Sivu - Over & Over

One of the things that sets an obsessive music fan apart from the more casual average listener is theories. Some may call these theories prejudices, but let’s not get too hung up on what we call them. The point is that this kind of obsessive can’t stop thinking about music even when he / she isn’t listening; they’re always rolling ideas around in their head like some sort of intense musical thought washing machine.

Now we probably all know some of the BORING music theories out there. The worst is the ‘real music’ theory. It's (to generalise) usually preached by the male of the species (he often has a beard, plays guitar and looks like a caveman) and goes something along the lines of “pop music / synth music / manufactured ‘music’ isn’t ‘real music' and is therefore shite’. This theory is alas not to be found in the Rules of Pop (Music Edition) having been deleted around the year 1980. Another somewhat more interesting theory is that musicians often go bad when they change their haircuts. We’ve detailed this one before (here).

So let us introduce you to a new theory. It’s the August- October New Artist Release Theory. This theory ties into the bigger Music Industry Cycle of Releases Theory, which we’ll explain in full at some point in the future but we’re sure you’ll find in all current editions of the Rules of Pop (Chapters 4-5). In simplistic terms this theory says that between the months of August and October record labels will start releasing low key singles / songs  by artists that they hope will do big things next year. Before any such release the artist will have played a number of summer festivals and maybe had a bit of online success and blog love before that.  Yes, it’s all gearing up to the likes of the BBC Sound of 2014 list, the not as well-known but relevant to us UK Blog Sound of 2014 list and all those other tip lists that seem to crop up between late November and January.

Entering this arena and potentially validating this theory is James Page, or as he prefers to be known; Sivu (it’s Finnish for page). We’ve already sneaked him onto the blog a couple of times, both in our preview and review of Bushstock 2013 where he impressed. We also caught him play a relatively secret scrappy set at the tiny Crows Nest Stage at Glastonbury. Before that he’d charmed the internet with the absorbing MRI scanned video for Better Man Than He (it’s now nearly clocked up half a million views – not bad for a relatively unknown act) and next he’s going to be working on an album with Charlie Andrew, Alt-J’s producer. So place your bets now. Will Sivu be one of the slightly quirkier singer songwriter types to watch for in 2014? We wouldn’t put it past him. With new song Over & Over sounding rough-hewn and virtually lo-fi but yet being irresistibly gentle and head swaying, he certainly seems to know how to write a nice ditty. 

Now please excuse us we've got some thinking to do about a potential theory that track 2 or 7 is generally the best track on most albums.

Sivu - Over & Over