Charles Connolly

Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙀𝙥𝙤𝙘𝙝 2140 – 𝙈𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙮 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙥 (𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙩. 𝙍𝙤𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙚 𝙎𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙖)

The plot thickens as Charles moves forward…

Each and every week, I not only have to pick a song to review, but I have to work out what in God’s name I’m going to talk about. The good thing is, I can talk about absolutely anything. The bad thing is, I can talk about absolutely anything. There are no real limits. Only that it somehow has to tie in with the song (or the artist). There have been many songs that I have been close to writing about, but the song itself has given me no obvious lead or plot. You know how I write these things – not a standard review, really. And so, it got me thinking about writing in general. I write things about things that artists have written. Writing about writing. It made me think about THEIR writing. Or more specifically, their lyrical plot or even title. This could frame the feel of the music, and it could also have nothing to do with the music – a certain contentious style of juxtaposition. Happy music, sad lyrics. Happy title, moody music. But usually things just fit together to complete and compliment one another.

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Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙀𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙 – 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙅𝙚𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙢

Charles imagines a journey…

I am writing from the comfort and safety of my own home. Well, not my OWN, but “my own”. I dwell here for as long as I keep up my monthly chunk of pennies. I OWN nothing. Not a brick of it. But here, I sit. Peacefully and calmly. This chair of four legs, dutifully upholding this body of two. Day after day after day. This is the life of a producer. Or rather, the life of THIS producer. And despite all that I relentlessly produce, what with my own music, other artists’ music and indeed these very articles, I cannot help but wonder what lies outside these walls. I see it all through the window. The light, the dark. The rain, the shine. The angry drivers shouting at each other at the junction. Sunday was a particularly sunny, warm day and I was waiting to hear back from a client about his thoughts on my mix. I was “between jobs”. I decided to see what the outside was actually like. After snatching my earphones and sunglasses, I ventured out for a wander. A much needed breath of air. A chance to make my legs go Left Right Left again. I realised there and then that if life were a journey, then I should perhaps start moving and see where this journey takes me.

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Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙀𝙉𝙄𝘿 (𝘼 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧) – 𝙆𝙮𝙡𝙚 𝙈 𝙒𝙖𝙩𝙨𝙤𝙣

Charles goes back two generations…

Parents. We can’t avoid them. We can’t ignore them. They are always an important and major part of everyone’s life. For some, they are very much around whether you want it or not. For others, they are a memory. Some of us will love or have loved our parents. Some will love one and resent the other. It is rare to not be close to at least one of them. But the one thing none of you will feel for them is nothing. There is a connection. We all have this in common. Grandparents on the other hand, well, this is where correlations are hard to draw. Many of you will be (or have been) very fond of your grandparents. Very close indeed. But others of you will have barely known them. This is the biggest genetic problem with them: they are usually so bloody old! Bit of a shame, not to mention a bugger. They’re usually the nice ones. The lenient ones. The ones who let you get away with things that your parents wouldn’t allow. Why? Because they want to be loved, and they want to see the love in the child’s eyes. And because they never have to deal with the aftermath of little Tommy eating too many sweets:

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Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙖𝙙𝙚 – 𝘿𝙤𝙢 𝙋𝙞𝙥𝙚𝙧

Charles proverbially quotes: Many hands make light work…

“Help! I need somebody. Help! Not just anybody. Help! You know I need someone. Help!” Where would we be without a little help from our friends? What would we do without a helping hand? How much worse off would we be without that leg up from people and things? I think most of us would be pretty useless without stuff and people. Sure, we would still have our wonderfully tailored minds and expertly honed skills, but could we do it alone? What are doctors without medicine? And could they deal with critical procedures without nurses? With all that knowledge and experience, they can’t ALL just say “you’ll get better soon”, because they won’t. Not without help. Does that mean the doctor is not needed if we have medicine and nurses? Of course not. Can’t just pop pills with the hope that one will do the trick. And what about a humble cobbler? For those of a foreign nature or those less endowed with knowledge, a cobbler is not someone who cobbles, but someone who mends shoes (just so you know). Surely this would be a solitary affair and would need no help from others? Well, yes, this is true. But take away their hammer and anvil, and ultimately all you have is a worn booty admirer. So with these tools at hand, is there really a need for said cobbler? Well unless you’re content with hurty feet and hurty thumbs, there is.

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Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙁𝙪𝙨𝙨 – 𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙠 𝘼𝙝𝙡𝙢

Charles lost his soul…

The other night I rediscovered jazz. I had one little melody stuck in my head but I couldn’t think what it was. I was sure it was something from jazz singer Stacey Kent. I scanned through her entire discography. I was wrong. In my head it was both old and relatively new sounding. It wasn’t quite the old grainy jazz of the late 40s and early 50s, but it also didn’t quite have the lustre and close sparkle of newer jazz. I was mainly a bit stuck because I knew that I knew it extremely well, and yet I know VERY little jazz… At first I thought this melody (which introduces the song – I knew THAT much) was piano, but I quickly realised it was saxophone (or trumpet – I just couldn’t quite solidify it in my mind). I had the feel of the playing, but I still couldn’t be definite about the sound. It bugged me for a good half hour. I even tried many Miles Davis tracks, hoping it was either his own trumpet playing, or perhaps John Coltrane on the saxophone. Still couldn’t find it. Something suddenly clicked. I got it instantly. It was Paul Desmond playing the sax. The sound was cemented in my mind and I knew that had to mean one thing. It was a Dave Brubeck song. I have only ever had one album by Brubeck. But it’s an album you all own in one way or an other. Literally each and every one of you has this LP in your possession. And yet, you will all have different versions by different artists. So different that it’s impossible to believe they share the same title. I personally have loads of copies by numerous artists. Any guesses for the title of said album? No…? All right, I’ll tell you. It’s called Greatest Hits. Despite this song I was searching for apparently being on his 1963 album Bossa Nova USA, I only knew it from his 1966 Greatest Hits album. And I cannot imagine how many times I have played this record. It must be hundreds. I know almost every single note of every solo. And yet… I have never really been into jazz…

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Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙁𝙖𝙞𝙡 𝘽𝙞𝙜 – 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙖 𝘾𝙖𝙮

Charles tries, tries again…

Big bucks. Big corporations. Fat cats. Think Amazon. Think Apple. Think Shell. Think Facebook. Think Elon Musk. Think Jeff Bezos. Think Mark Zuckerberg. Think Trump (simmer down). Think… Taylor Swift… “Wait, what does SHE have to do with these pigs??” – I didn’t say they were pigs; YOU said they were pigs. “Okay, but what is SHE doing there??” – This intrigues me. Barring the last name mentioned, these are the things and people we are all supposed to hate. Hate with a passion. This whole corporate attitude STINKS!! How DARE they be rich and successful! Okay, okay. Ethically, you’ve got a point. Politically, you’ve got a point. But what it tends to boil down to is entrepreneur minds turning into business people, turning into wealth. Big wealth. I find it interesting that we apparently all love Steve Jobs, yet all detest Tim Cook. Apparently the reason behind this is that “Steve Jobs was some sort of spiritual guru, and Tim Cook is just a money man” (not actually a quote). Wait a sec, you think Jobs was simply passionate about making our lives better…? He was an entrepreneur with unbelievable business skills! He wanted to make a tonne of money! Same as Cook. And both have done rather well.

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Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙁𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙎𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙚 – 𝘼𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙏𝙚𝙚𝙣

Charles lies, lies and lies again.

A couple of weeks ago I touched on the idea that people are nicer these days. A comforting thought, no? Well, yes! Anything positive these days can only be a good thing, right? People seem more caring. Everyone has the chance to open up and speak their most heartfelt thoughts, and receive nothing but beautiful heartfelt replies. So much love seems to flow around the internet. Discrimination is a thing of the past. Everyone is happy and the world is but a bubble of tranquil peace. So many decades of bitter, harsh coldness have passed. People bound in their own dark beliefs and views since birth have now seen the light and seen their wrongdoing. They have seen the error of their ways, gone to confession and had their sins washed away by a great tide of minty fresh goodness. What a relief it is to be alive at a time like this, where honesty is at the heart of it all. A time when resentment and judgement are long forgotten. And breathe.

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Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙 – 𝙍𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙆𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩

Charles questions the system…

The night before writing this, my girlfriend and I had a little chat after a delicious dinner with a glass of vino; just the two of us. It was a civilised chat. A mature chat. A really rather adulty chat, if you must know. I mean, you mustn’t know. That is, you need not know. You probably don’t care. But I will say anyway. I want to tell you. Because that’s the kind of bad boy I am. The kind of lad to force information down your throat, whether you want it or not. You only came here for a lighthearted music review…! Well, okay, I’m not really that bad, but I will nevertheless continue like the beastly bully that I am. So yes, between sips of the red stuff we chatted about theories, ideologies and the general way of the world. Vague enough for you? We spoke of early humans. Cavemen being not much more than intelligent animals, spending their days hunting, in order to eat. Just like an animal in the wild. Survival and procreation were literally all to be done. To keep things going, basically. Food, water, shelter and warmth. Nothing more. A traditional farmer was pretty much a more civilised modern version of cavemen (and please, “cavemen” encompasses women as well – let not this article be a chore nor a bore). We spoke of communities in villages, where instead of essentials being bought from a local shop, it was a game of swapsies. A thing for a thing. A skill for a skill. Money, as we know it, was little more than a notion. A concept. Currency had no meaning. No purpose. “More wine, my dear?”, I asked like a charming gentleman. Well actually, I pointed at the bottle and murmured “mm?”, but it has much the same meaning. It’s the thought that counts. Either way, the girl nodded and said “wouldn’t it be lovely if we could get back to those days?”. I filled her glass but had no reply. We then swiftly moved on to more recent times. Not too recent, but let’s say the last few hundred years, for the sake of debate. I need you to stick with me.

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Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙊𝙪𝙩 – 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙢

Charles has misplaced his marbles…

This is the official week of love. Worldwide. Well, it contains a certain lovey-dovey day, anyway. Blooms and box of chocs at the ready? Almost certainly. Sometimes things just work au naturel. Boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, girl falls for boy. And they live happily ever after. Noyce. It does happen, I must assure you. But sometimes it’s not all that easy. Very often it is one-sided to begin with. Boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, boy loses mind over girl, girl looks on, girl likes to tease, girl eventually rips heart away from boy because girl thought it would be funny. Romance at its finest! It works well in films, but in real life it is tragic. And usually in films it will end with boy getting girl, and girl seeing error in girl’s ways. In real life, boy is left with trauma, and girl moves on to another victim. This isn’t a boy vs girl piece. It could easily be the other way around, but I am simplifying things by not going the route of “boy/girl meets girl/boy” etc…. It could get pretty confusing and, frankly annoying.

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Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly – an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙁𝙪𝙧𝙜𝙤́𝙣 – 𝙀𝙡 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚 𝙅𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙋𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚

Charles speaks but one language…

Andiamo! Despite my blood being decidedly foreign (not meaning I am ridden with germs), I am English. I mean, I was born in England, and have been here all my life. That makes me English, at least in the modern way of viewing things. Right? Well my foreign ancestry takes me back to two other places in the world. My native heritage lies in Italy and Ireland. Or Ireland and Italy, so as not to offend. I believe I am still roughly half English, but it may be less. I am not about to pay a rather large fee for someone to analyse my blood to find out. I don’t care enough. I am who I am, and that is fine with me. England is my love, and so is the English language. But I also feel a huge warmth and fondness for pretty much anything to do with Italy. I also quite like Guinness, when the time is right. And U2. When the time is right. But predominantly it is England that wins my heart. Paddy’s Day is universally known and celebrated. On Saturday it was St. George’s Day, otherwise known as England Day. Did you know? Would you have known if Google hadn’t told you? “England” and “English” are pretty much seen as dirty words here in London. I can’t think why. It saddens me. Everyone should be proud of their own nation. Almost everyone. Ooh! Contention! Joking, of course.

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