This Is War

Liverpool’s This Is War are made up of Paul Carden (vocals), Jonny Roberts (lead guitar), Mike Mullard (rhythm guitar & backing vocals), Martyn Leah (drums), and Andy Williams (bass Guitar).

Carden, will be familiar to many as the ex-frontman of cult noughties favourites The Black Velvets. Last Autumn they kicked things off with ‘Sugar’ and, in January, they released the second single ‘Autumn Savage Rose’. We take a look at both:

Autumn Savage Rose

The bluesy rock ‘n’ roll glamour of Stereophonics hooks up with Kent’s cult heroes Springtide Calvary to produce a stomping gem. The jagged edges of The Jam, The Libertines, and Razorlight circa ‘Rip It Up’ ignite into a euphoric boozy climax.

Frontman Cardern, drawing from Rod in the Faces and London’s forgotten heroes Dogs Johnny Coo, has the innate ability to unite all and sundry. His melodic growl creates a fire-breathing ecstasy that demands you follow him into battle.

Sugar

The immediacy of the guitar licks is incredible. Dogs’ ‘London Bridge’ and The Rifles’ ‘She’s Got Standards’ are brought to life once more. However, there’s a melancholy pervading ‘Sugar’. Carden, adopting a Tom Smith (Editors) meets the aforementioned Cooke, finds the desperation that all great rock ‘n’ roll has. His humble roar is the sound of frenzied fingers clawing at the dirt. Downtrodden but never out of the fight, This Is War are your new sound of defiance!

Gazelle

Gazelle are a four piece from Leicester consisting of Ryan Dunn (Vocals/Guitar), Ben Gooch (Guitar), Richard Sorbi (Bass) and Danny Wright (Drums).

For anyone who has lived through boom eras of bands, their two songs will bring a tear to the eye. The touchpaper has been lit for a time in the sun once again.

They've tapped into the all the best bit of The View, The Rifles, and The Courteeners to reflect the pent up desperation of the working classes to escape their surroundings.

Let’s check out those two songs:

Finger On The Trigger

This is the sound of being young, angst ridden and full of dreams. Escape is the name of the game and the immediacy of the All The Young style guitars and Tom Clarke-esque lyrics will surely give them everything they ever wanted.

Where Nothing Ever Happens, a song by Gazelle on Spotify

Where Nothing Ever Happens

This is the legacy of Peter Lloyd and Tony Moon’s Sideburns zine from 1976:

Like the original punks, Gazelle have concerned themselves with the boredom of their surroundings. Musically, this lends itself more to The Rifles’ second album ‘The Great Escape’ than punk but, the spirit of ’76 is undeniable.

Finger on the Trigger, a song by Gazelle on Spotify