Grimes, Go

Get your party poppers and a bottle of bubbly, Grimes has released new music. If you aren't excited turn off your computer and call 999, because you are probably dead (or very near to death). Canadian born Claire Boucher is an all encompassing electronic queen, her albums are mini masterpieces mixing in dance and minimalist vocals.

This song Go was originally for the foul mouthing, Brown loving and naked Instagramming Rihanna but it was turned down so Grimes and producer Blood Diamond released it themselves.

It's a little more poppy and isn't exactly classic Grimes, but is still a proper banger. This is apparently Grimes' 'summer jam' and it is clear why. With her trademark high vocals and screams throughout laced into a EDM and Hip Hop beat it makes you want to get out of your seat. Personally, this makes me excited for album number four!

NEW GRIMES NEW GRIMES MUSIC HERE

Q-Tip

BBC have released a Q-Tip documentary which is very very interesting. You can listen here. Definitely for the hip hop head within, who wants to learn more about one of the most influential emcees ever. Tribe and Q-Tip are living legends, and we all need to celebrate their achievements in music.

Lana Del Rey, Ultraviolence Review

LDR has been teasing fans with sumptuously macabre new songs since Coachella. So it was no surprise when she told The Guardian "I wish I was dead already". People have been waiting impatiently for her new album Ultraviolence, me included. Lana is certainly the queen of the individuality musically. So I thought I would review her album, track by track really getting my teeth into what Elizabeth Grant has to say.

Cruel World- Your first song on your third album needs to be good, or at least shocking. Both of these things appear on Cruel World. This almost seven minute epic of emotionally unattached bliss draws you in slowly. By the last second I feel like I need a need a good wash, I love your women and all of your heroin, And I'm so happy that you're gone now. It's these edge of your seat lyrics that make Cruel World seem like the theme song to Middle America grime. Lana puts it perfectly- this song makes you fucking crazy, crazy for me.

Ultraviolence-Although this is the title track, I'm not too sure. Despite LDR's voice being succulent and sexy, not everything sung can always be succulent and sexy. Ultraviolence is a tale of 'Jim' beating up his girlfriend but that's all okay because she loves him and him smacking her up is okay because it felt like a kiss. Does begging for Ultraviolence really give out the right message? The song sounds like a period drama fuelled by a lust for domestic violence and coke, and the spoken bit at the end Yo soy la princess, comprende mis white lines really is just too much.

Shades Of Cool-This was the second single after West Coast released and really stoked the fire of the Ultraviolence hype. Shades Of Cool is the Bond theme that never was, a mix of Nancy Sinatra-esque vibes lathered with 1950s Hollywood. This is a classic Lana track, but with less of the overly obtuse singing style in tracks like Video Games. It's a good turn for LDR, not forever could she sing sadly like she was in a soundtrack! Lana has shown the world she doesn't have to rest on her Pop star laurels.

Brooklyn Baby- In a complete shock, Lana has written a song that is almost upbeat. In Brooklyn Baby it isn't a crime to be cool, from the intro to the last chord this song oozes an air of relaxed New York Bohemia. The lyrics are kitted out with Beat poetry references and extensive jazz collections, all sung without an air of irony. By track four, Lana Del Rey has built up a bit of self-confidence. Before his passing she was planning to work with the great Lou Reed, and in Brooklyn Baby she pays an almost homage to him with a very low voice singing harmonies on the final chorus.

West Coast- Say what you want about about Elizabeth Grant, she sure can choose a single. Simply put, West Coast is almost perfection for LDR. Black Keys' Dan Auberach has really shown off in this track, with one of the best breakdowns of 2014. Twinned with the drop dead beautiful singing, West Coast is a standout song on Ultraviolence. It's a welcome break from the dreariness of the first half of the LP.

Sad Girl- Just when you thought you were out of the dreariness, Sad Girl drags you right into the thick of it. This is the anti-Beyoncé song: while Queen B sings in 03' Bonnie Clyde that she loves being nasty and bad, Queen L sings that being his bonnie on the side makes her a sad girl. The boozy wails by Del Rey are ultimately the problems with being a 'side bitch' to a dude. It is almost heartbreaking, if you're heart hasn't already been broken by Ultraviolence. Incase you have missed the message of the album the chorus explains it:

I'm a sad girl, I'm a sad girl, I'm a sad girl.I'm a sad girl, I'm a bad girl, I'm a bad girl.I'm a sad girl, I'm a sad girl, I'm a sad girl.I'm a sad girl, I'm a mad girl, I'm a bad girl. 

Pretty When You Cry- If I am being honest, at this point I am fed up with this album. I can easily understand that Lana Del Rey is very depressed and just wants to die and not exist, I am a teenager after all. But Pretty When You Cry is almost the final straw for me. It is confused, cynical and self-obsessed. But despite this triad of meh, the song is still far better than any female artist has released this year (looking at you Lily Allen). So I just don't know anymore- nor does Lana.

Money Power Glory- Creating a character like Lana Del Rey is both a blessing and a curse. It allows Lizzie Grant to explore edgy and powerful themes, but it also limits the topic that the forever cinematic songstress can look at. Money Power Glory is a sludge of vocal tics and lazy female empowerment lyrics. At first it was really quite exciting to hear someone admitting love for illegal substances, but by Money Power Glory dope and diamonds dope and diamonds is about as interesting as a Rihanna song.

Fucked My Way Up To The Top- In an electric shock, FMWUTTP gets a bit of life in the corpse that was Ultraviolence. Still without any irony, Lana sings with pride that she is the best prostitute in al the land because she er.. well ya know. It's an interesting look into greed and sexuality, especially the verse in which she warns off an inspiring girl I'm a dragon, You're a whore. I really like this song, it has life and energy. Well needed rest bite.

Old Money- Despite being a snail of a ballad, LDR has made an understated gem in what is the confusion of Ultraviolence. Old Money is slow and gentle, simple piano and strings- it screams Born To Die. Like Brooklyn Baby this too has obscure pop culture references and wink-less irony. You cannot take away Lana's simply intoxicating voice, which is underplayed in this song but still great.

The Other Woman- This is almost almost the best song on the album. Imagine if you watched Goodfellas from the viewpoint of Karen. The other woman is perfect when her rival fails, it's perfectly written. Added in with the tape-deck recorded vocals and smoother than butter drum fills and guitars it has a real authentic feel. Lana Del Rey has picked herself up on this final track, if we just ignore the unnecessary vocal gymnastics that are as creative as an X Factor contestant.

Disgraceland, The Orwells Review

After rocketing to infamy from their 2012 album Remember When, The Orwells have been pretty busy. Their debut was a sloppy and Ritalin fuelled story of American suburb life. Songs about encouraging  friends to try illegal substances (All The Cool Kids), death wishes (In My Bed) and school shootings (Hallway Homicide) make Remember When a teenage rebellion classic.  Lead singer Mario Cuomo's performances are Iggy Pop-esque-usually every gig ends up with him naked or making out with the most attractive member of the audience. The Orwells aint nuthing ta f'wit.

So imagine my surprise when the first track of Disgraceland begins with a squeaky clean drum fill then an even cleaner guitar. It has that grimey taste to it, but The Orwells have moved away from the sloppiness. Southern Comfort as a opener was a good idea, Mario isn't pulling any punches in this album it's clear.  Like this brother with the handful of ass, Bad ass shades and a bag full of grass. The Orwells are proper rockstars now and Southern Comfort is the hedonistic anthem to show. Being drunk and high and copping off with people is a recurring theme in Disgraceland. I'm not even complaining because the repetitiveness is offset by furious guitar playing which begs to be danced to. A lot of the time the vocals take a back seat, especially in The Righteous One which is a great example of brilliant playing by The Orwells.

It isn't controversial to say that something in the mind of Cuomo isn't exactly 'right'. In Remember When most people put down the violent imagery to immaturity and fun. Disgraceland isn't exactly what you would call immature. So when you begin to hear lyrics around mid-way through on Gotta Get Down my daddy's got a twelve gauge, I hope I don't find it you get a bit concerned. However, it is one of the stand out songs on the album and the screaming vocals sound as beautiful as Kurt saying that Nature is a whore.

Norman is the antithesis of The Orwells' thrashing guitars and bloody lyrics, it's the horror film in their minds that is played out- complete with High School students hanging themselves. It's uncomfortable and grotesque, but is still fantastic. The last half of the album has not one, but TWO songs about a couple dying. Blood Bubbles and Always N Forever (with the most frustrating motorcycle sound effect ever) are stories about both the characters either killing themselves or dying even grislier. 

Disgraceland is fantastically grim, but do not get it confused with being cold. It is drenched in sunshine and is perfect for the Summer. The content can be a bit much, but we need a few more artists pushing the boundaries for what is really acceptable. Give it a try.

RATING: 10

BEST LINE: MY DADDY'S GOT A TWELVES GAUGE I HOPE I DON'T FIND IT

BEST SONG: WHO NEEDS YOU

BEST PLACE TO LISTEN: SMOKE FILLED GARDENS READY TO REBEL

Final Reading Announcements

Last Wednesday Reading and Leeds revealed yet another 60 or so more acts. And it's pretty good, depends who you are really. The first acts announced were in all honesty pretty weak. I personally was disappointed by Blink 182 as a headliner and nothing else was giving me goosebumps. Of course today, my entire skin shivers thinking about seeing all these bands live. The mix is excellent and is a contender for the best line-up at any festival! So what are the best bands on each stage, and what am I going to be seeing?

The MainStage is a bit of a blur to me, most of the acts aren't really my thing. But the pop-indie fun of Vampire Weekend and Foster The People is a good shout (even though Supermodel was the definition of meh).  A personal favourite of mine on the MainStage will certainly be Peace. In Love was an album which got everyone excited about British music again, it has affected me so much to plan tattoos of their lyrics! Be prepared for over theatrics and funky guitar riffs. The fun and rowdy Gnarwolves are bringing their shouty and wild songs to the MainStage and will not be one to miss. Headliner wise- I would suggest seeing Arctic Monkeys for Turner; Blink 182 for nostalgia and skipping Paramore and Queens Of The Stone Age.

The NME and Radio One stage was new last year, and again it is probably the strongest stage. Excellent electric acts will have festival goers dancing all day, some of the best include smooth SBTRKT and terrifyingly different Die Antwood. And of course, the secretive and insane Jungle- whose self-titled album is being loved by critics. For the youth there are two duos which will blow your eardrums and let normal teens bare their teeth just for once. Drenge and Royal Blood won't be for the faint hearted but it's all fair in love and festivals.  Some of the coolest bands are on the secondary stage, Temples and The Horrors are reaping the UK psyche scene and should not be missed. Also the best of British talent will be there on the NME/R1 stage including Disclosure, Cage The Elephant and Bombay Bicycle Club.

I'll leave experts to deal with The Pit and The Lock Up stage. I have no idea who these acts are, and I won't step foot in that tent out of pure fear.

Although not too many bands on The Festival Republic stage are in any way big, I would strongly recommend visiting some of them for a go. On the Friday, the day will be full of insane live performances. The sleazy Orwells will be giving Reading their own taste of anti-establishment punk with a stars and stripes tinge. Possibly the most infamous band on the entire line up is Fat White Family. Frontman Lias looks and acts like a mental patient on stage, their debut album Champagne Holocaust will be played in all it's violent glory. The Saturday has some of the best of British, including the Glaswegian band The Amazing Snakeheads ( who will be playing in laryer shirts that Alex Turner).

Depending on who you are the Radio 1xtra Stage could be heaven or hell. The rap stage headliners are Giggs, Pusha T and Danny Brown. Out of these I would suggest joining the hip-hop heads to at least see Pusha T, just to hear his icey flows and bangers. Of course no-one goes to Reading for the quality of rappers, but at least one of the heavyweights will be there on the Bank Holiday weekend. Schoolboy Q, whose album Oxymoron is sensational, will be providing us with some A* rap.