pope declares an extraordinary Jubilee because of turbulent times. So I was looking through these books and there must have been 60 or 70 of them going centuries back and he was explaining that my song and my name and that evening at the Roman Forum would go into this book. That was just… well, I was becoming a piece of history, which was really, really, really special. That’s so precious to me.

That does sound amazing. But coming back to this tour, what are the guys from Collabro like to work with?

They’re sweethearts. They really are. They’ve all got different characters and it’s been lovely getting to know them all over the tour. They’re quite funny as well. Matt in particular is quite a joker and it’s always quite interesting when they start talking on stage. Some nights you get to know their script and what they’re going to say but then sometimes they deviate and it becomes really funny backstage when you’re listening. We usually all have dinner together, and Phillipa, who’s the support act, is lovely as well. She really has a fabulous voice. So yeah, we’ve had a blast. We really have. Like I say, we all have our dinner and we all encourage each other not to eat the pudding, though we usually end up doing it anyway. I think that’s probably what I’m going to miss the most. I’m going to miss Collabro and the band and the whole crew. You kind of become a family in a very short period of time because you see each other daily.

You said before that you like to go out and meet your audience. Have you met anybody particularly memorable on this tour?

Well, I met a boy in Blackpool. He came before the show because he was a fan and he wanted to get my signature, and he was completely blind, bless him. But he loved music and he was just such a lovely young man. He came in with his help and he was extremely courageous. He works as a volunteer in charity stores, so he’s already out there doing his bit in the world, and he loved my music so much he actually sang for me. He was fabulous; he really had a lovely voice. He sang ‘Time to Say Goodbye’, so we ended up doing a small duet to that together and it was brilliant. He’d even learned the Italian as well.

Wow, that sounds incredible, but can you tell us a bit more about the album you released this year, Singing My Dreams? Are you pleased with it?

I’m out performing my debut album, which means everything to me. I’ve had amazing reviews from David Mellor, which was everything I could have wanted, published in the Mail on Sunday. That really made people take note. This is the music I’m performing and promoting at the moment, and there’s new music on there, which is exciting. It’s really different and there are actually songs that I’ve written myself. I’ve written the lyrics to two of the songs. One is ‘Why’ and the other is the last song on the album, ‘Memory of You’, which I’m actually performing last in this show as well. It’s set to James Horner’s music from Legends of the Fall, which I’m love with, and I actually wrote the lyrics after I lost my grandmother. The music’s epic and I’m really proud of those lyrics, so it’s something really special for me.

So how would you suggest more people, especially younger generations, get interested in your genre, because obviously we don’t get very much exposure to it?

I think the nicest way to experience this music is live because, even when taking the singers out of it, there’s nothing quite like a live orchestra. It’s the most powerful sound and so it’s wonderful to hear acoustic instruments coming together and blending like that; it really is amazing and quite different to when you hear it on any recording. So I think that’s a great way to be introduced to it. If you ever have an opportunity to hear an orchestra somewhere, it’s the perfect way to first experience this kind of music.

Finally, do you hope to keep doing this in the distant future?

I can’t imagine doing anything else. For me I’ve got the best job in the world and I thank God every night, I really do. I love every minute of what I do. It’s a wonderful world to be a part of.

Beyond The Cave – Michael Nilsen

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A FACE TO FACE INTERVIEW IN THE VOXX OFFICE WITH A LOCAL AUTHOR

Following from our interview for VOXX Issue [#], I had the pleasure of sitting down with local author Michael Nilsen to chat about his new book, Beyond the Cave, a compilation of poems and short stories. Michael once worked on the docks, and then went on to be involved in the world of boxing, but now his focus has shifted to a less physically demanding pursuit, but passion all the same.

So Michael, what’s been happening since we last spoke?

The last 18 years I’ve been studying on and off with a view to teach as a college lecturer, with mature students post 16. It’s been a dream job that I’ve aspired to, but it’s quite competitive to get in, because I’m not as experienced as other teachers; I only got my PGCE in 2014 and I’ve been concentrating mostly on my writing since then. But I contacted Franklin College because I wanted to see if they were interested in me doing a poetry performance, and they suggested because I was a published author that I could come in to talk about writing my new books to try and inspire the students. So I went in to do my kind of motivational speech for a day and I saw about four or five different classes, and the lady who invited me recently emailed me, maybe two or three months ago, that there was a job going at Franklin College in the evenings. It was lecturing for English Language GCSE for mature students. I thought, I won’t get this, but I’ll apply. Anyway, I got an interview. I researched and prepared for this interview like I’d never done before, because I knew it was a golden opportunity, but I wasn’t getting my hopes up. So I went into the interview and it went really well and they phoned me up that evening and they said they were aware I was inexperienced, but they thought with the right support I could make a real go of it. I just couldn’t believe it; I’ve been waiting for this for years. So I start in September as a college lecturer at Franklin College.

So you’re really looking forward to it?

Absolutely, I’ve been preparing on and off through the summer; it’s just exactly what I want to do, and it’s the subject that I’m most interested in.

So you’re actually glad you’re doing this now, rather than the kinds of manual jobs and docks and things that you did in the past?

I couldn’t go back to them because they were quite physical, and the nice thing about this is that I can enjoy the summer; there’s something to look forward to.

And what made you want to write this book specifically?

Well, I’ve been going into schools doing poetry performances and workshops, and it’s quite unnerving actually. You walk into a school assembly and there’s 100-200 kids there, and you’ve got to engage them. And I remember once when I was at Welholme, afterwards the teacher said, “You know what, you might not have seen it but all the kids were totally concentrating on you. They were so attentive, hanging on your every word.” And I’ve been in quite a lot of schools and had great responses from the kids, because for me they’re honest critics; they wear their hearts on their sleeves and I’ve been getting really positive feedback from them. I’ve also been integrated into the local poetry scene and I’ve performed my poetry at Moon on the Water twice now, and also at the No.1 Pub. A couple of weeks ago I was even at Keelby Women’s Institute, and they were wonderful. I was performing in front of about 35-40 women and I even wrote a poem specially for it about Jam, because they’re known for making jam, and they thought that was funny. Because I’ve been getting this immediate feedback from it you can gauge what they like and don’t like in your writing, and it was encouraging; it just gave me further incentive to continue writing, so these last two years have been inspired by the reactions I’ve got when I read in public.

What is it about poetry in particular as opposed to prose that interests you so much? Because you’ve done a lot of poetry.

Yeah, I have. Actually, William Wordsworth said, “There’s no difference between good prose and poetry.” If you write good prose well, you’re using poetical devices, but the reason I stick more to poetry is because maybe I have an element of impatience in me. I want to write it and see it finished. Sometimes I rigorously redraft it, but I like the immediacy of the expression; it’s condensed and you can complete a poem in a single sitting.

And why did you choose Beyond the Cave as the title for this book?

Beyond the Cave, it’s a reference to Plato. When I first started getting really into reading I was recommended to read The Last Days of Socrates, but also Plato’s Republic, and Plato uses the cave as a symbol of the idea he’s trying to convey. He says to picture a man chained to a rock in a cave, looking at shadows on the walls. He’s lived there all his life, and he thinks these shadows are real and the absolute representation of life. But because he’s never been allowed outside, he doesn’t realise these shadows are being made by the objects outside the cave, and if he went outside his whole perception would widen and he would marvel. So I used Beyond the Cave because it’s a poet’s duty to try and pierce below the surface of things to realise their essence. Poets try and hone their observational skills to see deeper into life, into the environment.

So, is there a recurring theme through this book or is it just bits and pieces from all different genres and events?

Well I see the painting on your wall is signed by The Motley Crew, and you could say that’s similar to my poetry. It’s a right mishmash. There are many different styles and themes and I’m looking through it and each poem is like a different person wrote it, and that’s what I was trying to go for. There’s no consistent theme or style; I was trying to be as varied as I could be.

And is there any element of this book you’re particularly proud of? Anything that really stands out?

I remember when I started writing in 1993 I was very enthusiastic, and I thought I was going to be the Jim Morrison of poets. I sent my poetry off to a lot of magazines, probably about 20 or 30, and they all rejected me, but I carried on writing for a bit. Then I thought, I’ve lost my momentum, I’ve written about everything that I needed to say. I was passionate about environmental issues particularly and I thought, I’ve said that now, anything else I’ll just be repeating. So I thought I’d genuinely stopped writing poetry and it was for good. So one of the things I’m proud of is that I keep coming up with new ideas for writing.

So are you planning on doing another one then?

Well I’m already writing, but I’m not going to publish it for another couple of years. I’m going to take my time and compile, because what I’ve been doing with this one, I don’t think I’m strict enough with the quality. I’ve just put every thought and idea in it, and I’ve been really a bit lenient with the quality. There is some great work in there, but when I read it I think that maybe I could have left some out. I’m writing consistently and I think I’m gradually still improving as a writer, and I’m writing in a different way now; I’m maturing. Because it’s been so consistent these last two to three years, I’ve been reading rigorously into different books, because that can obviously inform your writing. So I’ve still got things to say and I’m still improving.

So you’re just going to keep writing as long as you can?

Yeah, until I dry up I think, or I lose the motivation, and I’m hoping that I never will. I’m a fairly private guy and I spend a lot of time on my own, which is ideal for writing, so I think I’ll always have something to say. Hopefully.

Other than just continuing to write, do you have anything big planned for the future, or are you just seeing how things go for now?

Well, I’ve had this idea in my head for a while about a journeyman boxer who’s connected to the underground; he’s like, I don’t know, a money collector? There’s parallels to the Rocky franchise, but it’s going to be completely different. He’s a drug addict, and he boxes at the same time, but he’s not reaching his full potential because of his lifestyle and environment. So I’ve got this idea that I want to write maybe a novella or a novel about that, because I can utilise my own boxing experiences from when I spent over four years in boxing gyms and  competitive boxing. So I can draw on those experiences. And in this book I’ve written some boxing recollections. When I was on my degree I did a biographical and autobiographical module, and one of the assignments was to write an episode in our own lives. And I focussed on my boxing. I used a typewriter when I was doing my degree, and I wrote it in maybe about 1997. It was left in a box until last year and I pulled it out and I thought, this is a good story, but I could see how I’d improved since then, and I thought I could redraft it. So I typed it out on the computer and added extra memories that I had and embellished on it, and it’s the centrepiece of that book actually, so I’m quite pleased with it.

So on the publishing side, is it the same publishers that published your other books?

Yeah, we’re used to how each other works now, they’re very efficient, they’re very responsive. I email them and you can guarantee they’ll get back to me the same day or the next day. They’re very understanding, and there were one or two stories in there that I was unsure whether or not to include. One’s called Kakos, and I thought it was a bit near the knuckle, a bit explicit, and he’s a very unsavoury character. What I was doing is I was exploring what Carl Jung calls “The Shadow”. Everybody’s got it, this dark side, and we’re supposed to try and integrate it to become more whole, but some people reject it and they become unbalanced. So I was exploring the dark side of my character through this writing, and I thought, I don’t know if I want to include it. I kept thinking about my mother reading it and things like that, and I said, “Will you read it carefully, that particular story, and tell me if you think I should include it.” And they read it, and they couldn’t see any problems with it. My mother did read it and she thought it was a bit explicit, but I thought, I’m not just writing for you. I’m trying to appeal to as wide an audience as I can, and I’ve got to say that some short stories and poems in there won’t appeal to everybody, but I like to think there’s something for everybody.

A Collection of Short Album Reviews

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Gravel & Wine – Gin Wigmore

New Zealand-born Virginia (Gin) Wigmore’s latest album only reached the UK last year, a long time after its initial release. She is not very well known over here, but she should be. Here we have another alternative, sassy lady with a rather unusual and quirky, if not whiney voice, shadowing elements of Nikki Hurst (Lead singer of the band ‘The Vincent Black Shadow’) and more famous names including Duffy, Alannah Myles and KT Tunstall, to name a few. In fact, her voice is so unique that it cannot be directly compared with anyone’s.

Gravel & Wine has a slightly grungy feel to it, and incorporating bits of jazz, soul and blues paints a picture of somebody who is strong, confident and who knows what she is doing. The range of instruments blends perfectly, allowing this music to shy away from your typical ‘girl with a guitar’ stuff, and the songs have solid beats behind them. It is the sort of music you can click along to.

Imagine going back a few years and being in quite a dark and dingy bar, with a small stage at the end and chairs and tables filling the floor. The lighting is dim, there is an old piano in the corner and a mic stand just waiting to be used. A woman comes along onto the stage wearing leather and all the men sat with their pints cheer as she starts to sing, leaving the stage from time to time to visit their tables, and at other times leaning against the edge of the piano creating an informal and relaxed atmosphere. She looks very glamorous, but it is a rough sort of glamour with messy hair. In a nutshell, this is the first sort of feeling that comes to mind.

Heaven in this Hell – Orianthi

Heaven in this Hell is the new album, following Violet Journey in 2007 and Believe in 2009, by 28 year old Orianthi Panagaris, known in her line of work as simply Orianthi. The Australian singer/guitarist is nothing short of brilliant at delivering true rock music that is hard to come by these days. The tunes are catchy and full of life and as iTunes suggests, it will probably appeal to a rock-oriented audience. However, I think it has the perfect balance of being rock but not too heavy, so it may be a great route into rock culture for those who don’t listen to a lot of this sort of thing.

The album kicks off with a more classic sound that in parts touches on aspects of Queen and Joan Jett, amongst a whole host of other old school types, moving onto some softer pieces that really show off the strength in her voice. While her specialism is guitar, she can do a whole lot more than that. Other songs, while primarily fitting clearly into the rock genre are also slightly bluesy and others have a more pop-sounding beat to complement awesome guitar solos. This girl is not trying to fit into the modern rock world that can honestly hardly be called rock for the most part these days. She portrays all this genre is about in a great roundabout way with upbeat tunes that will soon stick in your head.

Orianthi co-wrote her songs on this album with the help of Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart, who was also Michael Jackson’s lead guitarist before his death and who has toured with Alice Cooper as well! Having this in mind, these songs were bound to be pretty awesome really.

Holy Fire – Foals

Happening across this experimental album, which is Foal’s third, mixed feelings come to mind. It has a very unusual and dreary sound to it, which is quite echoed and distant. The vocals are soft and blend in a little too much with the music, which admittedly, is catchy at times but still not very upbeat. Lyrics are almost too blurred to make out though. Parts of the music are quite jingly and in parts it conjures up images of space or some unknown, alien world, probably stemming from its techno roots. There is that essence of mystery and of being thrust into a psychedelic dream. It is definitely relaxing enough to open up the imagination in such a way, meaning that although the songs are all very samey, they are artistically fascinating at the same time and a lot of work has clearly gone into making them, with the style remaining true to that of their previous releases. While it is clever music that crosses boundaries though, as a form of entertainment, it is honestly a bit of a bore and it is surprising how many good ratings it has received because quite frankly, wherever you go in public, you never hear anything like this being played – and for good reason. Something so artsy should stay with the artists.

Cigarettes and Truckstops – Lindi Ortega

Cigarettes and Truckstops is a masterpiece of an album. Lindi Ortega, who has previously been labelled ‘Indie Lindi’, is a singer/songwriter from Toronto with a voice that can only be described as that of an angel with attitude.

The vocals vary from being soft and beautiful in the slower, more easy-going tracks, to explosive and heartfelt in the songs with power and energy. Every track is great in its own right and the variety of sounds in the instrumentals is quite extensive, with a general country sound and hints of rock ‘n’ roll and even jazz slotted in-between, fitting perfectly with that overall alternative indie feel.

Everything about this music oozes class and sophistication without it being boring or too grown-up. When comparing it with the tacky rubbish you often find in the charts these days, it is easy to appreciate the levels of perfection this album has to offer. It is the kind of stuff you can relate to and understand. It is so just real and believable, and makes you fall in love with all this woman can do.

Lindi was an independent artist for many years before signing to a label and it was a risky move, but it has most definitely paid off and if it wasn’t for that, her songs would probably have never really made it to England, leaving us missing out big time.

Funky, classic, sweet and sassy are just a few words that can sum up what Cigarettes and Truckstops is all about.

Redeemer of Souls – Judas Priest

Formed in Birmingham in the late 1960s, Judas Priest have sold a whopping 50 million albums worldwide and even made their stamp on the fashion world, introducing the leather-and-studs look to heavy metal.

Now, after six long years, the metal Gods are back with a brand new album that opens with a bang, diving headfirst into a catchy guitar beat and high powered, raw vocals. It is clear by a few tracks in that the band mean business once again.

Full of banging guitar solos and riffs the album’s overall sound echoes a truly epic yet haunting journey. For those who have missed the classic music from this influential band, your prayers are finally answered. For those of you new to these guys, you will not be disappointed.

They may seem like simply a group of old men past their prime, but ‘Redeemer of Souls’ is everything any rock music fan needs and it is yours to own, out now.

“We are forging ahead, slamming the pedal to the metal!”

Paramore – Paramore

This album is not quite classic Paramore, but catchy all the same. They’ve gone less rocky but that doesn’t mean this album isn’t still great. There are still some nice songs and it still has the great instrumentals, despite the lack of a rock edge. It is a refreshing step forward and something different, which is gutsy. Again, it may be a far cry from their previous work but good music is good music, regardless of what genre you want to put it in and Hayley is still just as talented. Besides, it’s not like they’ve gone that poppy or anything. Some songs still reflect parts of old style and others are new and exciting. Fans should not back down because of the changes. Lots of bands adapt their style and it’s just a way to stay on top and not become too predictable. Besides, having lost two members, things were bound to be a bit different, right? I feel like some people are just too quick to judge because underneath it all, that raw edge still lives on in their music and should do for years to come. For those unfamiliar with Paramore, they are an alternative rock band with a female front-singer and have been going since 2005. All of their music is top notch and I applaud them for that.

Escapology – Maylee Todd

This album opens up in the most catchy way you can think of, with an upbeat soul-sounding hit that will become instantly addictive. With an unusual and encapsulating voice, this woman can sing and gets the tone just right with this easy-listening music that will leave a lasting impression. Don’t let the first track fool you as it gets much softer as the album progresses, but it is still just as edgy in a different way with toe-tapping tendencies. It is certainly different to a lot of music you find being released these days and almost seems a little old-fashioned.

Sempiternal – Bring Me The Horizon

Coming from a fan of heavy rock and metal music, Bring Me The Horizon are one of those bands that have always been hard to accept. I didn’t believe I could ever say this but most of it is just noise. Pure noise. That is all. Thankfully, BMTH have taken a tiny step in the right direction with Sempiternal by incorporating some more “melodic” pieces that echo at times the likes of Linkin Park and are even slightly mystical and eerie in their feel.

The band certainly won’t disappoint fans with this new release as they are one of those groups that is consistent in their style of heavy, screamy stuff with some music in the background. Granted, there is no way to fault the instrumentals. If more of their stuff sounded like how some of the tracks on this new album did though, they would probably reach out to a more diverse fan base.

If you were interested in this style and this band then Sempiternal wouldn’t be a bad introduction to Bring Me The Horizon as it is by far their best release yet. Even better though would be to give this group a miss altogether. They’ve had enough chances now and there are plenty of metal bands out there to choose from, most of which are a lot better.

Alone Aboard the Ark – The Leisure Society

One of the appeals of The Leisure Society is their ability to put a smile on the face on anyone they pass. Alone Aboard The Ark does not deviate from their positive vibes and charm and is the perfect album to play if you’re feeling down or just waiting for the summer. The great thing about The Leisure Society is that they are not afraid to mix things up a bit. Unlike a lot of bands where you can hardly tell one song from another until you learn them, this album has plenty of variation and plays with different sounds and melodies across a range of different instruments. It is easy-listening and genuinely feel-good music that is well worth giving a chance.

It probably won’t be your favourite album, but there will always come the perfect time for it. The only slight negative is the fact that odd songs sound just like your typical “guy with a guitar” kind of thing, but luckily, this feeling is sparing and most of it makes up for that beautifully. Formed by Nick Hemming and made up of a decent handful of guys and girls from all different musical backgrounds, there is plenty of room for experimenting and they have certainly made the most of it. Previous albums of theirs include The Sleeper (2009) and Into The Murky Water (2011).

Temper Temper – Bullet for my Valentine

Temper Temper was released just over a week ago and opens in typical Bullet style with a long scream and heavy beat, but it turns out there is actually much more to it than that. The Welch metal band first formed back in 1998 and is still producing solid music to date.

One thing that stands out with this album is that it offers the perfect balance between heavy metal elements and harmonious melodies and vocals. In other words, it is not just noise as many people think everything in this genre is.

Their first studio album, Poison, released in 2005, features a song called ‘Tears Don’t Fall’, which quickly became popular. Temper Temper has introduced a second part to this old favourite, using some of the same music and lyrics as the original, but with a whole new direction. This is one of the softer tracks, along with ‘Dead to the World’, which starts off giving almost a western feel.

Still, for the most part, Temper Temper is catchy and upbeat, with some excellent guitar riffs and instrumental sections. Just listening to the music highlights their immense talent and they have so much potential. Unfortunately, this album hasn’t seemed to live up to expectations, but having said that, every song is still pretty damn awesome and there is no doubt fans will want to get on board.

One thing you cannot fault Bullet for my Valentine for is the fact they have stayed determined and stuck to their roots. After getting slightly more aggressive in their second album, ‘Scream Aim Fire’, they have since pulled it back and not changed too drastically. Although there is a lack of development, you always know what to expect from a Bullet album, and in a way, that is a very important factor to consider and one reason why this one is such a cracker too.

Nothing special, no better than previous albums, but still has a lot to offer and is a great listen for anyone into rock and metal music, whether an existing Bullet fan or not.

An Interview with Hudson Taylor

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A PHONE INTERVIEW CONDUCTED WITH DUO HUDSON TAYLOR, FOR VOXX MAGAZINE

So you started out as Harry + Alfie uploading YouTube videos. Do you believe this was a good way to get noticed?

I think it was a brilliant way to get noticed. How we first started was playing to a group of people on the beach on a family holiday and after playing to them a couple of times, well we were only there for two weeks buand then when we left they said: “Put up a Youtube video and a Youtube account so you can start putting videos up. So we were like, ok, we’ll give it a go, so we put up one cover and then we learnt all our first views were from Germany, which was pretty cool. We kept on putting up covers after that and then a few of our friends found out about it and it got shared around with a few people in like the very early days of Youtube. It was just a really good way to sort of see what was going on. We found with every video we put up it started getting more views and more shares and stuff like that, and it was a really good to gauge where you are. Then when we started writing songs it was the same. We could get a direct response to if people liked the song or not from what people were saying because you can read the comments and stuff, so it was very positive in that way. But I think it’s very important when you’re starting out, depending on your sort of music, to spread yourself out as much as possible. Youtube is a really good platform beaucse it’s like your music being out without properly releasing it and selling it. You know, you can just do a one shot video and put it up, which obviously gets you shares, but we also like busking and doing the live music to get our point across as well. Spending time in any areas is never a bad thing. If you focus on one thing too much you’re just losing out on so much opportunity. So I think the best way to get noticed is to a bit of everything all together.

What made you change your name to Hudson Taylor?

Well as you know we started out as Harry and Alfie but that’s just our names. We’re actually brothers and Hudson Taylor is our second name, so when it came to deciding that we were going to start doing this seriously as a band things were different. Harry and Alfie was just a little bit of fun and because we needed a name to go out with but when we started putting the EP together and stuff we found Harry and Alfie didn’t really work because when you added all the instruments on like the drums and bass and piano and stuff so we thought that Harry and Aflie sort of excludes the other people in the band, and yeah it just worked out pretty well. Thankfully we have a second name that sounds like a band name. Initially we had loads of band names in the mix, awful names actually so I won’t repeat them. Then we just came up with Hudson Taylor which is pretty to find. It just clicked and caught on.

Cool, so you’ve supported some great artists such as Jake Bugg. Did you learn a lot from these tours?

Absolutely, yeah. I think just touring in general you learn so much, travelling and playing to new audiences every night. Jake was really sound and actually taught us a lot. I think the first tour we every did was with Jake when we were touring the UK and Ireland, and it was just something we’d never ever done before so it was a totally new experience for us but a really, really valuable experience as well. He actually invited us out again recently to tour with him again at the end of last year which was absolutely buzzing. It was great playing for a different crowd every night and good to play to people who hadn’t seen or heard us before and will then go on about it. In everything you do if you just play the best you can, you can make the most out of it if you want to. The best thing was the opportunity to play in front of like 10,000 people.

We’ve had a listen to your debut album Singing For Strangers and your sound seems to have matured a lot since the early days. Is this something that was obvious to you when writing the album?

Well from the very beginning we’ve been quite folky. We have obviously developed over the years. We’ve experimented with many genres, we moved to London when we were quite young. We wanted to focus on really personalising our sound as well, and that has reflected on our music in a lot of ways. I feel that naturally, the more songs you right, the better you get and the more you understand it and stuff. And yeah the album, I think we had to be happy with it. We had a vision and there was a lot of trial and error. There were things we tried but they didn’t quite work. And then we had to record it again until we finally got it and we sort of knew what sound we were going for in the end and were really happy with how it turned out.

And how have your fans responded to the album so far?

It’s been really good and we actually got to release it in Ireland first where we’re from and that was really nice. It was a really nice being able to release the album and also getting a better feel about what other people think about it. No one else had really heard from us for two years or really heard the songs as we’d been holding them back but it was nice to finally eventually get people’s opinions on it. We got to hear our songs on the radio though, stuff like that, that was pretty cool. And people have been really nice and said really, really nice things about it and we’re just really grateful to anyone who has listened. I’m so happy that the people who have been following us have waited so long as well who have been asking for an album for a long time. We wanted it to be out months ago but it has been really beneficial waiting because in that time we’ve got to tour and stuff and learned a little bit more. But yeah, the response has been amazing so far and that was when it was just out in Ireland so we were excited to see what happened when it came out in the UK. It was interesting the last time we toured the UK because the album wasn’t out here yet so we were just amazed how people knew all the words to the songs that we hadn’t even released yet. We’re really interested to see where it goes from here.

That’s good then, but have you also received any negative criticism and if so how do you cope with that?

We’ve not really seen much negativity around it to be honest. It’s been really nice and that. Negative stuff, you’re always gonna get it, in anything really, especially online where anyone can give their opinion about anything. I think you just have to stay true to what you are. I mean, one person’s comment isn’t going to make me change everything I do. It’s really just, you know, the nature of it I suppose. So you shouldn’t take it to heart and don’t even respond. If you can respond do a James Blunt on it and think of something really witty to respond back. But yeah, We’ve not really had anything where we’ve gone or been really hurt by it or anything like that. Everybody we’ve spoke to has just been really really nice and again we’re just so grateful that people are coming to the shows and are buying our album and taking the time to listen to us. And even if someone doesn’t like it, it does at least mean they’ve listened to us in some form, you know.

Great. So what can we expect next from Hudson Taylor?

We’ve already started thinking about our second album basically and it really helps in a way having the time that we had on the first album to really work on things and experience things and try things, like trying lots of different producers and stuff. It helps us with learning and deciding what we want to do in the future. And we think that the next album is going to be a lot easier to do in terms of song writing and recording because we know more about how to do it. I think with our first album we’ve achieved exactly what we wanted to achieve and it sounds just like we wanted it to sound. And really we just want to play live as much as possible over the next couple of years while we write and record. We already have a few songs in the backburner that we haven’t used because we were saving them and stuff, so that’s sort of not giving away a lot but a bit of expectation I suppose. But yeah, playing live as much as possible is something we’re really excited about.

Ok, so one final question with a slightly different vibe: If you could form a supergroup with anyone of your choosing, dead or alive, who would you pick?

Well I’d probably just bring everybody back from the dead. I don’t know, maybe John Lennon. He’d definitely be a good a person to have in a band. Who else? John Lennon, ooh this is hard. Freddie Mercury… I’m just trying to think what would be funny and what would be really cool and people who would actually sound alright. Paul Simons as well, and I’d also have to go with someone more recent, like how funny would the rehearsal be if you had Kanye West in there? I just think there’d be so many fights. Maybe not Kanye West actually, we’ll just go with the first three.

Fire Emblem Echoes (And why it’s better than Awakening)

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A REVIEW OF NINTENDO 3DS GAME, FIRE EMBLEM ECHOES: SHADOWS OF VALENTIA, FOR VOXX MAGAZINE (26/05/2017)

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, the latest title in the Fire Emblem series on Nintendo 3DS, is finally with us. It’s fair to say Fire Emblem has had its ups and downs, and here in the west we never even got to experience it for the first time until many years after the concept was first created. Still, it is a great thing that it reached our territory, as the depth of story and the distinct strategy battle style were something I feel we really needed. Fire Emblem Awakening (2014), also for 3DS, still seems to be considered the defining Fire Emblem title of modern gaming, and in a way it was by preventing the entire franchise from being cancelled, so the question that keeps being asked is “Can its success still continue three years on?”

Fire Emblem Echoes is a reimagining of Japanese classic Fire Emblem Gaiden, and it does wonders at pulling at your heartstrings while offering plenty of combat-based gameplay. The story follows estranged childhood friends Alm and Celica, who each set off on a journey to find each other again and put an end to the war that has befallen their country. We begin with Alm and his friends from the village, summoned by The Deliverance of Zofia to fight with them to reclaim their castle and land from the Rigelians.

Right from the off, we are already getting to learn about each character’s distinct personality and relationship with their comrades, and we also have the ability to choose the classes of four of our units so we can have control over crafting our ideal teams. As the story develops, the army grows and tensions rise between them, mostly based on the social divide between nobles and commoners, which gives it an authentic touch. Then suddenly, we leave Alm behind and meet Celica, who has a whole new army of her own in an entirely different corner of the country, switching out brigands for pirates. It’s easy to miss the characters you’ve been raising and building attachments with so far, but this really just means you almost get to play two games in one as Mae, Boey, Genny and Saber are added to the mix – and when the groups finally come together, you have an extensive character bank to create an unstoppable force.

Gameplay runs very similarly to that of past Fire Emblem titles, with an overworld map to move through and combat stages that consist of a grid-like turn-based battle of strategy and wits. Added to the mix are the various dungeons and shrines throughout the story, which see you taking third person live control of Alm or Celica as you run around taking on enemies and collecting supplies. This is a new feature that we didn’t see in the other games, and it adds more interest to the dynamic.

The triangular weapon advantage system has also been scrapped, creating a greater reliance on strength and resistance in battle, as have custom support relationships – relationships here are canon however you play, so if you’re looking for more shipping, you’re out of luck. But while the gameplay is extensive and exciting, it’s the beautifully executed cut scenes, support conversations and just the overarching story in general that is the real selling point. It’s amazing how attached you get to these fictional sprites in such a short space of time, which makes the thought of losing them even harder.

Yes, the series’ staple “permadeath” is back. Permadeath basically means that when one of your units dies in battle, they die for real, as in gone forever and never coming back. This is not only heartbreaking thanks in large to the magnificent voice acting involved (Boey’s voice when Mae dies though!!), but it also makes strategy even more crucial, as you’re going to need to keep as many units alive as possible for later fights. Too intense? Worry not. Much like in Awakening and Fates before it, you have the option of turning this feature on or off. Casual mode sees your units recovered after every fight, dialling down the pressure considerably. You can also choose between difficulty levels, tailoring your experience to make it a challenge for veterans while still accessible for novices.

I still stand by the characters being the most immersive part of Fire Emblem, and though we’re stripped back to basics here with the exclusion of Awakening’s relationship and marriage system, it’s still so easy to fall in love with the pre-determined pairings, both romantic and otherwise – and we can actually focus on playing the game to win, rather than to build support between two characters who really don’t work well together in combat. For example, villagers Tobin and Gray are best friends, and if Tobin survives, Gray fights for the kingdom, but if he dies, Gray turns to the bottle instead. It’s the little details that don’t affect how the game is played as such, but that affect how the characters feel about each event and how their lives turn out following the war. This adds a more human element, making the experience all the more meaningful.

If you enjoyed Awakening, you’ll probably enjoy this one, but having played both I can confidently say it is a very different experience. While playing matchmaker has its charms, this game allows you to focus on more on what’s important. I also feel the storyline itself is more solid and more structured (partly because they haven’t had to factor in elements like time travel for it to make any sense), like it really knows what it wants to be and sticks with it rather than trying to cram in as many elements as possible – plus, postgame content, enough said. Don’t get me wrong, I am a genuine fan of the series as a whole and so I naturally thought Awakening was an awesome game and spent countless hours playing it, but the fact of the matter is that this is just better; cleaner and more polished. In fact, Fire Emblem Echoes has quickly become one of my favourite games of all time – completely addictive in the moment, and then one that stays with you long after the end credits roll. I would most definitely recommend it.

An Interview with Gabrielle Aplin

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A SHORT PHONE INTERVIEW WITH SINGER GABRIELLE APLIN, FOR VOXX MAGAZINE

She became a famous figure almost overnight with her cover of ‘The Power Of Love’ for John Lewis and has only gone from strength to strength since then. We had the pleasure of sitting down for a chat with the truly lovely Gabrielle Aplin in leading up to the release of her second album, Light Up The Dark.

Hey, how you doing?

A: I’m great thank you, how are you?

Not too bad thank you. So, we’ll get right into it. Would you like to introduce yourself to our readers?

A: Well, my name is Gabrielle Aplin and I am a singer-songwriter that likes to make music.

Cool, so we saw you playing Birmingham back in 2009, before you got signed. How have things changed since then and what have you learned?

A: Well for me when I got signed it was more kind of, well it was just a good thing for me to do. It wasn’t like I drastically changed the way I do things. I just have a few extra people working with me and I have those extra resources to use, you know? It’s just about having that at my disposal really, but nothing’s really changed. I’ve certainly developed and I’ve just made my second album, but up until making that album it was first time I’d done all of those things. Now I can say ‘I love this part, I’ll do it again’ or ‘I don’t like this part’ and I’ve just kind of started to work out my way of doing things really.

You’ve toured the world, visiting various countries. How was that experience?

A: That was amazing, especially the culture shock countries, you know? I’ve been to Japan a lot and that was just incredible. I never thought I’d get to go there. Even just kind of touring and playing to different crowds makes me more confident in front of a crowd and makes me a better musician, and that all kind of went into the second album. It was just a great experience all round.

So what was the first kind of music you were aware of?

A: Mostly the stuff that my parents were playing. My dad is a big Bruce Springsteen fan so I listened to a lot of him, and my mum is a big fan of The Carpenters, Joan Myers and Joni Mitchell, so yeah, I listen to a lot of that. It was mostly bands and singer-songwriters from the 60’s and 70’s really.

So is this the kind of music that influences your work, or has that come from elsewhere?

A: Absolutely, they’re kind of like my sole influencers. I love Joni and Nick Drake. When I’m making a project of work, like an album, there’s always my references and inspirations in there. This current album I was really inspired by The Rolling Stones and just big live bands, Edward Sharpe, just live storytelling I guess. I’m mostly inspired by experimenting though and I’ve felt really free, like I don’t have any agendas and I didn’t have a label chasing me going ‘We need this song for this and that’. They just left me to it for a year so everything was very free and I was just doing what I wanted to do.

Is there any kind of particular message you hope to portray through your music?

A: Well, it’s different with every song. I’m kind of just writing about different things. Some of the songs are about me, some of the songs are about things that have happened to my friends, some things I don’t even know that well. It could be about a place I’ve been to, or a moment that I want to put into a song to create an atmosphere. The whole album doesn’t have any one particular message. Each song is different.

Ok, so slightly off topic now, we’ve heard you’re into animals. Do you have any interesting pets of your own?

A: Well, we have lots of cats, a ferret and a Boston Terrier. I just like rescuing animals.

A ferret?

A: I didn’t really plan to have one, but when I was younger I just knew. My friend had one and she was basically going to take it to a rescue centre because she couldn’t have him anymore and I just felt sorry for him so I ended up rescuing him myself. I just decided on the day that I was going to have this ferret and that was it.

That’s nice. And if you weren’t doing music right now, what do you think you’d be doing as a career instead?

A: I think something creative. I really love all aspects of art. I love paint and I love to draw and design, and it’s the kind of thing I just do for fun anyway. So something in that kind of area.

Ok, so finally, do you have any advice for aspiring singers out there wanting to be where you are?

A: I think for me I guess I… I think the industry has definitely changed from how it was maybe 10/20 years ago where the first thing you needed to do was get signed. The internet has massively changed that and it’s amazing and you should really embrace that. We should just embrace all the resources we have at our disposal for free, you know? I was able to put my music on YouTube and iTunes all by myself. I didn’t even need a label to do that. I was able to record in my bedroom with just one microphone. You can’t expect to go viral with one YouTube video but you should just make the most of every resource and work all these elements together, and of course also just playing all the local gigs you can get, hanging out with other musicians and sharing ideas with them. Just get yourself inspired.

Well thank you very much and it was lovely meeting you… over the phone.