The Tweakers – Birdbar
What are you going to be doing with all that time when it’ll seem like you’re doing nothing? Even those lazy, hopeless days pile up eventually. Even those have to end up meaning something. Even nothing adds up to something.
Most people find themselves confused, estranged, and lacking motivation as they move into their 20s. Many of them don’t do anything about it. The Tweakers have found a solution for now. And who knows what this will end up building into further down the line?
I suppose that the old saying about the ship going down has to be true. When you’re sinking, it’s best to grab onto something and hold on for dear life rather than scream, spin around and hope that somebody rescues you.
“Bird Bar” by The Tweakers is a big indie-rock song about fear and courage. It’s a tune about feeling alone, out of place and realising that most things will end in tears. But it’s also a song about devoting oneself to beauty and hoping that there will be comfort there. In fact, “Bird Bar” in itself is proof that it works. You can’t predict the future, but you can safely predict it coming around the corner.
Blanket Approval – Heartbreak City
Does talent actually matter when it comes to rock music? Yes and no, because the real question might be “When?” You see, rock music is a marvelously democratic thing. If you do manage to get a band together, write enough songs and play them semi-competently, the world, rightfully, admires you for your effort. You need the music and presentation to be passable in order to get a gig, to get started.
Blanket Approval possesses the kind of qualities that become important once bands start dreaming of more. These are the things that make songs memorable, that help bands land festival gigs and radio plays. Ultimately, these are also the elements that turn casual listeners into fans and into rabid collectors. Yes, I’m afraid that talent is important if you dream of becoming an important addition to someone’s record collection.
Blanket Approval make the kind of pleasant, urban-based indie-rock that will not be unfamiliar to fans of The Arctic Monkeys and bands like them. But while the Sheffield group has plenty of imitators, not many come equipped with the skills showcased on “Heartbreak City.” An obvious choice for a single, the track is excellently produced, cleverly put-together and benefits from highly competent singing and smart lyrics. Yeah, a bit of talent can, eventually, help bands go a long way.
