Single Review: Hard Out Here - Lily Allen

Lily Allen has made a highly anticipated come back with new single Hard Out Here. Just days beforehand saw her cover Keane’s Somewhere Only We Know. Allen unveiled the new song online recently without any previous build up or broadcast. Often portrayed as ‘gobby’ in the media, she has spoken out through music about the hottest issues on women in pop. With everything up in the air we all knew we weren’t going to end 2013 without allowing her to have her say. Hard Out Here is exciting, infectious and gives the audience exactly what they want to hear.

Allen’s return has arrived completely at the right time. Recently the media have focused on news covering objectification of women in the music industry and almost anything to do with Miley Cyrus’ latest antics. Allen uses irony not only in the use of lyrics but by adding a touch of auto-tune to compliment the word ‘Bitch’. Lyrics include lines such as, ‘’If I told you ‘bout my sex life you’d call me a slut but when boys be talkin’ ‘bout their bitches no one’s making a fuss.’’ Hard out Here has resulted in having one of the catchiest hooks of the year.

The song is saturated with feminist views about women having control and authority in the music industry, plus how women deal with pressure in a male dominated society. Allen covers topics about women’s roles, expectancies and how they have become viewed as the norm in culture. With this she adds lyrics, ‘’you’re not a size six and you’re not good looking. Well you better be rich, or be real good at cookin’.’’

Lately the video for the song has become a major discussion. Allen uses visuals and sarcasm to mock the recent issue. However she does it skilfully by replicating things you see in videos such as Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines. His video recently received criticism stating it is offensive and sexist to women. At one point in the video, balloons are formed to read ‘Thicke has a big dick.’ Allen takes this idea as her own but replaces it with the words ‘Lily Allen has a baggy pussy.’ The background shows scantily clad dancers ‘twerking’ in time to the beat. it supports the concepts that some women in the industry are encouraged to be seen as appealing sex symbols but then get nothing except degraded for it. Issues aside Hard Out Here is none other than a welcome return from an artist that, in 2009 confirmed she was quitting music. 

Live Review: Bring Me the Horizon

With support: Sights And Sounds, Pierce the Veil

Nov 5^th 2013

Manchester Academy

With the venue having released 100 extra tickets prior to tonight’s sold out gig, Bring Me the Horizon are here in Manchester for the second time this year. The band have a notorious reputation in the rock world for putting on outstanding live shows. Bonfire night is prepared for a miss this year by many as one of Britain’s biggest metal acts are set to perform a night fans have anticipated.

Due to the immense queue still running down the street outside, first support band Sights and Sounds regrettably don’t manage to gather much of an audience.With 8pm rapidly approaching, the stage makes way for California’s very own Pierce the Veil, who do their duty to get fans hyped up for the main act. The venue is almost over capacity and fans are still only just entering the building. The half an hour set showcases a tight, instrument heavy performance alongside singer Vic Fuentes’ feministic vocals. Although the songs aren't spectacularly varied when playing live, Fuentes’ knows how to work the audience. PTV are a crowd pleaser, however it seems their music is aimed at those of a younger age. 

The crowd are never a relaxed bunch when it comes to Bring Me the Horizon concerts. Straight after renditions of Can You Feel My Heart and Shadow Moses, the room splits into two. A wall of death commences as old-school favourite Diamonds Aren't Forever, sends shockwaves of excitement through the crowd.

It seems BMTH have gone all out for this set. Fans are hypnotised by heavy blasts of smoke, thick guitar riffs and what can only be described as Sempiternal style videos playing in the background. The way the concert charges the audience emotionally tonight just goes to show how much the bands production has improved. The hauntingly compelling And the Snakes Start to Sing is echoed through the room followed by Empire and heavier track It Never Ends.

 ‘‘I want to see a circle pit. If you break an arm or a leg you won’t have to go to school tomorrow,’’ vocalist Oli Sykes yells. Full of charisma and jokes, he captivates the audience with his boundless energy. Sykes is on form tonight and is totally in his element. Much to everyone’s delight a mixture of old and new songs are performed. He encourages the crowd to get on each other’s shoulders for fan favourite Blessed With a Curse which contains an abundance of call and response and an intense guitar solo. The venue is complete with circle pits and crowd surfers. This is and never has been the type of gig for the faint hearted.

Screens disappear, unveiling huge glowing initials ‘BMTH’ as the band launch into the finale of the show. It is the riveting, second single from recent album Sempiternal that closes the performance. Sleepwalking sends the crowd wild one last time. Not one person in the room is standing still. Confetti floods the venue to put an end to an outstanding performance full of empathy, ambience and an insane amount of chaos you would expect to see at a BMTH concert.

Set List 

1: Can You Feel My Heart

2. Shadow Moses

3. Diamonds Aren’t Forever

4. The House of Wolves

5. Go to Hell for Heaven’s Sake

6. And the Snakes Start to Sing

7. Empire (Let Them Sing)

8. It Never Ends

9. Deathbeds

10. Chelsea Smile 

11. Antivist

Encore

12. Blessed With a Curse

13. Sleepwalking