EP Review: "Live In Munich" by Alex Francis
22nd April 2020 //
Remember that fun thing called live music?
At this point of social distancing and isolation it feels like such a distant memory.
And while we are all staying at home to flatten the curve and support the front line workers all over the world, our favourite artists are really stepping up their game.
It's times like this which show us just how important creatives are.
Whether that's the artists doing live streams, the writers supplying us with interesting pieces, the photographers sharing beautiful moments or film makers giving us something to take in.
It's the artists that share their craft to keep us entertained and I think we should keep that in mind.
Alex Francis couldn't have picked a better time to release his live EP as it allows us to feel that sweet feeling that live music brings to us, the feeling music fans around the world miss so much.
Artist: Alex Francis
Title: Live In Munich
Genre: R&B, Soul
Label: frtyfve records
Release Date: 3rd April 2020
Alex Francis is a singer/songwriter originally from Hitchin, UK, currently based in London.
His sound combines the classical singer/songwriter elements with sprinkles of R&B and soul, creating a unique listening experience for his fans.
Alex first introduced himself to the music world with his single "Make Believe" back in 2017.
Ever since he has gone from strength to strength, convincing not just the British airplay DJs, the Spotify Germany playlist makers but also acts such as Kelly Jones who invited Alex and his band to support the Stereophonics on tour.
Besides touring with Stereophonics, Alex has also supported Sting, James Bay and Melanie C - on whose single "Hold On" he also features.
His music has allowed Alex to travel a lot, appearing on SXSW, performing at Mad Cool Festival in Madrid, playing The Isle Of Wight Festival, Live At Leeds, Liverpool Sound City and more.
On top of that Alex played his first headline tour in Germany last year and during this stop in Munich, the "Live In Munich" EP was recorded during his show at Zehner.
1) Make Believe
2) Whatever Happened
3) Desire
"Make Believe" lets you find the groove in a gentle and enticing way. The simplicity of the song is refreshing and inviting, giving you the time to relax and dive into the music. Often it's loud and busy songs that grab our attention at gigs, but Alex has found the perfect alternative with the mellow and soulful sounds in his repertoire.
"Whatever Happened" follows up that calming atmosphere absolutely beautifully. It invites you to dream, to listen to the harmonies Alex and band mate Gui Rezende deliver seemingly effortlessly. The combination of acoustic and electric guitar gives the song everything it needs to captivate an audience.
Blending a few lines of Womack & Womack's "Teardrops" into the intro of "Desire", the two musicians made everyone in the crowd boogie from the first line on. "Desire" is one of those tracks that just get you in a good mood, the lightness of the instrumentals, the soul, the vocals, the guitar solo - it all works and keeps the repeat button busy.
To sum it up: As someone who was at that exact show in Munich, it's absolutely wonderful to hear the songs again the way the were performed that night. But even if you weren't at the show, this EP allows you to have that sweet feeling of live music in your ears and is a definite reminder of why you should attend an Alex Francis show as soon as we're all able to again.
You should listen to these tracks: Really just listen to the entire EP.
- buy and/or stream "Live In Munich" here -
Alex Francis online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Instagram
Credits // Words: Vanessa Jetwash | Image: JP Boardman via Alex Francis
Preorder: HITS magazine - issue #2
21st April 2020 //
Well hellooo!
It is an exciting day for us here at HITS because we get to share something lovely with you.
After releasing our first print issue last year and it being such a joyful moment for us to share with those who chose to support this venture, we've decided to make another one.
So with this post we are announcing house in the sand magazine - issue #2.
Man, this is exciting to type out.
We've been working towards this for a while now to make sure it's worth your time and quite frankly, your money.
We are well aware that we're in the middle of a pandemic which has affected many jobs.
As creatives ourselves, these are struggling and trying times, so it feels weird asking you to support our magazine.
But as a small business, we need preorders to help us finance the production of the magazine,
which is why we decided to start preorders today.
If you can and want to preorder your copy, it would help us out big time.
To say thank you, the first 50 preorders will be automatically entering a giveaway to win one piece of merch from the HITS store.
Should you not be able to preorder a copy just yet, don't worry! You'll still be able to get your copy when you're good and ready.
Okay, now let's dive into the fun part - revealing the cover!!!
We have one hell of a lineup waiting for you!
I mean - we got the absolutely brilliant X Ambassadors on the cover - that's a pretty fantastic starting point, isn't it?
The cover was shot in Munich, just a few days before everyone's touring schedules got put on hold, so we're extremely glad we had the chance to make this happen.
On top of that we had tons and tons of fun, interesting and thought provoking conversations on the phone with acts such as Oh Wonder and Dagny, had a big ol' catch up with Jamie Lawson who's been featured on HITS for years now - and have features with some of the most exciting up and coming artists waiting for you.
We don't have an exact release date yet, but can tell you that this baby will land this Summer.
We hope you are as excited as we are and we truly can't wait to share the magazine with you soon.
Any preorders (and merch orders) help us out big time, and of course spreading the word does too.
- preorder the magazine here -
Thank you for your time and support!
Vanessa & Chris
Credits // Words & Imagery: Vanessa Jetwash & Chris Stringer in collaboration for house in the sand