Obsessive Compulsive: Seculo Seculorum album review

The last in the series for the April artist of the month.
Seculo Seculorum is the second full length album from Manchester based four piece independent band Obsessive Compulsive. This album was fan funded using the PledgeMusic platform, it’s not available to those who have been pledged but will be out on full official release on June 24th.
The title ‘Seculo Seculorum’ immediately grabbed my attention, for me I imagined it representing the album as a large mystical book filled with power and potency, but I have since learned it actually means ‘Forever’ as music does indeed live forever, no matter how long ago someone passes away, their music can be still enjoyed for eternity.
I felt that this album is about strength, independence and self- empowerment. For instance the song ‘Stamp Your Own Path’  with it’s lyrics “You don’t need anyone, you never did, you never will, so come on stamp your own path.”
My personal favourite is the shouty ‘No Logo’ about being against corporations and remaining true to who you are “I won’t sell my soul to the corporations” “We won’t tell you what to buy or how to live your life” sung with such conviction, you know this is something the band feel strongly about.
Musically I can’t put this album into one particular category, “No Logo” has elements of punk, there’s a definite metal influence across the album as well as hard rock and on the final song ‘Swallow the Sound” I feel like lead singer Kelli is channeling Alanis Morissette vocally and to some extent lyrically too.
The album has anger and passion in spades, but overall it personally makes me feel empowered and strong, this is a band that have worked hard and it shows. We need more bands like Obsessive Compulsive. So please support them and other independent bands by buying their music and going to their gigs. You can find all Obsessive Compulsive tour dates by clicking here 
The first single will be ‘Regurgitate’ released on May 13th.

Pigtails and Army Boots Weekly Update

news round up
One of my favourite new bands 'Deap Vally' have finally announced the release date for their debut album, which will be called 'Sistrionix' and it's released on the 24th June- a day before my birthday. This band are amazing.



As if Yoko Ono couldn't be any cooler, she's doing another cool project. The 'John Lennon Bus' which will be touring giving young people the chance to get involved with music, video, photography, game and broadcast projects.
It kicks off at The Museum of Liverpool on May 8th,  before touring around schools, colleges and festivals. For info visit www.lennonbus.org
Weekly Event Guide
Tues 23rd April- Sun 28th April
Wed 24th- What the Frock Quiz Night upstairs at The Big Chill, Bristol 7.30 for 8pm start £3 to enter, up to four people on a team.
Fri 26th- Peaches at Indig02, Greenwich
What the Frock! All female comedy night at The Square, Bristol get tickets here
ARTIST OF THE MONTH- Obsessive Compulsive- I interviewed their lead singer Kelli about their fan funded album check it out by clicking here

Artist of the Month: Obsessive Compulsive

My band of the month for April are Manchester based Obsessive Compulsive. 
They recently had a PledgeMusic campaign for fans to fund their second album, which was a successful campaign and for those fortunate people like me that pledged, can now enjoy the fantastic album 'Seculo Seculorum'.  They are a very hard-working band with a strong DIY ethic, booking their own shows and releasing music on their own label.
There are four members in the band- Keli on vocals, Giz on guitars, Pete on bass and Dani on drums. It's hard to pinpoint an exact genre to put their music into, as they certainly have their own sound, but there are elements of metal, punk and grunge all mixed in.
here's a couple of their songs for you to check out:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCfdu5SAhiE&w=560&h=315]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg7QpmwmXDw&w=560&h=315]

Pigtails and Army Boots weekly update

Latest News:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs have released the disturbing video to go with epic new single 'Sacrilege' check it out:

Obsessive Compulsive's new fan pledged album 'Seculo Seculoram' was released to pledgers about half hour ago, I pledged, so am listening as I type and it's sounding AMAZING. Review to come soon!

La Roux revealed a new reggae tinged song at a gig recently

Weekly Event Guide

Monday 1st April- Sun 7th April

Tues 2nd April- La Roux at The Fleece, Bristol

Wed 4th April- 'What's the Most Important Issue Facing Feminists today?' at The Conway Hall, London. 6.30pm £5. Feminist bloggers from The New Statesman including the wonderful Laurie Penny discuss the issues.

Fri 5th April- Paramore at The Garage, London

Sat 6th April- Kate Nash at Rescue Rooms, Nottingham

With the new album released today, I'm making OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE my artist of the month for April- expect an album review, videos and more over the course of the month.

My new Home!

My new blog is now here

this blog will still be open for archive, and also cross posts of any relevant music/feminism posts but if you want to see ALL my various topics go over to the new one!

Cross Post: Pigtails and Army Boots update

MAIN BLOG NOW HERE

News this week

* Paramore have announced a London gig at tiny venue The Garage on April 5th to support the release of their new album which comes out on the 8th.

*Blondie are touring the UK and Ireland this year! The dates are:

Nottingham Sherwood Pines Forest Park (June 14)
Thetford Forest (15)
Isle of Wight Festival (16)
Liverpool Academy (18)
Isle of Man Villa Marina (19)
Gloucestershire Westonbirt Arboretum (21)
Kent Bedgebury Pinetum (22)
Dublin Olympia (25)
Belfast Waterfront (26)
Yorkshire Dalby Forest (28)
Staffordshire Cannock Chase Forest (29)
Glasgow Clyde Auditorium (July 1)
Edinburgh Usher Hall (2)
Newcastle Academy (4)
Cheshire Delamere Forest (6)
London Roundhouse (7)
London Kew Gardens (9)

* Skunk Anansie have released a new single from their most recent album 'Black Traffic' called 'This is Not A Game' 

Weekly Event Guide Monday 25th- Sunday 31st

Wednesday 27th- Sinead o Connor at The Barbican Centre, London

Friday 29th- Swansea Feminist Network- 'Feminist Friday' meet at Costa Coffee at the City Centre bus station, Swansea at 3.30pm, materials will be provided

Sat 30th- Southend Feminist Group- March Meeting- 2pm upstairs at Utopia Coffee House, The Royals Shopping centre, Southend on Sea. Email southendfeministgroup@gmail.com

Sun 31st- Trash Monroe at Chinnerys, Southend on Sea

Next week, more news, the event guide, and amazing unsigned/independent bands to listen to! 

Not Goodbye

Pigtails and Army Boots has been going for several years now and been on a whole bunch of stations, it's been live, it's been pre-recorded, it's been 1 hour, it's been 2 hours and of course it's been a lot of fun to do. However, recently I haven't had the same passion for it, I'm still very passionate about music, especially female music and of course the amazing unsigned and independent bands I've discovered thanks to doing the show, but my passion isn't really where it should be in regards to expressing this through radio. My real passion is for writing and I want to put more energy into that- especially as I'm hoping to become a paid music journalist as my job!

So this is to tell you, I will not be 'on air' any more- instead the show will be much more blog/writing based, still telling you about female fronted music news, awesome independent bands and all the other things you love about the show. 'Artist of the Month' will still carry on, but with a much longer, detailed blog post about the band I've chosen. I'll still post a 'weekly event guide' as well as reviews etc.

That's not to say I won't be doing any radio ever again, the Mixcloud page is still up and I may occasionally put up podcasts for you to listen to, so stay following it if you are!
This wasn't an easy decision to make, but I really feel, at least for the time being this is the best thing for me. I promise you will still get quality content from me!

I'm keeping this blog open, but I may be starting a new blog so I can put all my interests on one blog, instead of having to start a new one for each different subject I want to write about! I currently have this one, and a writing one, but I'm finding there's more I want to write about that doesn't really fit into either! I will post a link if this happens, and this will remain open so I have an archive of what I have written.

If you want to email me, about this post, or if you're in a band, that I could write about in the near future (gigs, albums, singles for review, band of the month posts etc) you can contact me on pigtailsandarmyboots@gmail.com