Johnny Truant have decided to call it a day.
The band released this official statement:
"Johnny Truant has officially broken up.
We have had many amazing years and made many great friends along the way. Thank you to everyone that has supported us and shared so many fantastic times with us, it's been a hell of a ride and one that we are very proud of.
Our final shows will be in the UK in December. Come along and lets make them the biggest party we can.
Johnny Truant"
Mon 1st Dec Cockpit - Leeds 0113 2443446
Wed 3rd Dec Queen Charlotte - Norwich 01603 631144
Thurs 4th Dec Fibbers - York 01904 651250
Fri 5th Dec Pontins (Hard Rock Hell 2 Festival) Prestatyn 0844 576 5925
Sat 6th Dec Zodiac - Oxford 01865 813500
Sun 7th Dec Face Bar - Reading 0118 956 8188
Mon 8th Dec Corporation - Sheffield 0114 276 0262
Tues 9th Dec Sugarmill - Stoke 01159 454593
Wed 10th Dec The Pitz - Milton Keynes 01908 206141
Thurs 11th Dec King Tuts - Glasgow 0141 221 5279
Sat 13th Dec Rock City - Nottingham 0871 3100 000
Sun 14th Dec The Park - Peterbrough 01733 310383
Mon 15th Dec The Joiners - Southampton 023 80225612
Tues 16th Dec Water Rats - London 0207 837 4412
Wed 17th Dec The Engine Rooms - Brighton 01273 728999
Friday, 31 October 2008
News - Johnny Truant Are Over
News - Mastodon Album Title Revealed...
Mastodon’s upcoming 2009 album will be called "Crack The Skye". The CD is being released through Reprise Records and was recorded at Southern Track Studios in Atlanta and produced/mixed by Brendan O'Brien (Rage Against The Machine, Springsteen, Pearl Jam, AC/DC, etc.).
Track Listing:
1. Oblivion
2. Divinations
3. Quintessence
4. The Czar
(I) Usurper
(II) Escape
(III) Martyr
(IV) Spiral
5. Ghost of Karelia
6. Crack The Skye
7. The Last Baron
News - Alabama 3 - Christmas 2008 Tour
Alabama 3 tour the UK in the next few months:
Monday Don't Mean Anything - Christmas 2008 Tour
NOVEMBER
Fri 28 SHEFFIELD Plug
Sat 29 LEAMINGTON SPA Assembly
Sun 30 SOUTHAMPTON The Brook
NOVEMBER
Mon 01 CARDIFF Sub 29
Tue 02 BRIGHTON Concorde 2
Wed 03 BRIGHTON Concorde 2
Thu 04 LONDON Shepherds Bush Empire
Fri 05 LEEDS Academy
Sat 06 OXFORD Academy
Sun 07 BRISTOL Academy
Mon 08 NEWCASTLE Academy
Tue 09 INVERNESS Ironworks
Wed 10 ABERDEEN Lemon Tree
Thu 11 GLASGOW Academy
Fri 12 MANCHESTER Academy
Sat 13 BELFAST Queens University
Sun 14 GALWAY Loughrea Hotel
Mon 15 DUBLIN Tripod
Thursday, 30 October 2008
News - Oh No Not Stereo UK Tour
Oh No Not Stereo will be supporting Bayside and Hit The Lights on their upcoming tour of the UK.
2 Dec - Birmingham - Barfly
3 Dec - Manchester - Academy 3
4 Dec - Glasgow - Cathouse
6 Dec - Leeds - Cockpit
7 Dec - Newcastle - Academy 2
8 Dec - Nottingham - Rock City
9 Dec - London - Islington Academy
The band’s new album should be out digitally in January 2009.
News - The Haunts Are Burning
Haunts release their single "London's Burning" through Black Records as an exclusive free download only single tomorrow the 31st of October for 1 week on 7 Digital or buy it as a bundle with B-sides including a cover of White Wedding by Billy Idol.
The single will be followed by their self titled debut album on the 24th of November.
Remaining tour dates:
Fri 31st Oct Sheffield Leadmill 08444771000 Doors 17:00 16+
Sat 1st Nov London ULU 08444 771000 Doors 17:00 16+
News - innerTOURINGsystem
innerpartysystem have announced a new UK headlining tour and single release.
The band will re-release "Don’t Stop" on the 26th of January 2009 and play these shows:
Mon 26/01/2009 Cambridge Soul Tree
Tue 27/01/2009 Brighton Audio
Wed 28/01/2009 Cardiff Barfly
Fri 30/01/2009 Exeter Cavern
Sat 31/01/2009 Birmingham Academy 2
Sun 01/02/2009 Glasgow King Tuts
Mon 02/02/2009 Leeds Cockpit
Tue 03/02/2009 Newcastle Academy 2
Wed 04/02/2009 Manchester Academy 3
Thu 05/02/2009 London Underworld
Tickets on sale 9am on 31st October.
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
News - Mike Dunn is for Panda
Mike Dunn & the Kings of New England have signed to P is for Panda. You can check out the previous release "The Edge of America" for free download right here: www.pisforpanda.com/pandashop
They are currently working on their debut full length titled "Sundowner" which will be released Summer 09.
News - Branson Isn’t Here Thank God.
The Virgins will be on tour supporting The Pigeon Detectives in November and the release of their debut 7" "One Week Of Danger" is out on the 1st of December through Young & Lost Records.
24 Nov Grimsby Auditorium
25 Nov Wolverhampton Civic
26 Nov Wolverhampton Civic
27 Nov Newcastle Academy
28 Nov Edinburgh Corn Exchange
30 Nov Glasgow Barrowlands
01 Dec Glasgow Barrowlands
02 Dec Nottingham Rock City
03 Dec Manchester Academy
04 Dec Manchester Academy
06 Dec London Alexandra Palace
07 Dec Reading Rivermead Leisure Complex
08 Dec Swindon Oasis Leisure Centre
09 Dec Bournemouth Solent Hall
News - Shinedown For 2009
Shinedown will be back in the UK next year:
Wed 21 Jan 2009 U.K. London Underworld
Thu 22 Jan 2009 U.K. Manchester Academy
Fri 23 Jan 2009 U.K. Glasgow King Tuts
Sun 25 Jan 2009 U.K. Birmingham Barfly
News - Tarja: The Seer
Submitted: "Tarja will be releasing a new 11 track EP called "The Seer" through Spinefarm Records UK on the 1st of December. The record will come as a limited edition digi-pack, and will be available in the UK only.
The full tracklisting is as follows:-
1. 'The Seer' - originally a bonus cut on the UK version of 'My Winter Storm', this magnificently melodic outing has now been reworked as a duet with Doro.
2. 'Lost Northern Star' - 'Lost Northern Pain Remix' by
Peter TÃĪgtren.. A full-blooded Remix of another 'MWS'
track delivered by the PAIN/Hypocrisy mainman.
Previously available on a promo CD only.
3. 'The Reign' - Score Mix. Alternative version of the 'MWS'
track.
4. 'Die Alive' - different version of the second single/video from
'MWS'.
5. 'Boy And The Ghost' - Alternative mix of the 'MWS' track.
6. 'Calling Grace' - full, unedited version of the 'MWS' outing.
7. 'Lost Northern Star' - Ambience Sub Low Mix.
8. 'Damned And Divine' - Live in Finland.
9. 'You Would Have Loved This' - track from Tarja's 2006
album 'Henkays Ikuisuudesta', recorded live in Finland
10. 'Our Great Divide' - Live in Finland.
11. 'Ciaran's Well' - Live in Finland
Following on from shows in Europe and the US, Tarja will be recording her second studio album, with further live dates to follow."
News - Come Over...
Estelle will release her new single "Come Over" that features Sean Paul on the 24th of November through Atlantic Records.
News - The Paddingtons Find Peace
Submitted: "The Paddingtons have been confirmed as the musical act for the Peace Of Art Awards Ceremony at the University Of London Union on Tuesday November 4th to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the birth of the Nobel Peace Laureate Joseph Rotblat."
News - The All New Adventures Of Us Tour
The All New Adventures Of Us are on tour in December at the following dates:
Thu 04 Dec Leeds, Cockpit Rocket
Fri 05 Dec Cambridge, Junction
Sat 06 Dec Bristol, Louisiana
Mon 08 Dec Nottingham, Bodega Social
Tues 09 Dec Manchester, Night and Day
Weds 10 Dec Glasgow, King Tuts
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
News - Clarkson - New Song
Clarkson (ex-Fleeing From Finales) have a new song up called "Come On" from a forthcoming CD release on their MySpace page for streaming now.
News - My Vitriol
My Vitriol will release their new single in early December, preceded by a mini tour in November, before releasing their second album early next year. Initial dates as follows:
NOVEMBER
Wed 19 GLASGOW Stereo
Thu 20 MANCHESTER Ruby Lounge
Fri 21 BRISTOL Fleece
Sat 22 LONDON ULU
News - A Wee Bit Of Chemistry
The Chemists will release their new single "Radio Booth" on December the 1st through Distiller Records.
News - Stone Gods Tour Starts Soon...
Stone Gods are on tour supporting Airbourne from the 1st of November at all of these dates:
1 Nov 2008 Cardiff University Cardiff
2 Nov 2008 Bristol Academy Bristol
5 Nov 2008 Birmingham Academy Birmingham
6 Nov 2008 Sheffield Octagon Sheffield
7 Nov 2008 Liverpool Academy Liverpool
8 Nov 2008 Manchester Academy Manchester
10 Nov 2008 Dublin Vicar Street Dublin
11 Nov 2008 Belfast Limelight Belfast
13 Nov 2008 Inverness Ironworks Inverness
14 Nov 2008 Dundee Fat Sams Dundee
15 Nov 2008 Glasgow Barrowlands Glasgow
17 Nov 2008 Newcastle Academy Newcastle
18 Nov 2008 Leeds Metropolitan University Leeds
19 Nov 2008 Stoke Victoria Hall Stoke
20 Nov 2008 Nottingham Rock City Nottingham
22 Nov 2008 Oxford Academy Oxford
23 Nov 2008 Norwich UEA Norwich
24 Nov 2008 Cambridge Junction Cambridge
26 Nov 2008 Folkestone Leas Cliff Hall Folkestone
27 Nov 2008 London Astoria London
News - In Case Of Fire On The Kerrang! 2009 Tour
Submitted: "In Case Of Fire have been announced as one of the acts on 2009's Kerrang! Tour in January. The band, who release debut single This Time We Stand on November 10th will be joining Bring Me The Horizon, Mindless Self Indulgence and Black Tide on the national tour.
January
13 Belfast, Mandela Hall
14 Dublin, Academy
16 Bristol, Academy
17 Cardiff, Great Hall
18 Southampton, Guildhall
20 Oxford, Academy
21 Norwich, UEA
22 Nottingham, Rock City
23 Manchester Academy
24 Leeds, University
26 Liverpool, Academy
27 Glasgow, Barrowland
28 Newcastle, Academy
29 Birmingham, Academy
30 London, Brixton Academy"
Monday, 27 October 2008
News - The Subtle Way Man The Watchtower
Submitted: "The Subtle Way have a new record out now called "Man The Watchtower." This 3-song mini-EP is now available at all digital retailers and includes two brand new originals and a shredding cover of Thrice’s classic "To Awake And Avenge The Dead." The Subtle Way are currently writing their next full length.
The Subtle Way has unfortunately lost a founding member this week. Jason Miller has decided to focus on school at UC Riverside and will be missed for his shredding guitar licks, spooky keyboard playing and energetic live performance. As it is virtually impossible to replace him with one other human, The Subtle Way are now auditioning for two new members, one guitarist and one keyboardist/light technician/electronics guru. If you think you got what it takes, go to their myspace and send the band a message."
News - Down For The Count New EP Out Tomorrow!
Down For The Count’s brand new EP "Battle Royale" will be released digitally through Negative Progression Records from tomorrow. This is for fans of Cartel, Valencia, Mayday Parade, The Morning Of, The Maine, etc.
News - Torche Support Isis
Torche will support Isis on their upcoming UK tour:
December
04 London Scala w/ ISIS
05 Minehead ATP Festival
07 Sheffield Corporation w/ ISIS
08 Oxford The Regal w/ ISIS
News - Cancer Bats in Videocast Number 2!
The second Cancer Bats tour videocast is up on www.hasslerecords.com
Sunday, 26 October 2008
Review - Viva Machine - Robot Bodyrox (Single)
View The Review
10 out of 10
One of the best things about writing reviews is that I never know what I am going to pull out of the big puffy envelope that arrives once a week. Sometimes it is stuff that I really know and love and sometimes, more often than not, it's a band I've never heard of before and generally, I find this can go one of two ways. I'll hate it. Or love it. Oh, and I mean LOVE it. Just like this.
I cannot get enough of this tune; it is more infectious than Ebola and a whole lot nicer to be associated with. The subtle intro builds into a stomper of an anthem and if this doesn't breach that elusive top ten mark, I might cry a bit. I cannot wait for the album.
GET IT. GET IT NOW.
Listen: www.myspace.com/vivamachine
Tracklist:
1. Robot Bodyrox
Review - O! The Joy - Zen Mode
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8 out of 10
Technical music. It always draws up images of some fella’s playing all over the shop death metal with sub-jazz flourishes under the term "tech" metal or something. SF based group, O! The Joy would more than likely fall under the tech category if one did exist in record shops. But that is really selling them sort, and would be a crime if a lot of people missed out on this pretty clever and quality band.
Forget the whole tech-metal angle and imagine that sort of skill, but put towards writing, melody-led, driving alt-rock tunes. In fact forget the whole tech angle. This is just well crafted music played by talented players. Listening to it brings to mind a whole list of different names, references and genres, so much so that it took me a good 5 or 6 listens before the hooks got buried in my review hardened skin. It's only then do you appreciate this. On first listen I was put off it just by the sound and it's not something I usually go for, but I perceived and discovered a album of surprising depth and talent.
The vocals are completely sung, no shouting or screaming, just well sung, melodic lines over the constantly developing sound. Guitars tap away left right and centre and the drums bounce around all over the kit. If you took Rival Schools, mixed it with something like Sikth but avoided the horrible metal qualities of the latter and deep fried it in a mix of skill you may end up with something like O! The Joy. You might not, but then something like this is so varied it would be hard to copy.
A very quality listen from start to finish and defiantly something you will listen to over and over till it sticks.
Listen: www.myspace.com/othejoymusic
Tracklist:
1. Conceivable Test Tube Baby
2. There Is No Such Thing As Organized Crime
3. This Fault Is Not Mine
4. Under The Radar
5. 22435
6. The Man And The Secrets
7. We Write The Next Chapter
8. I Just Didn’t Tell You
9. Guiding Role
10. Zen Mode
Review - Nitin Sawhney - London Undersound
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8 out of 10
With "London Undersound", Nitin Sawhney has publicly stated that he wants this album to be "an album of collaboration. to capture the London I know." And a fine job he's done too.
The opening track, "Days of Fire" is absolutely sublime - a firsthand account from Natty - fellow recording artist and friend of Sawhney, of the London 7/7 bombings, and the later shooting for Charles De Menezes. The recurring and almost haunting line of "...but now I've seen the city change in oh so many ways" sets the tone for the remainder of the album. It's captivating, and creates such nostalgia that I instantly remember the fear upon realising that my Dad was likely to have been on one of the trains that were bombed in the attack. Luckily my Dad returned safe and sound, but this single track, with it's train-like chugging guitar chords really do evoke the feeling of a London that's been turned upside-down and is a truly superb prologue to an inspiring album.
The list of artists who have contributed to this album in one way or another is like a who's-who of worldwide musical splendour - Sir Paul McCartney, Imogen Heap, Roxanne Tataei, Aruba Red, Tina Grace. and the list goes on.
The McCartney collaboration is a tender, twisted and aggravated tale of love, alongside his status in celebrity culture and his astringent relationship with the paparazzi, and the lyrics envelop this perfectly: "One soul displaced, one heart replaced, feelings defaced, invade our space, no one left to give us back our time".
The Imogen Heap collaboration "Bring it Home" is equally as hard-hitting, but in a totally different way - it's a whirlwind 5 minutes that illustrates perfectly what life might be like in the busy city. Heap's ethereal tones and the up-beat tempo alongside lyrics "equal but opposite.. we're in this together" encompass the notion of the integrated cultures and lifestyles all over London.
I won't bore you by dissecting each and every track on this album, but believe me when I say that it's a truly remarkable piece of work. Whilst musically, not every track is as pleasing on the ear as the tracks I've mentioned so far, the observations and commentary that Sawhney and co. provide are so true to form and thought provoking that I've not been able to stop listening for days. It encompasses the changed outlook on the city of London so perfectly that I'm surprised that every Londoner doesn't own this album as staple listening.
Listen: www.myspace.com/nitinsawhney
Tracklist:
1. Days of Fire
2. October Daze
3. Bring it Home
4. Interlude 1 - Ghost Image
5. My Soul
6. Interlude 2 - Soledad
7. Distant Dreams
8. Interlude 3 - Street Sounds
9. Shadowland
10. Daybreak
11. Interlude 4 - Identity
12. Ek Jaan
13. Transmission
14. Interlude 5 - Tension
15. Last Train to Midnight
16. Interlude 6 - Ronald Gray
17. Firmament
18. Charu Keshi Rain
Review - The Brascoes - First Impressions Of You (Single)
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4 out of 10
Twanging out of Birmingham come this quartet of scruffs, winners of the mighty Surface Best Unsigned Band 2007, don't you know. What the other contestant were like in that competition I have no idea, but the winners are your basic Bloc Party / Arctic Monkeys-lite. Perfectly danceable songs, not in the least bit offensive or challenging and so long as bands like the aforementioned pair exist they need never want for an ideal support act.
As the title track says, it is indeed 'all just shades of the same grey'. But that's a very fashionable colour, apparently. Private March is slightly more interesting, with its darker tone, off-beat drumming and slight whiff of Police guitars. But it's still a grey old day all round. Don't they get sun in Birmingham?
Listen: www.myspace.com/thebrascoeshome
Tracklist:
1. First Impressions of You
2. Private March
Review - Andy Yorke - Simple
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9 out of 10
Andy Yorke, former front man of Unbelievable Truth, has recorded a debut solo record entitled 'Simple'. Although apparently quite successful Unbelievable Truth's momentum waned as their success ebbed away rather than built up and for various reasons Yorke left the band in 2000, allegedly running off to Russia to work as a translator for Greenpeace without any intent of touching a guitar again. Yet Yorke apparently has had some subsequent personal problems and found music to once again be a constructive outlet. Lo behold, a solo record was born.
"The songs were me trying to help and feel better about everything [.] I was writing in spite of myself. They were therapy."
Best get this out of the way as soon as possible: Andy Yorke is the younger brother of Radiohead's Thom Yorke and at times he does sound like him. Actually that is a bit of an unjust assumption, for all we know Thom Yorke may sound like Andy Yorke. After all it would figure there would be some mutual influence as well as some shared influences what with them growing up in the same house, probably listening to the same records and going to the same bars and clubs around Oxford.
I might as well get this out of the way as well: Andy Yorke probably doesn't have to worry about much seeing as his brother IS Thom Yorke of Radiohead.
[A possible telephone conversation]
"Hello?"
"Hi Thom, it's Andy"
"Who?"
"Andy, Andy Yorke, your younger brother who is less famous than you"
".Oh yeah. How are you?"
"I'm good thanks. How is that whole lizard eye thing working out these days?"
".yeah.so what was it you wanted?"
"Well I know Christmas is a good few months off yet but I wanted to start getting on top of presents for people early this year"
"Ok, that's a good idea."
"So what do you want Thom?"
"Well, I don't know, maybe."
"Socks?"
"Erm, I don't."
"Great, socks it is then!"
"Ok.so what do you want Andy?"
"A million pounds."
"What?"
"A million pounds. I want to do up my house, buy fifty cats, you know, the usual."
"."
"C'mon, we all know about those royalty cheques and you bought Dad that gold plated yacht for his birthday."
"It was silver plated actually .Andy, you do know that the last Radiohead album was sold via our website on donation basis only, right?"
".are you pleading poverty?"
With regards to the actual record it is a brave and impressive solo effort, a collection of personal but memorable songs. If a comparison to his brother's work must be made then it is closest to "The Bends" era Radiohead, the more gentle numbers such as "Fake plastic Trees" or "My Iron Lung" especially, or pieces such as those found on the Airbag/How's My Driving?" EP (a collection of B sides from the "OK Computer" album issued in North America). In short Andy Yorke's record bears resemblance to the more straight cut of Thom Yorke's work, free from any attempts to make overtly complex sonic textures or layered guitar parts, yet without sounding particularly similar to Thom Yorke's own solo effort "Eraser". That is mainly because "Simple" features very organic arrangements: acoustic guitars, drums, bass, strings and the occasional use of some lead electric guitar. Yet rather paradoxically the record that I was reminded of time and time again was REM's 2001 effort "Reveal", which in fact featured a prominent use of synthesizers and a focus on more electronic influences.
If there is one similarity between the Yorke brothers it is their mutual ability to reach and maintain those high faltering notes, that in both cases give their music such a spine tingling quality.
Of The first three tracks, "Simple" lives up to it's name featuring some pleasing string over tones, "Found the road" is a more minor key affair slowly building in momentum while "Twist of the knife" is slower Countryesque number shrouded in a morose dark atmosphere with lots of space with haunting violin. Together they present a welcome opening to the record and are each memorable in their own right. "Rise and fall" is the lead single off the record and deservedly so: the verses start with a sparkling piano riff and a drum sample, warm walking bass and Yorke's fluttering vocals before kicking into euphoric gutsy choruses of power strummed guitar and soaring vocals. "Diamont" is one of the instances where Yorke sounds most like his brother, in the same manner as "Street spirit" even, but at a much slower pace with picked guitar ,organ and string arrangements. "One in a million" is a more electric with growling bass and pounding drums, which fall away into sparse guitar strums, with lyrics such as, "Never knew the songs of God's chosen angels". There is also a nice acoustic guitar melody that is played in time with a violin, aptly demonstrating those rare happenstances of two entities colliding as the song's title suggests.
"Always by your side" begins in a haunting fashion with fluttering vocals over a sparingly laid acoustic riff; you can actually hear Yorke's fingers sliding up and down the round wound guitar strings, pressing them against the fret board. The song soon picks up into gutsier strumming, presenting a bright sound that reverberates though a spacious sonic environment
"Let it be true" starts in a simple fashion before being joined by a jolly string and accordion arrangement. These backing instruments recede as soon as they came, almost as if Yorke is turning them on and off with a switch, fully aware that the less he features such arrangements the more impact they will have. "Mathilda" is more of a down beat lament for a girl increasingly becoming out of reach, "Is it possible our lives were set to collide?"[.] "But now we're just too far along". Here the violin rally comes into it's own, being brought up to dizzying heights by the occasional piano note ringing out and successive vocal harmonies, reminiscent of the exquisite string arrangements that typified The Beatles legendary 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'. "Lay down" begins like a number off of Neil Young's seminal album 'Harvest', down low with slow back beat, before being joined by buzzy overdriven top string guitar riffs, giving rough jagged edges to this otherwise soft piece. Along with the hum of the organs there is an instance of layered guitar parts, stalled somewhere between REM and Iron Maiden. There is a fantastic breakdown of a walking riff with wooing vocal harmonies that seem to come from all directions. Forgive me Andy Yorke, but once again for lack of a better comparison, it is almost Radiohead like.
"Surrender" seems like one of the last stands, or maybe last haunting of the record, featuring more beautiful wavering vocals and string arrangements. There are groans in the background of the track like spirits leering over your shoulder, ghosts whispering a choir accompaniment. The final "Ode to a friend" relies on a more positive vibe with great soaring synth lines straight out of Joy Division's "Love will tear us apart" or Gary Numan's growling riffs on "Cars", amid sparkling piano lines, presenting a round about and unexpected end to 'Simple'.
Despite my repeated mention of Yorke's older brother his debut solo effort stands on its own as an exceptional and original piece of work. It is intriguing, brave and unashamedly honest about the emotions involved and thus it sits in a very special musical niche of being so painfully human but without becoming a self pitying sob story. With any luck the now solo Yorke will have the inspiration to continue making music of this calibre far into the future.
Listen: www.myspace.com/andyyorke
Tracklist:
1. Simple
2. Found the road
3. Twist of the knife
4. Rise and fall
5. Diamant
6. One in a million
7. Always by your side
8. Let it be true
9. Mathilda
10. Lay down
11. Surrender
12. Ode to a friend
Review - We Rock Like Girls Don't - Violence (Single)
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8 out of 10
Every so often a tune comes along that splits me right down the middle in terms of how I feel about it and 'Violence' by all girl act We Rock Like Girls Don't is one such example.
On one hand, I loved the lowdown dirty riffs and the tribal poundings of the drums, but when the chorus kicked in, I kind of felt a bit let down. I was expecting something bigger at the end of each verse - something memorable. That said, the tune is solid, as is the message behind it so they get a good score I reckon - and I don't even fancy them so the music must be alright.
Listen: www.myspace.com/werocklikegirlsdont
Tracklist:
1. Violence
Review - Situationists - Onwards And Upwards EP
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8 out of 10
How hard would it be to print a track listing on the press release for a CD rather than just on the disc itself, hmm? It would take seconds, and it would make the lives of reviewers up and down the country much, much easier. Well me, anyway.
That's my main gripe with this record though, and for a band who quite shamelessly blend a plethora of Kinsella influences (American Football, Cap'n Jazz etc) which I love with just a hint of contemporary Northern Indie (Arctic Monkeys) which I hate that's pretty good going. They pull off the complex guitar work and time structures in a seemingly effortless fashion, and give it their own unique Sheffieldy spin at the same time. Well done lads.
Listen: www.myspace.com/situationists
Tracklist:
1. This Is Show
2. A Cold Front
3. Fireworks
4. Onwards And Upwards
Review - Desalvo - Mood Poisoner
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8 out of 10
I don’t know what they are putting in the water up in Glasgow, but after Take A Worm For A Walk Week’s blistering, noisy assault, here comes equally as unhinged loonies Desalvo. Sharing a 7" with the afor-mentioned band and members with indie types Idlewild you would be a bit unsure of what to expect. The name doesn’t give much away, until you read the titles on the back or glance at the nuns with ball gags and pigs artwork of the cover.
The PR blurb makes note of all the usual big names...Converge, Botch, Mastodon etc. Only really Botch rings true here I think. And then only in the bands use of those turn on a dime tempo changes. We are dealing with something very noisy from that end of the spectrum. But unlike our transatlantic cousins, Desalvo have something very home-grown and a lot dirtier and punk than all of that
The ace in their hand is vocalist P6. A man of big proportions, an intimidating stage persona and a wounded howl of sheer desperation. Its his vocals and twisted lyrics that give Desalvo that extra. Screeching and howling through the 180 degree tempos changes, the discordant riffing and twisted song structures. At times recalling Temple Of The Morning Star era Today Is The Day crossed with a more punk take on the whole Botch/Coalesce. And that is a pretty shit hot sounding combination in my book. One that I am more than willing to endorse as well.
Listen: www.myspace.com/desalvoland
Tracklist:
1. Brownflag
2. Tonguescraper Parts 1 & 2
3. Ripper Situation
4. Latrine Lizard
5. Get Black
6. Oedipius Rising
7. Schindler’s Lift
8. Questionable Sport?
9. Spandoflage
10. Cock Swastika
Review - innerpartysystem - Middlesbrough Cornerhouse Sumo Fest - Friday 10th October 2008
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8 out of 10
If the first band on the list was anything to go by, it was going to be a long night! Innerpartysystem weren't due on stage until 10.30pm and I had just finished my interview with 2 members of the band (http://www.dieshellsuit.co.uk/article_detail.asp?rID=3074) at 7pm.
I was really looking forward to seeing IPS live as I had been lucky enough to review their recent single and album and had enjoyed them both.
When I arrived at the venue to find out there were 4 stages split over 3 venues on the same road in Middlesbrough, I was glad to see my pass allowed me to roam freely and see all the stages to catch lots of live acts - just up my road.
The only problem was that the first 2 bands I saw were. well, not to beat around any bushes - rubbish. I won't give the bands names, to save them the embarrassment, but it just didn't get better. The only band who before Innerpartysystem who were any good was their tour support band 'Furthest Drive Home'. Keep an ear for them, and any gig listings, definitely worth checking out.
After a delay with some problems with sound, IPS leapt into their set with an explosion of bright backlit lights and lasers. The band performed brilliantly. The vocals were strong and the heavy drumming was amazing. The keys, programming and backing vocals were also excellent and the whole band gel so well together.
I would love to see this band again but on a larger stage instead of the small stage here (well, I call it a stage the drummer was on one, but the rest of the band were on the same level as the crowd, so it was very hard for the small groupie girls at the back to see anything).
The band performed the most uplifting songs from the album (http://www.dieshellsuit.co.uk/article_detail.asp?rID=2968) without any breaks and this worked just as well as any good mixtape.
Apart from the bad bands at the start, Innerpartysystem made up for the rest of the night.
Go check them out, next time they are back on our shores.
Listen: www.myspace.com/innerpartysystem
Tracklist:
Review - Funeral for a Friend - Asylum, Hull - 20.10.2008
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5 out of 10
Firstly - apologies to In Case of Fire, due to stupid work I didn't manage to catch their set, so I have no idea whether they're any good. Now, on with the review!
I'm not really used to going to big gigs. I like little sweaty gigs in pub backrooms, proper DIY stuff and it's rarely that I venture to anything bigger than that. When I saw this line up was on about fifteen minutes from my front door though I thought I'd give it a bash - I liked the Cancer Bats record, and although I'm not a huge Funeral for a Friend fan I did once see them about six or seven years ago supporting Boy Sets Fire, so what the hell.
The audience was no surprise, with an average age probably half that of mine and some lovely hair on display, and I have to admit to feeling a little out of place with my hobo beard and Off With Their Heads shirt. The attendance level was a bit of a surprise however - I was expecting a sellout, and whilst it was busy it wasn't as packed, and quieter than other recent gigs, I'm reliably informed. This diminished audience showed little enthusiasm for Cancer Bats, which was a shame as they played a blistering set. It was possibly a little short, but with minimal banter the band ripped through songs mostly off the new album setting a standard that was to be difficult for Funeral for a Friend to follow.
Sadly the Welsh superstars failed to meet the challenge. The sound was, as is often the case, much better for the headline band, and they played what should have been a crowd pleasing epic set, but in the end it came across as bloated and overlong. There were moments where the spark of excitement almost ignited the audience, but the lethargy prevalent through the lesser known new songs spread to the older songs, leading to an almost subdued atmosphere. It wasn't all bad - when the band found their groove, there was a power to their performance not always evident in their recorded sound, but the longer set made a lot of the songs feel a bit like filler and the band feel rather like they were pacing themselves to be able to last the distance. Far from the stuff that classic gigs are made of.
Listen: www.myspace.com/funeralforafriend, www.myspace.com/cancerbats
Tracklist:
Review - The Tempus - Demo
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7 out of 10
This is a big, fat stadium sound, kind of like a modern day Led Zeppelin. These guys rock in a very matter of fact kind of way. The songs on this demo are punchy, full of life, stuffed with great riffs and soulful vocal performances, wicked little solos and spot on timing. The production itself is class and with a bit of luck, these boys will go a long way. In fact, I was surprised that they were a three piece to be honest; they make a lot more noise than that.
The Tempus rock. Fact.
Listen: www.myspace.com/thetempusmusic
Tracklist:
1. Thieves and Lovers
2. Constant
3. Abeyance
4. This Life is Mine
5. Making New
6. The Last Ones Here
Review - Over The Wall - The Rise And Fall Of Over The Wall
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8 out of 10
When the first track 'Thurso' started, I did start to think 'here's another singer songwriting duo!', then it all changed just over 3 minutes into the song - fantastic - brass, drums, harmonica, did I mention brass? Not enough songs have good brass sections in it, and what a brilliant ending to a slow starting song.
'Gimmie Five' has a great drum sound to the song, the vocals sound like they are stretched, but it just fits in really well with everything else going on. The synth sounds blends in well with the end of the song.
Track 3 'Floods' starts with some beautiful strings and have main vocals which do sound quite like one of the biggest bands in the world today beginning with a C. It's a lot slower than the other songs, but is very addictive. I want to know where the basis of the song came from, it doesn't sound like it going anywhere, but that's fine.
So far, so good with this mini album, I've had brass and strings with some harmonica thrown in for good measure. Then track 4 'A Grand Defeat' begins slowly, but going by the other songs, it might not end that way, and I was right, it picks up. The sound is quite fast but the whole song sounds slow due to the way the song is sung. That sounds better in my head than the way I have tried to describe it.
Being a sucker for gigs, I was glad to see the Over The Wall are playing in Newcastle in November, so will hopefully be able to get to see them, I would love to see this whole sound performed live.
This is a beautiful small collection of tracks which I will definitely be recommending to other people. This is a must.
Keep an ear out for this band, I am hoping they become bigger, they deserve it.
Listen: www.myspace.com/overthewall
Tracklist:
1. Thurso
2. Gimmie Five
3. Floods
4. A Grand Defeat
Review - Cutaways - Start Stop! Start Stop!
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8 out of 10
Cutaways are a rough-around-the-edges indie-pop trio from Belfast who it's easy to compare to Elle s'appelle and Johnny Foreigner because there are three of them - two boys and one girl - they're offbeat, like keyboards and use a melodica. And they've got big hearts like Slingshot Dakota (another boy/girl band who use primarily keys and drums), which makes them as easy to love as all of the above.
Saying that, 'Lovers Are Lunatics' has tumbling Foalsian riffs and a synthetic, pulsing drive that could be an offshoot of 'Atlas' by Battles. Combined with a catchy clatter-pop chorus and some "ba, ba ba's", it loops and skips into the part of your brain marked 'Smile Now'.
'I Spilled Your Drink So You Broke My Heart', a duet between guitarist Paul McIver and keyboard/melodica player Grace McMacken should be the plot of a short film, and when McIver sings, "We belong in the movies" on 'Weapon Of Choice' it brings up images of sun dappled indie romcoms. Richard Curtis and Hugh Grant would probably dig them too.
Closer 'I Don't Understand What You Don't Say' isn't quite as good as the three songs before it, due to the too sugary synths and sounding like 'In The Morning' by Razorlight. There's till enough good stuff in it though to make you think Cutaways are more than worth keeping. "Are we having fun?" they ask. Yes we are, lots of it.
Listen: www.myspace.com/cutaways
Tracklist:
1. Lovers Are Lunatics
2. Weapon Of Choice
3. I Spilled Your Drink So You Broke My Heart
4. I Don't Understand What You Don't Say
Review - Shinedown - Devour (Single)
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10 out of 10
A crowd favourite on the recent Disturbed tour, Devour is, for me, the tune of the moment and one of the strongest rock singles of 2008. Awesome riffs abound, big shouty lyrics and melodic choruses and some awesome driving drum sounds make this an entirely addictive tune. I love it, and will be heading to town this weekend to pick up the album. Shinedown are my new favourite band and I'll be looking forward to catching them on a headline tour when they make it back to the UK.
Listen: www.myspace.com/shinedown
Tracklist:
1. Devour
Review - Less Than Jake - Abandon Ship (Single)
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8 out of 10
Once marked in my mind as the most random band to support Bon Jovi ever (last gig at the old Wembley Stadium), I have long been a fan of the LTJ crew, experts at the party tune, kings of all things pop and bouncy.
'Abandon Ship' is no exception - it contains the same grooves, thunderous bass and chugging guitars that have become core trademarks for the ska-punk allstars and I look forward to the live shows this November. The B-Side - a live version of my all time favourite 'Look What Happened' is a nice touch too, making me feel that this was a single release just for me.
Listen: www.myspace.com/lessthanjake
Tracklist:
1. Abandon Ship
2. Look What Happened
Review - Alkaline Trio - I Found Away (Single)
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7 out of 10
Alkaline Trio's first record for V2 ('Agony & Irony') follows on in much the same vein as their last two on Vagrant. The'80s MTV rock bombast - the type that Fall Out Boy are going to take to arenas around the world - is probably more pronounced than on 'Good Mourning' and 'Crimson', and their advance into the American mainstream has accelerated. 'Agony & Irony' reached number 13 in the Billboard Chart and the band has even been in the dreadful spoilt brat docusoap 'The Hills'.
'I Found Away' puts Matt Skiba's already odd voice through various FX; synths chime and snares echo like grunge and Green Day never happened. But while they might appear to be pandering to the mainstream, the Trio are actually getting pretty deep on us. The song opens with a quote of Dante's 'The Divine Comedy' and concerns Skiba's partaking in Transcendental Meditation - almost as far away from the band's previous flirtations with the Church of Satan as you can get. How you're supposed to meditate to it rather than pogo is beyond me though.
Listen: www.myspace.com/alkalinetrio
Tracklist:
1. I Found Away
Review - Sonic Orchid - Love & War
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4 out of 10
Sometimes I wonder about the quotes bands use in their PR. Take Saskatchewan's finest, Sonic Orchid. 'Stylistically reminiscent of The Cult and Led Zeppelin', says one 'Prairie Dog'. Their music 'isn't old, rehashed material.it's new and intriguing', opines big Bob Donovan of In-Tune magazine (which has worldwide coverage). Their guitarist, Brad, has been compared to Joe Satriani. Vocalist Christina has 'siren-like vocals'.
I can vouch for the last one but as for the others, I'm afraid not - unless the comparison Brad received was 'you're nothing like Joe Satriani'. There is no Astbury / Duffy swagger or Zep nuclear bomb in a tie-dyed T-shirt. It's all too clean and artificial, like a candle on a mobile phone screen. The band may sound cut from surgical steel and Christina may begin a couple of tracks with a howl Bruce Dickinson would shield a glass from, but as the album plays, the comparisons which spring to mind are very odd, indeed; perhaps laughably, the first one is Rush - obvious for a Canadian rock band, I know, but especially on Fight For Your Right and Hold On the Geddy Lee stylings are quite eerie. Chaos is perhaps the best on offer here, thanks to its use of some old Dio blueprints. Without You is not, thankfully, a Nilsson cover (although Christina would have no trouble with that track, I am sure) but a lost Abba leviathan where Benny and co were trying a 'new direction'. Take Care of You brings in Barbara Dixon - I thought someone had spiked my tea. Alive Again gives us the now-traditional power ballad finish - the particular power ballad in question being the Scorpions' Wind of Change, only bereft of whistling.
The production is suitably huge and the band are obviously aiming their shiny, buff rock arsenal squarely at arenas and sponsorship from whatever gets their fans drunk. However, I think the nearest they'll get is the Canadian equivalent of the Eurovision Song Contest. As a last word from their PR, the 'Orchid may be touring outside Canada. Get out your mobiles and turn that brightness to 11!
Listen: www.myspace.com/sonicorchid
Tracklist:
1. Fight For Your Right
2. Last Time Alone
3. Liar
4. Hold On
5. Chaos
6. Just Need Time
7. Without You
8. Take Care Of You
9. Alive Again
Review - Mike Whellans - Fired Up And Ready
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9 out of 10
You don't instantly associate Scotland with blues, most people wouldn't associate anything other than Muddy Waters and B.B. King playing a 12 Bar standard with blues. To those people I say sit down and listen, because you're about to get a lesson in great music.
From the outset this is an album from the heart, about the only real thing that matters (and often makes) on a great blues record or track. Sure, there's a selection of covers from Rory Gallager, Sleepy John and John Lee Hooker but they're all tracks that evidently, from the emotion in the vocals and the effort applied in playing, mean a lot to Mike and speak to him. This isn't a covers album by any stretch though; Mikes own compositions and arrangements stand up strong on their own two feet, the steady mix of piano, guitar, occasional banjo, harmonica and bass working fantastically as ever.
I couldn't give a favorite track on here, they're all excellent, but as you would expect there are the solo/jam breakouts. "Early In The Morning" has a great piano workout toward the end, the wandering of the instruments on "Diving Duck Blues" sounds fantastic with the harmonica breakout raising the bar even higher. The next step up from this would be a live experience, and with two live bonus tracks it's the closest you'll get on record.
All in all it's a great release from the one man blues powerhouse, well worth that tenner that's burning a hole in your pocket.
Listen: www.myspace.com/mikewhellans
Tracklist:
1. Fired Up And Ready
2. The Boogie Man
3. Going To My Home Town
4. I Want To Hug You
5. Danger Man 2
6. Early In The Morning
7. Winding Track
8. Diving Duck Blues
9. Red Hot Kisses
10. Lonesome Road
11. Worried Mind
12. Nobodies Fault But Mine/Jack O'Diamond
13. Pinetop Moon/Sandy Cameron
14. Ragtime Joe (Live)
15. Strange Love (Live)
Review - Mea - Candyhead
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8 out of 10
Firstly, I nearly couldn't be bothered with this CD - purely based on the fact that it is just a CDr with the name on the band barely legibly scrawled across the bottom. I nearly pushed it to the bottom of the pile. I nearly didn't listen at all.
That would have been a huge mistake.
MEA, romping their way from South Wales to the rest of the world, have offered us five, intricate slices of rock, interweaving a great vocal performance with some excellent guitar work and some big fat beats. Oh yeah, and it helps that a hot girl sings. These are songs about love and hate, about ups and downs and a powerful, melodic sound akin to Tsunami Bomb, A Perfect Circle and Skunk Anansi.
Listen: www.myspace.com/meaofficial
Tracklist:
1. The Carousel
2. Pebble The Rebel
3. Pethadine
4. TIAW
5. Violet Wine
Review - Ava Leigh - La La La (Single)
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7 out of 10
Why does the voice of a conscious reggae sister emerge from this Chester bred girl? Basically, The Ava Story, which is only just a beginning, is already a triumph of an old Jamacian proverb - who feels it, knows it. La la la is a fresh sounding British reggae anthem, stuffed full of wonderful summer vibes, and pushed along by a beat that is bouncier than a bag full of rubber balls.
Track 2 is an instrumental version of the same tune, which is odd, as it is the words and delicate vocal melody that makes this tune stand out.
Buy it. Dance.
Listen: www.myspace.com/avaleigh
Tracklist:
1. La La La
2. La La La (Instrumental)
Review - Lucky Funeral - Lucky Funeral
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3 out of 10
Greek stoner rock. You may not wish to read any further.
For those of you still with us, we have the everything-fuzzier-than-everything-else handbook writ large, here - marijuana's never killed anyone / fuck you, man / yeahhh, fuck you / repeat, ad nauseum. Lucky Funeral may cite the usual Sabbath / Kyuss influences, look like they've stepped straight off the set of Deliverance and bear stage names unfortunately mangled by a Medieval font ( 'Pork Ass' ? 'Dickolis' ?), but what we have here is a very stoned Soundgarden tribute band attempting Mindfunk's Dropped. The title track and Bleeding Thoughts are the high points (pardon the pun), with an evil plod to the former and a twisted violence to the latter. As for the rest, well, start with the sentiment of track three - 'if you don't like what I am, just stay away'. See you, then.
Listen: www.myspace.com/luckyfuneral
Tracklist:
1. My Dealer Is The Best
2. Town
3. Stay Away
4. Babis The Stoned Cat
5. Lucky Funeral
6. Blissful
7. Bleeding Thoughts
8. Drunk Crocodile
Review - Infernophonic - Spark It Up
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3 out of 10
Another day, another female-fronted American rock band appears, bearing comparisons with Heart, Pat Benatar, Led Zep and,er, Aretha Franklin. Infernophonic's Elaine Tuttle can indeed hold those whoops but appears to have chosen the backing of an anaemic Chili Peppers / Living Colour chimera to pound out her Marley ist / Lennon ist manifesto, coming soon to a holiday camp rock night near you. After reading that the band 'draw their inspiration from a laundry list of influences as wide-ranging as Black Box and Black Sabbath', though, I have to say my hopes weren't high and dropped steadily as the album progressed.
The shiny, effects-laden rawk on offer here gradually builds a standard musical placard; 'life wants to kill me, each moment closer to death' (Karmakaze), 'there's so much blood in the streets and nowhere left to retreat' (Take Aim), 'don't be part of the system, break free - it holds you, controls you' (Invisible Slaves). For all its individualist bombast, there is something cultish going on, however. Upon reaching the final track Eye Of The Jedi, all is revealed. The band rock-rap themselves into a frenzy that George Lucas' lawyers would be all over like Bantha boils. Once they'd stopped laughing.
'Jedi / I set my sights like a Jedi / I walk the sky like a Jedi / I got the eye of a Jedi / I got the balls of a Jedi / I even walk like a Jedi / and I've been fighting my whole life.' That's verse one. Talk about believing in your art and suffering for it. They're not drunk, though, in case you were wondering. As We Don't Need It opines: 'Gotta straighten out now / Who's got the yaz? / Line 'em up bash 'em out, baby / turn into a spaz'. At least I assume it's drink they're on about - Googling 'the yaz' turns up a site for birth control pills, so who knows? 'Why do I torture myself?' Tuttle warbles on Anyone Else. I quite agree, love. You're not the droids we're looking for.
Listen: www.myspace.com/infernophonic
Tracklist:
1. Anyone Else
2. Say Whatcha Mean
3. Middle Of The Road
4. Karmakaze
5. Take Aim
6. Thank You
7. Invisible Slaves
8. Be Here Now
9. Hear Me
10. We Don't Need It
11. Yeah Yeah Yeah
12. Eye of the Jedi
Review - Patchwork Grace - Milk Teeth
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7 out of 10
The artwork is excellent on this album and I was also enjoying the big hair from the band members in the sleevenotes, so when I started to listen to the album, I was blown away by the first track, I thought it was going to be like 'The Clash's' debut album with short and fast pop punk rock tunes. Then the first track carried on for a minute and a half too long.
After the first 3 tracks which had started to merge into one, the band then tried to cover a classic 80's tune The Cure's 'Lovecats', now I haven't got anything against a band covering a big tune to try and get their sound heard by a bigger market, but only if the artist(s) tries to play around with the track and put a different sound / stance on it. Unfortunately for me, all Patchwork Grace had done is to play the tune note for note but with the volume turned up.
The album then carried on using feedback and heavy guitars and drums to create a growing and attractive sound, the vocals have a great range including fantastic screeching when it was required.
The track names on this album are brilliant - 'Choc Milk and Cocaine', 'Pink Aniseed' & 'Kharrrarrah' among other great titles.
I'm sure this Midlands band would lay on a very entertaining live show, and I for one would like to see them play this album to a crowd, but maybe give the cover a miss.
The first track 'Lovely' sums up the whole album, a good listen and an album I would go back to, to allow the tunes to grow on me even more. Nikki Sixx would be proud!
Listen: www.myspace.com/pwg
Tracklist:
1. Lovely
2. Soap
3. Zebra
4. Lovecats
5. Kharrrarrah
6. Shminonio
7. Little Me
8. Nancy
9. Estella
10. Meister Clinic
11. Choc Milk & Cocaine
12. Pink Aniseed
13. Doctors Note
Review - Giant Jr - Wherever You Are In The World Here Are Directions Home
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4 out of 10
With their pumping up of Eartha Kitt (if you'll forgive the expression) on the single I Want To Be Evil earlier this year, hopes were high that Giant Jr's debut album would live up to the stylish packaging and hype. I'm sorry to say that it doesn't. The aforementioned Kitt-up is very much the strongest and most interesting track here. As for the rest, well, they're all looking for some primary-coloured, cinema comedy to latch onto, or a girls' night out to soundtrack.
No bad thing if that's what you're after, of course. That Thing in particular sounds ideal for a scene in which Austin Powers farts around a villain's lair, chatting up Elizabeth Hurley. Otherwise, it's 'v. tedious', as Bridget Jones might say. Rock Yo Space and Viva Rock Vegas may go for the ironic-humour vein but end up sounding like a couple of lost Shampoo B-sides. If I Was A Little Drunker has a touch more interesting darkness about it but Marc Almond has picked better tracks from between his toes. All Summer Long grates with its Beach Boy-itis and Pluto-Out's warmth is chopped up by Casiotone percussion. The nadir is What Would You Do With A Million, with its sampled valley-girl 'ums' and 'oks' - it seems we have bypassed kitsch and run straight into shitsch. If pink's your thing, though, then you go, girlfriend!
Listen: www.myspace.com/giantjr
Tracklist:
1. No. 1 Fan
2. What Kind of Girl Are You?
3. I Want To Be Evil (Giant Jr vs Eartha Kitt)
4. Director of First Impressions
5. Rock Yo Space
6. Issimo
7. Boots&Shoes
8. That Thing
9. Hairgrip
10. Viva Rock Vegas
11. What Would You Do With A Million
12. If I Was A little Drunker
13. All Summer Long
14. Pluto-Out
Review - Lesser Panda - Ghostdance (Single)
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5 out of 10
When people try to describe a new band or a single, they have to either a) compare them to two or three other bands or b) have to coin a new phrase to describe their sound.
Get this for a phrase (taken direct from the press release) - Gothic Disco House! Listening to this single, I can hear the influence of the gothic sound, mostly The Cure. The vocals on the first song are a Robert Smith 'stars in your eyes' sound-a-like. I haven't a clue where the Disco House comes into it and I struggled to hear it in the original tracks. I heard the House sound in a couple of the remixes, which didn't really pick up as much as they should do and became a slight bore on the ear.
The sound starts to work on the second listen, but some people might not give the single a second listen.
When I received this single, I was hoping the single would live up to the excellent band name and the excellent artwork, unfortunately it didn't. Not bad for a debut single, just not as good as the excellent hopes.
Listen: www.myspace.com/lesserpandamusic
Tracklist:
1. Ghostdance
2. Carousel
3. Ghostdance (Moscow remix)
4. Carousel (Drums of Death remix)
5. Ghostdance (Heartbreak remix)
Review - Loz Jones - Spoiling It For Everyone
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6 out of 10
'It's not bad, but it's not brilliant' is a comment that could be applied to so many releases by so many bands. Mostly these are pub bands that have been convinced that their live performances warrant an attempt at the big time. Unfortunately, while many of them will certainly keep you entertained while you down a few pints and nip outside for a fag between sets, few of them actually do the business on the little round plastic disks. This isn't to say the bands are awful but it does mean they don't quite cut the mustard.
So it is my due to inform you that Loz Jones' new album is not bad, but it's not brilliant either. Initial opener, 'Edge of Town' sounds like Right Said Fred gone rock. And that's the only real stand out track. It's all right, worth a listen, but after that things go downhill pretty sharpish. "Beautifully Naive" is a bog standard generic plodder whilst the follow up "How Can I Sleep?" is almost guaranteed to cure insomnia. And forever after is a pop/rock jog. It's not a complete slate fest. The production is mint, the band can play technically well and there are some good riffs, melodies and the bass stands out well. The two things that drag this release down are vocals and lyrics. Vocals are weak, sometimes sound strained, of key or out of tune. Lyrics are dull, uninspired and boring. A bit like Orson in a sense, but with better instrumentalists.
I could of just sat down and said, "It's crap son", as it happens it's not and has its points worth mentioning. It's not bad, but it's not brilliant either.
Listen: www.myspace.com/lozjonesmusic
Tracklist:
1. Edge Of Town
2. Beautifully NaÃŊve
3. How Can I Sleep
4. Out Of Focus
5. 3-Minute Hug
6. Idiot Room
7. Watching You Think
8. She Glows In The Dark
9. It's Time
10. Heckle
11. Awaking Times
Review - Benji Hughes - A Love Extreme
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8 out of 10
Benji Hughes is set to release his debut album 'A Love Extreme' on the 17th November. The album comprises of two CDs, with 25 songs! The album covers a wide range of subjects and genres, but is set in pop rock folk. There's something distinctly electronic about the whole thing too. Standout songs for me include 'All you got to do is fall in love' and the quirky 'Neighbour down the hall'. There's a good mixture of up tempo songs and low-key songs on the album, my favourite being 'Girl in the tower'. Lyrically, Hughes has some impressive songs and also there's some really nice melodies mixed in to the whole thing, with good instrumentation that crosses the acoustic/ electro boundaries really well.
It's hard to sum the whole thing up, it's different, it's unique, and it's definitely worth a listen. It won't be for everyone, but it's a promising debut from a clearly talented artist.
Listen: www.myspace.com/benjihughes
Tracklist:
Disc 1:
1. I am you, you are me, we are one
2. Tight tee shirt
3. You stood me up
4. Neighbor down the hall
5. Waiting for an invitation
6. Cornfields
7. Why do these parties always end the same way?
8. Where do old lovers go?
9. Do you think they would tell you?
10. All you've got to do is fall in love
11. Mmmmmmmm
Disc 2:
1. Even if
2. Girl in the tower
3. Vibe so hot
4. So well
5. The mummy
6. Love is a razor
7. I went with some friends to see the flaming lips
8. Coyotes
9. Ladies on parade
10. Jubalee
11. So much better
12. Love on a budget
13. Lyegue
14. Baby, it's your life!
Review - Dog Years - Frankenstein Songs
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7 out of 10
Dog Years are set to release their second album 'Frankenstein Songs' on December 11th. The album, consisting of twenty songs, aims to bend the understanding of guitar-based pop, whilst still keeping true to the important roots of it all, such as strong melodies and well thought out lyrics.
The album starts with 'Bellyaches' a song that incorporates good arrangements with nice production effects, even if slightly unnecessary to the song. The album goes on to provide an hours worth of promising music from this Newcastle based band. Tracks that standout are 'Nothing to No One' which is a breezy pop tune, 'Suddenly Start to Say' and 'Don't trust that girl'. There's something really 60s going on here, and there's a good vibe to the whole album. It feels like it's been recorded in quite a lo-fi way, which is great, however this doesn't excuse the odd timing error and mistake here or there.
Overall, this is a good collection of songs from this northern band, which offers promising music built around good influences.
Listen: www.myspace.com/dogyearsmusic
Tracklist:
1. Bellyaches
2. Nothing to No One
3. The Sun Don't Shine
4. Your Waves
5. Reduced to Clear
6. Circuits are Blown
7. Suddenly start to say
8. In Stitches
9. 7 years bad luck
10. Mixtape
11. Making it worse
12. Don't trust that girl
13. Wedding song
14. Kindness kills
15. Under the weather
16. Can't tell up from down
17. Sell yourself
18. Remain a butterfly
19. Postcard from a seaside town
20. Hey, little bird
Friday, 24 October 2008
News - Langhorne Slim & The War Eagles
Langhorne Slim & The War Eagles tour the UK on these dates:
Thu 30th Oct London, Scala (supporting Johnny Flynn with Amy LaVere), UK
Fri 31st Oct Nottingham, Bodega Social, UK
Sat 1st Nov Manchester, Green Windmill, UK
Sun 2nd Nov Glasgow, Nice N' Sleazy's, UK
Mon 3rd Nov Dublin, Sugar Club, Ireland
Wed 5th Nov London, Borderline, UK (Headline show)
News - Blakfish Demos Online
Submitted: "Blakfish have just made two brand new demos available online. The first, ’Pretty As A Peacock (Fashion)’ can be heard on episode 9 of the BSM podcast. Along with tracks from Pulled Apart By Horses, Shield Your Eyes, Anathallo and more, it can be downloaded from iTunes or as an MP3 from the www.bsmrocks.com
In January the band will head to Seattle to record their debut album with Chris Common, drummer with These Arms Are Snakes. The album is tentatively set for an early summer release."
Thursday, 23 October 2008
Review - Houston Calls - The End Of An Error
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6 out of 10
Produced by Mark Weinberg, The End of an Error is the follow-up release to the full-length debut, A Collection of Short Stories. The songs possess expressive lyrics and the easy hooks and melodies that the band has become known for.
The End of An Error is a great big shiny record in terms of its top notch production and stands out for fans of McFly, Hello Goodbye, and other pop rock acts.
There are a couple of tunes that stand out on the album - Life Won’t Wait, Things Are Happening and I Fancy Abroad immediately spring to mind. In fact there is something Muse-esque about Life Won’t Wait at the start. Being a giant metal-head, there isn't much here for me, but I can see what makes these guys popular as the main theme of the album is dealing with difficult times and not giving up and I guess that's a decent message for the teenage market these guys are clearly aimed at.
Listen: www.myspace.com/houstoncalls
Tracklist:
1. Modest Manifesto
2. Life Won’t Wait
3. A Shot In The Dark
4. Things Are Happening
5. Stay With Me Tonight
6. I Fancy Abroad
7. Nagoya
8. Behind The Gun
9. Abandone
10. You Can’t Simi
11. The Oaks On Prince St
12. Dork Thinks He’s Gonna Drown
Review - Cruel Hand - Prying Eyes
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9 out of 10
Maine is better known for producing the master of modern horror fiction Stephen King than it is for hardcore bands, however all that is about to change. Cruel Hand stormed on to the contemporary hardcore scene in 2007 with their debut "Without A Pulse" and set forth distancing themselves from their former bands and creating a legacy of their own rapidly.
Album opener Above & Below is a stern warning of what is about to come, with it's standard, but hard as nails cymbal trapped, palm muted guitar chug intro. This leads into possibly the hardest track I've heard this year in the form of Dead Weight. The thrashy foundations that made the tracks on Without A Pulse so good are still in place; yet they have compressed and in most places removed all the filler material. With that in mind Prying Eyes is most definitely a massive step forward from Without A Pulse. From start to finish a pure, fist clenched rager of a record.
Listen: www.myspace.com/cruelhand
Tracklist:
1. Above and Below
2. Dead Wight
3. Life In Shambles
4. Begin Descension
5. Motions That Lie
6. Hounds
7. Damaged Goods
8. Heart Failure
9. No Known Graves
10. Prying Eyes
11. House Arrest
12. Wisdom Pain
Review - The Brascoes - First Impressions Of You (Single)
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5 out of 10
Bands that have broken out of Birmingham in the last few years have had mixed fortunes - mainly because of their mixed abilities. Johnny Foreigner are loved by just about everyone while The Twang have become a byword for massive flop and making the 'NME' look stupid for sticking them on the cover. And in the middle are Editors who are alright.
Brummies The Brascoes have recorded their debut single with Twang and Editors producer Gavin Monaghan, look like Top Man models (indie one, rock god one, street one, other one) and play Asda George indie.
Both songs here are lighter versions the tightly knitted post-punk of Editors and early Bloc Party - singer/guitarist Dan Jones has picked up Kele Okereke's habit of yelping the end of sentences too. The lyrics on 'First Impressions Of You' become a self-fulfilling prophecy though, when Jones sings: "It's all just shades of the same grey"; and, "You can't see that the route that you are taking/Is the same one that everyone else is taking now." Actually, the latter isn't strictly true; it's the same route everyone took about three years ago.
Listen: www.myspace.com/thebrascoeshome
Tracklist:
1. First Impressions Of You
2. Private March
Review - Pulled Apart By Horses - Meat Balloon (Single)
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9 out of 10
Leeds four-piece Pulled Apart By Horses are the bridge between much-in favour US noise rock (Oxes, Parts & Labor, et al), the wild hardcore of Rolo Tomassi and shiny, mainstream rock melodies - it's a bridge that goes in lots of directions.
With their scrappy fluorescent logo through to images of meat balloons and being ripped in half by large animals, PABH deliver a beefy mix, violence, the grotesque and fun. The mutated Morello riffs on 'The Lighthouse' and 'Super Hang-On' drag out what's left of your fist-pumping adolescence, but it's the A-side which really marks PABH out.
'Meat Balloon' holds up and plays with some of modern punk's stereotypes - the sweaty machismo ("WE ARE SO MACHO! WE ARE SO, SO, SO!"); the obsession in interviews with the ironic '80s (in particular 'Back To The Future' and 'Bill & Ted') - over riffs that funk and beats that snap like limbs. It builds and then falls into a heavy lurch to the finish; showing they can make your head bang as well as twisting it.
Listen: www.myspace.com/pulledapartbyhorses
Tracklist:
1. Meat Balloon
2. The Lighthouse
3. Super Hang-On
Review - Jake One - White Van Music
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7 out of 10
Hip Hop legend Posdnuos from De La Soul, MOP, Busta Rhymes, G-Unit's Young Buck are just some of the class acts who are gracing Jake One's debut album 'White Van Music'.
I've enjoyed some of the solo albums by members of G-Unit, and as Jake One is an associated mainstay with the group, I was looking forward to listening to this album. As I have been into Hip Hop since 1985, I'm getting on a bit now! I'm always up for listening to new rappers and like to see where people are going to take the art form next.
The album starts off with some great samples and just doesn't stop for a break, each track blends into the next one easily. The tracks are so well produced, which is what you would expect from someone who has worked with such world class acts.
Basing his sound on the influencing early rap sounds created by DJ Premier and Dr. Dre, Jake One takes the listener on a journey through various rappers and stories. Jake One doesn't seem to bow down to pressure and allow his sound to be like all other mainstream hip hop, this album would sound as good in a kids bedroom or Mp3 player in the Uk or downtown LA.
I like the fact that the large rap acts are performing alongside newer acts such MF DOOM and Casual among others. The whole album just works and I would recommend this album to older listeners of rap or anyone who enjoys a perfectly put together hip hop album.
Listen: www.myspace.com/jakeone
Tracklist:
1. I’m Coming - Jake One & Black Milk/Nottz
2. Gangsta Boy - Jake One & MOP
3. Truth - Jake One & Freeway/Brother Ali
4. Turn It Down - Jake One
5. God Like - Jake One & D. Black
6. Bless The Child - Jake One & Little Brother
7. Oh Really - Jake One & Posdnuos/Slug
8. Hi - Jake One
9. Trap Door - Jake One & MF Doom
10. Dead Wrong - Jake One & Young Buck
11. Kissin’ The Curb - Jake One & Bishop Lamont/Busta Rhymes
12. How We Ride - Jake One & Freeway
13. White Van - Jake One & Alchemist/Evidence/Prodigy
14. Big Homie Style - Jake One & J. Pinder/GMK/Spaceman
15. Scared - Jake One & Blueprint
16. Great Sound - Jake One
17. Get ’Er Done - Jake One & MF Doom
18. Feelin’ My Shit - Jake One & Casual
19. Soil Raps - Jake One & Keak Da Sneak
20. Glow - Jake One & Elzhi/Royce Da 5’9"
21. R.I.P. - Jake One
22. Home - Jake One & Vitamin D/C Note/Maine/Ish
Review - Long Day Gone - Don't Say Goodbye (Single)
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6 out of 10
After my first listen, the title track sounded nothing more than ok. It slowly grows on you a little bit at a time, but I kept giving it a listen to see if I was missing something, instead of following my first impressions of 'why is this being released?'
Then I started to get it! It is a very well put together song and it all works well together.
The drumming is very prominent in the single and the vocals do make you want to sing along.
I don't know why, and this doesn't happen very often, but I wanted to know a bit more about this band and did want to hear more.
If I was to suggest anything, it would be to go their myspace page and check out some of their other tunes. 'Fallout' is a great track available to listen to on their www. and definitely worth listening to.
I wish the best of luck to this band; it's a shame they seem to only stick to the Midlands when playing live, instead of coming up north, by looking at their videos, they will probably be quite good.
Listen: www.myspace.com/longdaygone
Tracklist:
1. Don't Say Goodbye
2. We Are
Review - Senses Fail - Family Tradition (Single)
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7 out of 10
Lots of punk and hardcore bands have come from New Jersey over the years, but Senses Fail always stand out even if their music doesn't. The existential pop-punks took their name from Buddhism and the concept of Nirvana and singer James 'Buddy' Nielsen has 'follow your bliss' - the mantra of religious philosopher Joseph Campbell - tattooed across his chest. Which is pretty heavy for a 24-year-old frontman of a pop-punk band.
SF's third LP, 'Life Is Not A Waiting Room', deals wrestles with the big question: 'What is life for?', inspired by Nielsen's relationship with a fan called Marcel who died of cancer, and is also a break up record.
'Family Tradition' is therefore pretty stirring and urgent stuff, the anthem factor upped even more by the presence of Hot Water Music's Jason Black on bass (apparently this is only a temporary measure but he hasn't left yet). They fire their pop-punk template into the stars much like Angels & Airwaves do but land a lot closer to Earth than they might like. Blink 18-U2, if you will.
Listen: www.myspace.com/sensesfail
Tracklist:
1. Family Tradition
Review - Various - Throats/the_Network - Notes From The Turncoat Campaign
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8 out of 10
Sometimes noise can be intimidating, other times it can be exhilarating to immerse yourself in the extremities of volume and be excited by something that's just really, really loud. With Throats (London) and the_Network (New Hampshire, USA) instruments merge into one thick, dark mass - guitars, bass, drums and voices matted together with one focus.
On 'Black Thursday' and 'The World Won't Listen' by Throats and 'Rabid Electronics' and '500 Pounds Of Idiot' by the_Network are hefty, cartilage-smashing strikes to the nose - but there are still discernible riffs, melodies and narratives in with the impenetrable. There's a range to the growls, shouts and howls of Throats. the_Network deliberately show less control and are more savage in their post-Botch/Converge metallic hardcore - their first contribution thrashes like a cat o'nine tails; their second is a chugging blitz.
It's the final song from each band that reveal why Holy Roar have so much faith in them though. With 'Hibernate', Throats expand slow the pace and draw out their fury to include threatening grooves and engrossing drones. While with 'R. Taylor' the_Network actually simplify things rather than expand them, clarifying every element of their sound, making the song craft that goes into heavy music more obvious than it usually is. Which is for the good, because both of these bands are two of the most intriguing around, as well as the most noisy.
Listen: www.myspace.com/throatsofgold, www.myspace.com/thenetworkmetal
Tracklist:
1. Throats - Black Thursday
2. Throats - The World Won't Listen
3. Throats - Hibernate
4. the_Network - Rabid Electronics
5. the_Network- 500 Pounds Of Idiot
6. the_Network - R. Taylor
Review - Less Than Jake - Abandon Ship (Single)
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6 out of 10
Far from drawing a line under their last nine LPs, this summer's re-releases have taken Less Than Jake back to beginning - with a record more akin to their early work and fittingly called 'GNV FLA' (or 'Gainesville, Florida' for those of us not familiar with zip codes and stuff), after their hometown.
The guitars are crunchy, the brass bounces and blares as resoundingly as it has done for the last 16 years and Chris Demakes and Roger Manganelli's vocals are as gravely and nasal as ever, but things are more controlled than before and Vinnie Fiorello's lyrics find LTJ in a thoughtful mood - reflecting on their hometown and the people in it who are finding life a struggle despite $700bn bailouts ("I'm treading water with weight around my neck").
Sometimes you can even feel the beginnings of goosebumps, but despite LTJ maturing 'Abandon Ship' sounds a bit like Busted.
Listen: www.myspace.com/lessthanjake
Tracklist:
1. Abandon Ship
Review - Cruiserweight - Big Bold Letters
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5 out of 10
So then, you may well be asking who are Cruiserweight? Well, as their press release answers that one far better than I ever could:
"Cruiserweight is a female-fronted Pop / Rock band from Austin, TX, who have shared the stage with bands like Hot Water Music, The Get Up Kids, Saves The Day, Dashboard Confessional, and American Hi Fi. "
Unfortunately from here onwards the press release spiralled off into some pretty weird directions, talking about Cruiserweight's tour van getting hijacked by Osama Bin Laden, which is not what I look for in a press release. In fact I just wanted to know a bit about their influences and their work to date. Instead I was informed that.
"There are no mantras. We don't feel restricted by what's cool or acceptable right this minute - if we did, we'd stand no chance of lasting, and then the Thanksgiving dinner that followed the break-up would be a little bleak. We just do what we love - it's the only thing that feels right. Shit, maybe that's our mantra. And you know who hates cheesy optimistic mantras? That's right. Terrorists."
Do terrorists hate cheesy optimistic mantras? I cannot say as I tend to consort with terrorists. If I do however choose to consort with terrorists at any point in the future I think the following question, would be pretty close to the bottom on my list of conversations starters.
"Do you hate cheesy optimistic mantras made by female fronted Pop Punk bands from Texas? Is that why you want to blow shit up?"
The press release does not disappoint in its twisted tendencies, instead finishing in full stride,
"We embody the American dream. We're gonna have a big-ass American flag airbrushed on the side of our van next week. not really. But it's plain to see how I could actually think that Al Qaeda is after us. No matter what stands in our way, you know who'll prevail. Go ask George W. Bush. C-R-U-I-S-E-R-W-E-I-G-H-T spells FREEDOM, bitches. Hallelujah."
I some how doubt that any faction of Al Qaeda have serious issue with Cruiserweight specifically over any other Western Pop band. Further more I doubt that George Dubya could spell freedom or Cruiserweight, but once again I think I would have more pressing queries to put to him if I had the opportunity.
This press release gets 2/10. Having taken care of that it is time to deal with the record itself.
The opening track, "Calling you from hell", is a power strummed acoustic number from the group's female vocalist that sounds like it was recorded on an in MP3 player in a motel bathroom - in a good way of course. It is short and stark and an unexpected beginning for a 'Punk' record. It then kicks straight into "Balboa", reputedly the first single and after the group name the first of many bizarre boxing references that reoccur through out the album.
"Been lying on the mat too long
I always thought I was unfit to be strong
And I thought a change would never come
But I could be wrong
Slim chance for an underdog
Glued down on my knees
I was a mess back then
I never knew when was when"
The lyrics seem to allude to relationships with a sparkling Pop Punk sheen of catching riffs and palm muted chugs. if Sylvester Stallone chose to make another Rocky movie and used this track for the theme it would probably sink the rocky franchise into the realms of "Robocop 4: (Prime Directives)" or "A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master", which was released with a music video of Freddy Kruger collaborating on the track "Are you ready for Freddy?" with the overweight 1980's rap group The Fat Boys.
"Distraction" sounds reminiscent of old school Offspring, pounding drums and brooding riffs, which suddenly jumps into soaring vocals more akin to Blink 182.
"Burst the bubble" has more elusions to violent sports, or as least knee capping people with a baseball bat which could be considered a sport in certain circles. Yet there is no lyrical reference to the classic arcade game Bubble Bobble which is a missed opportunity for sure. There are good choruses and breaks, but to interject does Cruiserweight have a video with skateboarding in it? "Burst the bubble" defiantly should, I can just imagine some washed up ex pro (like Jason Lee?) eating shit on a twelve stair hand rail as the song shifts to it's refrain.
"I did it to myself" has no lyrical content about masturbation while the morose guitar parts sound reminiscent of "Epic" by faith no more. "Sustainer" could really be a song about Viagra, but once again has no lyrical references to sexual health; it begins with spacey Radioheadesque riffs before tripping into familiar Pop Punk territory
"You don't get it" is more of an Indie affair sitting nearer to the Arctic Monkeys with a swinging rhythm and a belting chorus. "Spread like fingers" is a more sedate affair, like a Sheryl Crow track about a break up or something similar, though I am pretty sure it is not about how readily AIDS spreads. Boxing references are a plenty, covet commentary on sexual health all but absent.
"Spread like fingers" is another candidate for the genre I have being imagining as of recent (and trying to reality). It is called 'Dawson's Creek Core': Fast pounding pop punk with fast rolling bass, short and clean or else bleeding heart sparkly melodies that can be set in perfect time to pretty teenagers crying about their best friend being gay.
"When will you dig" (Turtle necks?) is a title that moves away from possible sexual innuendos, while musically is more spacey and brooding, almost Emo. At this point any novelty the record held begins to wear off: there are some lyrics about Richmond, Virginia and some interesting chords but otherwise it all gets rather formulaic. "You were right" can sure lay claim to some choppy riffs and off beat drums as it steadily gets harder while "(That's my) Hammer Time" is filled with dark palm muted chugging, morose vocals and a general ambience that leaps up and down, but there are few surprises. In addition it sounds nothing like MC Hammer which was rather disappointing. "We totally still love each other" sounds vaguely like The Killers in the verses, yet once again it is much of the same in the chorus, only occasionally cutting into reggae off beats and ringing notes.
If there is ever a teen pop drama set in Southern California centred on female boxers put into production Cruiserweight will be riding the streets of Austin in gold plated Cadillacs. As far as female fronted Punk groups go they don't even come close to the full on, fuck you Punk aesthetic of The Distillers or the timeless quality of The Pretenders. While the press release was a complete disaster the music was generally better, still I cannot really hate and nor really like it, instead I can merely make silly jokes about the titles of their songs.
Listen: www.myspace.com/cruiserweight
Tracklist:
1. Calling You From Hell
2. Balboa
3. Distraction
4. Burst The Bubble
5. Sustainer
6. You Don’t Get It!
7. Spread Like Fingers
8. Slack
9. When Will You Dig?
10. Envelope
11. You Were Right
12. (That’s My) Hammer Time
13. We Totally Still Love Each Other
Review - Shaggy - The Boombastic Collection
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6 out of 10
When I got asked to do this review I thought "great I used to love Shaggy when I was younger" and it brought all those memories of dancing in the "Summertime".
For those of you like me who remember Shaggy's main hits "Boombastic", "In the Summertime", "It wasn't Me" and "Oh Carolina" you might be a bit disappointed as these were about the only songs that you'll recognise. However on saying that not recognising some of the songs is not a bad thing they are good and along the same vein as the ones you know and love but just aren't quite as catchy.
He has put out a lot of collaborations with artists and some work and some don't. Some of those who he is singing with I haven't even heard of! But that might be just me. Others artists he's worked with like the Pussycat Dolls I do know, but the actual song I've never heard before on the radio, which is a shame as it's a good track.
Overall it is a feel good album with some great tracks on it and, well, if you like Shaggy it's one to buy.
Listen: www.myspace.com/shaggy
Tracklist:
1. Boombastic
2. Strength of a woman
3. Angel
4. Hey Sexy Lady
5. Feel the rush
6. Those days
7. Don't ask her that
8. It wasn't me
9. Hope
10. In the Summertime
11. Luv me, luv me
12. Oh Carolina
13. Ready fi di ride
14. Church heathen
15. Leave it to me
16. Would you be
17. Wild 2 Nite
18. Gone with the angels
Review - Plain White T’s - Natural Disaster (Single)
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6 out of 10
This is a fair offering from a band that will forever be plagued by their own success in the form of that damn Delilah song. It is a quirky, upbeat pop tune that may do little to change the world, but is a fairly happy way to spend 210 seconds.
The single is a taste of the band's new album "Big Bad World" which is released world-wide on October 20th on Hollywood Records and should, hopefully, win over the legions of Radio One listeners who finally came to their senses and stopped buying Delilah!
Listen: www.myspace.com/plainwhitets
Tracklist:
1. Natural Disaster
Review - The Becoming - Volume 1
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7 out of 10
Observation number one - visually, The Becoming could well be confused for Avenged Sevenfold. It made me chuckle.
Observation number two - they don't half sound like them too.
But there is something more accessible about The Becoming. Album opener 'Dressed in Black' sets a great tone for the debut album, which is so perfectly polished in its production that I can metaphorically see my own face in it. Taking their name from the vampire literatary term for the point at which a human becomes a vampire, the band strike an awesome pose, clad from head to toe in black, their music drenched in rich guitar tones and icy synth tones.
This is a band to watch and will appeal to the masses of teenagers looking for the next big thing - The Becoming are indeed, er, The Coming.
Stand out tunes include 'Heaven isn't so far', 'Under the full eclipse' and 'Silent as the grave'.
Listen: www.myspace.com/wearethebecoming
Tracklist:
1. Dressed In Black
2. The One To Hurt You
3. Our First Sunrise
4. I Cry
5. Silent As The Grave
6. The Night That Has No Morning
7. We're Already Dead
8. Your Love
9. Heaven Isn't So Far
10. Somebody Didn't Come Home Last Night
11. Escape You
12. We Close Our Eyes
13. Under The Full Eclipse
Review - Dr Slaggleberry - Tuc Into The Tar
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5 out of 10
The white-masked doctors are back with their unique blend of math metal, progressive rock, jazzcore and experimental sounds but, well, it's all a little dull.
Anything I was going to get from the this band was available in the first 30 seconds of Extra Strength Grandma and this is one of the dangers of instrumental bands, quite often there is a huge hole left by the lack of a vocal line.
In fact, it's not until two minutes and thirty seconds into the third track that the tunes caught my attention and I can't help but feel that was a bit long to wait.
Meh.
Listen: www.myspace.com/drslaggleberry
Tracklist:
1. Extra Strength Grandma
2. Lead Rabbit
3. Tails Of The Blind Donkey
Review - Fightstar - The English Way (Single)
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7 out of 10
Dear Charlie Simpson,
Further to my last letter (http://www.dieshellsuit.co.uk/article_detail.asp?rID=2806) I would like to congratulate you on such an awesome single. Frankly, it was a long time coming, but I forgive you. The English Way is a powerful tune, with some gut-ripping guitar riffs and a big fat chorus that I like to scream at the top of my lungs when I drive up the motorway at 90mph. And the words are so easy to remember!
Thanks Charlie, you have restored my faith in Fightstar once more. I shall immediately get rid of that Son of Dork poster that currently adorns my bedroom wall.
Regards,
Gray Thomas
Listen: www.myspace.com/fightstar
Tracklist:
1. The English Way
Review - Enter Shikari - We Can Breathe In Space, They Just Don’t Want Us To Escape (Single)
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7 out of 10
Proudly claiming the award for the longest song title of 2008, Enter Shikari are back with their latest single and damn, it's a good'un. Released on their own label (would they have it any other way?), WCBISTJDWUTE demonstrates a darker edge to the band's previous form and conjures up thoughts of some kind of heavy metal rave scene and the nice thing about it is that it's a single for a single's sake, not as part of the promotion of some new album.
Produced by Andy Gray and delivered on a multitude of formats, including a coloured 7" vinyl, and the 21st century standard - the digital download, this is a tune that will go down well with fans, and may just attract a few new ones along the way.
Apparently, according to the press release anyway, Enter Shikari rules.
Listen: www.myspace.com/entershikari
Tracklist:
1. We Can Breathe In Space, They Just Don’t Want Us To Escape