Top 10 EPs of 2022

What another great year for new music 2022 has been. Here are our favourite 10 EP’s of the year:

10. The Lunar Towers - Hurry Up and Wait (Full review here)

There’s a ramshackle beauty to Sewell’s vocals which evokes Pastels’ Creation Records era. The abrasive yet beautiful delivery gives them a joyous us versus the world sonic!

9. The Skinner Brothers - Lonedom (Full review here)

Frontman Zac Skinner’s vocals should be iconic by now. On this latest offing, he has the gruffness of beans on Toast, the insolence of Jamie T but, crucially it’s his soul-boy persona that shines brightest.

8. Andrew Cushin - You Don’t Belong (Full review here)

Although it leaves you hollow and despairing, the heart will remain full for this is a young man reminding us all that a working-class hero is still something to be!

7. The Chase - Not The F**king Game Show (Full review here)

Raucous garage punk sitting between The Stranglers and The Velvet Hands. James’ great keys light up this explosive affair alongside the scintillating guitars.

6. JW Paris - Stuck In A Video

Powerful and unhinged punk rock!

5. The Reds, Pinks, & Purples - Everything Holy (BBC Radio Session)

Their windswept beauty and melancholy is perfectly encapsulated in this incredible BBC session.

4. The Clockworks - The Clockworks (Full review here)

It’s felt like an age since social commentary and great characterisation were a part of our lives. There has been great polemic in recent times but, ‘Money’ goes further. It unites the town crier with the poet and is destined to reel in fans from all strands of the alternative world!

3. Andy Bell - Untitled Film Stills

The Ride guitarist has had a phenomenal run in 2022 with Ride, his solo album but, this EP is the pièce de résistance. An atmospheric masterclass.

2. Pastel - Isaiah (Full review here)

Their time with John Squire at Knebworth was clearly well spent. On ‘S.O.H.O.’ the ‘Second Coming’ and ‘Do It Yourself’ strut comes out to play. Great and immediate hooks combine with Yate’s Chris Helme vocals to bug everything out.

1. Priestgate - Eyes Closed For The Winter (Full review here)

If The DMA’s made a Cure record, this would be it. Dream pop-psyche flirting with the lighter gothic moments of Robert Smith’s eyeliner magic. Frontman Rob Schofield switches from a popper Farris Badwan in the verses to the broken gruff soul of James Geard (Sissy & The Blisters) or Alexander "Chilli" Jesson (Palma Violets) in the pain-ridden end.

Interview with Andrew Cushin

Newcastle’s Andrew Cushin released his latest single ‘Wait For The Rain’ (full review here) last week. We caught up with Andrew recently, here’s what he had to say:

What music are you currently listening to?

I’m currently listening to a lot of Tom Grennan actually... wasn’t really a fan until now, also bang into James Bay. I’m still always jumping round to the old stuff like The Beatles and The Who.

Has lockdown been affecting your song writing?

I’ve written some great songs! (Other people’s words not mine haha!) In a way I’ve written some of my best lyrics whilst in lockdown ... it’s given me time to reflect on what’s been a mental first year in music!

How was it meeting Noel in RAK Studios? Did he offer you any advice?

Noel was a proper geezer all week. Lovely bloke... I won’t have anyone slate him in my company after the week I had with him. The advice he gave me was priceless. Absolutely priceless ... he’s definitely a secret Newcastle supporter though.

Your current record, 'Waiting For The Rain' is a deeply personal record. Was it a hard process to record and write the lyrics?

I wrote the lyrics for “Waiting For The Rain” as a 15 year school boy, the chords and melody was written when I was 16 and I played it for the first time when I was 18 I front of close friends and family ... they couldn’t believe it was my tune and that I had hidden it away for the best part of 2 and a half years.