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.

𝘿𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙪𝙢 – 𝙁𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙝 𝙎𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙨

Charles takes to the waves of psychedelia.

Last week we discovered Sabrina’s Barreto’s magnificent ‘Colourblind’. This week I can see again in glorious Technicolor! It is time to ditch the comfort and normality of the grey 1950s and shoot forward at terrifying speed, through an era that encompasses the swirling beauty of the 60s, 70s and 80s. I have always had a retro side – many of you may know – but it has subsided a little in recent years for a more level-headed concentration of the sober, sterile modern day. White walls are dull, cold, boring and unimaginative, yet almost every household has them. Clothes are drab, dark and ill-fitting. A hoodie is little more than a thin duvet with sleeves and a string. We do what we do because that’s what we do. There is no thought. No care. No light! People are so self-conscious these days and afraid of not fitting in. Why should one fit in? I enjoy colour. I enjoy art. I love clothes that are different, without purposely being “different”. I admire natural style. I admire a different personality, unless they make me uncomfortable. I am not a sheep. I like people who are not sheep. To me, the opposite of standard normality is, well, the opposite. To be oneself. Let me take you down, ‘cos I’m going to……

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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.

𝘿𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 (𝘼 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙀𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚) – 𝘼𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙂𝙪𝙖𝙯𝙯𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞

Uninvited, Charles quietly passes through a memorial service, to breathe in the emotion.

Death, is the one and only thing we can be sure of. Those who have been fortunate enough to join this Earth, will eventually leave it. Or at least move on to greener pastures, depending on your view. It is an inevitable fact of “life”, that it will cease. We only hope that it comes late enough to give us time to have a rich and fulfilling life beforehand. Our dear friend – the Gentleman of Rock – Charlie Watts, passed away very recently. This was very saddening, what with him being the rock of the Stones, but he certainly could be said to have lead a full life, and managed a whole 8 decades before removing his Savile Row suit, to sleep. This will be The Last Time.

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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.

𝘾𝙧𝙖𝙯𝙮 𝙐 – 𝙍𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝘼𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣

Charles quotes Nina Simone: “It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day…”

A couple of days ago, April predictably dropped its blossom and went into hibernation for the usual 11 months. Unpredictably however, it brought some rather beautiful weather, at least in London. Which was nice. As one month goes on sabbatical, another yawns, stretches and leaps out of bed. May Day was upon us. The day has many meanings in various places and eras. A bank holiday in general. Labour Day: a day for labourers to kick off their work boots and have a well deserved laze. In London it is known for the May Day Riots… Oh what joy. To some, May Day is the beginning of summer. Which of course, it isn’t. There are other things one can celebrate on this day, but for me personally, I just liked that this year it fell on a Sunday. The day of laze. The day we traditionally don’t get up until the crack of noon, when getting up is just about the most exertion of the day. Sunday is the end of the week. Day 7, not Day 1 – as we used to say, for some reason. No work, no rush, NO POWER TOOLS! Sorry, I have a thing about people using power tools on a Sunday – drives me up the wall. Why use a petrol-driven leaf blower, when man invented the humble, silent rake…? It’s a stick with a comb, and it works. Anyway…!

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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.

𝘿𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚 – 𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙠 𝘼𝙝𝙡𝙢

Charles is all caught up…

The following piece is simply my views and my views only. It says nothing about the New Artist Spotlight and its views (of which it has none). I promised myself I wouldn’t talk about the war. But since it was only a promise to myself, I don’t feel too guilty for breaking 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.

𝘿𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙚 𝙄𝙨𝙨𝙣𝙚𝙪𝙣 𝘿𝙖𝙚𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙪𝙥 – 𝘼𝙡𝙫𝙖𝙧𝙤 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙖́𝙣

Charles talks science – and art…

We’re so often reading about “The Science” in the papers. The news seems to speak of it like this impossibly unreachable superpower that only the special people will be able to comprehend. Or like it is a filthy rag that no one wants anything to do with. “The Science”: there’s always this slight pause before those two words are delivered. As if it were to be a warning to brace yourself, or to pinch your nose tightly. It also seems as though this pause is for comical effect, as if those two innocent words were to make us corpse in hysterical laughter once uttered. But aside from all this polite observation of mine, it is really just an easy save these days in politics. “Our team of experts has looked at ‘The Science’, and the facts are indisputable”. Huh. Handy get-out clause. Noyce. Blame “The Science”. It is easy because most of us DON’T understand it, so we simply can’t argue. Facts are facts, right…?

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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.

𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 – 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙡𝙞𝙣 & 𝘽𝙚𝙡𝙡

Charles’ writing is 𝘰̶𝘷̶𝘦̶𝑹-𝑹𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑫…

What day is it? Well, it’s Tuesday, course. Is there anything special in that? I mean, yesterday was Monday. What’s your point? Was there anything special in it being Monday? It’s just a day. Ah, but you’re wrong! Would you say that December 25th was just a day? Oh, but that’s different! Why so? What about the people who don’t celebrate Christmas? Then it IS just a day. So we should have more celebration days! I mean the big ones are Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s, and various other big ones depending on your nation or religion (various Independence Days, Chinese New Year etc.). But don’t you think Valentine’s Day is a funny one? It’s not religious, it’s not to commemorate a certain day in history. It is simply an arbitrary day for Hallmark and Interflora to make a mint. The one day of the year we are supposed to show our affection for our loved ones – or seek one out (if allowed these days). Isn’t that a funny concept? Should we not love and show our love all year round? What about Mother’s Day? That’s also a very old tradition. Does your mother not matter the other 364 days of the year? I’ve always thought it a bit funny. Not haha funny. But there you go. It is what it 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.

𝘾𝙤𝙨𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮 – 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙎𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙧, 𝘼𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙡 𝙋𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚

Charles undresses the truth…

Dear costumer,

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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.

𝙀𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙮 𝘽𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨 – 𝙇𝙪𝙭 𝘿𝙪𝙟𝙤𝙪𝙧

Charles remembers it well…

Memories. We all have them. Well, except for those with Alzheimer’s. But even then, some memories will remain. Usually earlier ones, as they tend to be cast in stone. And it’s those earlier memories on which I would like to dwell. Not the memories of a few months or years ago, but the memories of another era. An era when those who have now passed were still among us. An era when things were done differently. An altogether simpler time, when all generations were – to an extent – in sync with one another. When older people taught the young, as opposed to the other way around. A time when experience actually meant something. When one could spend decades building upon one’s skill without fear of said skill being surplus to requirements. When the word “entertainment” meant a board game at home with the family, or a few bottles of ale with the lads in the smoky local, as old Joanna played the old Joanna in the corner. Not THIS Corner; another corner. A time when going to work meant physically going to work, and when work was not optional. A tie was not only for job interviews and weddings. Footwear was either leather or a gym shoe. Smoking was seen simply as an alternative form of air, and buildings looked like buildings. They also smoked.

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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.

𝙀𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 – 𝘽𝙪𝙮𝙚𝙧 𝘽𝙚𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙚

Charles is lost for words…

You know when you’re speaking and you suddenly pause because you’ve either forgotten what you were going to say, or you’re not quite sure how to say what it was you were going to say? You know when you’re struggling to find that specific word you mean, but can’t get the word? When you come up with a list of words it’s not, leaving out the only one it is? Isn’t this annoying? It happens to me all the time. In fact, it’s one of the reasons these “reviews” take me so damned long. I will suddenly freeze and search my brain for that word. It’s not that. It’s not this. It’s not that either. Great! Well, that’s whittled it down a bit. Not very helpful knowing what it isn’t. For a small man, my head is sometimes quite cavernous. That is to say, it echoes like an empty aircraft hangar, as I wonder if that wiggly thinking machine has gone on holiday without even letting me know… These words though, how do we manage to catalogue them all in some sort of order? How do we remember them all? How and why do we summon one particular word over another? And why do we so often fail to do this?

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Welcome all to 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺’𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝘆𝗴𝗼𝗻, the multi-faceted feature where Pancham_b reviews our usual reviewer’s own music releases. Here, Pancham delves into Charles’ latest single, featured on the 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙀𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 – 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙮

Charles Connolly emerges from behind the curtain, wearing a fedora the colour of his soul, a megaphone in one hand, and a drumstick whittled into the shape of an emaciated femur in the other. He puts the megaphone down after yelling “Jet” into the void, and plays a one-handed Toccata and Fugue on a calliope, while marking time on an old tin can of Campbell’s Soup with his femur drumstick. He wears clothes the colour of falling evening, and the music is glorious, and otherworldly.

Listening to the introductory bars of Charles’ new single ‘Europe in the Summertime’, I think, for a brief brilliant second, that it is opening with a calliope. An elegant Black Plague waltz. This could only mean that Charles has finally taken up his pre-destined role as carny barker and bone machine musician, singing not to the faceless tasteless crowds, but to the many many faces of the dark, some with teeth and some without. It is, instead, an accordion, but it is still quite lovely, evoking a war-torn Vienna and Matt Elliott’s beautiful ode to drowning to death. The song bursts into life at the twentieth second. A small fading part of my soul wishes that it had instead tumbled deep into a well, where if you fall deep enough, and you fall some more, and then you keep falling, eventually you will see the universe, replete with exploding supernovae, reflected in the brackish water. But this feeling is short-lived, as the the rest of the song kicks into gear, and as with all of Charles Connolly’s music, this has the appearance of what the kids these days call a ‘banger’, but as with all of Charles Connolly’s music, there is always something deeper to discover if one delves deep enough. On a first listen, to me, the song evokes loneliness, spiritually empty fun, Brexit, and the deep-rooted modern incapacity to be alone, thereby seeking to experience fun almost aggressively once these pandemic restrictions have been leavened. It could also, theoretically, be a vacuous pop track, danced to and forgotten after a couple of cocktails, but this is Charles, a masterly subtle craftsman and I would argue, a great obfuscator of meaning and as I get more and more inebriated while listening to this tune, the layers do become somewhat more apparent.

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