[REVIEW] THE VERONICAS PREMIERE NEW SINGLE YOU RUIN ME

I believe it is fair to say that nobody has patience like a Veronicas fan. Nobody. For fans outside of Europe it has been seven years since the last full length musical offering of Brisbane beauty queens Jessica and Lisa Origliasso however, I do not wish to dwell on the shortcomings of the band or the fanbase. What we have had in seven years is faith and reassurance, we have built relationships amongst ourselves and with the band; We have grown.

As a choice of single, given the circumstances, You Ruin Me is a huge risk by industry standards. On the one hand you have artists like Adele, who release ballad after ballad and manage to top the charts however, for The Veronicas, it was their infectious pop hooks and orchestrated composition which led them to huge international success.

Whilst lyrically, You Ruin Me does not wholly take the same figurative form of 2012's offering Lolita, what it does offer is emotive and vulnerable. Under the metaphor of a broken relationship as a symphony composed by an unfaithful ex partner, this is a raw, sentimental declaration of heartbreak. This is a white flag in the midst of a hurricane, a song belted through the eye of the storm; not too dissimilar from Cyrus' first US no #1 Wrecking Ball, except you know, The Veronicas wrote this one their selves. You Ruin Me is so simplistic, yet so compelling. The title sticks to mind as much as any hook. It's something so refined yet unfiltered. Modest and unapologetic. You Ruin Me is The Veronicas battle cry amongst the current music market, screaming 'this is what we're about, take it or leave it' without relying on cheap gimmicks or an audio orchestrated by some next European producer.

It's hard not to favour this single as I have been an advocate of the band for almost a decade now but what is harder to deny is the empathy that, I'd estimate, 9/10 people solicit with the songs message. You Ruin Me is a real tear jerker, articulating the words as to why exactly is difficult. For me, it's a song I could have really used when I was sixteen. I don't have the tears to cry over that now, but the connection I have with this song is real. The vocal is raw and unfiltered, the instrumental polished. Picture yourself strolling down the streets of Paris under street lights in black and white with a cigarette, this is a song worthy of that scenario. 

I, for one, think You Ruin Me is a testament to the ladies' vocals and a celebration of what they have overcome to reach this point in their artistry. I think that's why this song is so beautifully emotive: nostalgia. It's sad to reminisce, yet comforting when I remember where I was and where I am now.

If you haven't already, pre-order your copy of You Ruin Me from iTunes, or pick up a physical disk ft a remix of the song from Badflower frontman Josh Katz

MILEY CYRUS BY DAVID SIMS: LOVE SCANS

 

 

PT 4: Industrial/Vamp/Wytch

VINTAGE ROCKBAR

As a newcomer to London I have not yet become accustomed to the social scene quite yet. I don't believe it is an easy job to classify myself as belonging to any particular scene, I like what I like, I feel like a chameleon who is able to fit into a wider umbrella of scenes to some extent. A place of notoriety for me is a bar in my home town of Doncaster which I have been going to since I was thirteen or fourteen, although at the time it was to watch metal bands play or to support the bands of my friends.

 A live music venue and bar situated on St George's gate which opened in 2005, Rockbar is home to a spectrum of people with different styles, tastes and interests who bond over a mutual love of music and alcohol, of which there is a large variety.

Somewhat dilapidated indoors and dimly lit, the walls are lined with promotional posters for upcoming events and a number of collages featuring some of the most iconic names in music and inspirational films from generations gone. Perhaps vintage is not the word to describe the unadorned leather sofas or the fragmented tables painted with murals to Gorillaz and The Joker however, there is authenticity to be found amongst wooden booths and a basement setting for both local and foreign talents to play to an audience of around 100.  

With DJ sets by Loz Taylor, frontman of global metal band While She Sleeps every other day and the possibility to drink with the band and a number of other bands famous in that scene, going out is both an educational and enjoyable experience.

SKY FERREIRA

Maybe it's the blonde, maybe it's the angst behind those haunting eyes or even the melody in her gravelly, less than pitch-perfect vocals, maybe it's all three things and more; right now it is the music of 21 year old Ferreira which I consider the epitome of my style right now. Her rabbit in the headlight gaze and undernourished figure propelled her to new heights of fame as a fashion ingénue which gained Ferreira a considerable amount of notoriety as an artist after her record label pushed back the release of her début album, expected way back in 2010. Back then, when I first discovered Sky having come across her video for single 'One', Ferreira was full-faced and defined heavily by a mass of dark brown roots which ran seemlessly beyond her ears before fading into a golden mane. At the time, Sky was already well on her way to becoming an 'IT girl', having been photographed by Rankin and worked with Ryan Tedder; she wore oversized flannel with laddered hosiery and often heavy duty boots with off duty dresses more easily likened to that of Courtney Love. She was cool. I wanted to be cool too.



Fast forward two EPs, several album setbacks, seven or eight fashion weeks, a Calvin Klein ad, a Marc Jacobs show and a widely overrated 'drug scandal' and Sky has found her voice. Still seemingly awkward and with shorter, blonder hair (which she recently abandoned for brown after securing an advertising deal with a haircare brand), Sky has grown into her style and into her sound. Sky's debut Night Time, My Time finally took it's first breath on the 29th October 2013 and is an LP comprised of 11 anti-pop numbers more notably about personal struggles, self loathing and lifestyle posturing. There are 80s undertones in the full bodied 90s grunge but, enough electro to make it sound current. What I find so endearing about this album is that each song inspires something within me, or is reminiscent of something I too have face whether it's singing of emotional negligence on 'Nobody Asked Me (If I Was Okay)' or coming to terms with a relationship ending on lead single 'You're Not The One'.

Sky's Debut 'Night Time, My Time'

What I should probably point out, a recurring theme if you shall, is darker undertones. Take my favourite song from the LP, the title track Night Time, My Time. With a video directed by Grant Singer, emotions are explored through colours and through characters over a crack of ghostly murmurs which vacillate between self loathing and sadomasochism and manifolds frustration. Sky plays Lolita gone Russian serial killer in this pulpfiction-esque ode to all the men in her life who have screwed her over.

Disturbia by Robbie Spencer for Dazed & Confused

PT 4 Interview: Thomas Tait

Androgyny seems to be a recurring theme within your collections, is this something you consider whilst you create or is it a subconscious decision?

I don't really focus on androgyny. I think my idea of femininity might differ from the standard or commercial norm but the focus is never to blur the gender boundaries.

You tend to design in muted colour palettes and accent in bolder hues, is there a particular reason for this?

No not really, I tend to choose colours on gut instinct. What feels right in the moment and what suits the collection.

I find your collections are rather futuristic, when viewing your a/w13 and s/s14 collections I envision these powerful women descending from space craft, what were your intentions in producing these clothes?

I'm always interested in things that feel modern and new rather than things that are literally futuristic. I like creating things that feel close enough to reality and familiarity but that are also far enough into the near future to feel new.

Would you say that you design for a specific woman/belonging to a specific subculture?

No not at all. I don't ever have a specific woman in mind, or a "muse". I sell to stores in various countries, the focus of my work and brand development is not focused on one specific culture.

Do you design according to your own visual aesthetic/to fit your own taste and would you ever wear your own designs?

No I do not design based on my own aesthetic. (I wear jeans and t-shirts most days) I do on occasion wear one of my own coats to keep warm but that's about as far as it goes.

Hope that's ok.

Thomas 

PT 4: Interview: Jessica Origliasso of The Veronicas

Seemlessly gliding on the air across to her stool in a room dimly lit by a school of candles, Jessica Origliasso (of The Veronicas) is all the bit a veteran rock chick . Of course that isn't how it happened and instead it's 8am GMT and I'm compiling five questions from the top of my semi-conscious head that she may be compelled to answer, all the while on a conflicting time zone and via twitter messages.

I've always heralded Jess as being this cool, mother Theresa-esque figure with a don't give a f--- attitude and a penchant for the darker side of things. She's the kind of woman who, in the back of your mind, you know can work a gun. She's also a bad ass, crime fighting, mermaid witch pixie; a free sprit with her head screwed on and an INSANE vocalist, here's what she had to say:

In choosing what to wear, what would you say is most important? How something looks or how it makes you feel?

Always going in with the intention of how you want something to make you feel. If you're wanting empowering, sexy, effortless classic, don't give a fuck.... Fashion is identity, and another beautiful part of self expression. Whether is reflects how you feel at that moment, or what you would like to feel inside, to the outside world you create.

If you had to dilute your style down to its simplest form, what subculture would you categorise yourself into?

My style has evolved over time, I think it started out as 90's grunge glam, now, since being out of the public eye, I really enjoy a mix of 90's inspired Vintage grunge, moving into a 60's and 70's rock and roll inspired feel.

Would you say there is a relationship between what you choose to wear and the music which you create?

100 percent. Personally, music and fashion are all art forms of self expression and identity. When I write a bad ass song, I want to create a visual world around it to support that. If I write something vulnerable, then (I'd wear) something broken and beautiful to help accent those emotions.

Some of my favourite looks of yours came from the fashion shows you attended in 2010, how do you choose what to wear for a show?

I am forever going through an obsession with British fashion from the 18 hundreds through to now, So that period was mirroring that I believe! Hence my Oliver twist vintage pants, top hat and The Addicts band shirt. I think my fashion choices usually revolve around my bipolar love for fashion and against it. At times I am so Anti fashion that I'll refuse to wearing anything with a brand, and write my own Tshirts, then other times, I will embrace my vintage designer pieces as my most prized possessions. I really love worn in, vintage pieces above new designs. For our next record Lisa and I are getting Nudie Suits privately made by our own design company which I am INCREDIBLY excited for. My favourite style icons are people who stayed true to themselves, but didn't usually adhere to the fashion at the time. Ala' KD Lang in her Cowboy period, 90's Courtney Love, Jack White (all the time haha). And my favourite fashion model is Kelley Ash.

And finally, can you tell me what a witch is to you? And is that something you'd like to see more of in fashion? 

I have been drawn to metaphysics and magick since I was very young. It was a natural born interest and instinct as no one else in my family were interested or practicing. There is something a soul finds in the spiritual dimensions that cannot be satisfied by an unconscious physical life. Magick, meditation, and fashion have many things in common. Intuition, ritual, and ceremony. I would LOVE to see more intuitive fashion connecting sacred geometry, and symbolism. You already see an uprise in the use of Yin Yang symbol, Pentagram, the moon, even hindu deities. I would love to see people go as deep in the making of these garments in turn with the moon cycle (like they do in spells, and cooking!), and intensely intricate detailing. Very plain beautiful feeling organic materials, but stitching in pentagrams, instead of the very trendy slapped on Symbology. I think that gothick culture, and Witch fashion in that regard can go even deeper then it has, and I can't wait to see how deep some are really willing to dive!

Thanks for allowing me to share my thoughts with you my love I hope you are wonderful!!!

The Veronicas new album 'You and Me' is expected early 2014

Follow them on Twitter @TheVeronicas

Follow Jess @Jessica_Veronica

and Lisa @Lisa_Veronica

PT 4: SOMETHING WICKED