Exposing My Ears To New & Wonderful Music

As an eclectic listener there simply is not enough time in the day to listen to every album or every song; new or old - that I would like my ears to endure. Therefore I've decided to dedicate 5 out of 7 days a week to listen to music I haven't listened to before; for educational reasons as well as for fun. Old music will always be a deeper love of mine but there is nothing more satisfying than finding a little band on YouTube, Spotify or Soundcloud and watching them blow up in the eye of the media and hearing them on the radio.

 As a music journalist I have to have an eye for good music or else I would simply get nowhere with my job; therefore I am writing this blog post to hopefully inspire you to listen to some new music; whether it be a new release or just an album or band you have never listened to before. Recently I've been getting really into The Cure; I've always liked them and their main tunes; Boys Don't Cry, Friday I'm in Love, Close To Me etc... But I've never really put time aside to give them a real listen. I'm going to write down a months worth of artists and their albums with their genre and release date alongside it; so you can see the range of music I am indulging in.

Week 1

Day 1. Tiggs Da Author - Glenville Grove (EP)

Release Date: 11th of November 2016
Genre: Rap

Day 2. Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Getaway (Album)

Release Date: 17th of June 2016
Genre: Funk-Rock

Day 3. Soul Clap - Soul Clap (Album)

Release Date: 14th of October 2016
Genre: EDM

Day 4. Jones - New Skin (Album)

Release Date: 7th of October 2016
Genre: Alternative-Pop/ RnB

 

Day 5. Hooton Tennis Club - Big Box Of Chocolates (Album)

Release Date: 21st of October 2016
Genre: Alternative Rock

(2 day break)

Week 2

Day 8. Jimmy Eat World - Integrity Blues (Album)

Release Date: 21st of October 2016
Genre: Rock

Day 9. Childish Gambino - "Awaken, My Love" (Album)

Release Date: 2nd of December 2016
Genre: Hip-Hip/ Rap

Day 10. The Bluetones - Luxembourg

Release Date: 12th of May 2003
Genre: Britpop/ Indie-Rock

Day 11. James Arthur - Back From The Edge (Album)

Release Date: 28th of October 2016

Genre: Pop/Soul

Day 12. Soft Hair - Soft Hair (Album)

Release Date: 28th of October 2016

Genre: Alternative/Indie-Rock

(2 day break)

Week 3

Day 15. Swet Shop Boys - Cashmere (Album)

Release Date: 14th of October 2016
Genre: Hip-Hop

Day 16. Radiohead - In Rainbows (Album)

Release Date: 10th of October 2007

Genre: Art-Rock

Day 17. Kings Of Leon - WALLS (Album)

Release Date: 14th of October 2016

Genre: Rock

Day 18. Last Shadow Puppets - Everything You've Come To Expect (Album)

Release Date: 1st of April 2016
Genre: Indie/Alternative Rock

Day 19. Alpines - Another River (Album)

Release Date: 28th of October 2016

Genre: Synth-pop/Soul

(2 day break)

Week 4

Day 22. 808INK - Hungry (Album)

Release Date : 10th of November 2016

Genre: Hip-Hop

 

Day 23. Cast - All Change (Album)

Release Date: 16th of October 1995
Genre: Britpop/ Indie-Rock

Day 24. Vaults - Caught In Still Life (Album)

Release Date:  2nd of December 2016

Genre: Electronic/Synth-pop

Day 25. Rolling Stones - Blue & Lonesome (Album)

Release Date: 2nd of December 2016

Genre: Rock

FINAL DAY! Manic Street Preachers - GOLD AGAINST THE SOUL (Album)

Release Date: 14th of June 1993
Genre: Alternative Rock

Once I have completed the month I'm going to pick out the albums/EPs which I thought were the most easy-listening/ most influential. Excited doesn't begin to describe this challenge! If you have any requests; any artists/albums you think I may have not listened to before, who are worth listening to contact me and I will try to give them a listen! Also it would be nice to hear what you have to say about my choices! Don't be afraid to contact me; here are my details -

Facebook - Lucy Wynne
Twitter - lw_mj89
Instagram: lucywynne89

The Rising - Olympus/ I Want You ( I Need You)

The Rising are an incredibly versatile 7-piece band from Southampton; and they recently released a double A-Side single with the songs; 'Olympus' / 'I Want You ( I Need You)' on it. The double A-Side was released on the 4th of November 2016.

The first track is called 'Olympus' and it opens with a very Britpop vibe; however you can also hear hints of The Kinks and The Beatles as it simultaneously brings out a very 60's vibe; especially when the backing vocals begin to kick in. Tommy Overington on lead vocals has a very distinctive voice and he uses it to his advantage as he passionately sings the closing line of;

"And now I do believe.."

The only thing about this song is that some of it is very lyrically inapt; and for a song with a length of almost six minutes you want six minutes of pure genius. On the other hand all of the instruments are on point from start to finish and the tension built throughout the track really solidifies it.

The last song 'I Want You (I Need You)' is my favourite of the two. This is a real rock'n'roll tune; it's jam-packed with heavy guitars, head banging drums, tension built instrumentals and catchy chorus'. There's a lot of symbolism created within this song which is correlated to freedom which I like because the title contradicts the meaning of the song as it creates a realisation between a need and want - and when you distinguish the difference you're free. There are symbolisms to the clouds, rainbows and the ocean which refers to infinity and also birds which are a key sign of freedom. Overington goes on to sing this line within the last verse which implies that somebody is holding him back and preventing him from being freed;

"Please release me, free me from these chains."

I particularly liked the keyboard dominated solo making the track a bit techno and futuristic as it switches the rock'n'roll track up a bit. Also; not only does this song have deeper intensions than the surface level; it has a proper head banging catchy chorus of;

"Cus I want you and I need you. Just wanna touch you, just wanna feel you."

In conclusion the Double A-Side has impressed me; especially the last track - resulting in me buying their 7" record! This is a band to watch out for and I hope to see them progress throughout their career;  definitely worth a listen f you haven't already.

You can listen to 'Olympus' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9rjJNh8Kwc
You can listen to 'I Want You ( I Need You)' here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mgj2DIpY4I
You can buy their 7" Double A-Side here: http://shop.detourrecords.co.uk/epages/es785745.mobile/en_GB/?ObjectPath=%2FShops%2Fes785745%2FProducts%2FRISOLY-7&Locale=en_GB

 

Kings Of Leon - Reverend (Single Review)

Kings Of Leon are a four-piece family rock band from the US; notoriously known for their songs 'Use Somebody', 'Supersoaker' and the unforgettable 'Sex Is On Fire'. After releasing the three teaser tracks; 'Waste A Moment', 'Around The World' and title track 'WALLS' back in September- they released 'Reverend' on October 6th 2016, just eight days before the release of the their 7th studio album 'WALLS'.

The intro is very melancholy and reminds me of the soundtrack for the film Submarine, which was written and performed by Alex Turner. However when Jared Followill joins in with the bass it brings the whole vibe back around and you can instantly hear Kings Of Leon's recognisable sound. To solidate their sound even further as the vocals enter, lead singer Caleb Followill's distinctive voice allows your ears to detect the artist and you just know that it is Kings Of Leon.

On the chorus you here a clash of instruments in which Nathan Followill on the drums predominantly stands out; building up tension on the chorus as Caleb goes on to passionately sing;

"Just like a reverend, like a reverend on the radio. Your heart will never say so, your heart will never let you go."

The second chorus significantly stood out for me; and this one line particularly did;

"The truth in the skies from the billowing eyes isn't working on me. Don't you think you gotta give me, give me something I want. Give me something, something I need."

The word billowing can me mean either the serge of the sea, which could imply crying; or swelling of the eyes which then again could indicate crying. Therefore the message I receive from the second half  of the second verse is that no matter how much somebody cries to/for him and attempts to tell him the truth that is not what he wants. He wants something real, something more than words. As the chorus gets repeated after this verse; and the song begins to fade out Matthew Followill on lead guitar concludes the song by recreating the intro which fades the song out nicely.

In conclusion this track is incredibly catchy due to the repetitiveness of the chorus; and the use of the instruments throughout, created a solid rhythm and recognisable texture which allows you to sing along without even having to know the lyrics. On the other hand the lyrics are a lot more deeper than you think which is always good to notice within a song; their motive is sincere. Their standards really have not dropped throughout their career and it is ever so refreshing to see. The rest of the album is something that my ears are intrigued to listen to now! I would most definitely recommend this track; and if you like it why not broaden your horizons and listen to the album yourself? Expectations, exceeded.

10/10

Jamie T - Trick (Album Review)

First of all I am going to announce my apologies for a monthly delayed review, I have barely had any time to get a review done since moving to university; as I have been busy meeting my roommates, course friends and researching upon relative information that I will be studying throughout my time here at Southampton Solent University. Since I made a rational last minute decision to buy tickets to go and watch Jamie T in Portsmouth this Monday (3rd of October), I thought that it was only fitting that I review his new album - that I have not yet listened to, except one of the teaser tracks called 'Power Over Men' which I reviewed a few weeks ago and you can read that here;

http://musicblog89.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/jamie-t-power-over-men-single-review.html

Jamie T has made an astonishing come back after his 5 years absence from the music industry, he has released 2 new albums and a new EP in this last year. His third album 'Carry On The Grudge' (2015) did manage to impress me and even though it was not as rage-fuelled and political as his other two albums, it is a more vocal-based album which focuses on his singing and it is different from his past 2 albums and several EP's; which I liked. You can read my review of Jamie T's 2015 album; 'Carry On The Grudge' here;

http://musicblog89.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/jamie-t-carry-on-grudge-album-review.html

Jamie Treay; most commonly known as Jamie T released a new album last month called 'Trick' it was released on the 2nd of September 2016, but it did not have as big of a hype as I had hoped to see... The album opens up with a track called 'Tinfoil Boy' which was one of the teaser tracks that Treay released before the album; on the 30th of June 2016. The introduction is very eerie, with brief chit-chat in the background followed by a laugh, it has quite a rock vibe to it which is very out of reach for an artist like Jamie T as he is more alternative/hip-hop based artist. In an interview Treay explained that this track was heavily influenced by Rage Against The Machine; hence the rock-feel. Due to the heavy beats on the instrumental I can almost feel myself getting swallowed into a mosh-pit this Monday... Treay spills out a very controversial line which a lot of people could portray in many different ways;

"Swallow down to get it out, it's like the key to set you free from all the mess and stress I've found."

What has he swallowed? A drink? A pill? A tablet? Many questions are to be answered for this line. Substance abuse springs to mind as recreational drugs and alcohol are known substances to relieve stress; however he could also be talking about prescription drugs like anti-depressants for example. Anyhow the next track is called 'Drone Strike' and it has a very electro-feel to begin with; but when Treay breaks through and he begins to rap he re-kindles that well renowned British hip-hop
 side to himself that we all LOVE! Panic Prevention will spring back to mind if you're a big fan of Treay. 'Power Over Men' is the third song on the album; the one in which I reviewed a few weeks ago. This track sounds like a song that could have been added to his last album 'Carry On The Grudge' as it is more singing based than rap. On the other hand 'Power Over Men' is still a brilliant addition to this album as it shows his versatility as an artist - the song is basically about a dominatrix who essentially has 'Power Over Men' due to her sexual female prowess.

The odd titled track 'Tescoland' is next, and the instrumental reminds me a bit like Circa Waves and the way Treay sings the song.. Nonetheless it still has Treays trademark on it, as you could still tell that it was him singing. This track is rather confusing as the instrumental is very summery and happy meanwhile the actual lyrics are rather dark and unfortunately the track itself overshadows the lyrics; therefore the instrumental distracts fans away from the actual message that Treay was trying to portray.

"Who am I kidding man, I love to hate. Love to sail away like a rolling stone."

Track 5 is called 'Police Tapes' and this is a rather controversial song as Jamie T expresses his political views, much like he did back on his first album; 'Panic Prevention'. My favourite part of the track is this part;

"While the politicians patronise, disguise the right to televise. The truth, be it - the news it proves that every channel's satirised in colour. Speak in black and white, tell me that there's good and evil. All I really see's complicity, the dumb fucks call it legal."

'Dragon Bones' is the following track and it is mid-way through the album at number 6. Immediately I am interested, it just felt like it was going to be a really catchy song. The lyrics are rather intense but I never expect anything less from Jamie T. This track is full of synths and synchronizing, rhythmic drums alongside Treays splendid cockney singing voice. Now the next track has to be one of my favourites off the album and it is called 'Joan Of  Arc'. Joan Of Arc is very heavily influenced by the Arctic Monkeys, but it works and I love it! Reminisces me back to the release of 'AM' and 'One For The Road', very indie rock and Treay includes lines like this that make no sense but just sound incredibly therapeutic for some unknown reason...

"Cigarettes taste best when they taste like daydreams."

This track will appeal most to females I say, as it is mainly just about boys fucking you and then fucking you off..

"Funny how you never give a fuck when you're 20, but she was alone then and it still makes her mad how the boys used to lead her on just to get in her pants."

'Solomon Eagle' is a little bit eerie after the intro and it is another hip-hop/rap track on the album. Yet again it is very lyrics based like the majority of Treays tracks. You can tell from this song that Treay has a lot of trapped emotion and anger inside of himself that he must simply let out and he does that through the art of songwriting.

"It's not the devil pulling you down, this retribution comes from above - This is God, this is God giving up on us."

'Robin Hood' enters with an upbeat, catchy guitar intro which just makes you want to get up and dance! This track is basically about a boy who lives on a council estate and is working a dead end job at a shopping centre, but he has big ambitions of being like Robin Hood. Verse 3 is my favourite, and it goes as followed;

"And I'll steal from the rich. and I'll give to the poor. I'll stop the police from knocking down our door. I'll steal it all, then steal some more and I'll never end up behind the jail guitar doors."

'Sign Of The Times' is the tenth track on the album and it has a very melancholic acoustic guitar intro. From the first note, I fell in love. This track is a complete paradox from every other song on the album. As Treay weeps through the chorus in misery and upset as he drowns his way through near enough every line.

"But I wish I'd been a little more exceptional, and I wish I'd been a little unconventional. But I was not enough, no I'm not enough."

Treay pours his big heart out and you can really sense his emotions through this track, it is such a sad song, but it is genius.

The second to last track on the album is called 'Crossfire Love' and yet again it opens with a melancholic acoustic guitar intro, but Treay raps as well as sings his way through the track. This is a very intimate song about Treay's life and about when his parents got ill; and as a result he took a break from the music industry as he ended up in a very bad place mentally.

"My heart sunk, and I drunk and I understand it's hard being rich in a poor mans world."

The closing track of the album is called 'Self Esteem' and this follows the chain of melancholic acoustic guitars opening up the songs, this track is about someone who has been 'friend-zoned' and constantly puts themselves down and reminds themselves of their low 'self esteem'. Not necessarily the best track on the album and I don't think that this is the right song to close the album off with, I would have perhaps preferred 'Crossfire Love' to have closed off the album as it is a nice song and finishes off the album splendidly as you learn a bit more about what he's been through these past few years whilst he took a break away from the music industry.

In conclusion; the album was brilliant - it is a very eclectic album, and it opens your eyes up to see what a versatile artist Jamie T really is. This album was a reflection of all the other three albums but put in to one, a good range of songs and I understand why the 3 acoustics were added on the end because it sort of fades the album out a bit more... The tracks that stood out the most for me would have to be; 'Power Over Men', 'Dragon Bones', 'Joan Of Arc', 'Sign Of The Times', 'Police Tapes, and 'Crossfire Love'. On the other hand I wouldn't particularly recommend 'Self Esteem' as it is just too repetitive and it tends to drag, and I just don't think that it should have been put as the closing song. Although apart from the closing track, the album as a whole was put together very well and his lyrical genius is still there which is good to see and this album really does allows you to see what an amazing versatile artist that Jamie T really is.

9/10 - see ya Monday mate!

Michael Kiwanuka - Black Man In A White World (Single Review)

Now I have been meaning to review this track for quite a while, because it happens to be one of my favourite songs to come out of 2016. As a music journalist; sometimes it's nice to listen to new music out of your comfort zone that you don't have to review - and that is how I bumped into Michael Kiwanuka. I literally don't understand how I have not heard a huge hit of his come on to the radio or on the TV - but then again, I guess the song title speaks for itself, doesn't it? Michael Kiwanuka came about in 2011 when he supported Adele on her '21' tour, and then he supported her again at her iTunes gig. Kiwanuka also won BBC's sound of 2012 poll, which must have been a big achievement for him. Ever since then, he has sort of stayed quiet - and then I bumped into THIS.

Michael Kiwanuka is a Ugandan refugee who was brought up in London, and he is a solo soul singer-songwriter. I think I bumped into Kiwanuka on spotifys acoustic sessions and I was like what the fuck is this holy grail of a track, and then I saved it. The chorus caught my attention immediately; it is a repeat of the song title. The track bursts with soul, passion, and acceptance. He accepts the fact that no matter what he does, he will probably be wrong because he is a black man in a white world. This doesn't deter the fact that he shouldn't feel like he should have to accept that as he goes on to state;

"I'm in love but I'm still sad, I found peace but I'm not glad."

He's found peace within himself and accepted the fact that perhaps things will never change, but it isn't enough - he wants to find peace within the world, not just within himself. He also says how; 

"I don't mind who I am (im a black man in a white world), I don't mind who you are (im a black man in a white world)"

His voice reminds me very much of the likes of Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye, however his lyrics are much more deeper and focused. Racial discrimination is the obvious main focus within this track, and it is good to see that someone is still trying to sing about it, because you don't hear about it very often in songs anymore - however it still goes on.

A conclusion isn't very necessary within this review as it is short and sweet; however I will still write one... Michael Kiwanuka reveals the passion and pure soul within this track about racial discrimination and how he's not angry and he's not mad even though he's lost everything due to being falsely accused of a crime he didn't commit; due to being of a different ethnicity. He captures the essence of soul like you are back in the 60's and 70's with influences of iconic artists such as Marvin Gaye, Otis Reading, Curtis Mayfield and Bill Withers within his voice. He is Britain's very own Leon Bridges! It's good to see that soul is coming back and expanding on to the modern day music scene! Please give him a listen, he's bloody brilliant! Here is the link to the track, I can't fault it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TYlcVNI2AM

10/10

Jamie T - Power Over Men (Single Review)

Jamie Treay, or otherwise known as Jamie T is an alternative solo artist from London and even though he has only produced 3 albums within his 9 year music career; all three have been absolutely brilliant. However throughout the years he has also produced some amazing EP's alongside his albums, his EP's are definitely the most underrated work he's ever done - I prefer them over his albums. The lyrics throughout his work dont deterioate and his effort never mellows; he never fails to please his fans. I reviewed his last album - 'Carry On The a Grudge' last year and it was full of very dark, yet meaningful tracks and he also showed a versatile range of genres throughout the album to prove that the Jamie T we all love is back, and is back for good. The review is here if you would like to have a read - 

http://musicblog89.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/jamie-t-carry-on-grudge-album-review.html 

The contrast ranged from 'Peter' which is a song about a schizophrenic; who's mind is telling him to do things and manipulating him into hating himself and thinking that everyone else hates him to the next track being 'Love Is Only A Heartbeak Away' which is a typical love ballad. These two tracks are polar opposites to eachother and even though I'm not to keen on 'Peter' the track list was very cleverly put together within his last album. 

Treays new single is called 'Power Over Men' and it was released on the 30th of September 2016 it was the second preceded track of his new album called 'Trick' which is to be released later on in the year. During the meantime fans are having to do with his two new teaser tracks; 'Power Over Men' and then 'Tinfoil Boy' which was the first track off his new album to be released and 'Tinfoil Boy' was released on the 29th of June 2016. After seeing Jamie T's facebook page publish the music video to 'Power Over Men' I thought that it would be a good idea to listen to the song first; write down how I interpretated it - and then watch the video. My interpretation from the song was a beautiful young woman who is so stunning she can make men do whatever she wants and she basically holds their hearts. But NO! It's about a middle-aged sadistic dominatrix who practices BDSM on a rather large man and due to him wearing a suit at the end of the video whilst handling a suitcase indicated that he has a well respected job. Therefore he must pay for her to humiliate and abuse him as he's a masochist and gets off on it ! The moral of the song is; due to him being a submissive he will do anything she demands and she is probably also getting paid by several other men to do the same thing, hence how the song repeatedly expressed how - "She's got power over men".

In conclusion; I've got to be honest with you - I wasn't expecting it. I never really expected that off Jamie T, to be writing songs about BDSM... However it is a cracking track, very catchy and it is a lot less serious compared to his previous work which can appear very dark and meaningful. Yes, the track is very repetitive but you always find that the preceded tracks from a new album are , as they try to make the tracks catchy in order to entise new listeners. I look forward to listening to his new album as according to some other reviewers who have listened to the album before its release, they have credited the new album as very versatile and it shows a huge range of genres that Treay is capable of apparently. 'Tricks' will be a very interesting listen as Jamie T's work never gets boring. I wonder what his next track will be about...! Well if there's one thing we've all found out after 9 years is that good'ol Jamie T likes a bit of domination in the bedroom! 'Power Over Men' is definitely a grower and a tune that you should be listening to! (If you're under 18, dont watch the video...)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEQXJQn8LZg

9/10

Natural Emotions - Ask Me Why (Single Review)

Now I reviewed these lads back in March, and their EP was bloody brilliant. So if you would like to read their previous review or listen to the EP click on this link and it will send you directly to the review. - http://musicblog89.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/natural-emotions-ep-review.html
Natural Emotions are a post-modernist inspired 3-piece from Birmingham. The trio consists of; Tom Gilpen on guitar and lead vocals, his brother - Jack Gilpen on bass and Dan Tweedie on the drums. Their most recently released track is called 'Ask Me Why' and it was released on the 1st of April 2016.

Immediately the track sounded very heavily influenced by The Libertines/Babyshambles. As the song began to progress the rhythm and guitar riffs are almost identical to the notorious Libertines track - 'Don't Look Back Into The Sun'. You can almost here the line -

'All my friends you haven't changed, you're looking rough and living strange.'

However Natural Emotions rendition goes as follows...

'Don't come and ask me why, all the water in the sky's gone dry. When you're sitting under the setting sun.'

The guitar riffs are very catchy and help to hold the song together as it keeps the rhythm and helps the drums to keep the beat. The lyrics are also very well thought out just like their previous tracks. The song is about someone who is completely and utterly in love with someone and they are just too blind to see and they just continue to play mind games by pretending that they want them; and then the next moment making out as though they don't want them anymore. They pick them up then drop them right back down in the split of a second.

In conclusion this track is more of a stepping stone into a new genre in contrast from their EP last June. Last June they were a mix of the 60's through to the late 80's, a combination which I thought worked well due to the variation of genres through the track.  Moving forward in their career they have progressed into a modern day indie rock band, however it could just be a one-off instead of a stepping stone? I suppose you and I will have to ask the band themselves... Taking influences from the Arctic Monkeys and The Libertines which are incredibly well-known within the early-late 2000's indie rock. Admittedly I am not a big fan of The Libertines; however I do like the track 'Don't Look Back Into The Sun' which I claimed this track has been heavily influenced by. Well done lads, it has been a pleasure seeing your progression as a band. Keep up the hard work and good luck with your future endeavours.

https://m.soundcloud.com/the-natural-emotions-1/ask-me-why-natural-emotions

Shambolics - Scarlett Harlett (Single Review)

Shambolics are a four-piece Scottish indie rock band from Kirkaldy. They released their new track 'Scarlett Harlett' on the 31st of May 2016. Now as I watched the music video I just couldn't believe how professional it was, it was like a video that Catfish and the Bottlemen would make! If they used that video for one of their songs everyone would think it was ace! Simple, yet effective - rather enigmatic to be honest. The quartet consists of; Lewis McDonald and Darren Forbes both on vocals and guitar, Jordan Mchatton on the bass and Andrew 'Pandy' Finlay on the drums.

The intro is very Arctic Monkeys/ The Last Shadow Puppets Inspired. The lead singer for this track; McDonalds voice reminds me very much of Miles Kane. The upbeat guitars and powerful drums work well to increase the intensity of the track; however they aren't too powerful, they don't draw the attention away from the lyrics at all.

The intro is very long, in fact it is 1 minute and 13 seconds long on the music video. On the other hand, the long awaited intro builds the suspense up. McDonalds voice is full of indignation as he sings a song about a nymphomaniac who can't be monogamous to one man even though she has a ring on her finger. Perhaps its a retaliation towards all women saying how 'all men are the same' and how they can't keep their dick in their pants resulting in them always ending up being a cheat? The band are trying to open your eyes and broaden your horizons by saying that woman can in fact be just as bad as men in some cases. Which is true. As McDonald goes on to sing the powerful opening verse of...

'Ooh what a mistake, sayin' - 'hello' to a different man every week and wake. And its a quickest goodbye as you face the morning light, way back to your husband who's been worried sick all night.'

The whole track is very full on and very intense but it is brilliant because it flows so easily even though the whole song should be shouted because there's that much anger and frustration to the lyrics. The chorus is also brilliantly written, about that lady sleeping around - I think it is one of those situations where the whole town knows about her 'dirty little secret' and so does her husband but he just doesn't want to accept the fact that his wife is like that and therefore denies it to himself. Her husband must know as he is 'worried sick all night'.

'Cus when the sun goes down and the stars comes out, there's a side to you that I've never really known. Sleeping round this town is only gonna bring you down, in the morning when they tell you where to go.'

In conclusion I must say this track is absolutely spot on, they've managed to achieve the perfect balance between the instruments and the vocals as neither overpower one another. You can appreciate the instrumental simultaneously to being able to appreciate and hear the lyrics. After nearly 18 months of running my blog, I must admit that this is one of the best unsigned tracks that I ever heard. You really do have a bright future ahead of you, lets get some more famous Scottish indie bands out there! You can do it lads, this is a brilliant track and I'm glad that you have asked me to review it for you. You should be incredibly proud of yourselves. That is all. I would definitely recommend that you give their track below a listen; you won't regret it (unless you dislike the arctic monkeys or the the last shadow puppets) - it is an absolutely fantastic track. Well done lads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNW0gd_ox9w

Regina Spektor - Bleeding Heart (Single Review)

Regina Spektor is a singer-songwriter from New York, USA. She is notoriously known for her song 'You've Got Time' that was played as the theme tune for the hit US TV show 'Orange Is The New Black'. The song that made me fall in love with Regina Spektor way back in 2011 was her 2006 release called 'Samson' her gentle angelic distinctive voice made me fall in love with her. Spektor has not released anything since her 2012 album 'What We Saw From The Cheap Sets' so as you can imagine I was thrilled when I found out a few days ago that she had released a new track and is releasing an album in September! Anyway, the track is called 'Bleeding Heart' and it was released on the 22nd of July 2016.

Immediately dislike had hit from the first word. This isn't Regina! Her angelic high pitched voice with a brilliant vocal range has alternated to a bland pop voice. The distinctiveness of her voice has vanished into thin air! The lyrics are mediocre but the chorus is sung that many times you don't really catch watch she is actually saying in the verses. The only verse I really like out of the whole track is;

"You can't help but stare at everyone there. It's you versus everyone else. Your outfits a crime. You feel their cold minds placing you under arrest. And you serve your time drinking all night long."

I like this line as a bleeding heart indicates suffering and this line explains the suffering. The suffering sounds like paranoia and she is drinking excessively in order to stop the paranoid thoughts or at least calm them down to a point where she is that plastered that she eventually does not give a fuck. The chorus sounds as though she is struggling to sing the high notes, and the track as a whole sounds very rushed as some of the lines don't even make sense!

In conclusion, I understand that artists may change their style/genre/voice over time but she had something good going for her and it is a shame she has decided to try and get into mainstream pop music because her voice was brilliant! I think from now onwards I am just going to listen to her previous work as it is much better than this new crap she is bringing out now, does not tickle my fancy at all. Not necessarily excited for the album release anymore, I shall give it a listen but chances are I won't like it if it is all like this subtly weird pop/electric track. I would recommend Regina herself but not her new work - her old work. This song will be a waste of your time, there is better music out their to listen to - put it that way. Disappointed. I can't even give this track a rating out of 10, sorry Regina.

Social Confusion - You Give Me Everything & Your Life Is Waiting Outside (Duo-Release Review)

Social Confusion are a 4-piece alternative rock band from Shropshire, England. The quartet consists of; Mat Spence & Rob Flynn on vocals and guitar, Chris Symonds on the drums and Wil Blase on the bass. The duo-release happened on the 30th of April 2016, and the two tracks are called 'You Give Me Everything' and 'Your Life Is Waiting Outside'.

An upbeat guitar solo opens up the first track on the duo-release called 'You Give Me Everything' however it starts off with a steadily-paced riff, but the tempo soon increases and then the guitars are shortly accompanied by the drums. The vocals then entwine with the instruments which gradually increases the pace of the song as a whole; approximately about one minute in, the song begins to really reach its peak.

"Cus you're there when I need, you're the air that I breathe. Because YOU give me everything, give me everything, give me everything I've ever wanted."

The chorus continues after this line by alternating the end continuation of the line 'you give me everything..' The chorus repeats itself several times throughout the track which makes the track as a whole very catchy due to the repetitive chorus. On a separate note, I particularly liked the way they emphasised on the word 'you' within this line as it is if to say no one else can give me what you can, and no one else ever will.

As for the second track; 'Your Life Is Waiting Outside' at the first glimpse of the intro you hear a tune that is very similar to 'Oasis - Wonderwall'. However the riff shortly alternates into a completely different riff almost immediately after the few seconds of inspiration from the notorious track of 'Wonderwall' ceased. On the other hand, I must admit that the guitars do sound very Oasis influenced during this particular track. The vocals enter 28 seconds-in after the guitar solo intro, with the captivating opening lyrics of...

"You lie, you cheat, you take your time."

The chorus line is the song title of 'Your Life Is Waiting Outside'. This tells me that perhaps he has kicked her out of his/their home together and is telling her to get into the real world as she won't get nowhere in life she continues doing what she is doing. She will never have a happy, strong and serious relationship if she doesn't stop lying, cheating and taking her time - she is living in a fantasy world.

In conclusion the duo-release was admittedly very well put together as both of the tracks link together. The first track - 'You Give Me Everything' is about this 'perfect' woman who lures him into loving her by telling him everything he wants to hear and fulfils all of his needs. On the other hand; the second track is a continuation from the first track whereby he actually sees her true colours and for who she really is (a manipulative swine). Both songs have a guitar intro and outro, therefore it is easier to make the continuation of songs flow together one after another when performed or listened to. The only minor bit of criticism I really have on the two tracks is that I wish that the drums were more distinctive within the two songs, and were used more usefully to show the indignation and intensity of the songs when the tempo and volume increases. Therefore I wish that the drums can make as much of a statement as the guitars do, because I personally didn't even notice the drums through first-hearing. I only really properly noticed them when I was intensely listening to the track for the lyrics. Apart from that minor criticism (just a personal preference) I love these two tracks! They are brilliant and perfectly placed together! The vocals are also very good and show pure passion as well as the lyrics. I wish to hear more work off you soon lads, congratulations on your duo-release and I wish you all the best of luck within your future endeavours as a band. The links to the two tracks are below -

1. 'You Give Me Everything'- https://soundcloud.com/socialconfusion/you-give-me-everything
2. 'Your Life Is Waiting Outside' - https://soundcloud.com/socialconfusion/your-life-is-waiting-outside

The Garage Flowers - Think Of Me Hill (Demo Review)

The Garage Flowers are a southern indie-rock 3-piece from London. The Garage Flowers hoping to be a four-piece if they can find a bassist, so if you're around the area give them a message! The three piece consists of; Joe Capaldi on lead vocals, Jonny Webber on lead guitar and Greg Edwards on the drums. 10th of May 2016 was the release date and you can listen to it on soundcloud which I will link at the end of my review. The band have obvious influences during this track of; Richard Ashcroft (The Verve), Ian Brown (The Stone Roses) and Oasis.

An acoustic guitar opens up the track with a melancholic riff, shortly followed by Capaldi on vocals sounding similar to Ashcroft on the opening line with the lyrics of;

"Hey how ya doing. How's the weather? Wherever you are. I'm back in Devon with the rain the sea, and the stars."

This opening line represents that he is obviously missing someone and is dying to know what they are up to and how they have been getting on etc... Yet she has moved on and therefore asking questions would basically be pointless as you may never receive a response. After the first verse, a very Stone Roses 'Elephant Stone/This Is The One' inspired guitar riff is played - and you can tell that it is definitely a Stone Roses inspired guitar riff, as their band name is a line from one of their songs called 'Tell Me' which was a part of The Stone Roses earlier work. Then a rather insightful, upsetting chorus representing the bitter truth behind love and heartbreak is sung...

"Call it right, call it wrong - call it anything you want. I'm getting drunk again on my own, and I want everyone to know."

This song is so heartbreaking to hear, as it mentions in one of their lines about his 'sugar-coated love'. Sugar-coated love is whereby everything looks good on the outside but it is a different matter behind closed doors; away from the outside world - by the sounds of things he has been in a relationship like that and then has had his heart absolutely teared apart into shreds by someone; how devastating. The nostalgic chorus line is then sung;

"Climb up and meet me at Think Of Me Hill"

Followed by an outstanding solo riff on the electric guitar by Webber, which is then accompanied by Edwards on the drums which picks up with the guitar after being so subtle for a gentle effect during the nostalgic and melancholic track.

In conclusion this nostalgic track about heartbreak and the bitter truth is absolutely devastating to hear when you really listen to the lyrics as they are so intense. This is one of them songs that you write when you are absolutely smashed and crying your eyes out on the sofa and you just pour your heart out onto a piece of paper. To find out that years later what you had written was perfect to make a song out of as the words are just so heart felt and personal. The guitar riffs were placed perfectly, as were the drums and Capaldi's Ashcroft inspired voice makes the lyrics really mean something as he just such a believable singer. Very well done lads, this is a very heart warming track yet simultaneously absolutely devastating. A very well put together song with incredible lyrics and the fade out at the end was also a very nice touch. I look forward to listening to some more of your work.

https://soundcloud.com/thegarageflowers/think-of-me-hill-demo

The Torch @ The Live Room - Manchester - 11/06/16 (Gig Review)

The Torch are a 3-piece alternative rock band from Stoke-on-Trent. The trio consists of; Owen Hodgkinson on lead guitar and vocals, Josh Woody on the bass and Harry Pool on the drums. The band managed to grab themselves their first out of area gig in Manchester at The Live Room on the 11th of June 2016, and I was fortunate enough to get asked to go and review them. The line up consisted of a concoction of bands; some from outside of Manchester and some from Manchester. The bands who supported The Torch consisted of; lead singer from The So So's (Leon James Kenny) opening up the evening with a solo acoustic set, as his other two band members were pre-occupied in hospital and at the euros. The following act were a band that sounded heavily evanescence inspired; who also used rap within their unique set and they were called Factory Reasons. Now the third act; Shakedown Stockholm were an absolute nightmare! I would never ever recommend that you see these divas! Shakedown Stockholm consists of 7 band members; two female vocalists, three guitarists, a keyboardist and a drummer. They took about 45 minutes to soundcheck, and all they did was complain the whole way through - when there was no problems at all. Then to make matters worse, they refused to perform as they were kicking off that their mics weren't loud enough, when I was sat right at the back of the room and I could hear them perfectly. They were just so disrespectful and an absolute embarrassment.

However, the lead singer of The Torch, Hodgkinson came to the rescue by opting to do a solo acoustic set in order to fill in for Shakedown Stockholm. Hodgkinson improvised the whole set due to the unexpected occurance, and the set consisted of; a unique choice of a poem called Suicide In The Trenches by Siegfried Sassoon, Tom The Drum - Palma Violets, The Stooges - I Wanna Be Your Dog, The Coral - Dreaming Of You, Albion - Babyshambles and 5 Libertines songs! Lead guitarist of ALMA from Stoke, Kieran Breese - hoped on stage during the last two songs of the improvised set list and performed with Hodgkinson in which they recited two of The Libertines songs together; What Katie Did and Horror Show.

Following Hodgkinsons acoustic solo set, The Torch entered the stage. Their opening track was an original called 'I'm A Lie' and there was an immediate intense fast build up of guitars and drums in order to format a solid beat. This track really exploited the musicians talents as Woody on bass had his own guitar solo, in which he played a contagious riff, and you see how much of a brilliant drummer that Pool is! There was no hesitation or nerves whatsoever when it came to Pool playing the drums, he just got straight in there and gave it his all! Their catchy chorus line also allowed the audiences to sing along with this post-punk inspired track -

'I'm a lie, I'm a lie, I'm a lie!'

The Torch then covered a song by The Smiths called 'London'. They actually really surprised me with this performance as whenever a band cover a Smiths song they can't help themselves from imitating Morrissey's actions and singing in his flimsy voice, but Hodgkinson kept his own persona which shows you just how much of a solid frontman he is. Their third track sounded very Arctic Monkeys inspired, it was an original called 'Tell Me' - this was another catchy track due to the repetitive chorus. However I could not help but notice that the bassist lost the rhythm mid-way through the song and he was unfortunately unable to pick it back up again until the next track. However; the talented guitarist that Hodgkinson is, due to him being on lead guitar he overpowered the bass anyway so even though that had happened it was barely noticeable within this track - it was only visually noticeable. Woody is a brand new bassist though, and has only been with the band for less than a month and due to this being an original track this was almost inevitable that at one point he might forget a chord etc as he has to learn The Torch's own songs. If this ever happens again, just improvise and pluck a simple riff so at least there is some support for the lead guitarist. 

'Johnny Boy' is another original and it had a very strong instrumental as all of the instruments complimented eachother very well. Hodgkinsons stage persona is somewhat like Doherty's as he doesn't need to move around a lot, but he still gives his performance a bit of action. He doesn't need to move around a lot as he simultaneously plays the guitar as he sings; and he plays very intricate riffs that require a lot of concentration and if he's not doing that, he's singing and still playing so he'd lose that sense of control if he was to start prancing about on stage and his performance wouldn't be as good. There was also an on stage connection built with Hodgkinson and Woody during this track. Their next performance is their last cover and it is a song by The Hives called 'Hate To Say I Told You So' Hodgkinson opens the track with lead guitar, followed by the drums and then the bass. Hodgkinsons vocals were very strong on the chorus which shows how well he knows this song and the guitars and drums remained tight throughout, building up a solid instrumental alongside the vocals. The solo bass riff got the audience clapping, the vocals and drums shortly followed the solo and built up the tempo, which allowed them to re-create that strong instrumental again. This was one of their best performances of the night.

The second to last track of their set list was called 'Riot At The Ritz' and Hodgkinson stated to the audience that this was in fact The Torch's first ever single. Pool, yet again had another outstanding performance and was still giving it his all even towards the end of the set list. Yet again this track sounds slightly influenced by the early Arctic Monkeys work due to the riffs on the intro and the title I guess, as the Arctic Monkeys have a similar song title called 'From The Ritz, To The Rubble'. Hodgkinson flaunted off an outstanding riff within this performance and it made me realise what a brilliant guitarist he is as well as a vocalist, he played that hard he cut his fingers and broke a string because the riff was that crazy and intense! Due to the guitar string snapping we went to look for the reserve guitar and it had gone missing! What an absolute nightmare! However the sound tech guy came to the rescue with a spare string. The last track of their setlist was called 'Take You Back' and this is another personal favourite performance of mine as this song was a complete paradox to the rest - it is a lot softer, with its; melodic riffs, and slow rhythmic drums which creates a rather groovy but melancholic vibe. 

The Torch had a bit of extra time at the end of their set so they just played 'Riot At The Ritz' and a The Hives - Hate To Say I Told You So again, and as the nerves were out of the way, both of these performances were a lot stronger the second time around.

In conclusion The Torch had a brilliant performance, I mean there was that slight slip up with the bassist but you have to give them the benefit of the doubt when he's been in the band for less than a month, and they have been trying to teach him a whole set list! Lead singer and guitarist, Hodgkinson has a very punk voice and loves to put his own unique twist on things, and he really manages to captivate an audience - which is what a frontman is supposed to do isn't it? Pool on drums was absolutely outstanding throughout the whole set list, he gave it his all on every track and he is just a bloody brilliant drummer! You also see how much of a talented guitarist the lead singer is as well, and you don't often find that - because riffs don't tend to be as intense and intricate if it's the lead singer playing lead guitar. My favourite performances of the night were The Hives cover of "Hate To Say I Told You So' and 'Take You Back'.  I especially like how they switched the setlist up with the closing song being a complete paradox to their other song choices it was a well thought-out song to close their set with. I am privileged to have been able to have reviewed and attended The Torch's first ever out of area gig! They played very well and did Stoke proud! The Torch have found their own solid sound, and they deserve all the success within their future as a band. If you ever get the chance to watch The Torch, go and support your local music scene and you may be surprised - they have a lot of potential and they can only excel further as a band because they've already got their own sound, skills and stage presence all they need now is the extra support! I wish them the best of luck within their future endeavours as a band, keep that torch shining!

 

 

Broken Flags - Sweet Decadence (Single Review)

Broken Flags are an indie rock 4-piece, from my hometown of Stoke-On-Trent. The quartet consists of; Jack Dooley on lead vocals, Lew Adams on lead guitar, Ash Clay on the drums and Josh Buckley on the bass. Broken Flags have supported some very well-known bands from out of the area such as; Riding The Low, The View and they are even supporting Shed Seven on the 29th of July this year! 'Sweet Decadence' is Broken Flags debut single and it was released on the 18th of April in 2016.  When I was asked to write this review, I was immediately intrigued by the song title - I don't know what it was about it, but it just catched my eye... Resulting in me doing a bit of snooping, and I came across a very well-fitted definition. The way that I interpreted the definition was that the meaning of decadence was to excessively self-indulge in something or rather, however the sweet represents the finer things in life - the treats. So let's find out if this track is actually about what I think it is about - excessively indulging in the more luxurious things in life...

Riveting guitar riffs from Adams and Buckley open up the track, alongside the punching, rhythmic drums from Clay. The band were shortly accompanied by Dooley's Mancunian brit-pop styled vocals, as he sang out the title in a Gallagher whine. This track sounds very inspired by the brit-pop era, I can hear sprouts of Oasis and Blur within the track. This line in particular proves my point about the title of the track, about the finer things in life...

'Because; the women, the money, I'm 'tryna find it funny.'

There's quite a sinicister line within the track as if to say 'you get what you deserve' when you're a materialistic snob and then you lose everything in the blink of an eye.

'And all the tears you've cried, let them run because the man don't lie.'

The chorus noticeably stood out to me, because just where is home? Is home a past-time? Is home your childhood?

'Won't you take me back home, take me back home.'

In conclusion this track is jam-packed full of riveting indie guitar riffs, punchy drums, and brit-pop inspired vocals. The title of the track is incredibly clever as the lyrics match precisely to the meaning of the song title, and you can't fault how intellectual the title is - the song title just captivates you before you are even given the chance to give the track a listen. 'Sweet Decadence' is just about the materialistic values of things in life and I'm presuming that home is childhood whereby you do not put a materialistic value on anything because there is simply no need to. The only piece of constructive criticism that I have for Broken Flags within this track is that the pronunciation on the lyrics needs to be a lot clearer as there were quite a few areas whereby I couldn't quite grasp what Dooley was saying, however this could be a quality difficulty within the production of the track. On the other hand if the quality isn't the problem, then the instruments need to be toned down when certain climax's of the track appear in order to emphasise a focus on the lyrics and vocals as a whole. Apart from that minor issue the track is brilliant, and Broken Flags should be very proud at how far they have come and the production of their track. I wish them the best of luck with all of their future endeavours, and I hope that they have an absolute ball supporting Shed Seven! You can listen to their track in the YouTube link that I have added below or on spotify.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3fy0VKd63G4

Richard Ashcroft - These People (Album Review)

Richard Ashcroft is the Wigan-born former frontman of the well-known britpop band from the 90's called 'The Verve'. 1999 was the beginning of Ashcroft's solo career; following the split from The Verve, he released his first solo album in 2000 called - 'Alone With Everybody.' The Verve did actually reform in 2007 but then they split up again in 2009, then Ashcroft formed a new band afterwards and in 2010 they had already released new material and this band was called 'RPA And The United Nations Of Sound'. However Ashcroft decided to stick to his solo career and as of the Friday that has just passed; 20th of May 2016, he has now released a new solo album called - 'These People'. Ashcroft released two teaser tracks before the album release and they are called; 'This Is How It Feels' and 'Hold On'. Fans of Ashcroft were over the moon to hear that he was in fact releasing a new solo album for the first time in 10 years! So let's see what this lyrical genius has come up with this time!

The first song to open up the album is called 'Out Of My Body' and the instrumental sounds like a shoot-off is about to occur in Texas! This song is very abstract as it is about death and what you see when you die, as the title basically says... It is an out of body experience.

"Out of the darkness you saved me, I was alone and you came down to claim me."

The beat picks up after this line, and during the second half of the chorus you can imagine everybody with their hands in their air dancing side to side belting out the lyrics. As the song begins to fade out, violins were added in order to add that extra bit of tension that the track needed.

"Out of my body out of my mind, free of control, the way I like yeah. Out of my body out of my mind, out of this world out of time."

The second track is one of the teaser tracks called 'This Is How It Feels'. Now I reviewed this track on the 13th of March 2016 so if you would like a more intense analystic review don't hesitate to scroll down my blog and have a quick read. This is a really deep track, and it is full of depth and meaning. This is a typical Ashcroft track whereby he captivates you with his smooth rock voice and his well thought-out lyrics. The following song is called 'They Don't Own Me' and this track reminces me back to The Verve and personally, I think that this is one of the best tracks on the album by far. With the title of the track being used as the catchy chorus line, and the use of the violins was perfectly constructed and the violins were a beautiful addition to the song. 

'Hold On' is the fourth track on the album and the second teaser track. The piano opens up this song, shortly assisted by an electro element which was added to the instrumental. During the instrumental, Ashcroft was singing some quiet backing vocals, yet again this is another lyrical masterpiece from the musical prodigy himself, and my favourite line is...

"Fighting on your own can turn your heart to stone."

This line basically means that due to fighting all of your own battles alone you have seen a lot of things that you should not have seen and you have been through a lot of things that you should not have been. This has resulted in making you very thick skinned whilst simultaneously making you emotionless and cold-hearted. The catchy chorus to this track explains why it was chosen to be one of the teaser tracks...

"So hold on, hold on. Hold on, you know there ain't a lot of time. But I know that we can make it, you better hold on."

The mid-album track is also the title track called 'These People' and I think that it was very well placed as it breaks up the album nicely, instead of being the opening or closing track like the majority of albums. This is without a shadow of a doubt a romantic, slow love ballad. This song is about the battles you face within a relationship, and why the good times are worth the arguments.

"Imagine my life without your morning smile, your look of love says stay a while."

The chorus explains how people will try and interfere within your relationship and the battles that you may face, and how you will eventually overcome them.

"These people; sent to test us, sent to play with our minds. Come on baby, we're a little stronger, I know we can survive."

The next track is called 'Everybody Needs Somebody To Hurt' and it has that electro feel to it again on the intro and a pulsating beat accompany's it. 

"Everybody needs somebody to hurt it seems, caught in the middle of life it's just a riddle full of bad dreams."

When you've received so much pain, your inner sadist wants to know how it feels to be the one to hurt for once, and not to be the one who always gets hurt. Everybody needs to inflict pain on somebody else at one point in their life instead of you being the one who's hammered with emotional pain all of the time. 'Picture Of You' is another slow and romantic love ballad to come off this album. A slow acoustic guitar leads the instrumental, however it was shortly assisted by several other instruments before Ashcroft sings the opening verse of;

"I've got a picture of you, the glory of you. In my mind, on a hot summers day babe you know you blew them away with your smile, with your smile."

'Black Lines' cuts almost immediately in with the vocals, yet again this appears to be another love ballad. Except this is about trying to figure someone out who appears to be a bit of an enigma... The second to last track is called 'Ain't The Future So Bright' and it has a piano instrumental which shortly alternates into a slightly electro instrumental. 

"It's been a long time since I felt that sunshine."

You could take this song one of two ways; either that he's waiting for the sun to shine again or that infact the track is pretty controversial as the meaning of the song is the ultimate opposite of the title of the track. The last track to wrap up the album is called 'Songs Of Experience' and it is 5 and a half minutes of pure bliss ... Slow, yet uplifting - what a brilliant track to close the album up with.

In conclusion, Ashcroft has lived up to my expectations and beyond with this album and I am sure that none of his fans have resulted in being disappointed. I wish I had the money to go and see him on tour because it would have been amazing, and I have heard so many positive remarks back from the people who I know who have seen him on his 2016 tour. Every song was slightly different and the lyrical genius has still got it and has never lost it, to say the least! If I had to narrow it down my top 3 favourite tracks would have to be; 'Out Of My Body', 'They Don't Own Me', and 'These People'. Ashcroft just sings with pure passion and soul, and he's just such a believable songwriter and a captivating singer it will always be next to impossible to find faults with his work. I would definitely recommend that you give this album a listen and the other work that Ashcroft has done within his two previous bands and his solo career if you haven't already. What a flawless album, and a brilliant come back - it has been a pleasure listening.

10/10

The Retroaction - Time Won't Wait (Single Review)

LITTLE LUCY WYNNE FROM STOKE-ON-TRENT HAS ONLY MANAGED TO GO AND GET HERSELF GLOBAL HASNT SHE?! This is my first ever review that I have written for an unsigned band outside of the UK! A band from Ontario, Canada got in touch with me via social media and they are a 1950's/1960's styled rock n roll band called The Retroaction. The Retroaction consists of four band members; all of which sing within their songs, however they swap over lead vocals throughout their different tracks. The quartet for this track consists of; Thomas Duxbury on lead vocals and guitar, Keith Moffat on guitar, Charles Kostash on bass and Ron Lang on the drums. The band are inspired by many great bands and artists such as; Muddy Waters, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, The Beatles, Small Faces, The Kinks, Bo Diddley and The Yardbirds etc... The track that I got asked to review was 'Time Won't Wait' and this interestingly titled song was released on the 9th of May 2016.

The 1950's Rock n Roll intro is first induced by the guitar, followed by Kostash singing some very 1960's 'ooo's alongside the guitars. Strangely soon as Duxbury starts singing the song reminds me of a summery Beach Boys track. The first line follows as so...

'Goodbye my darling, hello new beginning.'

Straight away you know this track is going to be about reminiscing about the good times whilst simultaneously relating the effects it has had to current events - hence the title of 'Time Won't Wait.' Time won't wait because you can't leave anything too late, and every second that goes by you are pushed into the future whether you like it or not. This soon leads on to their catchy chorus which is repeated several times throughout -

'Time won't wait for me, any longer than it has. Time won't wait for me, any longer than it must. Time won't wait for me, time won't for me.'

After the third chorus a guitar solo appears which leads on to the last verse, which is shortly followed by the chorus again. Their last line is my favourite ...

'Time won't wait for me, any longer than it has in this life.'

Basically it is now or never! Time won't wait for anyone, it is a non-discriminatory measurement! In conclusion I love this track, and it is nice to hear a band outside of the UK who are still interested and influenced by 'old music' from the 1950's and 60's. In many ways due to the nostalgia as a whole, it made the track sound a bit psychedelic and a bit 1970's. They are very different, and different is always good. I just wish that Lang on the drums had a bit more time to shine as the vocals and guitars tended to distract you away from listening to the drums. Furthermore, there is no doubt that they are all very talented musicians and they have managed to create a very solid and strong sound to themselves. The lyrics are also on the strong side, as they have a very solid and repetitive chorus which allows the listener to join in with ease, and the verses are well constructed with poetic depth and meaning also. I wish you all the best with your future endeavours as a band and I really appreciate you choosing me to review you! Let's hope that you manage to make it to the UK now! Their link is below...

https://youtu.be/gltM-SLrdz8

Any enquiries about my reviews - my contact details are below;

Instagram/Twitter - lucywynne89

Facebook - Lucy Wynne

E-Mail - lucywynne89@gmail.com

The 48K's - Out Of Time (Single Review)

The 48K's are a five-piece indie-rock band from Sheffield and they formed in late 2009. The quintet consists of; Lead vocalist - Ryan Lightfoot, Simon Katuszonek on rhythm guitar & backing vocals, Steven Dale on lead guitar & backing vocals, Adam Golightly on the bass & backing vocals and the fifth member is Chris Morris who plays the drums. The 48K's have supported many well-known artists on the indie/alternative scene such as; The View, The Enemy, Reverend & The Makers, The Strypes, Cast and many more! The Enemy's own Tom Clarke even said - "The 48K's have some top tunes and they sound like a cross between The La's and The Who." This quintet have based their lyrics on the standard working class life, and they also cover topics such as; going out on the lash, football, clobber, beer and music. This track is a teaser as to what is going to be released on the 24th of June 2016 in their 4 track EP called 'The Ends The Start Where We Begin.'

Cracking guitar riffs open up the track, shortly followed by Morris on the drums then finally Lightfoot on vocals. Immediately I noticed Lightfoot has a very distinctive voice and he reminds me of a cross between Ian Brown, Alex Turner and Mick Jagger; a strange combination I know, but if you listen to their track you will hopefully know what I am on about... On the other hand I think Lightfoot only sounds a bit like a cross of Alex Turner because they're from the same location, so I am presuming that it is just an accent thing. The opening lyrics are sung with a flow of nonchalance about them...

"Words that flow across my mind, I tried to call - but you're out of time."

These lyrics tell me that the lyricist has been over-analysing a situation and needs to get his thoughts out there, so he can fix something that has happened. However, she no longer has time for him anymore because he has left the situation too long without saying anything. Ultimately resulting in her being out of time. Furthermore; the main thing that particularly stood out to me within this track was the catchy chorus - and it goes as followed...

"I don't need a new reaction, and you can't see your attraction."

Within the chorus is where the backing vocals take place and they have resulted in being very effective as it just makes the song even more catchy, due to the repetitiveness of the lines. The guitar solo was also very well placed and it showed off the other talents within the band as Lightfoot had a vocal rest and just let the rest of the band do their own thing, and I think that as a band they do work very well together and I suppose that's why they're still strong 7 years down the line! Chemistry is key!

In conclusion I was rather intrigued as to what this band had to offer due to their experiences in supporting some very well known bands. The track was short, sweet and catchy which are 3 brilliant attributes to have to a teaser track as it keeps fans on their toes and curious to find out more... The track still had depth and was simultaneously catchy too which makes a perfect sing-along indie track. Another thing which I really appreciated was a new sound - Lightfoots voice is a compilation of inspiration from various different artists; the list is endless! However his voice is his own and he's brought a new sound to the scene; he's no Liam Gallagher or Alex Turner replica - he is Ryan Lightfoot. The band work very well together and have created a solid sound for themselves that moulds around Lightfoots voice as well. I would definitely recommend you give them a listen; they have created a solid sound and within that; their track is full of catchy riffs, righteous drums and contagious lyrics. All the best within your future success The 48K's. 

The links to view their tunes are below;

https://www.facebook.com/The48ks
https://twitter.com/the48ks
https://www.youtube.com/user/The48ks
https://soundcloud.com/the48ks
 

Roosevelt Room - Loose Lips (Single Review)

Roosevelt Room are a four-piece alternative rock band from Blackburn, in the UK. The alternative quartet consists of; Ben Kirton on lead vocals & guitar, Jordan Westwell on guitar, Michael Russle on the drums and Alex Roberts on the bass. They recently released this single on the 18th of April 2016, and they have currently got their biggest gig yet in Manchester @ the Ritz on the 3rd of June 2016 - so if you're up there, do go in and support these guys! The Roosevelt Room have supported acts such as; Jonny Brown (Twisted Wheel), Joe Carnell Jnr (Milburn/Reverend & The Makers), 7 Shades and The Crookes.

The intro consists of a very slow guitar, opening up the track shortly followed by the grisly distinctive rock vocals from Kirton. Roosevelt Room have a quite 60's/70's psychedelic rock vibe to them and the slow, patient beat of the drums from Russle as well as the peaceful strumming on the guitars creates this melancholic vibe.

"Like the cuts on my wrists, they make me feel unnerve."

Often a lot of mental health issues lead to bodily self-harm which creates more issues including anxiety, paranoia etc... He feels unnerved because he's lost a sense of self-confidence that he had before as he now feels weak. This song will be very relateable to a wide-spread of people and it will touch a very sensitive spot. The closing line is also very moving...

"Now the rest of my days I spend trying to forget, the day that we met."

In conclusion, when I first listened to the track I thought it needed to pick up a bit more and have a bit more of a punch and adrenaline. However, the more I listened to the words the more it made sense - the slowness and melancholia is to represent how he feels inside. I'm glad they mentioned about mental health issues, even if it was only brief as it still isn't a very talked about topic and people need to know how common they are and how they can derive or stem from anything. In this case, it stemmed from a broken heart and betrayal and lyrically the song is very impressive. The only thing I'd say would be to make it more repetitive and catchy but due to the pace of the song I understand why it isn't like that - just a personal preference. Moving on, the song was incredibly moving and very deep and Kirton's vocals are also very distinctively different from other lead singers which makes Roosevelt Room unlike many other alternative rock bands out there - they are no replica. Good luck with all of your future endeavours in the band and I hope you get all of the success and appreciation that you deserve.

YouTube Music Video -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYU0amqtNVU

Soundcloud-

https://soundcloud.com/roosevelt-room/loose-lips