Treetop Flyers - Treetop Flyers

As the nu-folk scene dissipated, those with the biggest potential, like Treetop Flyers and Johnny Flynn were left in the wilderness somewhat. It is then, through sheer spirit the London outfit have made it to the third album. Would that potential finally be capitalised on?

From start to finish, they draw upon the love of the Muscle Shoals studio and Stephen Stills. 'Needle' echoes the sumptuous riffs of Ketih's guitar on 'Wild Horses' whilst 'Hard to Understand' invites you to revisit Buckingham and Nicks at their best.

It is an album brimming with love and affection, especially on the opening instrumental 'Fleadrops'. An effortless piece of guitar playing to sail in to the sunset too. 'Sweet Greens & Blues' will place you in the middle of the best party ever as the charms of Mamas and Papas and Jefferson Airplane surround you.

If you are going to name yourself after a Stephen Stills song, at some stage, you're going to have to deliver a 9min folk-rock anthem. Their attempt, 'Art of Deception', aptly has the most Stills-esque vocal of the album. Its so light in touch and with the sax parts, Van Morrison at his fleeting best comes into the picture. That is, before it descends into a psyche cum folk cum soul freak out. Bringing together West Coast past and present (Daniel Wylie and GospelbeacH)

Third time really was a charm for the Treeptops. The sun has shone on everything they have done here. If they can pull this of live, they are going to become household festival names for years to come.

Johnny Marr - Call The Comet

Four years have gone by since Marr's last solo album 'Playland' was released. With its predecessor 'The Messenger' only a year before that, the four years allowed for what he had achieved to sink in. They were an eclectic riff laden pair of post-punk inspired albums. Marr's roots were laid bare whilst not treading on the memories of the beloved Smiths.

'Call The Comet' however, at times, overtly retreads his Smiths days. At a point where Morrissey politically alienates Smiths fans, Marr's timing, as ever, is impeccable. He discussed with both Shaun Keaveny and John Kennedy how 'Hi Hello' was a result of sitting on his bed playing guitar like his pre-smiths teenage self. There is more than a hint of 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' about this single. Asarchetypal melancholic tropes fuse with emotive guitar licks, Marr has reclaimed the Smiths legacy for fans who are tired of having to defend Morrissey.

For anyone wanting to bridge The Smiths to Marr's solo career to friends, 'Day In Day Out' is perfect. The acoustic guitar will conjure the heady days of 'William It Was Really Nothing' before his psyche enthused jangle attacks the senses like 'The Right Thing Right' (The Messenger) and '25 Hours' (Playland).

On 'Hey Angel', that rarest of Marr things emanates from his guitar, the rock star solo. Another familiar post punk dystopian landscape is intersected with a crushing solo. It's ridden with such rage and immediacy, over the top could never be levelled at it.

Timing is everything in music. Had his former best friend not aligned himself with the far right this year, and not delivered another average album, 'Call The Comet' would have been just the third good album. In context, it has become a genuine moment for alternative music souls.

The only question left to ask is, what's next? Is there space for another helping? Of course there is but, Marr, so intrinsically linked with exploration may have to rip up the rule book once more.

White Denim - Performance

The Austin quartet have returned with their seventh album 'Performance'. Renowned for their prolific output and ability to throw the kitchen sink at every release, White Denim must be one of the phew established acts to feel the pressure this far into their careers. Can they keep finding new innovative rock n roll grooves to explore?

The weird and wonderful aspects of White Denim fans have come to love are still present. The title track is a bombastic Matthew E White number which, in the blink of an eye, fades to the beauty of Grandaddy circa 'Sumday'. Meanwhile, 'Magazin' has their hallmark garage rock funnelled through Unknown Mortal Orchestra but, with the glam and style of T-Rex.

There is however, a large slice of simplicity to this album. On 'It Might Get Dark' and 'Backseat Driver', White Denim have arrived at straight up rock n roll numbers. The oddness is still here but, it lurks in the same way it did for Eels on their classic 'Susan's House'.

For many bands, there would be a sense of selling out. For White Denim however, it's a clarity that threatens to make them superstars. They do it so well, you cant help but imagine becoming rock gods of their age.

Tom Hingley Band - I Love My Job

Despite Tom Hingley's relentless touring, it's been five years since his previous release 'Sand & Paper'. Had the creative well finally dried up?

Those questions are allayed as soon as the church bells of the intro finish. 'I Love My Job' has the fire of an insurgent band in their early twenties. Us versus the world oozes from it at almost every turn.

There is an odd dialectic at play. On the one hand, there is the youthfulness of the 'This Is England' cast running through the derelict house. 'Black Light' and 'Beggars Hand' exude a raucous attitude and, 'Bullet', with its BRMC meets latter day Johnny Marr vibe, is rock n roll at its unbridled best.

On the other hand, there is the reflective 'Glory Days' and the emotive 'Beautiful Girl'. For any Inspiral fans, this trip down memory lane captures the essence of who they were but, Hingley, leaves them in no confusion on the last line “its over now”. For all those yearning for an Oasis reunion, we refer you all to this song. Remember what you loved young and at its peak.

'Beautiful Girl', charts dangerous song writing territory, the love of their child. It doesn't scream excitement but, it on album of such intensity, it provides the brevity it desperately needs. The Hollies and Spector-esque production provide an avenue for Hingley's ode to his daughter.

Frustration with the world, it's a young mans game right? Hingley hadn't heard. Through every angry riff and pulsating vocal, Hingley is screaming to be heard like every teenager in a band should be. You would never know this is a man with 40 years in the game. This is the sound of desperate rock n roll longing to change the world.

Ayslums – Alien Human Emotions

Asylums' debut album 'Killer Brain Waves' sought to bring a humble and thoughtfulness to pop-punk but, whilst hugely enjoyable, never quite got there. Could there follow up 'Alien Human Emotions' hit the sport?

'When We Wake Up' is as joyous as pop-punk has ever sounded. It's one of those choruses which can only be sung as if life is ebbing away from the soul and this is the last chance at saving yourself. Lyrically though, it doesnt really challenge the perception that Asylums are more than just a fun band.

That proves to be an anomaly on this album. On 'Napalm Bubblegum', they go harder than ever and deliver the sounds of a volatile youth crashing and burning. If Hollywood were to remake 'A Rebel Without A Cause' (they've rebooted everything else), this simply has to be on the soundtrack.

With age, often comes clarity and confidence. Asylums song writing is proof of that on 'Homeowners Guilt' and 'Millennials'. They move away from layered lyrics and hit a direct, almost sloganeering style which inevitably will garner more universal appeal.

Both tackle the generational divide emerging in the UK today. 'Homeowners Guilt' feels like a wry piss take on shitty circumstances the baby boomers have left us in. it couldn't possibly be their fault could it? 'Millennials' acts for Asylums as 'Design For Life' did for the Manics. It feels like their most defining statement of identity to date. It may not match the lyrical power of Nicky Wire's ode but, it shows a band a well on their way to defining their age.

Not only have the Essex outfit achieved meaningful status, in certain places they've surpassed all expectations. There is a cohesion to this offing that, given the right exposure might, just might see them unite the millennial generation.

485c – 485c

Debut albums, for bands especially, are often an array of influences not yet fully honed and without a distinct sound. 485c’s self-titled debut however, sounds like accomplished 3rd album for a band in their pomp.

Such is the consistency, it’s hard to find highlights. Former singles ‘Kapow’, ‘Oh Rihanna’, ‘Better The Man’ and ‘Strange Medicine’ all contain something for the alternative community to dive into. ‘Kapow’ and ‘Oh Rihanna’ take the best bits of Foals and Maccabbee’s early math rock and inject it with genuine substance. Meanwhile, ‘Better The Man’ has the infectiousness of Belle & Sebastian and ‘Strange Medicine’ takes the rawness of The Cribs’ ‘Martell’ and the Strokes’ debut to deliver a lovable rogue guitar anthem.

Their blend of honourable pop song writing continues for the most part but, there are some detours. ‘Turn The Engines Off’ finds time to explore the gentile side of Velvet Underground and the melodic aspects of Hatcham Social on this slice of psyche.  

‘Primal Concerns’ also diverges away from their pop instincts. The classic sounds of 80s post-punk combine with grandiose and sweeping melodies. It’s an exciting move, not only because it sounds great but, it feels an untapped area they could make their own.

There is so much to admire about this debut album but mainly, it’s the high level of consistency of it that’s striking. The Charlatans and Maximo Park need to make some space, there is a new member to the forever 8 out of 10 club.

Sean McGowan - Son of the Smith

From the moment the emotive ‘Slainte’ and fire breathing ‘£5.25’ came to be in 2012, the excitement for another great British songwriter grew. Six years have passed, and, with help from his good mat Sam Duckworth, the debut album was recorded in Southend.

The six years, musically, have been good to McGowan. He has gone well beyond a protest singer with righteous polemic. Opener ‘Mind The Doors’ has the lyrical cadence of Scroobious Pip, ‘Skin & Bone (& Blood Moaning)’ has Oasis easiness to it and ‘Porky Pies’ lends itself to punk and funk.

The disparate styles don’t always land, but, this is ‘Catch 22’ stuff. If he hones a style social commentary lyrics, he’ll spend a lifetime fighting this perception. The broadness obtained is laudable but, it also gives a narrow minded media no chance of pigeon holing him.

‘Local Boy’ and ‘Springhill’ witness McGowan in a reflective teenage mood. The former, with its use of slide guitar, details the average boy’s hopes of winning the FA Cup. More impressively, it contemplates the errors along the way to adulthood, and how dreams can fade. The aching tones go beyond its subject matter, for anyone stuck in an office, or creatively ignored, ‘Local Boy’ has the ability to emphasise.

‘Springhill’ is a poignant promise to a best friends dying mother to always be around their best friend. Celtic folk influences seep in via the violin and backing vocals which, heighten the already emotionally charged content.

McGowan though, is the embodiment of punk rock and, on ‘Off The Rails’, he gives Billy Bragg’s ‘Brewing Up With Billy Bragg’ album a modern update. ‘Cuppa Tea’ takes the early machinations of Frank Turner’s ‘Fathers Day’ and ‘Vital Signs’ and splices it with a rapid fire Slaves-esque vocals. If this wasn’t enough, there is a brief guitar breakdown which takes from poppier moments of Dreampop and Shoegaze.

McGowan has toured with Billy Bragg, Frank Turner and Get Cape Wear Cape Fly in the past and clearly taken notes. From brass to funk to punk to pop, McGowan has taken a swing at them all. For the most part, made solid connections. Sometimes, bands/artists debut is all they have, a lifetimes dreams desperately oozing from their souls. What’s on display here is, clearly a man with aspirations and dreams way beyond teenage discourse.

DMA's - For Now

This album is new, apparently, and yet, its familiarity is immediate. At times, it’s effortless, catchy, and rhythmic, could it be an instant classic?

From note one of opener and album title ‘For Now’, it’s clear to see why Andy Bell professed “DMA’s are the future”. Guitars swirl like Bell’s Ride at their hazy best and crucially, there is broodiness lying within like early Verve.

Contrast that with 'Dawning', a pure trip down La's and Go-Betweens melody lane. Again, there is an essence of darkness, a snarl which loiters with the utmost righteousness. When spirit and belief merge like this, dreams of big unified crowds materialise.

The quest for purity of soul can occasionally be their downfall, however. A lack of shade dampens the beauty of those magic moments. ‘The End’ and ‘In The Air’ feel like they are reaching for something that isn’t there.

That said, when the C86 ‘Warsaw’ and ‘Lazy Love’ come to the fore, you could hardly blame them for striving for happiness every time. ‘Warsaw’ exuberantly blends Primal Scream’s debut album with the Paisley singles of early Stone Roses. ‘Lazy Love’, channels ‘Elephant Stone' via the indie-folk jangle of Belle & Sebastien’s classic ‘Boy With The Arab Strap’, you’ll wish it rambled on for hours.

An instant classic? It’s a way off. However, they are far more than Oasis revivalists. With Ride, Verve, The Cure, Primal Scream, Go-Betweens, Stone Roses all appearing as influences, a path is emerging for them to find their own voice.

Image Source: Alexander Gow - https://www.facebook.com/lnwyco/

Blossoms - Cool Like You

Blossoms’ breakthrough in 2016 was somewhat surprising, arising at a time when new bands weren’t a part of the mainstream. As a result, the anticipation for ‘Cool Like You’ has been sky-high. Not only because they are indie’s leading light, but, if they fail, the door opened for other bands, may close once more.

All fears are allayed, ‘Cool Like You’ is wave upon wave of melody. Vocally and synth-based, the hooks just keep on coming. Drenched in 80s pop, Blossoms have hit a groove that surely will carry them to glory.

Opening tracks ‘There’s A Reason Why (I Never Returned Your Calls) and ‘I Can’t Stand It’ are dialectically soaked in melancholy and sunshine like The Railway Children’s classic ‘Every Beat of the Heart’.

On tracks like ‘Faithful’ and ‘How Long Will It Last’ however, there is a sense Phil Collins has joined The Killers. It strays so close to the watery hallmarks of Stock Aitken and Waterman they are in danger of losing all credibility.

Art is only great when it moves you to the point of shock. This is not that. It is, however, a good alternative (ever so slightly) pop music. ‘Cool Like You’ is as much an indictment of the times as the polemic of their naysayers Sleaford Mods. It signifies just how far alternative music has had to shift its foundations to be commercially viable.

Nevertheless, that door, have it opened wider? Yes. Why? Melody, melody, melody! Even at its blandest, ‘Cool Like You’ delivers undeniable pop hooks. Furthermore, it calls in to question their peers’ ability to match them. Can The Blinders and Avalanche Party et al channel their substance a melody so good, radio controllers find it impossible to ignore?

Embrace - Love Is A Basic Need

Embrace’s 2014 eponymous titled album was a remarkable departure from their epic gospel-indie sound. It took their established euphoria to new pastures and for once, shut the critics up. So where would brothers McNamara take us this time?

To coin an early Embrace lyric, they have ‘come back to what you know’. From start to finish, ‘Love Is A Basic Need’ is the archetypal Embrace sound. The slow emotive build to a crescendo of gospel singers and big choruses. Detractors will say it’s formulaic, but, few bands can define themselves this clearly.

‘The Finish Line’, ‘Snake Oil’, ‘My Luck Comes In Three’ and the duet with Kerri Watt ‘Never’, are all candidates to soundtrack some talentless no marks journey from X Factor audition to the judges sex dungeon round. Their ability to conjure rags to riches images to such a consistent level is admirable.

Lead of single ‘Wake Up Call’ is the pick of the bunch. As their recent tour proved, it’s a huge sing-along number, to the point that they open their sets with it. Fervent proof that older bands can still deliver radio friendly bangers!

Richard fronted songs usually offer something different on Embrace albums. On ‘Where You Sleeping’ though, it’s more a case of swapping Danny out for Richard. It’s another track where subtle guitar riffs build towards an upsurge of sentiment.

The familiarity of the album is both its up and downside. Twenty years on, some will say old hat, die hard fans will say a return to their roots. What cannot be called into question though, is their authenticity. This is not impassioned indie for the sake of it.

Alfa 9 - My Sweet Movida

In 2017, LA’s GospelbeacH reignited the classic sound of California, this year, the unlikely grey skies of Newcastle-Upon-Lyme are following in those footsteps. The four-piece Alfa 9, have surged onto the roots scene this year with their third album ‘My Sweet Movida’.

Leading this charge is ‘Movida’, sounding like a lost single from The Coral’s ‘Butterfly House’ album. Phil Mason’s gentile vocal flow wraps around his, and Leon Jones’ effortless guitar playing. This is the sound of alternative pop music begging to be loved by the masses.  

'Different Corner' and 'When The Light Goes Out' make up a trio of great radio-friendly pop efforts on ‘Movida’. The former taps into the spirit Teenage Fanclub, much like Daniel Wylie’s sun-kissed album 'Scenery For Dreamers'. Meanwhile, ‘When The Light Goes Out' is a light trip through Paisley psyche, using the guitars of Shack’s ‘Cup of Tea’ and ‘Pull Together’ to garner real affection.

'When I Think Of You' however, best encapsulates this album’s spirit. It’s beautifully elsewhere, whether it’s talking about love, loss, and hope. The sense of longing and melancholy colliding with sun-drenched musicianship shape shifts from nostalgia to aspirational in moments. 'Coincidence Files' furthers this with the great lyrics “time it passed you by” and “it all works out the same”. Feeling lost never felt this sprightly before.

There is an expansive guitar side always threatening to break out on this record. The album isn’t lacking solos but, on 'Rise' and the trippy closer 'Fly', the highlight reel grows significantly. Think Stills at his sprawling best with Manassas.

Having proven this consistency, hopefully, Alfa 9's careers will be secured by playing sunny afternoons at festivals. This body of work highlights how giving artists time and space to grow can achieve great results.

Matt Edible & The Obtuse Angles - Stairgazing

There appears to be two strands of rock n roll on the charge at the moment. There is the youthful vibrancy of The Blinders, Cabbage and Avalanche Party to name but a few. Then, there are those old school outliers, like Wolf Alice, taking risks and forging new paths. Hull's Matt Edible falls into that latter category.

Opening with 'Jumping Houses' is proof of this. It's a national anthem for the debauched. Amid this wayward tale of heartache and intoxication, emerges the most intimate of choruses. It has that simplicity and raw beauty of William Blake at his best. Such is the power of 'Jumping Houses', the relief of the Christmas pop song 'Advent Beard' will come as welcome light relief.

To say 'Stairgazing' is a break up album would be to diminish this albums quality. There is too much to marvel at. On 'Don't Stay', takes Richard Hawley's grief inspired 'Standing At The Sky's Edge' album and funnels it towards the genius Matt Johnson's latter day The The.

'NightClubbing', an unruly anthem has a great universal appeal with . It's Oasis 'Whatever' inspired strings and the lyrical derision of the mundane have the hallmarks of the indie greats plus, signing off with the line 'When the funky house comes on / You know its time to go' is sure fire genius.

The willingness to explore is inescapable on this record. The classical filmic style on 'The Healing', is perhaps its finest example of throwing everything into the mix. It's Edible and Joe Bennett's guitar playing which really shines. At every turn, there is a guitar part (or 4) pushing and probing new possibilities.

We implore you to listen to this, then again, then listen whilst walking around your home town at 4am armed with a hip flask. It wont grow on you, it will envelop you into a world of possibility and tragedy.

Image Source: Darren Rogers @ Ocular_Art

Get Cape Wear Cape Fly - Young Adult

Four years ago, Get Cape bid an emotional farewell to the moniker at the Forum. It was a celebration of all that was great about teenage escapism. The intervening years saw three albums released, two under his own name Sam Duckworth, and the other, ‘Baby Boomers 2’, a classic released under the name Recreations.

So, why the return? Why now? In short, Duckworth left London and returned to his native Southend. Sonically and lyrically, this album feels like Duckworth has come full circle from his debut ‘The Chronicles of Bohemian Teenager’ but, with sterner sense of wisdom only your thirties can bring.

Album opener ‘Adults’, closes with the spritely guitars and euphoric brass of the debut but lyrically, it’s a far more complex. Duckworth, wiser, can see through the political discourse around him but, like so many, is alienated by it all simultaneously. Amidst the confusion though, hope remains which is the true essence of Get Cape right?

The return to Essex takes a stark turn on ‘Man2Man’. A county where Thatcherism still reigns, this song details the cynicism and hypocrisy of the viewpoint. So often, social comment comes in the form of punk rock polemic. Here though, it’s within great melody, angelic backing vocals and a soaring urgency.

The Get Cape journey home isn’t always so clear-cut. ‘Always’ treads murkier paths of personal cataclysm. Meanwhile, ‘Scrapbook’ questions whether the teenage dreams have faded or the lack of freedom as an adulthood has taken its toll. Even in the darker moments, there is a sense of solidarity which breeds light and courage to up off the canvas.

‘Adults’ is not free flowing rock n roll music so, phrases like return of the King are unlikely to come Duckworth’s way. It is hard to view it in any other way. It’s a clarion call to all who have been forced out of city centres the world over that great art can come from anywhere.

It also highlights a remarkable clarity in song writing. There isn’t a track here which, if you took away the vocals, wouldn’t leave you thinking its anything other than a Get Cape song. The acoustic guitars, warming brass and intricate electronic production have and continue to serve him well. Make no mistakes though, this is no nostalgia trip.

Kevin Pearce - So On

The Essex based folk artist returned in late 2017 to deliver his second solo album, ‘So On’. It’s an album of great contrast, often bringing a lightness of touch to dark themes such as mental health and greed.

‘Lucifer the Landlord’ opens the album and immediately begs the question, has short termism ever been portrayed better, musically speaking. It’s one thing to call someone the devil but, to back it up sonically and with great imagery is another. It’s conscientious but never pious, as a result, it feels like poetry more than social comment which it most definitely is. So often, songwriters are in one of the two camps, Pearce has forced himself into an elite Venn diagram on this opener.

Former single ‘Heartbeat Mind’ is a slow building affair, with Pearce singing over the top a disconsolate heartbeat drum loop for most of it. Like Leonard Cohen’s ‘You Want It Darker’, it has the ability to sound warming and otherworldly simultaneously.  

Vocally, Pearce has often been compared to Turin Brakes’ Olly Knights. Here though, Pearce adopts a smokier similar to the Reverend John McClure. This allows Rebecca Hammond to sprinkle a lightness on the backing vocals, which, immediately prior to the songs euphoric conclusion are nothing short of beautiful.

‘Oh Maria’, an ode to the Greek opera singer Maria Callas. Callas was a formidable but flawed talent who suffered greatly. Pearce conjures a sense of loss and longing of ‘what might have been’ and ‘yesteryear’ akin to a lonely storm swept coastal town.

Amid the ethereal folk lies a moment of Cat Stevens pop heaven. ‘Plastic Man’ is a like a lost treasure from the ‘Tea For Tillerman’ era. The infectious bass line and guitar riffs have an opulent effect which allow for an almost T-Rex-esque chorus to flourish.

‘So On’ is an album of varying late night atmospheres. One person’s relaxation here will be another’s soul searching. The ability to be all things to all people which are destined to make this a classic. It’s an album of John Martyn’s ambition, the innocence of Nick Drake and the lyricism of Leonard Cohen. Take a bow!

The Wholls - The Wholls

“I want to meet the people who can take it all away”

Live, the Bedford four piece certainly channel a level of danger decreed above on album opener 'Perfect Waste of Time'. It's a difficult task but, can they repeat it on their self-titled debut album?

In short, yes and no! 'Angry Faces' will enthuse Slaves fans but, ultimately, it’s not got the killer hooks of their peers. 'The Only One' has that sound of forced debauchery. It’s not unauthentic, but, it does lack a sense of realness to truly connect.

However, when the shackles are off, real promise starts to shimmer. Former single, 'X21', is one of those alt-pop tunes which could easily soundtrack a summer. ‘Roll Out’ combines pop music sensibilities with the wild poetic side that front man Arturo Cocchiarella portrays live so well.

Arturo's brother, Santino, should be lauded for his consistent high level of big riffs. With the right producer, the magic of QOSTA and Wolfmother seems destined to be repeated. 'Going Down', is his most complete work on the album. The big, but poppy riffs combine with far reaching ethereal guitar parts which lift the Wholls onto a higher plane

At its best, this album is dark, unhinged and full of menacing bluesy rock n roll. At its worst, it walks the line of latter day Kings of Leon. Despite this, The Wholls are a band to track in 2018, the promise far outweighs the negatives.

Wolf Alice - Visions of Life

For too long, it rock music has either been simplistic singles or trendy middle class nonsense. There hasn’t been a spiritual exploration combining with great pop melodies, arguably, since The Horrors’ ‘Primary Colours’. Thank god then, for Wolf Alice.

From the opening notes of ‘Heavenward’, the guitar scene begins its quest to win its integrity back. The otherworldly riffs, along with the forever stunning vocals of Ellie Rowsell walk that experimental line of early Verve. It has all the beauty of Ride’s ‘Vapour Trail’ but the fragility of Rowsell’s vocal as she says a heart breaking goodbye to a mother takes it to another level.

‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’ furthers this ascension into the curious and unknown. Rowsell combines her spiky yet angelic vocals with poetry on the most brutal of examinations of the self. As choruses go, few will unite adoring crowds with such romantic pessimism (“What if it’s not meant for me? Love”). 

Put a comforting arm round Rowsell at your peril though. This is no damsel in distress. Despite the brilliance of Sara Pascoe’s ‘Animal’, or Deborah Frances White’s ‘Guilty Feminist’ podcast, Feminism’s struggle needs more icons in the mainstream to fight archaic attitudes. Step forward the Nirvana and Sonic Youth fire breathing ‘Yuk Foo’:

“Am I a bitch to not like you anymore?
Punch me in my face, I wouldn't even fight you no more

Cause you bore me
You bore me to death, well deplore me
No, I don't give a shit”

Like all great records, there are nuggets of pop gold lurking. ‘Beautifully Unconventional’ screams hit single, ‘Yuk Foo’ has the potency of the Pixies’ ‘Debaser’ and ‘Space & Time’ feels like a Sub Pop classic from the early 90s.

It’s on ‘Planet Hunter’ that this album is best encapsulated. Lyrically, a darkness looms as Rowsell reaches for reason and closure on a break up that seemingly, is never coming. The guitars switch up from jingle jangle to rock behemoth in an instant and create the sense of destruction within the protagonist’s persona impeccably. Conceptually, nothing is new, but, it’s the authenticity of delivery which is so striking. The raw emotion tangible and the ambition to channel this through varying styles is laudable. 

The album closes with its title track, and leaves you with the ultimate example of why Wolf Alice have to matter in 2017. There are Nick McCabe guitar jams, Jimmy Page riffs, Sandy Denny vocals, Poly Styrene vocals, pagan-esque folk parts and punk rock. Their artistic bravery knows no bounds and in a world of ‘play it safe’ types, is a remarkable thing.

Liam Gallagher - As You Were

“Gonna take you off my list of to do’s / Gonna sing my soul / Shake of these blues”

The opening lines of ‘Bold’, says all you need to know about Liam Gallagher’s comeback. It’s confessional, heartfelt and, to quote the god like Alan Partridge, Liam has “bounced back”.

Anyone who lived through the 90s will have been worried by Liam’s solo album. He embodied so much that was great in the epoch, another lacklustre effort would render him redundant cultural capital.

As the album kicks off with ‘Wall of Glass, the alarm bells ring. It’s that faux chaos comeback single that plagued Oasis for so long (‘Hindu Times’, ‘Lyla’ and ‘Shock of the Lightning’). However, from ‘Bold’ onwards, a remarkable, almost psychoanalytic approach to his character is explored.

Most striking in this respect is ‘For What It’s Worth’. An apologetic ode to brother Noel set to Oasis via ‘Let It Be’ strings was always grabbing headlines. It’s the honesty that shines brightest though. Calling his brother out on his calculated media persona to accept his apology and get the Oasis juggernaut back on the road is a story that writes itself.

The lyrical directness befits Liam’s vocals far better than the hazy psyche of latter day Oasis and Beady Eye. Whether it’s Lennon via Lydon snarl on the bluesy rock n roll ‘Greedy Soul’ or the angelic ‘Paper Crown’, Gallagher’s confessional style has the effect of healing wounds and defying the odds far more than “Gold and silver and sunshine is rising up / Pour yourself another cup of Lady Grey”.

This is yet again exemplified on ‘You Better Run’. An attack on bands and artists who are just happy to be at the party. Liam reminds everyone that being an outsider is something that you live and breathe. It’s not for Chris Martin to write fair trade on his hands. It’s not for James Bay to put on a hat. It’s not for Ed Sheeran to pick up a guitar. It's not for Radio X to have an all male line up. It’s not for Pitchfork to wank themselves silly over an obscure German industrial influence on a Radiohead album and then slate Liam for being inspired by T-Rex.  

When the ‘Supersonic’ documentary came out, it felt the perfect end point for all things Oasis. It encapsulated everything that youth culture and youth culture could achieve. Like a Smiths reunion, it would detract from the power of being young and dampen their greatness. But, when Liam sings “Let's leave the past behind with all our sorrows / I'll build a bridge between us and I'll swallow my pride”, the emotional side of any Oasis fan will find it tough to argue.

Theatre Royal - Locked Together On The Lines

Objectivity is a great thing but, fuck that, this is the single of the year! We knew it as soon as their album ‘And Then It Fell Out Of My Head…’ came out in March this year.

This is a true story of front man Oliver’s Nan discovering two dead bodies Chatham’s war memorial. One a sailor, and the prostitute, they lay “locked” as one may well imagine.

Vocally and lyrically, the human touch shines through on this tragic tale. The second verse opens with ‘a silent face / ', such bleakness has not been shrouded in pop majesty since The La’s ‘There She Goes’.

The blending of such grey English characters and landscapes with the colourful paisley guitar playing and indie harmonies is joyous and should be celebrated across the land. 

The double A-sdie also includes ‘All I Need’. A short emotive blast of English pop music. Fronted by guitarist Robert, this luscious romantic ode is further proof that intelligent pop music must have its place in the mainstream.