Matt Edible & The Obtuse Angles – Mirror Shoes

“The best thing out of Hull since the Humber Bridge!”

Josh T. Pearson

Hull’s Matt Edible (The Holy Orders / Kingmaker) has returned with his new single ‘Mirror Shoes’. Written and recorded by Edible at home, it was released on the 13th of September via Inedible Records.

image & artwork courtesy of the band.

Last time out, Edible strayed from Mark Hollis to William Blake to Darren Heyman on his mercurial debut album ‘Stargazing’. ‘Mirror Shoes’, sonically, marks a return to something far less challenging but equally as rewarding.

His guitars land between the big booming riffs of The Black Keys and the fuzzed wonderment of the Flaming Lips on this glam rock gem. Stomping with glitches, his protagonist marauds through society like a John Niven character at peak drug-fuelled narcissism.

Edible has reimagined ‘Dedicated Follower of Fashion’ for a modern age snorting, Madri drinking, brown leather and stonewash jean wearing Liz Truss adorning buffoon. It’s as hilarious as it is depressing, but when his solo lands, the pain subsides. Edible’s playing, alongside the joyous backing vocals, become a moment of alt-pop magic that 2023 so desperately needed!

‘Mirror Shoes’ is taken from the upcoming second album which is a now a drool-worthy prospect.

The Q-Days – Close Your Eyes

Before their triumphant home city show at Southend’s Chinnerys, The Q-Days released their second single, ‘Close Your Eyes’. It follows the celestial shoegaze debut ‘Underboard’; can it match its quality?

Image & artwork courtesy of Colossal Artists.

Where ‘Underboard’ grooved with an undercurrent of colossal, ‘Close Your Eyes’ bursts at the seams with rock ‘n’ roll ambition. The raw power of Noel Gallagher’s guitars on ‘Bring It On Down’ drive out to the cosmos with Keith Richards guiding them to joyous destruction.

Frontman Zac Mahoney’s vocal adds an explorative poetic rumble to the proceedings. It recalls U2 on their atmospheric classic ‘Achtung Baby’. This is anchored by Ryan-Benson Smith’s ferocious drumming and Zac Christie-King’s crunching basslines to land the single into the territory of The Walkmen’s ‘The Rat’.

Two singles and the Southend via Brighton outfit have raced past potential upstarts to main-stage warriors with their axe-wielding prowess.

Usual Affairs – Suppressant Crescent

Edinburgh four-piece Usual Affairs are back with their new single ‘Suppressant Crescent’. It follows the clarion call ‘Elementary to Penitentiary’ and an angelic search for  ‘Wonderland (Same Old Story). Banner image courtesy Redwood Streets.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

Roaring to life with killer basslines worthy of The Reytons and early Reverend & The Makers, they set a curse fraught with danger. Themes of addiction spiralling out of control arise as

Jack Cordey guitar solo transcends music. His artful reflection of life pressures burrowing its talons into the soul resembles a downtempo ‘Bring It On Down’. It forges a breed of despair mired in fog with seemingly no way out.

Whilst the sonic pulls from various great guitar eras, forging its heavyweight path are the lyrics. This is a social commentary of the highest order. Laying bare the initial innocence of drug taking for a weekend release (“The week is finished and Rudi says  / I’m up for gettin' off my head”) soon descends into the brutality of it all:

“High end knock offs and trefoils / Another head bounced off the soil”

Kids not thinking (“This place has no accreditation / Brain cells killed for the duration / Girls take snaps for their reputation / Boys take drugs for the cavitation”) are given a stark warning:

“You’ve got work in an hour n a half / And the gin is fresh on yer scarf / Does your weekend hide the cracks / Dead end job and a beaten track”

The finest social comment of 2023!

The Silver Lines – Cast Away

Birmingham four-piece The Silver Lines recently released the single ‘Cast Away’ via ADR Records. It follows the riff-tastic ‘Blow Dry’, can ‘Cast Away’ match its power?

Image & artwork courtesy of Away Day Records.

Frontman Dan Ravenscroft puts in a vocal delivery that puts him on the map! Pulling from Frank Turner’s desperation, Jonathan Richman’s drawl, and a Joey Ramone or Peter Hayes (BRMC) coolness, Ravenscroft puts in a career-best performance.

Lyrically, the band tackle feeling alone in a foreign land. Through frontman Dan, they build tension and a sense of isolation that could lead to darker realms. In contrast, Joe’s guitars serve the freeing nature of anonymity in a big city. His sonic races away at every opportunity, providing rock ‘n’ roll with its new dos of hedonism.

It‘s five years since their debut single, the direct underground ‘Roamer’; The Silver Lines now attack from all angles. They play with form, texture, and vocal cadence. They’re now a creative force to be reckoned with.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming tour:

Abbey Moon – Getaway Car

London-based Abbey Moon have released their second single ‘Getaway Car’ via Lifejacket Records. Banner image courtesy of Albert Jagger.

Artwork courtesy of the band.

All bands should write coming-of-age stories. It gives a generation energy and purpose that they cling to and look back knowing they grasped life at its most fertile stage. How they write these tales is where a band’s skill comes into play, and Abbey Moon show just how adroit they are. Their unique take is told from the perspective of an older man in the local pub.

Bursting into life as though Johnny Marr has joined The La’s, our protagonist “nurses a fosters top” and serves up one of the finest choruses of 2023:

“Get a getaway car / leave the engine running / Get a getaway car / because the worlds just turning / Get a getaway car / got ambition burning / Get a getaway car / and don’t stop learning”

As summer draws to a close, dreams realised fade into the ether, and new crossroads emerge. Career or higher education paths to be taken, friends depart, and life moves on. If this chorus doesn’t ring true in your hearts, then it will be a miserable experience.

Frontman Niall Rowan’s deep vocal offsets the sun-kissed jangle to establish a new era for popular indie music. He’s brought back a clash of styles, the merest snarls to counter the luscious sonic surrounding him. This added depth gives the protagonist’s narrative a richer texture in the second verse. When he leaves the pub, you can feel sad eyes gazing on knowing he is off to rue a life missed or, at best, past its prime.

Two singles in and Abbey Moon are already channelling the indie folk of Tom Williams, the escapist nature of Springsteen, and Johnny Marr. Their getaway car will surely arrive at big stages sooner rather than later.

The White Roses - If I Could

Yorkshire outfit The White Roses follow up the death or glory ‘This Town’ with their latest single ‘If I Could’. It was recorded at Manchester’s Mad Fox Studios with Sugarhouse mixing and The Rookery on mastering duty.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band

Bands three singles in can be forgiven for ragged edges, not The White Roses. With every release comes a clearer vision of mainstage indie-pop to reel in the casual fan and those on the fringes. This time-out, unrequited love forms the bedrock of their swashbuckling indie.

Jack Maw’s guitars range from the angelic lovesick that gets our hopeful protagonist out of bed each day to those bristling with agitated defeat in the early parts. Their hope disintegrates into unadulterated anguish during Maw’s solo.

The White Roses will be recording at Abbey Road Studios on their next single. In this form, those hallowed walls could witness yet another great moment.

Hazy Sundays – Off The Cuff

Glasgow four-piece Hazy Sundays follow the dynamite double a-side release of ‘Like To Be’ and ‘Had Enough Of It’ with their new single ‘Off The Cuff’.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band

Picking up where they left off, ‘Off The Cuff’ is another blistering rock ‘n roll number. Frontman Shaun Kenny continues his rise to stardom by spitting venom like a young Tom Meighan with the melodic instincts of Miles Kane.

His snarling attitude allows lead guitarist Mark Devlin to hiss through the verses before blowing a hole into the sun with his intoxicating solo. Devlin serves up the sound of a band of brothers fighting the world. They might not always win, but they’ll retire with better stories than you.

With every release Hazy Sundays are becoming a serious force to reckon with. Their swirling rock ‘n’ roll is besieged with debauchery and hysteria to revitalise the soul.

The Shed Project – Ghost Town

Bolton outfit The Shed Project are back with their new single ‘Ghost Town’. The song is taken from their upcoming sophomore album ‘Our Fear Is Their Power’ due for release in October. It was recorded at Ivy Studio and produced by Danny Heyes.

On the previous single, ‘Our Fear Is There Power’ The Shed Project showed their political teeth by snarling at the oppressive Johnson government. Two Prime Ministers later, they release a deeply personal and saddened exploration of their hometown Bolton.

Artwork courtesy of the band.

A baggy update on The Specials ska classic, they countenance the notion of “levelling up” by highlighting increased homelessness, poverty, and race to the bottom across all industries. Their despair is lit up by sunlit guitar licks and frontman Roy Feltcher’s angelic vocals. It's as fine a juxtaposition as you’ll hear this year.

The pain and anguish in the synths mid-point brings a poignancy that will make even the most hardened of Tory haters shudder. Their harrowing nature is the sound of a town’s soul ebbing away seemingly unretrievable.

‘Ghost Town’ is their most immediate and urgent work to date. It’s blessed with a directness that is certain to grip the millions yearning for change. Furthermore, it makes their second album one of the most eagerly anticipated of 2023.

Marseille - Devil’s Gonna Get You

Marseille release their new single ‘This Dream Of Mine’ today via Bubblebrain Records. Accompanying it is the b-side ‘Devil’s Gonna Get You’. It marks a departure from the other jingle-jangle tracks on the EP, but can the new sound stack up in quality?

Image & artwork courtesy of Songbird PR.

In most bands, the singer and lead guitarist capture the limelight. That has often been the case in Will Brown and Joe Labrum, but bassist Felix Moxey and drummer Tom Spray emerge from the shadows to share the limelight.

Moxey’s basslines bring the hedonistic jams of The Verve’s ‘Gravity Grave’ and ‘Life’s An Ocean’ to life once more. Beset with the devil, they ooze danger and throb with potential destruction. Meanwhile, Spray’s drumming and percussion create a dystopian nightmare for Brown and Labrum to sprinkle their magic over.

The grooving power of this record is astonishing. Labrum drifts in and out with McCabe-esque noodling or fleeting blasts of Squire whilst Brown delivers an Ashcroft-like fire vocally.

‘The Dream Of Mine’ EP is a collection of three superb jingle-jangle singles and this dysfunctional psychedelic juggernaut. It puts them in the league of Pastel and The Institutes. Something powerful is afoot on the UK underground scene and it’s a joy to witness it.

Marseille - ‘I Love You (So Much More)’

Derby’s Marseille are back with their new single, ‘This Dream Of Mine’ via Bubblebrain Records this Friday. Accompanying it are three b-sides, which we will be diving into this week. Next up is ‘I Love You (So Much More)’.

Image & artwork courtesy of Songbird PR.

Rippling guitars light up this record like the Delays classic ‘No Ending’. As with ‘This Dream Is Mine’ and ‘Brightest Star’, Marseille injects their sense of hope into proceedings. The undulating guitars are accompanied by joyous backing vocals and ‘Urban Hymns’-esque arrangements, which point to a big future.

Beneath the assured sonic lies a bitterness as one-half of a relationship cling to the hope that their love will be enough. The protagonist's fervent belief it’s not them causing the issues carries the romantic naivety of youth. It lands the listener into the defining moments of relationships to ponder what might have been.

‘I Love You (So Much More)’ doesn’t have the knockout feeling it’s a-side ‘This Dream of Mine’ possesses but has a beguiling charm to leave you wanting more.

Marseille - Brightest Star

Derby’s Marseille are back with their new single, ‘This Dream Of Mine’ via Bubblebrain Records this Friday. Accompanying it are three b-sides, which we will be diving into this week. First up is ‘Brightest Star’

Images & artwork courtesy of Songbird PR.

The jingle-jingle intro lands you back in 1986 when the Roses Jackson Pollack explosion of colour was yet to happen en masse and a cassette tape was about to change everything. The romantic misadventures of the c86 generations Blue Aeroplane, Railway Children, and The Jazz Butcher merry their spritely way to the surface through the sun-kissed guitars.

As the guitars grow, their power begins to nestle alongside the innocence of Primal Scream’s ‘Sonic Flower Groove’ debut, the early Roses singles, and the indomitable sound of The La’s. All three jangled for the briefest of moments in the sun but changed the course of culture. Such is the prolific and consistent nature of Marseille’s work to date; you couldn’t rule them out repeating history.

As the band pushes the sound of ‘Sonic Sister Love’ into a world of the DMA’s, frontman Will Brown continues his journey to iconic status. Vocally sitting between the lo-fi innocence of Liam Gallagher on ‘I Will Believe’ and the melodic fire of Lee Mavers he charts a passionate course that only Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor could match.

THIS IS WAR – Pray

Liverpool’s THIS IS WAR return with their new single ‘Pray’ via Bubblebrain Records. The Verve’s Si Jones was produced again with Andy Fernihough mixing and mastering. ‘Pray’ is released on Friday 18th August.

There’s a great sense of journey to ‘Pray’. The youthful adventure of The Jam and Razorlight’s debut are given a more mature makeover. Despite the more measured contentment of Jonny Roberts and Mike Mullard’s guitars, they’re still besieged with ambition to rival any teenage exuberance.

Although sonically always moving forwards, lyrically, ‘Pray’ is beset with great trepidation. Singer-songwriter Paul Carden’s delivery has gone to a place now that marks him out as one of the UK’s finest. The sense of fear juxtaposed with a sense of loyalty and duty he purveys are mesmeric.

THIS IS WAR are on the road to their debut album now, and ‘Pray’ has us drooling with anticipation.

LOCK-IN - Easy

The Essex via London indie-pop outfit have returned with their new single ‘Easy’. It follows their raucous headline slot at Truck Festival and a sold-out show at Signature Brew Haggerston last week. ‘Easy’ was produced by Curtis Elvidge at Premises Studios in Hackney.

At times, it threatens to ignite into a Two Door Cinema Club party but such is the emotional heft, it remains in its world-weary lane. It breeds a lonely but never detached sonic, which is where Lock-In have thrived best to date.

Image courtesy of Fear PR.

Joe Leak’s choppy licks pull from Bloc Party’s ‘So Here We Are’ and The Wombats circa ‘Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life’ and produce images of a forlorn soul dusting themselves down for another shot at glory. It’s Indie noodling that will soundtrack a thousand summer romances soon to end this month but leave scars for a lifetime.

Everything culminates with frontman Benjy Leak’s rapid-fire roar of “Don’t go, don’t leave, please stay with me”. He may not have Bono or Ashcroft’s ability to summon the guttural anguish vocally, but his frantic state pulls from the everyman state of despair with more integrity.

Photograph’s courtesy of Oscar Blair.

In three years, Lock-In have gone from the lo-fi 00s revivalism of their debut single ‘Teenager’ to ‘Easy’, a much broader and textured emotive piece. The journey isn’t the stark 0 to 60 that rock ‘n’ roll documentaries have you worship at the temple of. Rather, this is the sound of relentlessly honing the craft alongside youthful adventure. From hard work to romantic risk-taking, Lock-In are here to teach you life lessons to young and old!

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: