𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 - this week: Nobody’s Listening - Avresa

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.

𝙉𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮’𝙨 𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 - 𝘼𝙫𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙖

Charles is in a similar boat…

Who remembers a British band from the 90s called Republica? Those who do, what’s the song that springs to mind…? Is it “Ready to Go”? Here’s the chorus: “It's a crack, I'm back, yeah I'm standing on the rooftops shouting out. Baby, I'm ready to go”. That’s me right now. I’m standing on the rooftops shouting out. Baby, I’m ready to go! Yep, it’s that time of the week where I please some and bore others. Woo-hoo! I’m ready to go. Not ready to leave, you understand. Ach, and some of you got your hopes up. Well, tough. Baby, I’m ready to stay. But despite my hoarse vocal cords from that echoing decibelage, I’m wondering if I’m being acknowledged, or even noticed… Every week I write about this or that, and sometimes even the other. But I wonder, if I were to copy and paste a great big chunk of the Oxford English Dictionary instead, how many would actually notice…? Would the comments still read “good song good review keep up the good work cant wait for the next one emoticon emoticon”? Possibly. Probably. Definitely. The internet’s a funny place, after all. I won’t be copying a chunk of the Oxford English Dictionary, though, as I’m not a fan of alphabet soup. These pieces go out to potentially every single living person on this Earth. The same goes for our music… Every single person can read these peculiar articles of mine for free. Every single person can listen to our music for free. Yet, most do not. I can’t understand why. Is it all terrible? Is it really all that bad?? Of course not. The real reason is that nobody knows. But the more important reason is that nobody cares. Why WOULD you?? Some random bloke on the internet writes about music and other random junk. Some unknown artist releases yet another song. Pah.

We all scream and shout from time to time. Well, the humans among us do. The rather more sedate types type strongly worded letters. Or they write in their diary because their therapist has told them it’s good to do so. The book of honest sighs, read by no one. But that book is at least SUPPOSED to be private. Shouting is not. Neither is a strongly worded letter. The point is, nobody’s listening. Figuratively or not, they’ve got their noise-cancelling headphones on. To them, you are noise. Are you picketing? Well, with so many pickets going on these days, you become just another picketing nuisance. We have learnt to drown it out. Imagine you are vehemently against something, so you shout. Nobody’s listening. You migrate to the World Wide Web to do the same. Your post gets one like, from the weird stalker who likes every single one of your posts, no matter what it’s about. Even the stalker’s not actually listening. But eventually, through your persistence, someone will latch on. Even that one person’s acknowledgement makes it all worthwhile. We can’t all be world-changing entrepreneurs whose words on which everyone’s attention hangs. Thank God! I write these articles for the few who genuinely enjoy them, for the artist reviewed, and for myself - my own little book of honest sighs, albeit a rather more public one. And this is the very reason we should keep going with the music. So many artists are disheartened by the lack of enthusiasm surrounding their work and themselves as artists. They feel lost in a sea of artists in a similar boat - which they are. It is hard work being no one. Putting every ounce of effort into something that most will not ever listen to. It can cause one to lower one’s standards or even stop entirely. But don’t. If anything, this should push you to hit the highest standards you can - even with help from others. To keep going until you cease to be. Note: the highest standards. It is not about quantity. Please don’t just churn out regular muck.

I was recently suggested - by an artist I admire - to perhaps go softer on my articles in terms of quality and quantity, so it wouldn’t take up so much of my time (these things take a while). Besides, who actually listens to what I have to say? Nobody…? Although I did actually listen to this suggestion, I didn’t take the advice. I don’t see the point in a job half done. The few who do appreciate these articles are genuine fans. They don’t say nice things for “support” or to pat me on the back. They know I’m not interested in that. Although it would be nice if each reviewed artist actually sent me a message of thanks… Those few Corner enjoyers should not be let down or disappointed. There’s so much dross on the internet. So much auto-generate. So much clickbait. I don’t do that stuff. And sure, like our music, for the most part, nobody’s listening. But the relative few who ARE listening, why not give them something good…? Thankfully, this community is not like most of the rest of the world. It is a rare kind that listens. Which is exactly what I did - listened. It’s what I do every week. I listen to every single new release I can find. How else could I possibly pick my weekly fave if I haven’t given everyone the chance? The dross doesn’t play for long. Neither does the HAL (A.I.). God, the HAL stuff still goes on. Even from those who publicly said they’d LOVE to have “their” music played and sung by real musicians. Still waiting… But HAL users, please don’t bother getting real musicians - the song was still written by a machine. Tell me, HAL users, what would be YOUR part in the project…? You pressed upload?? God, I despise it so much. You know why I feel free to rant and rave? Because nobody’s listening. Ha-HAH! I came THIS close to naming those fraudsters, but ya know what? Maybe SOMEone is listening…

I’m HOPING someone is listening, because I’ve got something for you to listen to. This artist is as far away from me as possible, and yet I can still hear something… Please welcome Avresa with their brand new single, Nobody’s Listening. I always wonder about when I say “Please welcome…” - Do you applaud? Do you let out a little “Whoop!!”? Do you nod in acknowledgement? I imagine Jane Marie to applaud (she’s polite like that). I imagine Bernice Marsala to let out a little whoop (she’s silly like that). I imagine Dom Piper to nod in acknowledgement (he’s… a right Piper). So what does Avresa actually mean? Well, it’s Swedish for departure. Okay. But why? Well, it was to signify a change in musical doings. Avresa is, in fact, one man. This one man was in a 4-piece band for many years, and this was to be his solo project thereafter. Hence the “departure”. Something NEW! In picking this Swedish word, he must therefore be Swedish, then. Mmm… Nope. Not with a name like Jeremy Binger! He’s Australian. Sydney, to be precise. So why the Swedish word?? The answer is: Why ever not! Nobody’s Listening is something of which Jeremy is rather proud, and I can see why. Hear why. It’s huge! I was absolutely convinced that this was a live rock band playing together. As is often the case: I was wrong.

Despite nobody listening, I feel it my duty to MAKE you listen. Just so much music out there and you need someone to turn to. Someone to guide you. While I’m certainly no life coach, I should be able to show you the whereabouts of some damned good music. One such example being Nobody’s Listening. Oh, the irony of having everyone listen to Nobody’s Listening. And you really should listen. Not just for “support” in that mandatory pat on the back to which so many have become accustomed that they have developed a cough. It is for YOU! It is a free gift for YOU, you selfish blighter. You can’t scold me for insulting you, because nobody’s listening. Not even you. Such is the freedom of having not one listener. Hah! Okay, I’d really better stop this. There is a slight chance that someone IS actually listening… And so to the music and such. Avresa is not common knowledge in the New Artist Spotlight, methinks. In fact I would be surprised if many of you have even noticed the name, you observant bunch. Yet Jeremy has quietly been in the NAS for around 3 and a half years, on and off. Which proves his point: nobody’s listening! When the talent just isn’t there, I don’t feel too bad for the quieter ones remaining relative unknowns. But when someone as talented as Jeremy Binger comes along, it’s simply a crying shame to have them be so obscure. Let’s shine a light and listen up!

Still with me? Were you ever? Start listening, for gawd’s sake. It’s time you finally pressed play. Has your left ear stopped working…? Don’t worry, it’ll come back soon. We just need a little right ear affair before the full-on orgy from both sides. Lo-fi punky riffs knock your right ear as if to ask if anyone’s at home. You gingerly open the door and all Hell breaks loose! Instant chaotic house party! This has the dig of Queens of the Stone Age with the girth of Elbow’s newfound mature era in rock. Riffs galore! It’s not long before the voice is in town and the lows are among us. As soon as I heard the vocal, I recognised it. Or I THOUGHT I recognised it. There a band I love that nobody’s listening to. They’re called Shame. There’s something loose and volatile about them. Especially in the way that Charlie Steen sings. It is THIS aspect of which Jeremy’s vocal reminds me. That punk ethic. That “I don’t take no shit from nobody” attitude. But there is no HINT of Australian in his accent. He sounds entirely British to me. Yes, Americans, there is a clear distinction between Australian and English accents. I never understood why The Simpsons usually portrayed English people as Australian… But let’s get back on track. Those drums!! Such rolling energy in 360 degree Technicolor! It’s grittier than a London pothole. Jeremy’s staccato vocal phrasing only adds to the energy while retaining a proper melody. This fabulous song could so easily fall to pieces with poor timing. Despite the turbulent nature of the song, Jeremy is locked in with Jeremy. Timing is something that SO often lets down many songs these days. Organic is not a synonym for sloppy. Don’t hide behind your sloppy organs. Jeremy can manage it even with his organs on show - his heart is dangling off the mic stand while he rips up the joint. He also understands the importance of dynamics - not just in terms of volume. His production snakes through thick and thin. And boy, does he know about syncopation! I’d explain what it is, but nobody’s listening. When you ARE listening, though (I know you will be), I’d advise headphones. Heed Jeremy’s final plea: “We need desperately to listen”.

Nobody’s listening - la la la! Okay - Baby, I’m ready to go.

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