Marseille - This Dream Of Mine

The Derby five-piece are back with their new single, ‘This Dream Of Mine’ via Bubblebrain Records. Released on 25th August. After the breakthrough success of their ‘Freedom’ EP earlier this year, can ‘This Dream Of Mine’, and its 3 b-sides (‘Brightest Star’ / ‘I Love You’, Devil’s Gonna Get You’) keep up their momentum?

Images & artwork courtesy of The Songbird

Previous singles ‘Freedom’, ‘Only Just Begun’, and ‘Forget It All’ have all had elements of the Roses but, ‘This Dream Of Mine’ is different. It’s desperate, and all the better for it. Tom Spray’s drumming is ferocious despite the angelic licks around him, lending punks urgency, almost punk power to their brand of sun-kissed Byrds-esque anthems.

The intro sets the late 80s and early 90s Madchester senses racing as they fold in elements of the Roses’ ‘One Love’, ‘Standing Here’, and ‘Elephant Stone’. Make no mistake; Marseille are here to make that sound, their sound! Every nod to the greats is given fresh impetus. The trippy opening to ‘One Love’ is given steroids by Spray’ frenetic drumming. Meanwhile, guitarist Joe Labrum condenses Squire’s opening howl on ‘Standing Here’ into a moment of raw emotion.  

Marseille’s talent has never been in dispute from day one. What they’ve now added is the unseeable and the unquantifiable. A Death-defying, life-affirming, urgent, vital spirit has emerged on ‘This Dream Of Mine’ not seen before. Leading this charge is frontman and lyricist Will Brown. His lyrics on paper are innocent tales of romantic adventure. However, when Brown sings, they become a hand up off the floor. His soaring intonation is a double dose of hope, a vision of something better.

Check back on the 21st of August when we begin reviewing their fine b-sides.

Viva la Marseille.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming shows in Jersey:

The Rosadocs – At Your Door

As Sheffield five-piece The Rosadocs gear up for their biggest-ever gig at Sheffield City Hall, we look at their recent single ‘At Your Door’.

Image and artwork courtesy of Moon Man PR.

Some may query the big capacity of the City Hall, but ‘At Your Door’ is an insurance policy in itself. It’s raw but mainstream, a classic Death Disco floor-filler! The kind that would (and will) see indie clubs relay their sticky carpets after the mayhem subsides.

The acoustic and electric guitars combine to forge images of a joyous alternate reality where Gerry Cinnamon joined The Enemy to play ‘Where We’re Going’ to thousands. The jagged edges of The Jam and The Enemy are given a little polish here and there to lift this from alt-anthem territory into a record for the masses league.

With every release, frontman Keelan Graney progresses as a generational talent. He has always been blessed with Tom Clarke’s indie-soul fire but on ‘At Your Door’, he is playing Sam Fender’s warmth and Gerry Cinnamon’s cadence as the guitars roar around him. His power is destined to be echoed back at him in venues way beyond the home city of Sheffield; it's inevitable.

‘At Your Door’, in many ways, has done nothing they haven’t achieved already. The thing is, that is a death-defying spirit. The kind that people follow into battle. Rejoice in them now!

Click the artwork below for tickets to their huge Sheffield show:

Winachi ft Natalie Wilde – Understanding

Warrington’s Winachi returned in July with their new single ‘Understanding.’ Written by the band, it was Produced by John X (David Bowie, The Rolling Stones) at LA’s Earthstar Creation Centre and mixed (and produced) by Joe Hirst (Ian Brown & Bloc Party).  It marks the run-up to their debut album ‘Sympathy For The Future,’ released on August 25th.

Artwork courtesy of the band.

Despite losing their moniker Tribe, Winachi have never sounded more of one. The electro-funk featuring vocalist Natalie Wilde has a joyous sense of collectivism. Her crisp soul vocals cut through this vibrant party starter's luscious lo-fi funk licks.

Where the previous single ‘For You I’d Kill’ grew to a dynamic funked release, ‘Understanding’ stays in its lane, acting as the perfect accompaniment. It allows the lyrics “if we could move together / we could be move as one” to build the togetherness they seek.

Their sonic and lyrics serve as a conscientious pause for thought our political thinking is well overdue. Their unifying tonic has whet the whistle for what is surely one of 2023’s most anticipated debut albums.

Joel Stoker – Walls Fall

The Rifles frontman follows up his sublime debut single ‘My Own War’ with the new ‘Walls Fall’ (Cooking Vinyl). Stoker wrote and recorded all the parts at his studio except for piano (played by fellow Rifle Deano Mumford and drums (Brendan O’Neill).

Images courtesy of Patrick Ford and Fear PR.

Recorded in his garden studio, Stoker uses a confessional writing style to highlight his struggles with OCD and anxiety. As he decrees, “Down here you don’t turn and run / no doubt the show goes on” he purveys the inner turmoil of struggling in a working-class community. Whilst the world is changing, decades of “stiff upper lip” and “man up” have left their mark.

‘Walls Fall,’ sombrely defiant like a ‘Bob Marley polemic, never stops moving forwards. The heartfelt acoustic guitars and the soulful reflections of Michael Kiwanuka set sail on this pensive but positive tale of keeping your head above water. Like a great scriptwriter, he offers a moment of genuine hope to all emphasise via his CSNY-esque guitar solo and rousing outro.

The guitars, intense a la Young initially but begin to sprawl with Stills’ majesty to serve up the chink of light needed. Like on the ‘My Own War’, they’re accompanied by Americana brass via the Scouse maestro Mick Head. It allows the closing stages to drive toward a subtle sense of euphoria.

Two singles in, deeply personal ones at that, Stoker has already proven his solo adventure is one of serious merit.

Click the image below for tickets to his upcoming live dates:

Monza Express – Back of the Queue

Aberdeen’s Monza Express released their single ‘Back of the Queue’ in June via Floortorn Records. It was produced and mastered by Steve Curtis at Floorton Studios in Aberdeen. Banner image courtesy of Daz Mcallister.

Artwork courtesy of Alan Hay.

Tales of moving on and getting older often are wrapped up in a forlorn sonic. Monza Express have flipped this with hints of early Roses and REM guitars. There’s an effortlessness to the guitars, which brings the joy of Felt and Lemonheads racing to the surface on this lo-fi boozy anthem.

There’s a great pub atmosphere to the record, where youth would reach for the ecstatic release, a search for something else; Monza Express, comfortable in their elder skin, nestle into the corner of the pub with a sublime harmonica solo.

The Shop Window – It’s A High

In November of last year, The Shop Window released their sophomore album album ‘A 4 Letter Word’ to critical acclaim. Distinct discerning updates on the C86, baggy, and Sarah Records scenes made it one of the albums of the year.

Images courtesy of the band.

Not resting on their laurels, they are set to release the new single ‘It’s A High’ on August 18th via their label Jangle Shop Records. With singer/guitarist Carl Mann behind the producing and mixing, can they recapture the form of 2022?

The dual vocals, acoustic and jangling guitars bring their Medway peers Theatre Royal to the fore. The ecstatic rumble of ‘Caught Me At The Wrong Line’ and ‘The Story Of My Life’ combined with the playfulness of the early days of REM. On a tale of being hopelessly in love, this combo, plus flourishes of Byrds era John Squire and Pale Fountains’s brass meander to great effect.

Form recaptured? A resounding yes!

Their third album ‘Daysdream’ can be pre-ordered from August 18th.

Megan Wyn – You Don’t Get It

Anglesey sensation Megan Wyn follows up her weekend stealing set at Truck Festival with the new single ‘You Don’t Get It’. Released today, it was written with and produced by Alex Quinn.

Images courtesy of Sam Crowston

‘You Don’t Get It’ charts Wyn’s journey from her hometown to the big lights of Manchester. Her opening gambit “City is lonely, it’s not what it seems” is tinged with the trepidation and isolation a big move comes with. Despite being just 18, she has the vocal skill to plunge the listener into a state of anxiety immediately.

Sam Fender and Andrew Cushin have been writing melancholic but euphoric singles in recent years. Wyn is threatening to eclipse them on this ode to herself that it’s ok to fall on a journey of self-discovery. The country-tinged guitars, PJ Harvey meets First Aid Kit vocal, and Quinn’s subtle production are set to become millions of teenagers' soundtracks through life’s biggest obstacles.

The self-doubt and subsequent reassurance of the chorus are beset with a tumbling melody that demands instant classic status. Each verse acts as a coming-of-age drama worthy of This Life, Skins, and Sex Education.

To possess such reflective wisdom at a young age is rare. To echo all the anguish, fear, and self-belief to overcome into a record is nothing short of astonishing, and so is Wyn!

Click the image below for tickets to Wyn’s Manchester show:

Siracuse – All To You

Cheltenham’s Siracuse follows their fine comeback single ‘Saviour’ with ‘All To You’. Released on Friday, can it stack up to ‘Saviours’ power?

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

Downtempo from ‘Saviour’ for the most part, Siracuse tap into the earnest power of The Enemy’s acoustic guitars on ‘We’ll Live And Die In These Towns’ and a vocal to rival Liam Gallagher’s search for the celestial.

Lyrically, it’s Siracuse’s finest work to date. Songwriter Ben Zakotti offers guidance to the young and downtrodden to keep on pushing. There’s a power to the lyrics which can only come from a place of love. Perhaps a partner or a child, something that binds you forever through thick and thin!

The gentle amble erupts into life akin to DMA’s ‘Lay Down’ and ‘Feels Like 37’ in the closing stages. A moment of chaos and melody come together to light up the love in Zakotti’s heart.

Where ‘Saviour’ spiralled with personal intent to escape for today, ‘All To You’ inspires tomorrow. Two singles into 2023, Siracuse are becoming utterly unmissable!

Click the image below for tickets to see Siracuse at this years Lakfest:

JW Paris – Leave It Alone

London’s JW Paris returned at the start of June with their new single ‘Leave Me Alone’. Released via the impeccable Blagger Records it was produced by JB Pilon and mastered by Cicely Balston at Air Studios. Banner image courtesy of C24Photography

In 2022, the band delivered one of the year’s finest EPs in ‘Stuck In A Video’. ‘New Era’ and ‘Electric Candlelight (ECL)’ found ways to blur the lines between early 80s post-punk grit and the poetic swagger of early Suede and The Auteurs.

On ‘Leave It Alone’, they slot into the same lane and stick the pedal to the floor! Conjuring images of wayward souls staggering into dank 3am night skies with self-destruction still in their minds, JW Paris have found the personal touch. It enhances their lyrical pain on display to manoeuvre the subtle guitar howls to exquisite effect.

This tale of addiction and narcissism is ironically, intoxicating. Every stansa is a fume of debauchery capturing you in its haze and spewing out a different personality. It will not be long before JW Paris’ talent causes a manic stir on the UK scene.

Mull Historical Society – Room of Masks

Scotland’s Mull Historical Society aka Colin McIntyre returned with his new single ‘Room Of Masks’. Featuring lyrics from crime writer Val McDermid, ‘Room Of Masks’ was released last Friday via Xtra Mile Recordings. Banner image courtesy of Sonic PR.

Artwork by John MacLean (Beta Band)

McIntyre, forever seeking new creative avenues for his blessed songwriting tasked McDermid to pen lyrics about a room with significant meaning. In return, McDermid reflected upon the bedroom which gave those formative years of musical discovery.

McIntyre’s sonic accompaniment is an effortless piece of magic. Dawn-lit guitars akin to Noah and Whale’s masterpiece ‘First Days of Spring’ glisten and build to hymnal euphoria. The gentle build documents McDermid’s teenage escapism from her working-class Fife backdrop.

A fine return to form a criminally underrated songwriter! McIntyre’s new album ‘In My Mind There’s A Room’ will be released 21st of July and will feature other authors such as Ian Rankin, Nick Hornby, Jacqueline Wilson, Jennifer Clement, Sebastian Barry, Alan Warner, Jason Mott, Jackie Kay, Liz Lochhead, and Stephen Kelman.

Gazelle – Lady Blue Sky

Leicester’s Gazelle are back with their new single ‘Lady Blue Sky’. Produced by Matt Cotterill, it marks the run towards their hometown gig at the OMC.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band

Post-lockdown, Gazelle have been in a transformative mood sonically. The early bombast of ‘Finger On The Trigger’ and ‘Have You Found Forever Now?’ has matured, still loitering with intent but now shrouded in nodes of Motown, northern soul, Johnny Marr licks, and flashes of Noel Gallagher’s HFB melancholic songwriting.  On ‘Lady Blue Sky’ they’ve added psyche to their ever-growing repertoire.

The playful trips of Weller’s ‘Sonic Kicks’ hook up with the atmospheric grooves of Kasabian’s first three albums and the muscular immediacy of The Rifles. Stealing the show of this instant classic though is the array of backing vocals.

Drummer Danny Wright’s “ba ba ba’s” set the groove running before frontman Ryan Dunn calls upon Serge Pizzorno’s understated soaring melodies to take the band to another level. It is though, Dunn’s higher pitch backing vocal in the closing stages which take this single from good to great. Blessed with the mesmeric soul power of Noel’s ‘Black Star Dancing’. The only thing that could take it higher would be the dearly departed Denise Johnson.

If 2022’s run of singles wasn’t firm enough proof, ‘Lady Blue Sky’ is the confirmation that Gazelle are the real Deal!

Click the image below for tickets to their headline outdoor gig in Leicester:

Colour TV – Vanilla

Cornwall’s Colour TV are back once more with their new single ‘Vanilla’. It follows the roaring success of ‘Christopher Halo’ back in February.

Last time out on ‘Christopher’s Halo’, Colour TV shifted away from the Britpop revivalist tag with their gothic Cure meets 00s indie-punk anthem. On ‘Vanilla’, they return to the early to mid-90s for inspiration but crucially, with the objective of smashing that era with a Peter Gibbons fury and reimagining it for today’s fragmented world.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band and This Feeling

The harder edges of ‘Vanilla’ shroud ‘Metal Mickey’ with snarling blasts of Nirvana and Sonic Youth alongside the deranged punk-psyche of Cabbage did so well in their early days. Consequentially, it conjures a drama drenched in flamboyance, narcissism, and angst that is intoxicating.

Frontman Sam Durbeen bursts with post-punk yelps and vicious snarls which blend ‘Change Giver’ era Rick Witter with Brett Anderson’s more chaotic moments (the verses of ‘Moving’ / ‘Animal Nitrate’) to counter the visceral sonic. His charm peaks with the acerbic Morrissey-esque lyric of the year:

“Still I like it when you hit me on holiday in Whitby”

As the protagonist attempts to free themselves from repression, a world of self-doubt opens up. It’s met head-on with a visceral intent to beat it into submission. Self-doubt, angst, and isolation has never sounded so great!

Durneen’s playfulness brings an Englishness to the band’s newfound grunge slant. It hasn’t reinvented the wheel but it’s undoubtedly flipped it. Whereas the likes of Sleeper, The Auteurs, and  Echobelly deftly manouvered the US scene into their UK satellite town vision in 1993/94, Colour TV is forging both scenes’ peaks in blood and guts.

Narcissistic. Ecstatic. Great!

Click the image below for tickets. On sale at 10am 2nd June

Shackites - Jekyll and Hyde

Shackites follow up the acclaimed ‘Said And Done’ with the new single ‘Jekyll and Hyde’. It was recorded at The Lounge Recording Studio and produced by Gareth Nuttall.

Having only begun life as a band in 2021, Shackites could be forgiven for still finding their sound only 4 singles in. ‘Losing My Mind’ and ‘Vintage Crewneck’ fell into this category, a litany of influences forging promise but never a truer identity. On the previous single ‘Said and Done’ however, they found a path of increased intensity which suited their ambition. The same is also true of ‘Jekyll and Hyde’!

Key to the success of both singles is Daniel Murphy’s bass playing. On ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ he has found a volatile way of playing which develops the mood swings of the protagonist expertly. Murphy’s urgency provides a fine platform for frontman Matthew Jervis to deliver his best vocal to date.

Lyrically there are no surprises as the capricious protagonist threatens to unravel at the seams throughout. Jervis lights this element up exquisitely with his fragile beginning unfurling head-on toward the unhinged “run away, run away” at the climax.

Shackites growth into a more visceral outfit continues to provide a crunching but delicate form of escapism. The kind that entices fists aloft and tears at mainstages. Long may it continue!

The Shed Project - Our Fear Is There Power

Bolton outfit The Shed Project have returned with their new single ‘Our Fear Is There Power’. Relesaed on Friday 26th May (One Love Records), it was produced by Danny Heyes and recorded Ivy Studio.

The debut album witnessed the band in an open mood as they told tales from their lives. Tinged with nostalgia, they traipsed their lysergic past from the North West to Amsterdam. On ‘If You’re Getting Busy (You’re Getting Better)’ they began to merge their diary-style storytelling with broader messages about tackling mental health. This new style of tying together the uber-personal with the universal continues on ‘Fear The Power’ as they manifest their angst about the government and press alongside a clarion call.  

Image and artwork courtesy of the band.

While the tempo may have dipped, this is their hardest sound. Like a caged tiger, they prowl with a visceral intent directed at the 6 toed pony fuckers running and ruining this country and the press that enables them.

Polemic is not something naturally associated with the rock ‘n’ roll of the North West but it’s always loitered in the hearts of Ian Brown and Noel Gallagher. Roy Fletcher’s success here proves the icons could have been more overt in with their lyrics. His line in the sand is met with haunting licks and a bassline desperate to break its leash. Together, they spiral with the baggy ease of The Charlatans towards the eruption of psychedelic guitars. It’s far less a solo and more a howling of hatred and despair wrenched from the gut. A fitting tonic to a week that witnessed more evidence of Johnson’s contempt for us all.

Trippy and tribal, The Shed Project continues to expand their sound on this offering. Rock ‘n’ roll, for so long has been about youth culture. What The Shed Project have proven is, it should be about rebel culture. Their true outsider status proves the future is always unwritten!

The Kairos - Price On Peace’ (P.O.P.)

Liverpool outfit The Kairos follow the critical acclaim of  ‘Thick Of It’ with their new single ‘Price On Peace’ (P.O.P). It is the second single to be taken from their upcoming EP ‘Better Late Than Never’ due out on 19th May. Image courtesy of The Songbird HQ.

Where the ‘Thick of It’ had more prolonged grooves before erupting, ‘P.O.P’ struts with jagged licks looking for a fight from the off. When it’s let off its leash, a feral display 60s r’n’b akin to their former peers The Shakes and The View explode into life.

There’s a playfulness to ‘P.O.P’ which refuses to allow The Kairos to be pigeonholed. Whether it’s adding aggression to the guitars of ‘Come Together’ or McCartney’s ‘Live and Let Die’ stomp emerging from the chorus, The Kairos keep cutting and pasting the hooks. It lends itself a playfulness only Spangled can match in today’s world.

On this showing, ‘Better Late Than Never’ is becoming one of the most anticipated Ep’s of 2023.

Click the image below for tickets to their hometown gig:

Sircacuse - Saviour

Cheltenham-based Siracuse have returned after three years to release their new single ‘Saviour’ via Vibrant Sky Records. In 2020, they forged life-long devotion on the underground circuit with their volatile debut album ‘Forever’. Can ’Saviour’ stack up to its power?

Where ‘Forever’ was hell-bent on destruction, ‘Saviour’ is on the precipice of the looking glass but not yet through it. A vastness worthy of Soundtracks Of Our Lives has infiltrated their penchant for psychedelia and created a joyous realm to reside in.

Image and artwork courtesy of Lloyd Jefferies

Frontman Ben Zakotti’s vocal taps into the solo era vocal of Liam Gallagher. Searching for that great melodic hook to bind us once more. Tinged with attitude and love equally alongside the looping guitars also brings the early indie meanderings of Tim Burgess into view.

Two minutes in, ‘Saviour’ could blissfully fade out to be a fine single. Siracuse however have other ambitions. The trip they’ve sauntered on hits the release valve with ecstatic results. Spiralling guitars chime alongside their cinematic vision. The groove of Charlatan’s ‘Then’ is given the lysergic beauty of John Squire to move Siracuse from also-rans to title contenders.

With DMA’s cementing their place at the top of the UK’s beloved bands, 2023 could be the moment others break through as a new generation discover the joys of freeing rock ‘n’ roll music. Siracuse could and should be making their way to the hearts and minds of young and old record collectors alike on this showing.

Bloxx – Television Promises

Uxbridge four-piece kick off the run to their new EP ‘Modern Day’ (released 11th August) with the new single ‘Television Promises’ via Scruff of the Neck Records.

Image and artwork courtesy of the band and Zeitgeist PR

Fee Booth’s vocal cadence is utterly majestic. Beset with wit, sarcasm, and a forlornness, Booth moves effortlessly through them all on this love/hate ode to reality TV. Booth has the indie cuteness of Maria Eriksson (The Concretes) and the gentler moments of Ellie Rosswell to lure the masses in but lurking throughout is a frustration threatening to spill over. The angst is divided up between the media and herself for allowing our screens and dreams to be flooded with such mindless drivel.

Lyrically, as much as Bloxx try to draw a cultural line in the sand, the pulling power of phones and aimless programming always pervades. Their honesty in this is what makes this record great. There’s no sense of cultural elitism. Their fallibility allows the listener into their world as its one they know well. Creatively however they are headings toward immortality with divine melodic uplifts and angular licks.

Their debut album ‘Lie Out Loud’ was blessed with some fine moments to launch the into the world. ‘Television Promises’ is a marked leap forward from their humble beginnings. They’re now ticking all the boxes; radio-friendly, great hooks, and culturally relevant. Simply put, it’s great alt-pop music.

Click the image below for tickets to their BBC Introducing show in Manchester:

Usual Affairs – Elementary to Penitentiary

Edinburgh four-piece Usual Affairs fresh from supporting the mighty Marseille have released the new single ‘Elementary to Penitentiary’. Banner image courtesy Redwood Streets.

Artwork courtesy of the band.

A humbleness circulates lyrically and sonically, allowing their determination to break free from society’s pitfalls shine. Despite the earnestness, Jack Cordey’s emerges from indies’ shadows with a lo-fi take on The Pigeon Detectives and Shambolics to catapult him to stardom. His guitars continuously threaten to become unhinged before launching into a solo that could only erupt from the streets of his youth.

This generation is blessed with the finest array of guitar players since the mid-90s boom of bands. Josh Redding (The Utopiates), Joe Anderson (Pastel), JOe Labrum (Marseille), Joei Sylvester (formerly of The Shakes), Ryan Breslin (The K’s), Matthew Welsh (Ecko), and Andy Hall (The Institutes) have provided enthralling moments of destruction and ecstasy in recent times. On this display, Cordey is feverishly banging on the door to their club.

It begs the question, is their room for Usual Affairs with such prowess already prominent? What is absent from the above is the incisive polemic bassist Cal Gray serves up superbly here. The spirit of ‘Neds’ is lit up by his lyrics and frontman Scott Alexander’s vocal decreeing “How can a young boy’s garden grow / If burning grass is all he’ll ever know?” before they expertly lay the blame for lack of working-class choice at the door of this failed government:

“Charlatans rule the land so ignore their commands”

Their clarion call is devout but never patronising. Alexander’s vocal, akin to Kyle Falconer (The View) and Scott Forbes (Shambolics), has a warmth that leads you into the struggle by their side and never as a blind follower.

Usual Affairs’ story continues next month with a huge headline gig at the Mash House in Edinburgh. Click the image below for tickets:

The Cavs – Again

Manchester outfit The Cavs, fresh from their Big In 2023 show with This Feeling are back with their new single ‘Again’. Banner image courtesy of Debbie Ellis.

Artwork by Russell Holden. Courtesy of Moon Man PR.

Elliot Craven’s vocals have hit upon a sweet spot from which the band should never deviate. Delicate enough to allow people to fall in love with him, but bullish enough to make you believe he’ll lead the good fight. The toing and froing from innocence to steeliness vocally lends this tale a sense of drama and peril to overcome which is strikingly rewarding.

Like their previous single ‘Music Is My Madness’, the guitars possess great purpose. With hints of James Dean Bradfield’s dramatic flamboyance, lead guitarist Chris is driving the band a debauched hedonistic space worthy of the ‘Almost famous’ soundtrack.

A fine follow up to their breakthrough EP last year. It’s only a matter of time they make the breakthrough to radio a-lists and main stages at festivals.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming live shows:

Body Type – Holding On

Australian band Body Type are back with their new single ‘Holding On’. It’s the lead single from the eagerly anticipated sophomore album ‘Expired Candy’ (Poison City Records) released 2nd June.

Artwork courtesy of Super Cat PR

Tales of submitting to the passing of time should be melancholic reflective pieces, right? Think on! ‘Holding On’ is a bombastic triumph. The infectious guitars and vocals of The Concretes, the angular licks of The Long Blondes, the harmonies of The Pipettes, and the overriding joy of Kenickie reign supreme.

The vocals Annabel, Sophie, and Georgia impart are nothing short of divine. The cute but spikey drawl of Kate Jackson and Lauren Laverne ignite an excitement that rapidly becomes intoxicating. Collectively they’ve an innate ability to lean into the wry humour of The Pipettes one moment and the antagonistic fire of Jemina Pearl (Be Your Own Pet) the next. The great vocal inflections are met with a solo which, had Mick Ronson spent time in The Long Blondes, he surely would have made.

Difficult second album? Nah!

Click the image below for tour tickets