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.

𝙏𝙤𝙤 𝙀𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝘼𝙩 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙮 – 𝘼𝙢𝙖𝙪𝙧𝙮 𝙇𝙖𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘽𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙧

Charles is pickin’ up good vibrations…

I found myself quietly affected this week. It will not be a secret as to why, and will probably not come as a surprise to many of you. No, it is not anything war related. Neither is it anything political. And it is nothing personal (not really). There has been much in the press and all over the internet about it. Can you guess? Well, how’s about this for a clue. A post I saw yesterday on the International Singer Songwriters Association Facebook group sums it up pretty well: “I have two busts on my Steinway. One is Beethoven. The other is Brian Wilson”… Says it all. I personally might choose to have a bust of someone else on my Steinway. But one, I don’t have a Steinway, and two, I’m not sure Marilyn Monroe would be too happy with my placement of her bust. She’s giving me the excitations, but let’s get back to business. The chap who made this post evidently rates Brian Wilson as one of the true greats of all time. And he’s not alone in thinking this. In the past week, Brian Wilson passed on. I was hit with a silence when I found out. It wasn’t an incomprehensible loss of senses and inability to string thoughts together, like when the Queen died, but I felt strange. I felt like the past was slipping away from me. As if I was pulling on a rope gripped tightly with both hands, but someone had oiled the yarn. “The nearer your destination, the more you’re slip slidin’ away”, as Paul Simon once sang. Wilson is another great gone. Such a kind man, known for his honesty, childlike manner, and playful charm. What we really mourn though, is the loss of a sensationally talented man.

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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.

𝙏𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 – 𝘼𝙧𝙣𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙤’𝙨 𝙇𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨, 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙠𝙤 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙠𝙚𝙨

Charles ch-ch-ch-ch-changes…

Let’s face it. Everything is changing. Perhaps everything has already changed. But then again, this would suggest that things have stopped changing, and that all is stagnant. This will never happen. Whether you like it or not, things are always changing. Sometimes for better. Other times, well, not so much. ’Tis zee vay of zee vorld. I have never quite understood the definition of the word “progress”. I used to think it meant improvement, but now I realise it is more just simple evolution. To progress. To move forward. Not necessarily brilliant, but ultimately vital. I can’t explain why, but it is seemingly and apparently necessary as a civilisation, I think. Right now, we have the dawn of A.I., poking and teasing us like impatient demanders. I won’t go into this because I cannot bring myself to. The biggest change before that was undoubtedly the internet. A truly world-changing phenomenon. I think the first of these “modern” phenomena was electricity. It changed the world. It changed everything. The next big wave of movement – admittedly more of a cultural or societal nature – was possibly the liberation of youth in the 60s. They had power and money, for the first time. They were not tired from war, for they had never experienced it. To a certain extent, this changed a lot of the world. Our way of thinking changed. Younger people were taken seriously. And others who used to have status and respect were relegated to the old folk’s home at the grand old age of 48.

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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.

𝙏𝙤𝙢 – 𝙆𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙠𝙞

Charles is just being friendly…

Last week was all about ballads. It was about how music makes you feel. I don’t quite mean HOW it makes you feel, but THAT it makes you feel. Dud music doesn’t make me feel. Songs about things I can’t relate to, do little for me. They don’t make me feel. The best music should make you feel, in some way or other. It could be that it makes you cry, it could be that it makes you glow, and it could be that it makes you tingle; up here, or down there. But if there’s none of that, there’s none of that. So there isn’t a great deal of point in listening. Which is the main problem I have with generic pop. It plays, I hear, and that’s about it. It’s as nutritious as a leaf of iceberg lettuce. Basically crunchy tap water without the sweetness of watermelon. I seem to have a thing for that cruddy song ‘Watermelon Sugar’… Anyway! I said last week how sadness is a bigger feeling than happiness. Hence the Blues. But the Blues isn’t just a genre of music; it’s a lifestyle. Well, for some it is, but I only really said that because it sounded cool in my head. What I really meant was, the Blues doesn’t really need to be in the style of Blues music. It’s about feeling blue. So in a way, any sad song is a Blues song. Which sounds ridiculous, but it’s kinda true if you think about it.

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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.

𝙏𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 – 𝙑𝙤𝙣 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙤𝙣

Charles falls into the groove.

Let’s play a drinking game. Those under the legal age, please leave the room and play with your toys. This is serious man stuff. No offence to the minors or the women. Actually, women are allowed if they think they’re man enough – lovely phrase. Right! Let’s begin. Every time I mention groove or anything groove related, you have to down a shot. Or at least, have a large gulp of your alcoholic beverage of choice. We’ll have none of that sipping lark, thank you very much. We are about to step into the groove. You should be on your fourth by now – this might get a little messy…

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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.

𝙏𝙤 𝙒𝙝𝙤𝙢 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙔𝙤𝙪 – 𝙎𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙮 𝙎𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙨

Charles begins the resurrection…

So that was Easter. For those who don’t celebrate it, Easter is a time for celebrating Coco, the god of chocolate. I therefore can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t celebrate such a thing. Unless you’re allergic to chocolate, in which case it may be best to treat it as any other weekend. Okay, there is no god of chocolate. It’s all about Jesus having risen from the dead – as ya do. Clever lad. I must say, I like the idea. But do I believe in it all? Well… It’s a hard one to swallow. I mean, the whole idea seems a little far fetched, no? But if you want to believe, then by all means, believe! There’s no harm in it. Whatever floats your boat. There is beauty in this idea. It is not morbid. Quite the opposite, if you think about it. And this is the side of religion of which I am most fond. The peaceful beauty of it all. The unworldly nature of it all. The magic. Just like when one watches children use their imagination. Does that still happen these days? Do they still use their imagination? Well, let’s just say they do. It is delightful, endearing and somewhat captivating. So in this sense I think of religion as holding on to that child-like wonder. And why not??

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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.

𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙊𝙪𝙩 – 𝙎𝙖𝙣𝙤 𝙃𝙞𝙡𝙡

Charles carries on regardless…

Lately, I have been a very busy bee. Mainly with my recent mixing and producing for other artists, such as CHVRLI BLVCK, Billy Lowry, Vida, Wanaka, Eleanor Collides, Steven Heath and Rich Allen, to name but a few. I have also managed to fit in the odd bit of my own stuff. That album ain’t gonna make itself… Of course there are the ongoing frustrations in life like technology, companies, systems and people. I mentioned this a couple of weeks ago, but it really does waste a lot of time and energy. And there’s food and standard daily chores. Having no butler, maid or slave, I am left to fend for myself in this regard. While this is perfectly normal, my job is perfectly abnormal. I have no office, nor lunch break. I don’t clock in at 9, I don’t clock out at 5. One of the best and worst things about being self-employed is that I have to manage my own time. Can’t stand the phrase/term, but this we rather unimaginatively call ‘time management’. I don’t like it, I’m not great at it, but I’m getting better. The problem is, that I get in the zone. Although to me mixing is an artful skill rather than an art (unlike production), I treat it like an art, in that I find myself wrapped up in it for hours, fully absorbed as I would be with art. And as each hour passes, it feels like 15-20 minutes. I take mixing seriously and I treat it as preciously as if it were my own music. I know some clients of mine find it difficult to point out things they want altered in my mix, BECAUSE it is personal to me. They don’t want to offend or upset me. But they mustn’t think like this. I have rather quickly realised that it is the client’s views and wants that are to be adhered to. Not my own. For the duration of that mix, they are my boss. Besides, a lot of mixing is simply taste. It is not right or wrong. If an artist wants their lead vocal upped by 20db, then the artist shall have their lead vocal upped by 20db. I will suggest that this perhaps isn’t the best idea (and explain why), but ultimately they have full control – as they should.

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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.

𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚 – 𝙀𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙤

Charles contemplates time and its association with the stigma of age.

Youth is everything. Youth is the very essence of life. Youth is vital. But it is the ever-diminishing tight boundaries of its definition that concern me. I am all for praising the young and their talents, but why should someone aged 25 be made to feel middle-aged? Are they destined to depart this Earth at the age of 50? People only live longer these days, so that can’t be right. Despite this embiggened life, our “youth” continues to truncate. Surely it would only be better to live longer if we can have more of the good bits? Not to say adults of wise and experienced maturity are having a terrible time, but it is simply different. Almost ALL emphasis seems to be on youth and youth only, in this modern era. The world is tackling racism and sexism at an enormous and rather astounding pace, but ageism is rampant and continues to grow with every year. I simply do not understand. Experience is in my opinion the greatest asset, and is by definition the one thing the young can almost never have. Age is also the ONLY thing we all have in common – we start young, we grow old. I will leave you to ponder that thought and mull it over.

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This week, Brad (aka Mercury Teardrop) takes over 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 to pay homage to Charles, the man, the myth, the legend… and to dive into “This is How the Story Begins”, his latest single featuring Wilko Wilkes.

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝘽𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙨 – 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙮, 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙠𝙤 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙠𝙚𝙨

Brad does his bit…

My early memories of music are some of the most vivid memories I have from my childhood. I was one of those kids who grew up surrounded by music. I remember sitting for hours in my parents’ living room, records all over the shag carpet and giant headphones hanging on my tiny ears, listening to album after album. There was the typical “pop” of the day in the house, but for the most part, I would listen to anything I could get my hands on. From ABBA to ZZ Top, I couldn’t get enough. At about eight years old, I started to buy my own records. For you kids out there – “kids” being operationally defined as anyone born after 1985 – this was not as easy as it sounds. It was an entire coordinated effort to save the money required, curate a list of albums you wanted, decide on the pinnacle of that list to spend your life savings on, and then, find someone who would take you to the record store. I would often wait for months before I could buy a single record. One of the first records I bought was “Out of the Blue” by The Electric Light Orchestra. I remember the day like it was yesterday.

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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.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙪𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙨 – 𝘼𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙯𝙯𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞

Charles Connolly cries over hue…

Have you ever had a pet? I haven’t. Never. Of any kind. But I suspect this to be quite rare. I suspect that most of you – if not almost all – have at some point in your life had a pet of some sort. Were my parents thoughtless or cruel in not giving me a pet when I was a child? I would say not. The main reason being, that due to my severe eczema and asthma, as well as various allergies, a pet might have finished me off entirely. I am not sad or regretful though, as having never experienced the sensation, I cannot say my eternal lack of animal really affected me in any way. Personally, I was too busy being immersed in music (little has changed). Most children and teenagers have little to do, and so a pet will most certainly give you some sort of sense of purpose. Could a pet perhaps prepare you in life for being a parent? Or even, for being a partner? To naturally be forced to care for someone so early in life? It could be a lesser pet that is simply around, with less of a presence, that your mother (or nanny) looks after, and that you yourself have little to do with. But I will assume that most pets quickly become very much part of the family.

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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.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 – 𝙇𝙪𝙣𝙖𝙧 𝙋𝙡𝙚𝙭𝙪𝙨

Charles plays a game…

This weekly thing of mine. You all witness it, but only in its finished form. None of you ever sees the process. It’s possible that many of you barely register there being a process of any kind. A bit like how my father never imagined Beatles songs actually being crafted and put together in the studio by his heroes playing instruments, manually and laboriously, take after take; rather that the songs simply came to exist. I don’t just tap the “make review” button, then tap the “post” button. If only. But “if only”? Would I really like that? Where’s the fun in that? Sure, it would certainly give me a lot more time to work, and not keep artists/clients waiting (I’m a producer/make-things-sound-gooderer, just in case you wondered), and it certainly would be nice not to have that persistent weekly pressure on my shoulders… But then again, isn’t this all part of what has turned it into a “thing”; like a PROPER thing? My little Corner has apparently become something special. Which makes me rather proud, I must admit. However, I see the column differently to you. For me it’s a weekly challenge, and one that I relish. It’s not an obstacle or a chore to be completed. The fun is in the process, but the outcome is just as important. But fun doesn’t mean lack of effort; hell no. The effort is what makes it enjoyable, both in the giving and the receiving. Basically, much like Solitaire, it’s a game I play by myself. By the way, did you spot all 11 card games in last week’s article (12 if you include Tarot)? That in itself was a game you probably weren’t even aware was being played!

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