Senses - Little Pictures Without Sound

Coventry’s Senses have released their debut album ‘Little Pictures Without Sound’ via 42s Records. It was written by the whole band and recorded at Magic Garden Studio in Wolverhampton and produced by Gavin Monaghan (MOSES / The Twang / The Blinders).

Image & artwork courtesy of 42s Records.

Where many fail to blend their identity with their heroes Senses succeed with grace and ease. At several turns ‘Little Pictures Without Sound’ pushes the boundaries of what we know about BRMC, The Music, and New Order.

‘With Us / Against Us’ is a revolving door of Bernard Summer beauty and the beguiling leather-clad US rockers. Delicate Mary Chain riffs unite with frontman Brian Callan’s Barney-esque vocals. It is, however, his ability to strive, to reach beyond the usual that reels you in. Callan’s sense of exploration is blessed with defiance that few wouldn’t stand alongside to defend.

Former single ‘Harder Now (For Love)’ throbs with BRMC’s leather-clad rebel status. Brian Callan and Kevin Kavanagh’s brooding guitars are awash with great juxtaposition. There’s a Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre lo-fi quality chiming with the directness of Oasis’ ‘Heathen Chemistry’ and ‘Don’t Believe The Truth’ era. When they combine with Callan’s lead and Ian Finnegan’s backing vocal, they create a wall of sound worthy of Soundtracks Of Our Lives peak.

‘It Comes From Within’ and opener ‘Drifting’ however, turns to the recently reformed Leeds icons The Music. The howling guitars tap into the emotive power of ‘The Walls Get Smaller’ and the dramatic build of ‘Too High’. Meanwhile, Callan looks to his Coventry pal Reid Currie (The Institutes) for an ethereal vocal delivery from the heavens. As the tension builds a now-or-never narrative emerges through the guitar solo like a well-executed dramatic montage. ‘Drifting’ is a far more welcoming embrace with its shimmering guitars, ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ meets ‘Fight The Feeling’ production, and Ian Finnegan’s euphoric stomp on drums. Callan and Kevin Kannagh’s guitars impose themselves with the cinematic brilliance of Adam Nutter and fragile beauty of DMAs to create one of the finest album openers of the century.

On ‘Let Me In’ and ‘All Things Happen For A Reason’, Senses search for yet more meaningful connections with atmospheric down-tempo. The former lacks a point difference that makes the rest of the album so great. Whereas ‘All Things Happen For A Reason’ begins humbly low-key celestial guitars and before breaking free of its chains to become a bombastic Kasabian meets Soundtracks of our Lives number!

‘Little Pictures Without Sound’ is an album by dreamers for dreamers. Even in its most lo-fi moments it’s touched by the hands of fantasy. It breeds a vision of a better life at every turn.  

Senses – Harder Now (For Love)

Coventry’s Senses have followed in the footsteps of The Institutes by signing to the impeccable 42s Records. Last week they released their ‘Harder Now (For Love)’ which was produced by the legendary Gavin Monaghan (Fitzroy Holt / MOSES / Lyerr) at Magic Garden Studios in Wolverhampton.

Image & artwork courtesy of 42s Records.

On the surface, ‘Harder Now’ seems a straight-up rock ‘n’ roll number. Scratch beneath the surface and an array of influences and juxtapositions emerge. Brian Callan and Kevin Kavanagh’s brooding guitars are awash with great juxtaposition. There’s a Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre lo-fi quality chiming with the directness of Oasis’ ‘Heathen Chemistry’ and ‘Don’t Believe The Truth’ era. When they combine with Callan’s lead and Ian Finnegan’s backing vocal, they create a wall of sound worthy of Soundtracks Of Our Lives peak.

Callan’s vocal takes Jonathan Richman’s drawl for a joyride with the sprawling psyche of Revolver’s Mat Flint and the punky-pop snarl of Senseless Things’ Mark Keds. Callan has an innate talent to glide toward spoken without fully landing there. It serves their lo-fi rock ‘n’ roll and punk instincts well by elevating the song’s drama during the glorious vocal hook of the chorus and the scintillating guitar parts in the closing stages.

‘Harder Now (For Love)’ will be the first of three singles via 42s Records in March and April. Click the image below for tickets to their album launch gig:

Skylights – What You Are

Acomb’s Skylights have had quite the journey to the release of their debut album ‘What You Are’. The band called it a day a few years back their indie euphoria looked set to fall into the category of ‘what might have been’. Then, in 2020, they returned, would this last roll of the dice pay off?

The album is available to buy from 42s Records.

In the spirit of the last chance saloon, they often adopt the windswept string anthems of Feeder and the sun setting drama of Soundtrack of our Lives. ‘Nothing Left To Say’ has the dreamy ambition of ‘Feeling A Moment’ and the emotive power of ‘Just The Way I’m Feeling’ but, Turnbull Smith’s guitars take it to new planes. His Wedding Present jangle of the intro and shimmering solo give it ambition and hopefulness the grey landscapes of the UK so desperately require.

Meanwhile, on ‘What You Are’ and ‘Take Me Somewhere’ they inject their newfound defiance into these well-worn sounds. The former is far more bullish and accompanied by great aggressive Pete Townsend windmills. Whereas, ‘Take Me Somewhere’ has the longing visions and psychedelic hooks of the Soundtracks of ‘You Are The Beginning’.

Their penchant for the indie epic is offset by more urgent flourishes on ‘YRA’ and ‘Lifeline’.  ‘YRA’ is the perfect homage to the 00s with its Kasabian beats, The Music’s guitar licks, and the balls-out swagger of The Twang. ‘Lifeline’ taps into the colossal sound of Adam Nutter’s disco-psychedelia and puts it through Noel’s looping masterpiece ‘Columbia’. Both offer a way out for anyone angst-ridden and yearning for their Jimmy “way of life” moment.

‘Britannia’, originally written for the 2012 Olympics, also has the vastness of The Who’s world. Myles Soley’s apocalyptic drumming provides a cataclysmic platform for Smith’s Townsend-esque fury and frontman Rob Scarisbrick’s snarling to erupt the album into chaos.

What was a fortuitous reformation has undoubtedly led to one of the albums of the year! This isn’t a breakout debut, it’s the sound of a band 3 albums deep commanding the respect of academy-sized audiences.

Image courtesy of 42s Records & Mark Tigue

Skylights – Outlaw

Artwork by Paul Evans. Courtesy of 42’s Records.

Off the back of sold-out shows in their home cities of York and Leeds, Skylights are back with their third single ‘Outlaw’. Released last Friday via 42’s Records, it was recorded (&mixed) by John Greatewood and will feature on their upcoming debut album ‘What You Are’.

The Instantaneous energy of The Clash and the dark power of The Cult roar into life. Nodes of glam rock and Happy Mondays wobble psyche-guitars lurk with intent to lift this ode to Aberdeen fans.

It’s a stark contrast to the windswept Feeder-inspired anthem ‘Darkness Falls’ and the colossal spiralling guitars of ‘Enemies’.

*Image courtesy of Mark Tighe & 42’s Records.

The evidence is stark, ‘What You Are’ is shaping up to be the underdog album of the year!

Click the image below for tickets totheir upcoming gigs:

Yuka Tree

Yuka Tree are five-piece punk/rock ‘n’ roll outfit consisting of Kieran Breese (vocals & guitar) Louis McLoughlin (guitar), Jacob Shotton (guitar), Joe Royle (bass) and Ollie Barron (drums).

In January, they released their debut single ‘Preacher’ via Manchester’s 42 Records.  Recorded with Jack Howorth (Fat White Family), it’s their first step into the burgeoning punk scene.

Maybe it’s the that they’re from 5 different cities that, they have more universal appeal than many of the current punk crop. It certainly lends themselves to the Fontaines DC end of the pool than the vitriol of IDLES.

Although not free flowing like early Oasis, the punk-cum-psychedelic hiss of ‘Bring It On Down’ or ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’ lurks in the shadows. The stop start nature lends itself to many classic Fall records as well as, the coming of age rebellion of LIFE.

Sure fire ones to watch!