#308: Linkin Park - The Hunting Party

Album Review: Linkin Park - The Hunting Party (2014)

This review was originally written for Muso's Guide. Click here to read in full.

#286: Introducing...U&I Top Ten (U&I Music Magazine - May Issue)

Somehow or another, a whole year has gone by since I started writing for U&I and a lot has happened in those 12 months; I graduated, got fatter, saw some amazing bands and got fatter still. One thing which hasn't changed however, is the constant outpouring of good, quality music that comes out of Manchester. Now given that I can only feature one band a month, there's been plenty of top acts that I've had to pass on, so it seems only fair that I take this opportunity to big up some of the bands which didn't quite make my column, but could have done quite easily.

Jeremiah Ferrari

With their foundations firmly set in the traditional roots/reggae movement fused together with elements of ska and calypso, Jeremiah Ferrari are a far cry from Manchester's assumed indie heritage. Soulful vocals and upstrokes make for an ultimate party band, but that shouldn't detract from the solid song-writing and genuinely catchy melodies that perpetuate the band's music. Their live shows too, are fantastic.

Check out: Jazz Cigarette

The Gramotones

Another end of the spectrum now, The Gramotones' sound is a rich and melodic pop affair flecked with moments of solid indie and occasional camp theatrics. Having recently earned themselves a support slot on Paul Weller's forthcoming European tour, it's obvious that the band are going in the right direction; their lavish vocal melodies are steeped the '60s, affording the band a timelessness not often seen in such a relatively young act.

Check out: M62

Feed the Kid

Feed the Kid uphold an undeniable sense of the bucolic, their emotionally-driven folk building on a same foundations as bands such as Bear's Den. Those anticipating the Mumford and Sons branded arena folk will be disappointed, however, as there's a definite and appealing roughness at play too, which one can assume is an aesthetic decision given the polish over the anthemic 'Fellaheen'.

Check out: Kerry

No Hot Ashes

Reasonably new to the Manchester scene, No Hot Ashes fuse together funk with infectious indie that's hard not to sit up and take notice of. Championed by the illusive promoter/podcaster Mr Peeps it won't be long before No Hot Ashes follow in a similar direction to the likes of Puppet Rebellion; their music more danceable than Pup Reb's but both equally as solid in execution. Expect big things over the next few months.

Check out: Skeleton

The Backhanders

The Backhanders first caught my attention towards the end of last year, as much for their haircuts as for their melodic fusion of both punk and mod sounds. Seemingly causing a bit of a stir on the unsigned scene around Manchester at the moment, it's easy to see why. As the band flit from Stone Roses/Oasis-esque heady brit-pop to two-tone tinged punk, it's not hard to imagine a rowdy Manc crowd thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Check out: Don't Let Your Man Know

Lucky T. Jackson

Cheating a bit with this one, but the band, in this iteration at least, haven't been together all that long. With some members formerly of Manc band The Quangos, Lucky T. Jackson are fortunate enough to have people with a vested interest in them almost right off the bat. Having seen their debut gig at The Whisky Jar, I felt almost obligated to include them; their infectious blend of contemporary indie and sugary '60s harmonies proving too much of a draw not to mention. Potential for a full column piece in the coming months for sure.

Check out: This Particular Girl

Stolen Haven

Having seen Stolen Haven live a couple of times now, I know for a fact that they're one of the most promising live bands coming up in Manchester at the moment; their solid no nonsense indie earning them support slots with the likes of Puppet Rebellion. While their overall sound is nothing new, the confidence they have in themselves makes for some solid song-writing that just can't be ignored. Quiet on the release front of late, we can presume new things will emerge later this year.

Check out: Decent Shoes

The Lottery Winners

'Born in Salford, raised on romance' proclaims the Facebook page of The Lottery Winners, and from the first moments of hearing their bubblegum indie-pop, it's obvious how true that is. This is a band who don't so much wear their heart on their sleeve as wave it on a flag above their heads. You can almost imagine that this is what Morrisey might have sounded like had someone introduced him to Prozac.

Check out: I Only Want to Be With You

The Bluntskins

Not quite the usual fare here, The Bluntskins are one of Manchester's best hip-hop outfits who make their appreciation of cannabis culture known. Made up of two rappers, Bill Sykes and Cheech, and completed by producer DJ Pro P, the trio use a mixture of beats, bars and samples, resulting in a heady combination that just begs to blaze to. The lyrical content might not be to everyone's tastes, as might not the fractured but expertly mixed backing tracks, but for those who appreciate a little indulgence from time to time, or just like some good old fashioned hip-hop, then they could do far worse then checking out The Bluntskins.

Check out: High As A Helicopter

Kult Country

Part of Sways Records, (whose roster once boasted MONEY), Kult Country are a band without boundaries. Their music, though hard to pin down, draws from the likes of My Bloody Valentine, but isn't completely indebted to them, fusing together shoegaze and noise with elements of sparse post-punk and futuristic techno. It's an odd combination, but it's an exciting one, and we can hope to see far more of them this year, as they aim to follow in the footsteps of their previous label mates.

Check out: Slowburn

This article was originally written for this month's edition of U&I Magazine - you can read the rest of the magazine by clicking here.

#271: Catching Up With...Itch

After the dissolution of The King Blues in 2012, front-man Johnny Fox, aka ITCH, struck out on his own. With a handful of EPs already under his belt, and his debut album out today, Louder Than War’s Dave Beech caught up with him for a Q&A. (This interview was done before today so any references to the “forthcoming” album are to the one released today!)

Having recently been on tour with Dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip, it seems that ex-King Blues frontman Itch has barely had time to catch his breath over the last 12 months. Following a string of festival appearances over Summer, Itch immediately embarked on a run of smaller UK shows just prior to Christmas, before setting off once again for his current support slot.

With all that touring it hardly seems possible that he would have been able to find time to record his forthcoming album, The Deep End, let alone take a break from everything to catch up with us. Find time he did though, all the while musing on politics, Tim Armstrong and errr, Russel Brand.

This interview was originally conducted for Louder Than War. Click here to read the complete thing.

#237: dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip - Academy 2, Manchester - 19/01/14

Gig Review: dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip - Academy 2, Manchester - 19/01/14

This review was originally written for Muso's Guide. Click the link above to read in full.

#187: dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip - Ruby Lounge, Manchester - 16/10/13

Gig review: dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip - Ruby Lounge, Manchester - 16/10/13

This review was originally written for Muso's Guide. Click the link above to read in full.

#176: Mikill Pane - Blame Miss Barclay

Despite being a fan of hip-hop and rap, my experience of writing about and reviewing it is fairly limited. It's with this in mind that I approach my review of the début full-length from Ed Sheeran championed rapper Mikill Pane, with caution. Blame Miss Barclay is 15 tracks of sun-soaked hip-pop that paints pictures of life in the country's capital through often upbeat and optimistic lyricism that's occasionally offset by an austere edge that manages to propel Pane just beyond the commercial pitfalls that befell the likes of Dizzee Rascal's later releases. As a result, this leaves an album that's got a raw, gritty candour about it whilst managing to maintain a commercial quality that will appeal to even the most fair-weather rap fans.

The eponymous 'Blame Miss Barclay' is a solid way in which to kick off proceedings; a rap/metal fusion that packs more than it's fair share of punch and is an ode to a high school teacher to whom Pane credits his love of language, something which becomes evident in later tracks. Conversely, following track 'Roll On' couldn't be more different. Produced by dubstep/grime ensemble True Tiger, the track is a laid back, blissed out dub that features the expected upstrokes and excellently integrated brass that make the track a true Summer beat whilst track three 'Summer in the City' continues the albums high quality and warm vibes even if again, it brings a completely different aesthetic to the table. A chilled out and upbeat affair that brings to mind tracks like Dizzee Rascal and Lily Allen's 'Wanna Be' though thankfully, not as cringey. It's also the first instance in which Pane's lyricism drops somewhat, though only with the occasional bar and never anything worth mentioning specifically.

Though the first few tracks on Blame Miss Barclay are upbeat, celebratory tracks with Pane's humour permeating each, it doesn't take long before his more serious side begins to show through; it's here that the true level of his lyricism begins to become more pronounced. Tracks such as 'No-one Gets Left Behind' or 'Rooftops' seem confessional rather than celebratory and it doesn't seem to matter whether the stories Pane spins are true or not, such is the calibre of his penmanship 'You Don't Know Me' in particular address racism in a narrative that comes across like a less violent Plan B.

It's the juxtaposition of upbeat joie de vivre and confessional yet universal angst that sets Blame Miss Barclay apart from other rappers at the moment but it's never going to a contender to less commercial social commentators such as Akala. That said the commercial viability of the record is obviously an intentional facet and one which will allow Mikill Pane to find fans across the board. Trite rhyme schemes such as one which revolves around beer will deter the most stringent of rap fans, who'll dismiss it as pop music whilst the flow and wordplay on tracks such as 'Dirty Rider' do enough justice to suggest that there's far more to Pane than his poppier elements/

Whilst it's not a perfect album, there's enough going on with Blame Miss Barclay to give it repeat listens were rap your thing. Clever wordplay and a solid flow is occasionally offset by more shakier elements such as easy rhymes or poor schemes but as a whole it's obvious that Pane enjoys what he's doing and he's clearly good at it. The choruses of certain songs seem as if they've had at least some input by the aforementioned Ed Sheeran which isn't strictly a bad thing when the verses they separate are as solid as they are. Definitely an album worth checking out particularly if you have an interest in groups like The Streets or The Mitchell Brothers, there's far worse you could be listening to out there.

This article was originally written for Ears On. Click here to check out what else they've been up to.

#172: Haim - Days Are Gone

Haim

Days Are Gone

September 30 2013 (Polydor)

7/10

Often, when there's a buzz surrounding your début album, it adds certain pressures; pressures, it seem, that can make or break an album. When that pressure is having won the BBC Sound of 2013, having fended off the likes of AlunaGeorge and Chvrches to do so, a whole different kind of pressure is brought to the fore. Thankfully, LA's sister act Haim's much anticipated début Days Are Gone was recorded, seemingly oblivious to hype that was mounting around it and is an effortless display of 1990s r'n'b cool, alt-folk melody and subtle yet staple classic rock influences.

This article was originally written for Little Indie Blogs. Click here to read the full review.

#171: dan le sac Vs. Scroobius Pip - Repent Replenish Repeat

Album review: dan le sac Vs. Scroobius Pip - Repent Replenish Repeat (2013)

This article was originally written for Muso's Guide. Click the link above to read the full review.