The Raintree County – Feel Alive

In 1995, there was no need for Oasis to follow 1994’s ‘Definitely Maybe’ with more of the same. The world was ready for Noel Gallagher and Owen Morris to stretch their their sound to the edge of oblivion on ‘What’s The Story (Morning Glory)’. However, The Raintree County’s new single ‘Feel Alive’, has created an alternate reality where that Manchester via Liverpool sound was followed up on.

Full of escapism and hopeful swagger, the Leeds five piece have delivered a slice of the North West. With the charm of ‘Digsy’s Donner’ and the expansiveness of ‘Slide Away’ and ‘Columbia’, they have tapped into that Burnage groove to take the mind elsewhere.

This isn’t just a rehash of the past though. Nor is it just a tribute to Oasis. There are nuggets psyche reminiscent of Mick Head’s Shack and the drunkard triumphalism of Tribes fuelling this anthem for the present day.

Two singles in, The Raintree County are nailing down their own sound via the greats. Definitely ones to watch!

Friday 2nd August marks our 8th birthday. Come down to the New Cross Inn for a night of great live music. Tickets available here:

The Raintree County – Happy People

‘Happy People’ is the debut single from Leeds five piece The Raintree County. Having garnered attention from BBC Introducing West Yorkshire and the Y Not Festival, we decided to delve in.

Immediately, The Real People’s classics ‘Window Pane’ and ‘I Can’t Wait’ spring to mind. The choppy psyche guitars and front man Jimmy Sweeney’’s vocals have channelled their inner scouser to good effect.

It’s the distinction of their sound that is striking for a debut single. Ben Arnold’s beefy guitars funnel the vastness of Black Keys through the indie-psyche of The Real People and The LA’s. Bands are so often slow to realise less is more, they’ve already nailed that. A bright future beckons.

Friday 2nd August marks our 8th birthday. Come down to the New Cross Inn for a night of great live music. Tickets available here:

The Real People: Star Shaped Festival, Brixton

It’s easy to see why Simon Fowler and Liam Gallagher have always cited The Real People as catalysts for their own success. Their breed of free flowing paisley psyche seeps into almost all of the great psychedelic rock n roll albums of the past 20 years in the UK.

What is harder to fathom, is why they remain outsiders in the alternative music world. As the layers of ‘She’ build towards their warped solo, whoever follows them onstage at Brixton is fucked. Luckily, it was My Life Story, there was no talent to be lost in the moment anyway.  

The Star Shaped team, on all their live events and club nights, do a great service in revitalising the spirit of the Britpop days. Truth be told, The Real People probably don’t belong both spiritually and musically. On ‘Complicated’ and ‘Dream On’, their timelessness comes gloriously to the foreground.

‘Complicated’, so effortless and striking, brings The Verve’s ‘History’ to mind with its ability to be whimsical and brutal all at once. ‘Dream On’ however, just blows Brixton Academy apart with its sweeping majesty, Neil Young and paisley guitars and emotive desperation vocal from Tony and Chris.

Be sure to catch them on their remaining 2018 dates:

Sat 6th October – The Flapper – Birmingham

Sat 17th November – The Platform – Morecambe

Sat 1st December – Leopard – Doncaster