#298: The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Days of Abandon

Label: Fierce Panda

Release: June 2

Rating: 7/10

New York's The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, have, for seven years now, been breathing new life in to a genre many consider archaic; their upbeat, emotionally loaded indie-pop - a welcome contrast to the overtly masculine indie that's currently reigning supreme. Indeed, where once indie-pop was a product of Britain (and arguably the NME's greatest contribution to music), the ball has since been picked up by America, causing those of us with a slightly softer disposition to look across the Atlantic to get our fill of heart-on-the-sleeve jangles.

This review was originally written for Shout4Music. Click here to read in full.

#278: Doe - Sooner (EP review)

Doe

Sooner

March 28 2014 (Keroleen Records)

9/10

For a band who have only been together little over a year, London three-piece Doe have recorded and released an impressive amount of material. Bringing in the New Year off the back of a handful of well-received releases, the trio's blend of stripped-back punk and lite-twee has quickly gathered momentum, the overall package tied off neatly by a sugary female vocal. Sweet as it is, however, it is not without a certain degree of bite, furthering the band's DIY approach, and giving extra weight to their punk credentials.

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

#243: Cat Bear Tree - Spaces in Between (single review)

Cat Bear Tree

Spaces In Between

February 3^rd 2013 (self-release)

8/10

London's Cat Bear Tree are an interesting band. Last year's EP Let's Share Hearts was a fantastic example of how the merging together of genres can not only create something completely unique, but also something completely brilliant as well. Six months later, the trio are still going strong and are set to release their first first official single 'Spaces in Between' on the third of February. And while said EP reflected a far poppier side to the band, albeit with a liberal dose of DIY mentality and a smattering of post-punk moodiness, 'Spaces in Between' sees a more mature sounding band, and one which exudes far more confidence than anything they've released prior.

Pulling their influence from bands such as Bikini Kill right down to more contemporary acts like Bloc Party, there's an inherent sincerity about 'Spaces in Between', brought on by Zoe Konez's wispy vocals throughout the understated verses, before a subtle math-rock tinged breakdown morphs the track in to something more frenetic, something less straightforward. Whereas previous songs such as 'Crayons' upheld a differing sense of freneticism, none seem as sombre, nor as fully released, as their latest release, which relishes in a smoother kind of energy that permeates the glossy exterior of the track, hinting at the punk tenancies that reside beneath the silky surface.

  
To hear the band transcend their initial, rough and ready sound, in to something such as 'Spaces in Between' is fantastic. While they've certainly polished their edges, they've also matured as musicians, whilst never losing the DIY appeal that first struck me. They're a band with energy, with passion, with ethos and ideas; ideas that aren't preached, but planted. And while the sound these girls make doesn't lend itself too heavily to commercial success, one can't help but thing such arbitrary things don't matter Cat Bear Tree, there's more important things in life. And they're right, and as long as they keep producing music that's as strong as 'Spaces in Between', I'll keep supporting them.

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#236: Drowners - Drowners

With a named derived from the first Suede single and a sound somewhat akin to the bastard spawn of The Strokes and The Libertines, not to mention their recent tarring with the “britpop revival” brush, you would be forgiven for thinking that indie-pop four-piece Drowners were from London. As it happens, however (with the exception of frontman Matt Hitt – who hails from South Wales) all the members of the band are from the States, New York to be exact. Something hardly surprising when you hear Hitt’s occasional Casablancas vocals, or clock the CBGB leather jackets.

This review was originally written for Far Out Magazine. Click here to read in full.

#204: The Rifles - Minute Mile (single review)

The Rifles

Minute Mile

November 11 2013 (Cooking Vinyl Records)

7/10

London four-piece The Rifles have been doing the rounds in some iteration or another for almost ten years now. In that time they've garnered some friends in pretty high places, such as Paul Weller and, the band that inspired them, Oasis, they've scored fairly highly in the UK Album Charts and even, allegedly, been in trouble with the Mafia. Now, ahead of their fourth album 'None the Wiser', and back with their original line-up, The Rifles are set to release new single 'Minute Mile', three and a half minutes of charmingly inoffensive indie-pop that's as indebted to American indie, as it is it's British counterpart. 

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

#196: Stylusboy - Hospitality For Hope

Stylusboy

Hospitality for Hope

November 18 2013 (Wild Sound Recordings)

9/10

Just under five months ago, I reviewed the most recent EP from Coventry-based acoustic folk duo, Stylusboy. Four tracks and 15 minutes was all it took for me to realise that I was in the midst of something special; lush textures, rich harmonies, an irresistible penchant for lo-fi aesthetics and above all, a huge level of stripped down romance that ultimately made for a timeless record. Fast-forward 18 weeks and as the opening notes of their first full-length, Hospitality for Hope, begin to ring out, I can already feel the smile, a permanent fixture throughout my last review, return, brought on by the familiarity of Steve Jones and Rachel Grisedale's effortless vocal duality. It's a welcome return for the duo, whose tireless work ethic and sheer passion for their craft is palpable across every aspect of their debut. 

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

#194: Catching Up With...Los Campesinos!

Interview: Los Campesinos!

This interview was originally conducted for Muso's Guide. Click the link above to see what we chatted about.

#188: Los Campesinos! - No Blues

Album review: Los Campesinos! - No Blues (2013)

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

#186: Chvrches - The Ritz, Manchester - 14/10/13

Gig review: Chvrches - The Ritz, Manchester - 14/10/13

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

#180: Introducing...Elastic Sleep

The 1990s was a brilliant time for music with many genres coming in to their own or starting, particularly through the decade's first few years. Of course, grunge found itself at the forefront of the world's attention, whilst smaller genres snuck in behind it. Two such genres were shoegaze, and twee-pop, who both found their footing during the decade and were popularised by band's such as My Bloody Valentine and Heavenly respectively. And whilst both genres are still enjoying relative popularity, at least within their individual scenes, it goes without saying that an amalgamation of the two would inevitably occur, giving birth to dream-pop, a genre taking the laid back almost lazy vocals of twee and fusing them with the less abrasive but no less encompassing instrumentation of shoegaze.

Even though dream-pop isn't exactly enjoying the same amount of popularity of as other genres at the moment, there's still a fair amount of artists, both signed and otherwise, creating the same kind of sonic texturing that transcends your usual alternative rock. One such band, Cork's Elastic Sleep, are more than embracing the genre's lo-fi tendencies, they've absorbed themselves in them.

'Anywhere', the one, tantalising track that the band have uploaded is a perfect example of what makes the genre so irresistible. Ephemeral, breathy vocals perpetuate the hook line “You could be anywhere” throughout the course of the tracks 2 and a quarter minutes; the vocal simplicity is it's beauty and the use of a female vocalist keeps it feeling genuine, there's just something about the timbre of a female vocal that lends itself to the genre so willingly and can probably be attributed to the twee influences that bleed through in to every dream-pop band.

Whilst the vocals are understated and simple, the music on which the vocals paint is far from it. A turbulent canvas of sonic evisceration, the juxtaposition of vocal and instrumentation is as blatant as it could be jarring, should one go in to this not knowing what to expect. It's exciting whilst verging on the violent, all the while at the same time being melodic and inviting, like the metaphorical carrot dangling from a stick, 'Anywhere' leaves us clamouring for more. It's obvious that Elastic Sleep are a band with raw, untapped talent. This, when coupled with their understanding of musical composition makes for fantastic listening and gives one a feeling that this is just the tip of the iceberg, a brief introduction to the band and their idiosyncrasies before they show what their really capable of.

This review was originally written for Ears On, click here to check their site out.

#179: Cults - Static

Cults

Static

October 14 2013 (Columbia)

7.5/10


Despite being recorded amidst the throes of a romantic break-up between Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion, the forthcoming album 'Static' from New York duo Cults lacks any of the underlying bitterness expected from an album that's the product of a parting of ways. Indeed, rather than air their own personal grievances, the duo have opted to make a record that, like it's predecessor, is sweet, sugary and encased in a veneer of silky smooth production. However, whilst 2011's self-titled début was full of twee pop twinkles and xylophone fills, 'Static' offers a far less saccharine listening experience, as Follin's trademark sweetness is offset by a more mature undercurrent, particularly on the latter half of the record.

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

#174: Catching Up With...Puppet Rebellion (U&I Music Magazine - October Issue)

One of the great things about Manchester, and I'm sure the same could be said about other cities too, is the general willingness of those involved with it's unsigned scene to help each other. Sure there's more than enough pay-to-play promoters around too but with cheap venue hire and a distinct sense of solidarity between bands and fans alike they can be avoided. One band, who, having only formed earlier this year have shot to the forefront of the city's scene, are Puppet Rebellion. A five piece who've captured the imagination of Twitter and bloggers nationwide with their energetic live shows and uplifting indie-pop, Puppet Rebellion are seemingly on the up. Having recently enjoyed a support slot for Catfish & The Bottlemen and with their second release of the year on it's way in the next few months it seems as if doors are opening for the band and they couldn't be more deserving.

Bringing a handful of influences to the table, it's clear that Simon Monaghan and co are looking to bring some variation to a genre that can, at times, seem all too full of convention. 'Chemical Friends' the eponymous title track from this Summer's EP release, is a dark and frenetic track which is somewhat indicative of bands like Interpol or Editors whereas 'The Greatest Lie Ever Told' is a more upbeat and optimistic affair and which manages to feel anthemic in the confines of even the smallest venue, making it a highlight of the band's live sets.

For a band who have only been together eight or nine months, it's impressive how tight they are, and their inherent ability to be to be able to switch between aesthetics, if not complete genres, is a testament to the ease they feel playing together. Tracks with more bite, such as the aforementioned 'Chemical Friends' slot in effortlessly beside poppier, more accessible tracks like 'The New Twenty' on both record and stage alike, helping to keep things fresh whilst appealing to fans of different branches of the genre. The intelligent and sharp lyricism combined with a fresh take on a well-trodden genre make Puppet Rebellion one of the most exciting acts to emerge from Manchester in 2013, and with their live shows doing nothing to hamper their reputation it's clear that the band have absolutely no intention of slowing down their ascent to the top of their game.  

First up, Puppet Rebellion is a fairly original name. How did that come about? And does it have the political connotations it seems to?

CRAIG: It's an historical reference coined by the famous historian Shubert Engelberry in relation to an uprising in the small French village of Debaun during the long hot summer of 1611.

SIMON: Aside from old Shubert it also is a call to arms for all people in all walks of life that are feeling controlled, manipulated and powerless.  I can understand the political connotations and that’s the beauty of it because people can take from it what they want to.  There are very personal reasons behind the name but take from it what you will.

Manchester's obviously a city with a lot of stuff going on in terms of the music scene. What do you think it is about the city that has allowed such a scene to form?

CRAIG: I believe certain cities attract certain type of people. Manchester it seems to me is a magnet for musicians and music lovers. I think this probably came about originally due to the city's rich musical heritage but I think the process accelerates when you have an increasing volume of like minded people in a certain place. For example both myself and Paul, our other guitarist are originally from towns in the Midlands. We both moved here independently because of the city.

SIMON: In the old days we were quite a poor industrial city and I think that our scene probably grew from boredom, a lack of money & the hope of achieving something more than what people had.  Nowadays it’s our rich musical heritage that keeps the scene alive.  Legends are made in Manchester.  My own motivation is a mixture of the two.  I want to be remembered in Manchester like Morrissey, Tony Wilson and people like that because I came from nothing.  I want to prove that a lad from Wythenshawe with a tough upbringing, expelled from school and with stereotypically no chance of doing much with his life can achieve something through music.  There is not a better place to do that than Manchester.

'Chemical Friends' was recently played at during half-time at Old Trafford, that must've been a pretty special moment (providing none of you are stringent City fans, of course). How did that happen?

CRAIG: Yeah they've been a few really random things like that which have happened in recent months which has often come about through Simon's dedication to the world of social media. It's really exciting for sure. Luckily one of our friends happened to be at the game, so we've got a live recording too.

SIMON: Just from networking and building relationships.  Nothing more.  In the 9 months that we have been going so far it’s my proudest moment and being a big United fan one that will take some beating.

You're starting to land some fairly high profile gigs, such as supporting Catfish & The Bottlemen at Factory last week (a show I was gutted to miss). Who would you most like to see yourself on a bill with?

CRAIG: To be on the same bill as any of the modern Indie heavyweights like the Strokes or Bloc Party would be pretty special. To be honest though we're pretty happy with the progress we're making in terms of playing gradually higher profile gigs so we're confident we'll be continuing in the right direction going into the new year.

SIMON: My dream gig would be to be on the bill with Interpol or The Horrors.  This is an achievable goaland one we will work our balls off to achieve.

There's a whole host of venues catering for bands of all sizes in Manchester, what are some of your favourites, to play, or indeed watch other bands?

CRAIG: One of the things I personally love about Manchester is the sheer volume of great music venues in a relatively compact area. There are literally tons of places, which is another reason why I think the city is very special in terms of it's link to music. Some of my favourites are; The Deaf Institute, Gorilla and The Roadhouse.

SIMON: I played at the Ritz in a previous band and that was my favourite larger venue but smaller venues I like are The Castle Hotel, Dry Bar and more recently The Soup Kitchen.  Its really hard to single any out as a favourite though as we have so many top venues.  I want us to play at Deaf Institute, Gorilla & Band on the Wall as soon as possible as we have yet to play there.

Being from Manchester there's clearly a whole host of bands that you've gigged with, who are some of your favourites at the moment.

CRAIG: The Slow Readers Club (also from Manchester) are probably the ones I've enjoyed watching the most so far. They have a reasonably similar sound to us though so maybe that's why I like them!

SIMON: Ruby Tuesday, Slydigs & The Mariveaux

It seems as if the 'scene' in Manchester is fairly self-sufficient at the moment with support coming from all areas of the industry. How important do you think this kind of support and envrionment is for up-and-coming bands such as yourselves?

CRAIG: I'm not entirely sure about the specific support from the industry you're referring to. I think the best thing about the Manchester scene is that there are an abundance of music venues and an abundance of people in the city attending live gigs. Ultimately you need both of those things for music to thrive anywhere.

A question I ask all bands now. You've obviously played your fair share of gigs, so presumably drank more than your fair share of free beer. What would be in your ideal rider, and why?

CRAIG: The standard crate of lager is fine by me.

SIMON: I would like a bottle of Blantons Single Barrell which is a bourbon whiskey.  I love bourbon (A little too much sometimes) and if a promoter really wants to build a relationship with us then he needs to get me onside.  This would get me onside.

You recently released an EP to favourable responses. What's next in the pipeline for PR?

CRAIG: We are going back into the studio at the end of November to record four more tracks. This next EP will be a step up from the last one and everyone who listens to it will most likely become instant fans :-)

SIMON: Mirroring what my illustrious colleague said we are proper excited about releasing the 2^nd EP.  Learning how to do all this stuff by yourself with no backing is a challenge we are relishing. We have loads of ambitious plans so I recommend you keep an eye out as we are full of surprises.

Finally, any shameless self-promotion you'd like to get out of your system?

CRAIG: The words of Simon Monaghan will soon be ringing around your ears and coming out of your mouth.

SIMON: Craig is the glue that holds things together.

This article was originally written for U&I Music Magazine. Click here to read the full magazine.

#167: Plainview - Years From Now (EP review)

Lancaster's Plainview are a band brought together, not by a shared appreciation of a certain genre but by a mutual ethos that merges aspects and elements from a plethora of musical stylings and a variety of previous experiences. This fusion of genres has allowed the band to create a sound that's not only fresh and varied but also wistfully nostalgic. There's a certain romantic energy about the ideas the band have, after all, why should a band be pigeon-holed in to playing just one kind of music when there's so much more at their disposal? And whilst most of the tracks from most recent EP Years From Now were available online prior to it's release, it's not until the songs are paired next to each other in EP form than the diversity at play really begins to reveal itself.

It's clear from even an initial listen that Years From Now aims to take listeners on a journey from genre to genre. First track, 'Golden Sound', is an indie-pop anthem which sees suitably jangly guitars paired with crashing symbols to make for an infectious and ultimately accessible introduction to the world of Plainview whilst other tracks on the record, such as 'Drift Away' eschews the youthful optimism of other tracks in favour of a darker, more matured and stripped down aesthetic. A clearly discernible bass guitar rolls the track forward, and lends some weight to the otherwise floaty vocals and guitar work of singer Darren Leadsom. It's a fine example of the musicianship within the band and one which iterates the lack of generic convention across the record brilliantly.

The records climax comes in the form of 'Warmth of the Sun', a five minute grungey shoegaze affair that features dreamy vocals from Leadsom and a particularly effective wall of noise forming the backdrop on which the lyricism can paint. Melodic vocal harmonies compliment what guitar can occasionally be picked out of the caustic tumult it creates. It's blissed out shoegaze at it's most commercial and yet a further example of just how little regard the band have for musical confines.

When bands try to give every track from a record a different vibe or aesthetic, it often comes across as fragmented and forced, tracks never truly roll in to each other one feels they should. That isn't the case with Plainview. What the band have done is create a record which showcases the band's influences without aping them. It blends them together in a decade spanning amalgam that builds on elements of 60s pop, jazz, rock and countless other genres in to one accessible and radio-friendly collection of tracks. It feels as if these songs belong next to each other, despite their differences and it's this that is the key to the band's appeal. Rarely does anything feel out of place and rarely does an EP this varied come off as tight as this one does, Plainview are clearly a band destined for bigger things.  

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#165: Someone Still Loves Your Boris Yeltsin - Fly By Wire

Album review: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Fly By Wire (2013)

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

#163: Lonesound - The Great Outdoors Part 3 (EP review)

For many the dissolution of a band can kind of be like a messy break-up, an end of an era. Personal friendships can fall apart and resentment can kick in. For others though, it can be the start of something new, something fresh, and if you choose to strike out on your own, as the lead singer of ill-fated indie band My Luminaries did, it can mean a whole new level of freedom and control never experienced within a band.

James Ewers aka Lonesound has, for the last 12 months, been releasing a series of EPs entitled The Great Outdoors, an obvious reference to his new found creative liberation. The collection of records, charting his journey as a solo artist over the period of a year were “an interesting way of releasing the songs I’d begun after my band split up...and seeing where it might lead me." And lead him places it did, having received critical acclaim across radio and blogosphere alike for the first two parts, Lonesound has recently released The Great Outdoors (Part 3) a collection of four tracks pertaining to his engagement on New Years Day.

Opener 'A Place For Everyone' is an ode to loneliness and sees Ewers take on a variety of roles including keys and acoustic and electric guitars. It's a solid opener, though thankfully the most downbeat of the four tracks featured. Proceeding track '(You Don't Have To Be) Strong' is a much more optimistic affair. Jangly indie-pop guitars work in tandem with keys to form an infectious and hook filled track written about his future bride. Similarly, 'As We Along' is more of the same. Vocal harmonies are matched by keys and violin both, while the lyrics are perhaps some of the most picturesque seen in contemporary acoustic music. There's an unashamed camp quality to his music. And despite initial reservations, by the third or fourth listen to the EP, it becomes obvious that Ewers is not only a hugely accomplished musician. He's also a fantastic songwriter too.



Even though it's a solid track, 'A Place For Everyone' really is the song that stops this record from being almost perfect. It just doesn't stand up to the level of quality held up by the rest of the record. Whether that's because a song about loneliness just doesn't seem to convincing from a man recently engaged and obviously ecstatic at the prospect of marrying the woman he loves, or whether it's simply because it's just a weaker track in general, instrumentation aside, I don't know. What I do know, is that James Ewers going solo is probably the best thing he could have done and if the his forthcoming solo album stands up to the level of quality exhibited here, then it's certainly going to be a record worth taking notice of

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

#162: Catching Up With...King Kartel (U&I Music Magazine - September Issue)

Following on from my feature(s) of Naymedici over this month issue and lasts, another band bridging the gap between Ireland and Manchester is King Kartel. The roots of this band are founded in a group I was familiar with a saw a number of times several years ago: The Genuine Articles. However, according to singer Hugh, King Kartel are the testosterone-fuelled adolescence to TGA's prepubescent tween years and coming off as the bastard spawn of The Libertines and The View, it's easy to see why. These tracks are sharper, more mature yet still bubble with the same youthful optimisitc romance that endeared me to The Genuine Articles so much.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about King Kartel, is that that there sound isn't inherently Manchester, in fact, without Hugh's accent, it wouldn't be possible to pin them down to any location, such is the universality of the band's music. Guitar's jangle as much as they crunch, sometimes within the same song, blending together elements of garage rock and indie-pop in to irresistible and energetic harmonies that are impossible to ignore.

While the band might not be inherently Manchester, they're certainly inherently indie. Track's with name's such as 'How'd He Ever Pull That?' couldn't be from any other genre, meeting and exceeding expectations with reckless abandon. There's a frantic and almost discordant tenacity at play within the band's more up-tempo songs and it certainly seems to be where they excel themselves. That shouldn't detract from their slower tracks; 'Artillery' is an indie club anthem in the making, though more akin to the likes of Two Door Cinema Club than earlier comparisons.

Having already seen airtime on the likes of BBC ATL, it's clear that band are starting to get noticed, and well they should. It's music without frills, music the way it should be played. Destined for the fields and stages of the festival circuit, it's perfect for a cider and a summer evening and while it isn't specifically doing anything to break any boundaries, it doesn't need to; records of this calibre are a testament to themselves and a testament to the work that the band's that release them put in. Seeing King Kartel progress and mature from the youthful and rough Genuine Articles in to the fully realised entity they are today has been an absolute joy and hopefully soon they'll find themselves playing the stages they fully deserve to.



What do you think it is about Manchester that makes it such the hot bed for young talent that it is?


Its history probably. Music and Manchester go hand in hand.


There's a kind of guttural romance to Manchester that lends itself so well to the bands that it produces but what do you think it is about the city that has such an established cultural appeal outside of its music scene?


Apart from the weather? If not I think it must be the beach in Castlefield.


I was familiar with your previous band The Genuine Articles, how do you think King Kartel differ from them?


TGA would have been like the early stages of puberty for us as a band. King Kartel would be when your balls drop, so yeah there’s a pretty big difference.

Obviously you're a band with roots in both Newry and Manchester, how does that impact on your fan-base? Do you think it gives you more of a universal appeal rather than just falling in to the category of “Just another Manc indie band”?


It could do. As only one of us is from Manchester, we had to work hard to build a following as we couldn’t get all our friends, aunties, uncles and cousins down to tell us we’re good. Some of our accents aren’t very manc sounding also.


You've just finished recording an EP, what can we expect from that and when is it out?


Yeah we’ve been sitting on it over a month now. It’s not out until October 14^th. One of the tracks got played and featured on BBC ATL within two days of being uploaded. We normally get the ‘your track has been listened to’ email, then fuck all else. So we’ll take that as a good sign.


A question I ask all bands now. You've obviously played your fair share of gigs and presumably drank more than your fair share of free beer. What would be in your ideal rider, and why?


Unlimited supplies of beer, whisky and vodka, and Jessica Alba or Michelle Keegan to do all the pouring for us, in as little clothes as possible.


You've also obviously shared stages with some of Manchester's most up-and-coming bands/artists. Care to plug some of your favourites?


There’s quite a few good bands about but the ones we go to see again and again are Naymedici and Sam Haine & the Bloodflames.


Following on from that, Manchester is a city full of venues, which has been your favourite, both to play and to see a band at?


The Ruby Lounge is probably our favourite venue. The setup is class, the sound systems class the guys who run it are 110%! Scott, Jay and the staff are brilliant and up for a laugh. We’ve played some great gigs in there.


There's clearly a wide variety of influences at play within your music, both old and new, care to list some of your biggest influences?


The Beatles, The Stone Roses, Oasis, Arctic Monkeys & The Fratellis. We’re also big fans of The Vaccines, The Courteeners & Jake Bugg too.


Finally, any live dates or single releases you want to take the time to let us know about?


EP is out 14^th October. Then the tour kicks off in Manchester, we play the Kraak Gallery on Saturday 26^th of October. All other dates will be put up on facebook and the website for anyone outside of Manchester including: London, Glasgow, Liverpool, Leeds, Newry, Dublin and maybe Cork.


www.kingkartel.com

This article was originally written for U&I Music Magazine. Click here to see what else we've been up to.

#159: The Darlingtons - Who Says There's No Beach In Doncaster?

The Darlingtons

Who Says There's No Beach In Doncaster?

September 16 2013 (Self released)

9/10

As an indie band in 2013, there's a very real risk that you can come off sounding like one of the many hundreds if not thousands of bands already gracing the pages and blogs of professional and amateur music press alike. Conversely, sound too different, too left-field, and you run the risk of alienating your target audience by not appealing to their exact tastes. Thankfully, while Taunton's The Darlingtons are very much making the kind of music you're already familiar with, they do it with such confidence, such style, that it really doesn't matter that you've heard it before because the chances are you haven't heard it done this well.

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

#157: Cast of Lions - Eyes Wide to New Places

Cast of Lions

Eyes Wide to New Places

August 19 2013 (Self-released)

8/10

Ambitious, uplifting, anthemic. All words which could be used to describe 'Eyes Wide to New Places', the debut album from London's Cast of Lions. Formerly known as Chapters, the band have completely self-funded the release of 'Eyes Wide...' through sales of their previous EPs and as such, we find a record which is completely unadulterated by label influence resulting in an album of rich and varied textures and aesthetics that are entirely of the band's own choosing.

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

#156: Introducing...Twister

As a genre, pop-rock is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, catchy pop-hooks and polished vocal work can really draw in an audience whilst maintaining a heavier edge will appeal to fans of more alternative sounds; the counterbalance to this is that keeping it too commercial (as opposed to accessible) could potentially damage a band's reputation and stop them from playing certain tours or venues that they might want to. Luckily for Durham's Twister, they bridge the gap perfectly, providing enough grit to balance out the pop production and coming off sounding like one of the most confident and energetic band's I've heard this year.

Following in the footsteps of similar pop-rock acts such as Go:Audio or Saving Aimee, Twister have already garnered support from the likes of The Joy Formidable and EMI and are well on their way to being signed. Fusing together universal sentiments with a melodic blend of radio-friendly guitar-pop and call and response vocal work that's back-boned by consistently tight rhythm sections and percussion; without a doubt Twister are one of the most solid bands on the unsigned circuit at the moment.

It goes without saying, however, that the pomp and the polish won't be for everyone and there is a fair degree of both, particularly on track's such as 'Fall With Me' and 'This Isn't Wonderland'. However underneath the theatrics is a legitimately well-rounded and ambitious group of musicians with a penchant for anthemics that works completely in their favour. Twister are a band that are destined for bigger things; stages, audiences and even aesthetics, exhibited perfectly in their most recent track 'Watch Over You' which is somewhat indicative of The Revival's 'Supercollider', is by no means a negative comparison.

Perhaps my personal favourite track in the band's repertoire (and possibly a guilty pleasure) is 'The I.O.P', a melodic affair that is particularly indicative of the aforementioned yet ultimately ill-fated Saving Aimee. The lyricism is both simple, yet with enough candour to keep it interesting whilst the lead guitar coming courtesy of Steve Stoker is perhaps his strongest performance yet.

While it's certainly not my personal preference, Twister's perfect balance of pop and rock aesthetics is impossible to deny. It's tight; it's radio-friendly; it's polished, doubtless to make teenager girls swoon and ultimately it's getting them noticed. It's also a testament to the nine years that the lads have be been playing together. Proof that dedication and hard-work do pay off. 

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