Tag Archives: The Screens

Album Review, Indie, New Music

The Screens ‘Wakes,Weddings & Bar Mitzvahs’ Album

The Screens have released their debut album ‘Wakes,Weddings & Bar Mitzvahs’. The Screens are a duo made up of Colin Wade (lead vocals) and Neil Watson (things that make noises). Their debut album was born out of sheer frustration of what writers have to do to make money out of music. With an unashamed nod to the sixties, The Screens know exactly what they’re doing as they seduce you with unforgettable melodies whilst selling you the darkest of lyrical scenarios. The Screens have an amazing history of credits and collaborations from film and TV music as well as working with artists that includes Sir Tom Jones, Paul Weller, The Cult, Hue and Cry, Mari Wilson, Tony Hadley, Will Smith through to Kill Bill, The Simpsons, The Sopranos, Lost, Smallville, 24, Mr & Mrs Smith to name a few.

‘Wakes,Weddings & Bar Mitzvahs’ is a spectacularly cinematic album brimming with infectious melodies and gripping musicianship. Each track perfectly sets its scenes through lyrical imagery while the well placed instrumentation paints a vivid backdrop. The melodic flow of the album goes from luscious to sublime as each track progresses. From the honey drizzled ‘Tell Julie To Stay’ with its rushing urgency on piano, the sweetly dramatic drama in ‘Narrow Stairs’ to the buoyant peppy ‘Paradise Road’ The Screens showcase their glorious melody writing with juicy breathtaking instrumental backing. Steady beats mix and weave between jangly guitars and sing along choruses with lush backing vocals and vibrant keys to make each and every note glorious. ‘Avalanche’ brings a lavish swoony element to the albums theatrical collection of tracks. With elegant strings bringing a romantic atmosphere to this sway like gem. The Screens present their tracks in a dynamic and incredibly lavish manner and this song in particular is the pillar of their rich elegant sound and perfectly contrasting lyrical depiction of the bloody heartache and turmoil of love. The vivid vocals caress each song with a velvety smoothness that convey the tracks themes perfectly while soothing and cooing over the sweet melodies. The delicate ’Dangerous Game’, with its sorrowful lone ranger guitar and lush backing vocals has an exotic mournful tone while the danceable ‘Mirrorball’ shimmies and shakes displaying the fun more jazzy side to The Screens. ‘Signore Mazzanto’ is just so thrilling. This track makes you want to dance while filling you with that chilling sense of danger and mystery. It’s almost like you shouldn’t listen and enjoy this vibrant gem for fear of the sinister story but you just can’t help it. I do love this track… that steamy guitar and rich rhythm bubbling under the infectious melody it’s difficult not to wiggle and sing along. ‘Jennifer Jones’ another delightfully mysterious and danger filled track floods with  romanticised flamboyance as strings swoop about a strong piano progression and zingy guitar strides. These tracks are bitter sweet with tragic tales of love surrounded by elegant honey drizzled 60’s musicianship to sweep you into a flurry of euphoria. ‘Tell Julie To Stay reprise’ brings a powerful and soulful end to the album. With a rock n’ roll swaggering melody over dynamic vocals and catchy lyrics lasting for only 1 minute and 18 seconds – it’s a vibrant and abrupt end to what is a breathtaking album.

The Screens whisk you up in a dramatic flurry of splendor with their debut album  ‘Wakes,Weddings & Bar Mitzvahs’ with rich soft textures, delicious ear-worm melodies, darkly hued undertones, buoyant rhythms  and infectious refrains it’s one heck of an emotional ride.

Stream ‘Signore Mazzanto’  below


Alt- Pop, Alternative/Cinematic, New Music

The Screens ‘Jennifer Jones’

Since the release of their first single ‘Avalanche’ which we previously featured on Indie Buddie, in May, The Screens have been locked away writing and arranging tracks for the release of their album in 2018. Included in that batch of new material is their next single ‘Jennifer Jones’ which will be available from Friday 13th October. This sweet blend of theatrical pop swirls and swishes with fine elegant composition. The graceful strings and a delicate piano feature glide along with grandeur and innocence. The lush melody captures your heart as it melts like butter on toast. Though dramatic and oozing romanticised flamboyance there is a dark underlining tone filled with danger and mystery. The Screens lay their tracks out like a narration of a tragic love story, the music expresses a beautiful and naive love that goes sour and treacherous. With light bouncy soundscapes this infectious track skips and hops along though holding a shadowy undertone. With rich instrumentation and sublime melodies, it’s a magnificent composition with a 60’s and 70’s film and TV characterisation. Another stunning track from The Screens.

When asked about the track the band said “its a story of a girl who falls helplessly in love with a guy who manipulates her mind and destroys her independence.”

Watch the video for ‘Jennifer Jones’ below


Cinamatic, Dream Pop, New Music, Theatrical, Worth A Listen

Worth A Listen

Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From The Screens

The Screens are Neil and Colin. They are unique in that they collaborate on all writing and producing yet are rarely in the same room when they do so. Everything is done online. The Screens have a musical history in film and TV music through composing, arranging and/or producing music. Their credits include Kill Bill 2, The Soprano’s, The Simpsons, Superman Returns, West Wing, Lost, 24, Mr & Mrs Smith.Their production credits also include working with artists such as Tom Jones, Paul Weller, Ruby Turner, Will Smith, A Tribe Called Quest and Tony Hadley. They have now released their new single ‘Avalanche’.
‘Avalanche’ is a lavish swoony track theatrically romantic and dramatic with sing along chorus. The sway like simplicity of this sixties-like  dreamy track features elegant string and lush backing vocals, its a fanciful feather light emotional burst. Gracefully the track glides with dainty grandeur and class. This emotionally creamy silky song tells a romantic story in a cinematic way that exudes beauty and splendour. Its incredibly lavish and rich with soft delicate textures ironically contrasting the lyrical depiction of the bloody heartache and turmoil of love. ‘Avalanche’ tips its hat to the classic British gangster stories of the sixties and seventies but lavishes in an opulence of strings and theatre. It has a sound far removed from what most artists are trying to create in order to conform to the industries current requirements.
Watch the video for ‘Avalanche’ below