Robin James - album review

Robin James – Paper Planes review

For anyone who has even the smallest dealing with popular music and the top 40 chart you will be aware that new music of late is either a frenzy of pacy beats and obscure noises, embraced by anyone vaguely trendy and verging on the boundaries of adolescence, or for the rest of us, there is the whole new genre settling in for our markedly quieter aural enjoyment – folk pop.

It’s nothing that new of course, Laura Marling, Mumford and sons, City and Color have all been securing themselves a comfy place within the music industry with their minimalist, acoustic tunes, neither too niche nor too mainstream.

So with this being the only other real  successful alternative the high chart successes t the moment, many budding musicians have moulded this genre in the hope if becoming another artist under its umbrella. London based singer songwriter Robin James is of course, no exception.

Paper Planes is his second release, and from a very brief first listen it is apparent that this man is the arty type; the lyrics sound like drug induced poetry sessions and the whole tone of the album is slow, sombre and “I’m desperately trying to sound edgy”.

However, for those who enjoy these sort of deep, poetic musings will love it, Robin James is a potentially good lyricist, his precise yet soft whisperings makes it sound more like a recital than a song , but in keeping with true original folk style.

Lyrics such as ‘Well I made friends with an Eskimo” in Good To Die are a little hard to take and produce an inkling of a smile with every listen,  yet besides this the entire album is more than a little depressing; with the talk of struggling humanity and almost constant use of the words death and die. All in all it soon becomes a little tedious.

Yet musically, the album is rather satisfying, the piece itself was created using all vintage equipment, a feat worthwhile of some appreciation if nothing else. With his second album Robin James has involved some other elements, string sounds and accordion can be heard throughout the ten tracks, which set the tone excellently.

For the most part it is clear what this man is trying to create, something that reflects him, his feeling, beliefs, emotions and this album succeeds in doing that. But for everyone else listening in, it can be a hard and unfortunately sometimes difficult listen. For his musicianship and uniqueness this album deserves at least one listen, if only to realise that, compared to this, your own life isn’t that depressing after all.

Review published on Southsonic website:
http://www.southsonic.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1471&Itemid=73

James Foust - Online journalism

5 point model

1. Fairness - unbiased (Blogs can flow on a more free form ideal, opinion and unconstrained)
2. Attributes - gives authority to the story, source your research
3. Relevance - its importance to the audience, why is the story important?
4. Accuracy - getting facts right [Journolist: site for checking accuracy of websites]
5. Newness - new angle, fresh information

• Audience control - power to choose the info they want
• None linearity - don't have to follow a set order
• Storage - back issues, stores info over the Internet
• Unlimited space  - not restricted to space limits of print
• Immediacy - news can be published straight away
• Tri media - links and podcasts can offer a new medium
• Activity - chats and forums allow a greater level of audience participation

Electronic Journalism - Kerrang!/Nme/The Word

The online webzines offer a variety of aspects unavailable through a regular print magazine.

• `On many webzines there is the availability to comment on news and information quickly, enabling fans to give their opinions at the moment Rather than writing or emailing in to the magazine.
• The webzines give small bite size pieces of information that can be accessed quickly.
• The news can be updated within the moment rather than having to wait for the next week to print.
• 'Shop' a link to a page where band merchandise can be bought.
• other links such as Tickets and Photos allow fans to buy tickets through the site for festivals and shows being advertised as well as their being a gallery of live band shots and photo shoots.
• The Word magazine offers the ability to look at current and past issues.
• Kerrang! famously has a podcast that is accessible via the website.
• Kerrang! has blogs from bands on tour, that are written by the members and showcase the "Tour Disasters"

Magazine In a day challenge (SMILEweek)

Magazine in a day

The third day of SMILEfest ‘11 brought an impressive opportunity for students studying on the music scheme. Popular Music Journalism course leader Martin James organised a workshop that allowed journalism students ranging throughout the scheme and years to come together to take on a testing feat – make a 20 page magazine in a day.

With a 10am start all students were preparing to take on their chosen roles within this newly founded magazine team, with editors, designers and writers all trying to organise their thoughts.

Wednesday’s workshop was a prominent example of what SMILEfest has to offer, organiser Martin James has evolved the week to ensure students have the best experience possible “ it’s a major achievement that it’s gone from one to six days, incorporating live speakers, workshops, and inspiring students to work regionally and beyond individual elements.”

Editor   fully engaged in his role and quickly ideas were flying around the room, with second year Popular Music Journalism students using their growing experience to order the pages and discuss possible design features and page furniture with the designers.

Then the pressure was on, with the freelance writers being assigned their individual features and reviews, Popular music journalism student said  “ I think it was a really cool idea, I enjoyed being given tasks and working in a realistic magazine style environment” the groups then paired off and scattered around the Southampton Solent campus to dive into research and gain all the information needed to create some outstanding journalistic pieces.

The students all regrouped and pushed on with writing their pieces, the sound of keys tapping furiously filled the room and with the first deadline looming all students did their best to get their first pieces finished.

By 2.30pm the room was buzzing and the atmosphere electric, with the designing underway and several features being subbed around the room, the magazine was slowly beginning to take shape. Yet with every breath a new article or news piece was being added, bands on campus willing to be interviewed, and members of staff being pestered for quality quotes.

As the day progressed the magazine was truly beginning to take shape, with a quick pit stop to ensure everything was still working well and pieces were on form it was apparent that the magazine was going to be a success and the students felt a fresh wave of excitement as they edged ever nearer to the finish line.

By the evening, the long and action filled day was drawing to a close, the features had been written, subbed, re written designed and edited. All everything was set in place for the final piece to be unveiled.

With the task finally being reaching an end, all the students that were involved could feel a well-earned sense of achievement, the editor said “ you begin to realise just how much work goes into making a magazine, it’s been hard work but everyone has done a hell of a lot of work” And so by working as a tight and dedicated team, following the rules of a high powered magazine environment Southampton Solent University journalism students manage to make the impossible possible.

Gallows Feature (SMILEweek)

NME writer McMahon takes on raucous band Gallows

Watford-based band Gallows are renowned for their raucous, punk-enthused rock and roll sound, and have the personalities to match. Formed in 2005, Gallows now have two album releases under their belts, Orchestra of Wolves and Grey Britain. Established NME journalist, James McMahon, will be doing his best, on Friday, to settle them down to engage in a Q&A session at Southampton Solent University.

After touring around the world, with stops in Italy and America and making themselves heard at several festivals, such as Download and Reading, the band will be doing a 2011 UK tour and have a lot to discuss. And there’s no better person to take on this quintet, made up of Frank carter, Steph Carter, Laurent Barnard, Lee Barrat and Stuart Gili-Ross, than acclaimed writer James McMahon.

With Gallows sound emulating pure traditional punk qualities and elements of the brutal, hard-paced noise of hardcore they will no doubt bring everything that their music incorporates to the interview. The band has a reputation for being hard faced, angsty and confrontational, all part of which forms their anti government, working class, fight for freedom identity. Through combining this full throttle vibe with thrilling and crushing live performances the band have earned themselves an invariably solid reputation.

With Friday being the penultimate event of SMILEfest, the entire day is dedicated to a variety of exciting opportunities, interviews, live acoustic performances, gigs and an extensive range of venues situated within the city. Students are able to access high profile members of the music industry and witness some of their favourite bands and artists, but most importantly enjoy themselves.

The talk will take place within Southampton Solent University campus, the band can be found in JM315 at 1pm on Friday March 4^th. As a free event with a first come a first serve policy, it is undeniably worth getting there early.

So as SMILEfest will be coming to a close on Friday, yet again, Southampton Solent University students are given the opportunity to be involved in something special and with Gallows no doubt making their presence felt, as the week draws to a close, the talk will be unmissable.