Author: NewNoiseMag

Album Review: Michael Cooke’s ‘Midnight Call’

Posted on by NewNoiseMag

Midnight Call is the newest album by Scottish singer-songwriter Michael Cooke. The record is Cooke’s follow-up to Doin Alright, an eight-track release dropped in 2020. Cooke, who is also an actor, used his time during lockdown to write music. The result is Midnight Call, a heartfelt and personal album with the kind of chill vibes perfect for relaxing weekends and laid-back times.

Cooke is a former athlete who had aspired to be in the Olympics until an injury prevented him from doing so. On Midnight Call, Cooke imparts lessons learned from this and other past experiences.

“So many people let life pass them by and get caught up in group identity because they are scared of knowing themselves,” says Cooke. “I think once you start down the road of knowing yourself, there’s no going back, and let’s be honest it’s pretty terrifying you see a lot of things about yourself you don’t like and it’s very hard to ignore.”

“Around Here” imparts such realizations by telling a story about snippets from everyday moments. “Tired eyes but you’re never sleeping/ Poets die selling love/ So remember me when I’m gone.”

Nothing is taken for granted in Cooke’s songwriting and storytelling.

There is an intimacy and immediacy to Midnight Call that derives from the tranquil and laid-back vibes. The sounds on Midnight Call range from 60s folks to indie acoustic of the 00s singer-songwriters. That combination feels like a logical coupling under the musicianship of Cooke, who on top of that sings with clarity and earnestness that is delightful.

“Don’t Let The World” showcases Cooke’s ability to craft catchy poppy indie acoustic jams. There are also moments of experimentation and innovation. “World’s Spinning Under Me” has an almost 80s pop quality. The result is an album with a clear and defined sound that also offers eclectic moments.

Midnight Call is a charming and positive listening experience that is upbeat and invigorating. The newest record from Michael Cooke is out now.

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Douglas Menagh

Album Review: Fuckin Whatever

Posted on by NewNoiseMag

by Aaron Kavanagh

Fuckin Whatever

are a band, or a supergroup, or a fuckin’ whatever, consisting of members from Taking Back Sunday, Circa Survive, and Grouplove, and, interestingly enough, none of those act’s music are a good indicator of Fuckin Whatever’s.

This music is very fresh and different. The press releases for the band boast that their music features zero instrumentation. Their music primarily consists of vocal music, and they utilize a variety of different vocal techniques for their sound, including a cappella, chanting, harmonizing, humming, whistling, vibrato, melisma, and fuckin’ whatever else you can think of. The EP doesn’t exclusively utilize vocal music, however; Grouplove’s Ben Homola adds some very distinguishing percussion to each song using only household items.

The vocal music, percussion, and Anthony Green’s lead singing accumulate to create an experimental, avant-garde, musical hybrid that invokes pop, dance, and traditional tribal and folk music of Nordic, African, and South American cultures. Animal Collective are the band’s most obvious influence, but there are strains that are reminiscent of Ozric Tentacles or The Slits, and even more contemporary artists, like M.I.A. or MØ.

Given it’s rawness and liveliness, Fuckin Whatever may give the illusion of having minimal production, but it is clear that a lot of production effort has gone into making these songs as fluid and interesting as they are.

Two songs from the EP, “Never Believe” and “Original Sin,” were released as singles. Singles are obviously an important part of promotion, to drum up interest in an EP or album before its release, but the Fuckin Whatever EP needs to be heard as a complete unit, rather than the songs being listened to individually, as listening to any of the songs alone can’t replicate the intended experience.

Fuckin Whatever don’t feel like an act that you go and see to hear a specific hit song. No, to paint a picture, Fuckin Whatever are the kind of act you go to see at a dingy, poorly-ventilated, 200-capacity club. As you sweat profusely and sway fitfully from left to right, out of sync with the music, on the two inches of dance floor you have to yourself on either side, the music bleeds together in a trippy union, and you leave as a euphoric, sweaty, dehydrated mess with a big smile on your face.

During its runtime, Fuckin’ Whatever does create a hypnotic, attention-grabbing 22 minutes. Admittedly, the lingering effects of those 22 minutes can be quite ephemeral after the EP is finished, but it is still an experience worth having. Don’t say “fuckin’ whatever” to Fuckin Whatever by Fuckin Whatever, and give it a chance.

The post Album Review: Fuckin Whatever – Fuckin Whatever appeared first on New Noise Magazine.