Connolly’s Corner

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.

𝘾𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 – 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙡𝙨

Charles is back…

Did ya miss me…? Yes? Not particularly? Well, either way, I’m back. I have been not hither, but thither. Not only was I taking a break from this here Corner (it can get a tad claustrophobic at times), but I was busy being elsewhere. Not London, not England, and not even Britain. Europe in the Summertime – THAT’S what’s been happening! Yes, I know Britain is in Europe, but, ya know… It is but it isn’t. It’s a different kind of Europe. Britain is just not very “European”. I needed to feel that European thang. Sometimes I do Italy, but this time I did not. This time, my girlfriend and I went up into the sky and landed in her original turf of Poland. Thankfully, the aeroplane did not burst into flames or do anything it shouldn’t have done. I don’t think I have ever had such an absurdly packed schedule while on holiday. Aside from buses, trams, tubes and cars, we were taking trains almost every single day. Not to mention a ridiculous amount of walking. Doesn’t sound much like a holiday, does it! The thing is, I have never been one for lying on a beach for a week. Even the idea bores the hell out of me, as the sun burns the pale out of me. This constant movement is the very momentum that keeps things bubbling. Then and now, I just can’t stop feeling! There was modern urban city. There was beautiful old city. There was countryside. There was beach. There was river and sea; food and sun. Museums and memories; nature and manners. We covered so much yet really very little of this vast land of Po. I live for feelings, and feeling was basically all I did for those ten days.

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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.

𝘾𝙖𝙨𝙝 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙮 𝙃𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙮 – 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙁𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧

Charles counts his pennies and considers his class. Being broke in the music industry…

As hierarchy, status and class dissolve fast, one vulgar thing unites us all. I speak not of “All You Need Is Love” by Ringo and his mates, but actually of “All You Need Is Cash” by their spoof tribute, The Rutles. It all used to be about class and social standing, here in Britain, regardless of wealth. I gather that in the Ewe Ess of Ay, these are synonymous with money. They come as a package. Traditionally in Britain it had always been about background and ancestry. If one was born into an aristocratic family, that person would be an aristocrat. If one was born into a working class family in a mining town, that person would probably continue the line. Although there is now much considered wrong with this, there was usually comfort in understanding one’s way of life. People were usually pretty happy with their status – one knew one’s place – except for the muddy middle muddle, which has always been lost. I am one of those middlians. Striving for no apparent reason, other than the feeling that it is what I am supposed to do. Modern Britain, along with most of the rest of the world, now makes it simpler. The richer you are, the more successful you are, and therefore the better you are. Money, cash, spondulicks, dollars, pounds, yen and the feebly and unimaginatively named Euro – call it what you will – it runs and rules our lives now. It is everything. And I hate to say this. It should be love, happiness and contentment, but it is pounds, shillings and pence, with emphasis on the larger denomination. We even see it in music. Pop songs used to be about love, but increasingly they are about fame and fortune. Money “Can’t Buy Me Love” – true, but it can buy me just about everything else. Even I wrote a song – Tap When You’re Ready – about contactless payment – God help me – where a spoilt woman wants to know the man is with her at all times, just in order for him to plonk down his card whenever something might pique her fancy (listen on our brand new NAS Rarities, Oddities and B-sides playlist). Money is everywhere. Nay, money is talked about everywhere. It has become less about greed and more about need. The struggle and the compulsion. Long gone are the days of simple subsistence. And don’t get me on to money in the music industry. The Small Faces had it right, with “All Or Nothing”.

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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.

𝘾𝙞𝙧𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙒𝙖𝙡𝙠 – 𝙎𝙖𝙣𝙤 𝙃𝙞𝙡𝙡

Charles welcomes you to Ruby Tuesday…

What a week I have just had. You must permit me to ramble and go to excess this week. Well, I’m going to anyway. Hush, I don’t get paid for this. And advance apologies to Sano Hill for going on. Recently I have been working hard on a production in collaboration with a mystery NAS artist you all know well, but whom shall remain nameless, at least for now. It is going extremely well, but it can go to one’s head, this art thang. It can get a bit much, so one needs breaks from time to time. Monday evening was the first of these breaks. My girlfriend and I felt like watching a horror film. Not terrifying gore-filled heart attack inducing horror, but the old kind. The quaint, amusing Vincent Price kind. And so we sat down to watch The Raven. Yes, The Raven. as in, Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven. We contemplated watching it standing up, but thought this to be altogether rather uncomfortable. “While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.” – yes, THIS was what I wanted. Such charm and style in the old way. The film was just as I had hoped for. A break from reality. Something to take my mind away from music – something for which I rarely wish.

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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.

𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙒𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 – 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙙

Charles makes it clear…

You remember when people used to use Facebook to document their entire life in public? Sorry: you remember when people used to use Facebook? It was rather ahead of its time. And believe it or not, it still exists today! I know, impossible but it’s true. Still sitting there with its dated blue and white F logo. This logo is regularly redesigned for millions of dollars, but as with most redesigns, no one notices. Because no one cares. Because people don’t use it anymore. But in the noughties, oh MY it was popular. Went on a bit of a bender last night? Stick the embarrassing photos up on Facebook in the morning, for the world to see! Or even direct from the drinking hole itself! I’ll tag myself with my exact location right now so that everyone can stalk me – a splendid idea and a wise use of technology. Playing “Words With Friends” (poor man’s Scrabble) on Facebook with someone on the other side of the world who you met once at a party – bafflingly brilliant. Status: “feelin groggy heres a pic of my puppy she looks so warm i wish i was that fluffy”. We actually wrote this guff, as if anyone would care. But hey, it was new! It was the beginning of the modern era. I believe some even still do this – God help them. The problems started arising when they introduced something called Relationship Status… What a dangerous little info box this was. In a relationship. Single. Engaged. Marred. Sorry, Married. And then there was the classic: “It’s complicated”. This screwed with everyone. It was so clever, yet so detrimental to so many. Lover’s tiff? “I’m changing my relationship status” – NOOOOOOO!!!! – said the partner. “It is NOT complicated, I beg you! It is oh so simple. I love you and you love me! How is that complicated??”… But the thing is, this little info box was a feast for the gossipmongers. “Ooh, did you see Lucy’s changed her status to It’s complicated. I know! I thought they were going to be together forever!”. Suddenly something so private was there for the world to see. Well, the mini world that cared at all. It only made things far more complicated than they already were (probably not complicated at all). A live real-life soap opera.

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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.

𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙙 – 𝙎𝙖𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙖 𝘽𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙤

Charles begs you to look back.

I’ve spoken about age once or twice quite recently. I can’t remember when exactly, for this is what happens with age. Not that I’m old… I spoke about how people over the age of 23 are made to feel middle-aged these days, or even past it by the age of 25. Well let’s go back way before that so you can REALLY feel old. Cast your mind back to a different era (or a not-so different era, depending how old you are). I ask you one question: What were you like when you were 13? What were you doing when you were 13? How did you feel when you were 13? Okay, so 3 questions. When I was 13, I had more hair, but it never did what I wanted it to do. I wanted it to look like Paul McCartney’s (circa 1965), but frankly it looked more like a blonde mushroom on my noggin. I was really into music, but only in the sense of listening to it. I was not remotely into sport – not a lot has changed there. Of course, I wanted to be a rock star – or pop star – but I had no real talents. Sure, I could play the drums and the guitar a little, and my voice was fine, but there were many others of my age – and of course, older – who could do the same. I was lazy and didn’t bother to push myself in music, but even if I had been a little more ”pro-active”, I wouldn’t have seen the point at such a young age. Who would have taken me seriously? Coming back to the point, though – I had no real talents to show. 13 is a funny age. It can be very unfunny too. Maybe I mean a peculiar age. Truly in limbo. Should one be playing with toys? Should one be hanging out with the older kids, coughing one’s first smoke? Toys are safer, but then again they “may contain small parts”. Should a 13 year old be interested in a member of the opposite sex? Should a 13 year old be interested in a member of the same sex? Should a 13 year old be interested in anything at all? These are just some of the questions you can feel free to answer in the comments below. My point is that one does not expect anything much from a 13 year old, except perhaps for them to turn 14.

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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.

𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 – 𝘼𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙘

Charles makes matters more difficult…

In the words of the late, great Bowie, “It Ain’t Easy”. I mean, it REALLY ain’t. Oh, and by the way, yet another week passed with no message from the artist I reviewed. Just speechless. Unfortunately literally speechless, but I meant me. You remember a few weeks ago when I wrote a whole initial paragraph about how so many artists don’t thank me for having spent hours writing about them? Well, even that week, that artist said nothing. Not a single word. Good old Kele did, though. Or as some commenters decided to call her: Kyle(!!). Such a lovely lady she is. So yeah, Bowie was right. It ain’t easy. But we truck on. Don’t we? Well, we try to. Lord, we try. Of course, it doesn’t help that I’ve got a rotten, stinking cold right now, but I’m only writing that for context. Please don’t write any pity comments. It’s a cold; it will pass. Meh. Anyway. It really is hard to pick a blinder of a song while at the same time know that the artist is deserving of the praise, attention and effort. The thing is, I never know until it is already published. Automatically too late. So, a while ago, I decided to simply base it on the music. Not be biased about the artist in any way. I still have to have my HAL (A.I.) antenna on at all times, but aside from that, I just let the music itself be my guide. Otherwise it’s just too complicated.

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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.

𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 (𝘿𝙪𝙚𝙩) – 𝙇𝙤𝙪𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙬𝙞𝙨, 𝘾𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙚

Charles can’t get enough of this GAS…

I often delve into the dark ages like an old fart, despite not being old. I mean, just HOW many times have I mentioned The Beatles?? At least once or twice. Oh, the 60s was quite the decade. The revolutionary, swinging 1960s. But going back as far as the 50s for me is rare. The pretty and beautiful 1950s. Maybe I mentioned the odd quiff? Perhaps an “uh-huh-huh” or so? How about the 40s? The brave and romantic bomb-stricken 1940s. Well I might have done. Maybe to mention the war, for old times’ sake – “those days of going down to the shelter while listening to Vera Lynn” etc…. Have I even touched on the 30s? The gloriously opulent (Great Depression notwithstanding) 1930s. Perhaps I mentioned Art Deco or Cubism once? I just can’t remember. And what of the 20s? What, NOW? No, no – wrong century. The similarly gloriously opulent (not to mention roaring) 1920s, before anyone could conceive even the notion of a depression, great or small. It’s more than likely that I had fun with the odd flapper or two, but let’s be honest here. I haven’t really gone into that era. It’s a hundred years ago, for Christ’s sake! How is that possible??

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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.

𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 – 𝙅𝙤𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙮

Charles wishes to make one thing clear…

As the world seemingly loses its collective mind, I continue the progressively difficult task of keeping a grip on mine. Just like it is a New Year of some sort most days of the year, it would seem like it is April 1st most days too. I base this mainly on my daily perusal of The Times. I think by now, most of you know I am a Times reader. The main two reasons used to be because the news was vaguely unbiased, and each article was relatively well written and “newsworthy”. I say “used to be” for a reason. Things have changed. The world has changed. People have changed. The only options are, to go with it and accept what is apparently reality, or to absorb said information, chuckle a little, and move on. Actually, there is a third option. To duck under the covers (being sure not to leave one’s wits on the outside), to tightly close one’s eyes, and keep hold of one’s sanity. Deny, deny, deny. Or maybe a little of all three…? Retain a sense of balance. As said by a young Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1951 classic – based on the 1843 classic – (please excuse the unseasonal reference): “I think the world is becoming a very hard and cruel place, Mr. Marley. One must steel oneself to survive it. Not to be crushed under with the weak and the infirm”. Now, although I don’t wholly agree with this statement, I very much do feel its resonance in the modern day. A more contemporary approach would be to HELP the weak and infirm…

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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.

𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙙 𝘼𝙩𝙡𝙖𝙨 (𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙩. 𝘽𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙇𝙞𝙚𝙨𝙠𝙚) – 𝙇𝙪𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙖 𝙉𝙤𝙫𝙖, 𝙍𝙞𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙖

Charles goes beyond the clouds…

A few weeks ago I wrote about the “unusuals” of the world. Well, it turns out I am obsessed with the unusuals. They are exactly what excites me. A change. Something different. Something new. The freaks are the rare ones. And I don’t mean that derogatorily; quite the opposite. Mediocrity is quite normal. Usual, even. And mediocrity doesn’t excite me. I can’t imagine it excites anyone. Life is quite dull if everything is predictable. Most people go with the flow, which makes for a predictable outcome. While we understand this, and it can be somewhat comforting, it is something else that makes us pay attention. But also, perhaps most people would find this difference inaccessible, because it might not be relatable; which I understand. For me, however, it’s what I like. What with me being a traditionalist of sorts, it might surprise some to learn that I crave newness and invention, but that’s the funny thing about me. With certain things, I like the old, trodden way. With others, I want to be refreshed. Architecture, for example, I like to stay traditional. But that isn’t because I don’t like change; it’s because I don’t like any of the change since, say, the 1930s. All the architecture since then may be new, but I simply don’t like it. I won’t automatically like something new and original just because it’s new and original. If, for example, it was decided that all roads in Britain were to be painted shocking pink, it would be unique. It would never have been done before. But is that to say it would excite me? It would not. It would make me cringe and wonder “what on Earth this world is coming to”, like an old fogey. Basically, newness does not always equal goodness.

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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.

𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙙 (𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙩. 𝙑𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙖’𝙚 𝙉𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚) – 𝙊𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙧𝙭𝙨𝙨

Tentatively, Charles opens up.

My corner. My messy little corner strewn with toys, glitter, hats and sweets. I live it. YOU know it; you come here every week! But do you REALLY know it…? I mean, many of you may feel you know me quite well through my weekly musings and my odd appearance elsewhere, not to mention my own music. But is this it? Is there perhaps more to this singular chap than meets the eye? I am always more than happy to speak about what I have done, observed and created, but do I ever speak about the future? My future? What I am working on, for example? No. Never. I am a private soul who doesn’t like to show or tell until something is complete and ready for the general public (apologies for generalising – with a bit of luck, you all simultaneously took offence). You may be familiar with at least some of my music, but you are never to know what is coming next. I never divulge. Partly because I might not know myself, but also because I simply don’t want to. So! People may have decided they know my style of music, both in taste and in creation – there’s pop, indie, maybe a bit of orchestral thrown in. People seem to note the happy, upbeat style through my music. I have personally never seen it that way. People also know I am never going to come out with a hip-hop track in collaboration with another artist. People have maybe seen the lack of hip-hop and rap in my reviews – “he obviously just doesn’t like hip-hop and rap, and doesn’t do collaborations”. When examining this seemingly innocent little corner of mine, there seems to be a small hidden door. It says ‘PUSH’ – doesn’t open. Pulling, however seems to have done the trick (sneaky chap, this Connolly). Oh Christ, we’re in his mind. MY mind. The ‘TO DO’ pile is hitting the roof. The ‘DONE’ pile is thin and dusty. Ah, here we are: ‘WORK IN PROGRESS’. That’s pretty damned tall too! Bugger, and now it’s all over the floor. Wait, what’s this? A hip-hop track? Rap? Collaboration?? “But he… But it… No, but he can’t…” – Ah, but I CAN, you see, and so I will.

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