Broken Hands - Four EP

Broken Hands just get better and better. Every time they return on record or live, their riffs are more aggressive and better crafted. Everything is tighter, faster, and more polished. This is a band with momentum and hopefully, on the brink of a breakthrough to bigger things.

This time they have returned promoting the latest single ‘Four’ with a UK tour. Here is our track by track review of their latest EP:

Four

Short and sharp, ‘Four’, showcases everything there is to like about Broken hands. Bullish yet infectious vocals combine with aggressive guitar riffs which, if were written by Josh Homme, would be garnering far more attention.

Levitation (Magic Carpet Remix)

Remixes are often a token gesture for single and EP releases. This one however, refreshingly elevates the song into interesting new areas. Broken Hands are rock band with lots of nods towards its glorious past. This remix demonstrates there is still new ground to tread, possibly by them.

The psychedelic and floaty beats take the song from balls out rock to a record with a sprinkling of magic. Will this be something the band work towards? Probably not, but, it’s definitely exciting territory to consider for their b-sides of the future.

Cadet H (Demo)

The flip side to adding production wizardry on a remix comes from this raw demo. There is a great sense of danger lurking in the basslines here whilst Dale Norton’s vocals stray from powerful to prog rock seamlessly.

The bands fascination with outer space continues and its one that serves them well. It appears well educated but better still, it comes loaded with emotion and fanaticism that makes the listener immerse them in their world.

Gravity(Scott Demus Remix)

This remix is a solid affair and the type which is common on b-sides for bands. It doesn’t create any real excitement but is perfectly pleasant enough for background noise. Part of the problem here is that it remains one paced. However, fans of house music would probably argue that this sets a good tempo and grooves along quite nicely. 

Blossoms – Getaway

When discussing the new single from Blossoms at TT towers, the following derogatory comment was made:

“It’s a step towards generic chart fodder”

This writer however, feels this is extremely harsh. The musical components maybe more middle of the road than ‘Charlemagne’  and ‘A Hot Kiss’ but there is a bigger picture to consider, the debut album as a body of work.

The broad appeal of ‘Getaway’ should be viewed as a positive. For when the album comes out, it will provide a depth and difference to the album. Also, is it not the job of a single to be radio friendly and entice listeners in to the album?

The NME recently asked Richard Ashcroft whether the success of ‘Urban Hymns’ and Oasis drove the alternative into the mainstream. His response was:

“But we do it better. You can get as many songwriters in a room as you want for your new talent show contest winner, it’s never gonna sound like a great Noel Gallagher song sung by Liam, it’s never gonna reach ‘Live Forever’, it’s never gonna be [Verve song] ‘Lucky Man’. We know that.”

(full article can be read here: http://www.nme.com/features/richard-ashcroft-a-legend-returns-the-full-nme-cover-interview)

He’s correct. The collective ‘we’ here is music lovers. In a band or a fan, we have a bullshit detector and Blossoms do not fall foul of it. They should be backed up by the alternative world for being brave enough to write something commercially viable with substance. This kind of symbolism matters.

The synths used on ‘Getaway’ have enough risk in them to aid the ridiculously catchy melody. This juxtaposition is lacking in far too many bands today.

Obviously, there are acts out there like The Fall who continually produce great music without straying towards the mainstream areas of the industry. However, can a change in attitudes be made on the outskirts? Possibly, but, it can’t help to kick against the pricks once in a while. 

Recreations – Digital Ghettos

Recreations are the new sobriquet for Sam Duckworth (aka Get Cape Wear Cape Fly!). His nationwide tour with the excellent Rob Lynch and Sean McGowan begins on 22nd April so, we thought we'd check out his latest EP 'Digital Ghettos'.

Built To Last

This Bridges the gap between the melodic and inspirational Get Cape material and the melancholic introspective solo albums perfectly.

From the outside it seems outrageous to claim “im not built to last” as he is about to release his 8th album in ten years. An 8th release which, based on this showing, is set to maintain an incredible level of consistency.

We sometimes wonder whether he should release an album of tripe so his next album can be seen as a heroic return to form because glory is

Icicle

The DnB and jungle influences, so often his USP, serve this track well as ‘Icicle’ ebbs and flows from spiky to euphoric. This tale of trying to be cool in an impossibly cool world inside the M25 has a wryness that should be thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Shake It Off

The shackles are off on this track. This is the most unabashed track Duckworth has written for years. The Get Cape moniker may be no more but the hordes of fans who flocked to his debut ‘The Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager’ should be ready for another joyous journey.

This is everything alternative pop music should be. It’s spritely, catchy and bears witness to heavyweight social commentary:

“So throw out your rage / it’s the 70s again / a disgruntled youth / Who will not go away / But they don’t like bands / Because everyone is sleeping with their favourite brands”

This writer and Duckworth maybe the only two in the world that see things this way but the alternative music world of yesteryear with tears in eyes at the levels of corporate attachment today. Yes record sales are down because people steal but principles and symbolism are everything in this world right? Purists may be losing in this world but making a great album, juxtaposing art with commercially viable single and entertaining crowds is art and should not be cheapened.

Polemic aside, this is a great pop song. The soaring chorus is destined to be echoed around far bigger audiences than the upcoming tour is set to play to. Simply put, it is too good not to.

Digital Ghetto

To round things off is a simple and warming ballad about the isolation that technology can bring about. Technology is supposed to bring us together, and in a way it does. However, what Duckworth brilliantly gets to here, is that sense that we know more about our friends than ever before but arguably know them less.

The torture in Duckworth’s vocals as he sings “oh I don’t want to be another one” is gut wrenching. He is detailing how he doesn’t want to drift apart from friends and the world in general but, his lyrics and melancholic music signify it is inevitable:

 “If knowledge is power / why do I feel so powerless”

It’s a horrible sense of hopelessness and remoteness he gets across and he should be applauded for it. No matter how happy you are, this song will stop you in your tracks and reflect for four and half minutes.

The Coral - Distance Inbetween

The boys from the Wirral have returned after a six year hiatus to release their 6th studio album ‘Distance Inbetween’. Previous efforts ‘Butterfly House’ and ‘Roots & Echoes’, whilst good efforts, were not great so, is ‘Distance Inbetween’ worth the wait?

A return of oddness to their production to supplement their god-given talent of crafting pop songs is back and, as a result, is their edge. They stray into pastures new as well, experimenting with prog rock styles inside three and four-minute tracks.

Leading the charge are the tracks ‘Connector’, ‘Chasing The Tail Of A Dream’, and ‘Million Eyes’. It’s a tough call as to whether the production or James Skelly’s vocals add the more sinister tones to ‘Connector’. In four minutes, The Coral have opened their album with dark psychedelia, haunting prog, and quality melodies.  

Shining through the mesh of darkness is ‘Miss Fortune’. For any band starting out today, this is a fine example of what years of dedication can bring. It is simultaneously fresh and familiar, weird and accessible. This is how to create an identity and cement it into pop culture.

Not content with just reaffirming themselves to the world, The Coral have set about introducing key aspects of prog into their pop songs. ‘Beyond The Sun’ uses spellbinding organs, allowing this track to float away into the ether. Meanwhile, ‘Distance Inbetween’ pays homage to Dave Gilmour’s archetypal Floyd sound with a slow build and superb solo release.

This is a fine return from the Wirral outfit. To remain pop-friendly and ‘out there’ is a credit to their talent and work ethic. This is laudable in an era where most play it safe as the money is scarce to be seen.

Liines - Blackout

Just as Savages cement themselves as the best female-fronted band around, Manchester three-piece Liines come surging along to threaten their reign.

'Blackout' opens with an assault of drums and a great guitar hook reminiscent of their aforementioned peers. The difference between the two comes with the directness of the track. Whereas Savages might look for alternative routes to the conclusion, Blackout seems hell-bent on getting there as quickly as possible.

The riff is like an aggressive post-punk version of the many catchy pop hooks of Franz Ferdinand. Couple this with Zoe McVeigh's violent and destructive vocals and alternative DJs have a go-to record to liven up indie crowds on Friday nights.

Sunflower Bean - Human Ceremony

Hailing from Long Island and Manhattan, Sunflower Bean released their debut album 'Human Ceremony' on Fat Possum Records last month and TT is here to check out the hype.

The opening three tracks are bizarre, to say the least. They don't lay down a marker of what they hope to achieve. The opening moments of the title track 'Human Ceremony' provides the only glimpse of what is yet to come. Most of the opening tracks feel like a lacklustre nod to Pond circa 'The Pond'.

Then, finally, on 'This Kind Of Feeling', emerges a sense of who Sunflower Bean are and what they are good at. This first emergence of a Zeppelin-style riff ignites the album and when it's spliced with a more experimental style, it provides a great juxtaposition for Cumming's vocals.

'I Was Home' vocally, is akin to the Subways with the back and forth between Cumming and Kivlen. Kivlen's ability to produce magical dirge on the axe a la Queens of the Stone Age gives them more depth than their English counterparts. Again, there are some lush notes of bugged-out guitars too. It’s a combo that isn't effortless as yet, but it comes mightily close and is clearly a niche they are going to own.

A big section of the album pays homage to The Cure. 'I Want You To Give Me Enough Time' in particular, is sonically The Cure through and through. The production and guitars trickle along like 'Lullaby' which is apt as, Cimming's vocals are beautifully dreamlike.

Sunflower Bean's debut ultimately, doesn't live up to the hype. This isn't because the opening three tracks don't add anything. No, it’s because one minute there is a great blend of Zeppelin and Byrds in the psychedelic phase and the next is an amalgamation of The Cure and Real Estate.

They have recorded both styles well but you can’t help but feel that committing to one style solely would achieve great things on the record. This is one hell of the platform to be springing from though and in Kivlen, they have an x-factor with his guitar playing.

Trampolene – Tom Hardy

Trampolene's head honcho, Jack Jones, wrote this track about his mate from school and his outlandish boasts. We all had that Jay from the Inbetweeners mate right?

Such common reference points will have seasoned songwriters screaming 'why didn't I think of that'. This is a great piece of punk rock which, with lines like 'he's mum is a fit belly dancer', is destined to be bellowed on indie dancefloors in 2016.

The riffs are dirty and ooze a level of aloofness and coolness many aspire to but few achieve. The real star of the show are the raucous drums. They drive the track from start to finish with a relentless tempo that live audiences are going to lap up.

Public Access TV - On Location

Traditionally, bands from New York are effortlessly cool and Public Access TV are no exception to the rule.

'On Location' opens with a riff you better expect to hear all summer long. Sitting somewhere between the Buzzcocks and The Strokes, this riff will lift your hopes and conjure thoughts of sunnier times instantly.

Adding to this, singer John Eatherly's vocals are of the classic garage rock persuasion. The almost monotone nature allows him to switch from nihilistic to euphoric as if its the most natural thing in the world.

It's easy think there is no space left for anything new these days. One look around the festivals in the UK and its Noel Gallagher and Coldplay everywhere and the shit heap V Festival has gone fro the drivel of Bieber and Rihanna. However, this 4minute record will renew your faith in alternative pop music.

It is inspirational, escapist, punch the air and spill your pint greatness. In the words of the great Grace Petrie 'Be strong / Be resilient / Be young / Be fucking brilliant'.

Woodpigeon – Whole Body Shakes

The new single from Canada's Woodpigeon is a precursor to the highly anticipated 6th album 'Trouble', due for release on April Fools day.

The intro is as good as they come. The eerie atmospheric sound will have Grizzly Bear listening on in awe. The simplicity of the acoustic guitars, the moody piano, and the harrowing bird-like noises make it so special.

Band leader Mark Hamilton's vocals offset the sonic dejection with their lightness but lyrically, the shade remains a permanent shade of bleak.

The protagonist immediately creates a sense of being crushed by the pressures of a relationship as Hamilton sings 'I'll always be true and blind / To your call'. Dig a little deeper and the water becomes far murkier. The immature and boorish claim 'I don' take kindly to being caged' will initially make your eyes roll. However, as Hamilton sings the title of the song repeatedly an abusive and controlling undercurrent emerges from our protagonist.

This is a fantastic return from one of Canada's most overlooked bands. This is intelligent songwriting but not just for the sake of it. It has heart and guts which all can relate to. Furthermore, it’s something the independent music community can be proud of pledging allegiance to.  

Lusts: The Barfly, London

Lusts formed whilst searching for the ghosts of Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemmingway. This kind of purity comes across in abundance during their headline set at John Kennedy’s Xposure night.

Brothers James and Andy Stone played tracks from ‘Illuminations’, a decent but not great album. Tonight though, their performance takes these songs to another level. They inject a style and a sense of marvel into everything they do on stage and its infectious throughout the intimate crowd.

Their debut album showcases classic pop sensibilities in the style of New Order and Echo & The Bunnymen. Live though, Lusts get across their distinctiveness a lot more. There is just enough punk aggression to suggest these brothers are set to travel a very interesting path. 

Perhaps the biggest signifier that Lusts will go on to become a great live band is the difficulty in selecting a highlight. Support bands Whistle Jacket and especially FEWS, both built towards their big hitters whereas, Lusts hit the ground running and didn’t deviate.

They have dates coming up at the legendary Night & Day venue in Manchester and festival appearances at SXSW and The Great Escape. Expect them to make a big impact. 

Lusts – Illuminations

Lusts are a two piece from Leicester made up of brothers Andy and James Stone. They released their debut ‘Illuminations’ in October of last year and with new single ‘Sometimes’ due for release, TT felt it right to revisit the album.

At the heart of ‘Illuminations’ is a carefree spirit searching for a release. The aforementioned single ‘Sometimes’ opens the album. Not for the last time here, a strong Echo and The Bunnymen influence looms but with a hazier touch. The chorus scratches around the edges of Stone Roses levels of euphoria, not bad for a first effort.

‘Careless’ and ‘Mouthwash’ also maintain sense of intemperance. The former takes the dreamy landscapes of Tame Impala and injects them the urgency of pop music. ‘Mouthwash’ on the other hand, is more direct with a New Order soul which is hard to dislike.

When your influences are the illuminati of the indie world, it’s tough to punch your way into their realm. Lusts, for the most part have walked that fine line just right. ‘Temptation’ aptly has Bernard Sumner vocal in tandem with looping Psychedelic Furs guitars.

Title track ‘Illuminations’ may sit in the shadows of the Bunnymen’s ‘Lips Like Sugar and ‘Bring On The Dancing Horses’ but its not to be ignored. The only thing preventing it standing alongside the scousers is the absence of Ian McCulloch’s great vocals.

Sadly the album does offer up some filler in ‘Waves’, ‘Bad Weekend’ and ‘Fountain of Love’ which, lend the album an unwanted perception of repetitiveness.

That said, the pro’s far outweighthe cons and if they drop these tracks for more experimental bugged out numbers like ‘Attraction’ then their next offing will see them striding towards the big time.

Misty Miller live @ Oslo, London

There are few finer feelings in life than witnessing a support band steal the show. Misty Miller, accompanied by her band, did just that.

Miller’s performance was one well beyond her years. The wryness and humour in her smirks and movements were joyous. If you are OCD and demand to know the meanings behind songs then she is not for you. On ‘Happy’, her delivery is so ambiguous you’ll wonder if this is Shakespearean tragedy or a huge sardonic piss take.

‘Best Friend’ however, leaves no margin for interpretation. The despair of losing someone close is relatable for all and, Miller embeds so much emotion in every word it transcends almost everything.

Miller’s vocals on ‘Best Friend’ are astonishing, they stray from the punk fragility of Poly Styrene on ‘Germ Free Adolescents’ to the Patti Smith’s powerful ‘People Have The Power’ and leave a packed crowd stunned.

 Miller is on tour in April in support of her debut album, neither should be missed!

Richard Hawley live @ Hammersmith Apollo

Rock ‘n’ roll stalwart Richard Hawley played the Hammersmith Apollo last night, his biggest London gig to date. His quiff was impeccable, comic timing perfect and guitar playing to saviour.

Hawley’s breakthrough as a solo artist came in 2005 with the classic ‘Coles Corner’. Remarkably, it only charted at 37 but is there a BBC6 listener who doesn’t own it now. Hawley, like Paul Weller, possesses a drive to work only with new material and leave nostalgia to the meek. As a result, ‘Coles Corner’ and ‘The Ocean’ only make the encore.

The bulk of the set consists of 2012’s psyche-drenched ‘Standing On The Sky’s Edge’ and his latest offing ‘Hollow Meadows’. ‘Don’t Stare At The Sun’ and ‘Down In The Woods’ are propelled with such genius, the tag guitar legend is not far away for Hawley.

Recent single ‘Heart Of Oak’ is given the full beans to mesmerise whilst slower efforts ‘Tuesday pm’ and ‘I Still Want You’ allow for soul searching and lumps in throats.

It’s no surprise to see Hawley cutting loose on the guitar but, with three crooning classics ‘Coles Corner’, ‘Lady’s Bridge’, and ‘Truelove’s Gutter’ in his arsenal, the urge to use that material is highly commendable.​ 

States Of Emotion live @ The Underworld

States Of Emotion in large, played to a packed audience of loyal hometown followers from Essex at the Underworld. It’s a poignant moment for the band, their debut album has finally been released and based on this showing, they are set to far outrun their roots in terms of fans.

They open with the defiant ‘I Broke The Mould’ and the intimate venue suddenly feels like a big academy venue. It’s clear to see why Huw Stevens and John Kennedy are championing this single.

Defiance is key to States Of Emotion as a band and this gig. Crowd favourites ‘The Way That I’m Wired’ and ‘The Unsung’ are thrill seeking and recalcitrant to the core. They also offer a sense of ambition which, many profess but few deliver in the indie world.

Amid the anthems comes a resounding gear change with ‘Rag n Bone Men’. This diversion combines a more desolate electronic sound with some more familiar psyche guitar parts. A tough sell amongst fine indie bangers but, from the moment frontman Olly Hookings laments his former label Rinse FM, a sense of anticipation is in the air. The slow building number hits a heavenly crescendo and the audience are eating out the palm of his hands.

The desire to make this succeed is bursting from States Of Emotion so much during this gig it seems almost impossible not to imagine bigger venues awaiting them in the future. 

Stick In The Wheel - From Here

After The Beatles came the Sex Pistols, after Oasis came The Libertines and now, after Mumford & Sons come Stick In The Wheel to rejuvenate the folk genre.

No one could have predicted the dizzy heights Mumford & Sons, Noah & The Whale and Laura Marling would take the nu-folk scene to. Headline slots at Glastonbury and several smash records later, folk music needed a return to its grass roots and this debut does just that.

'Seven Gypsies' will have fans of Richard & Linda Thompson's work drooling. Nicola Kearey’s cockney-cum-traditional English folk vocals deliver an innocence and danger simultaneously. This is a slice of folk music dowsed in punk.

'Me n Becky' is tale of looting during the London riots with dispiriting consequences. There are clear folk tendencies with the use of accordion and drums but, this could easily be fronted by Jamie T. There is a danger and desperation to this track which could see it rise to cult classic status if pushed by Radio X and BBC6.

There are several instances of 'From Here' tackling varying social injustice. Best of all is 'Common Ground'. It uses an acoustic hook to lay the foundations for Kearey to snarl ‘The softest hands have sealed the feat / The roughest ones would never make’.

'By The River' is a glorious slow building number. The Celtic folk influences give it grandness and stature worthy of Aragon charging into battle at the Black Gate.

'From Here' may not have set out to give folk music back to the common man ordinary but it’s achieved it. The combination of traditional folk and an essence of punk gives the album a real edge that Richard Thompson fans are certain to enjoy.

It’s the perceived injection of punk into well-worn folk music sonics, ‘Me n Becky’ in particular, which give them a relevance and impetus which few can match at presence. 

The King Blues: Chinnerys, Southend

Well on a cold Tuesday evening, The King Blues walked into Southend’s Chinnerys and took pride in who they wanted to be punk rock legends.

For only their second gig in 4 years, opening with a spoken word piece might have been a risky move. For King Blues’ leader Itch, however, this was no gamble. For any budding performers, this is how you do it. During ‘What If Punk Never Happened’ he makes the crowd laugh, angry, cry, hopeful, and entertained by the meaning of every single word of the poem.

New single ‘Off With Their Heads’ sends the crowd into a frenzy and ‘Taxi Driver’ almost brings about a riot. This is no reunion gig to earn a few quid. The band are back and their small army are ready for the journey once more.

The rest of the gig is made up of their back catalogue and in short, is punk rock heaven. ‘Mr Music Man’ has the crowd skanking as one whilst ‘Headbutt’ and ‘Lets Hang The Landlord’ to name but two, send a raucous crowd into a frenzy.

Every band will love their fans and vice versa. With the King Blues though, it’s different. There is affection between the two as if their performance is an act of kindness where they drag a mate out of the gutter. Not to do a disservice to the band but this largely comes from Itch. Is there anybody who embeds as much emotion into each song?

10 years on, he still has time for everyone at the merch stall afterward and for this drunk adoring journalist in the bar afterward. It’s not for good PR or the chance to sell a few more t-shirts. It’s because he genuinely got love, so much love, love in his heart and it’s a feeling he will never let go. 

The King Blues - Off With Their Heads

The King Blues are back with a bang ladies and gents. Older, wiser, and old wounds healed among the band, they have hit the ground running with a punk rock banger.

We recently wrote about Victoria Hume's terrific measured political attack 'Ungoverned'. Her track was the musical equivalent of an intelligent Question Time audience response. Itch's is a furious polemic looking for swift and violent action.

Musically this is everything you would expect from The King Blues. Itch's distinctive punk rock via hip-hop vocals are met with thunderous riffage a la Crass and Minor Threat.

Lyrically, it is scathing of the Syria bombing campaign. Itch is riled by the 'bastards in power and nobody stopping them' and this is his response. Also, their is a great reference to 'Save The World, Get The Girl' in the opening blast:

“This is isn't stupid / It's stupid the sequel.”

It's great to have them back but better still, the video has been watched by 250,000 people inside 24 hours. It fills our hearts with joy that a King Blues audience still exists. It feels it with hope that so many are open to such a visceral record.

The King Blues tour kicks off tomorrow in Norwich. Get out and support them.

The Crookes - Lucky Ones

The Crookes are always a difficult band to review because they’re better read than any journalist. We might read Kerouac, Thompson and Ginsberg, they embody them. 2014’s ‘Soapbox’ introduced a darker tone to their repertoire with the introduction of Depeche Mode synths but, ‘Lucky Ones’, witnesses a return to their romantic pop music roots.

The Crookes have always been expanding on their archetypal romantic rock n roll sound since their debut. ‘Lucky Ones’ continues their journey with synths but this time, its into a world of lo-fi pop music.

‘Roman Candle’, at its core, is nothing the Crookes hasn’t done before. It’s light, dreamy and infectious but, the use of synths definitely takes them to pastures new. Without sounding like New Order, they embody the spirit of their Manchester peers with this carefree record.

The notion of escape and being on a journey is rife throughout ‘Lucky Ones’. There is an overarching sense they have escaped Sheffield for Route 66 in an open-top Cadillac. ‘No One Like You’ allows anyone to picture such a scene with a loved one and ponder how great life can be at times. The slight gravel in Waite’s vocal towards the end will have men yearning to be him and women falling at his feet.

‘The Lucky Ones’ acts as precursor to this road trip.  Our hero is determined to convince their partner in crime that they could be the lucky one. This is track has the same remarkable quality Oasis’ ‘Live Forever’ had. This type of songwriting is a gift for bored office workers and tradesmen alike. It gives a visualisation of dreams, hope,s and plans for freedom.

There is so much to admire with every Crookes album and ‘Lucky Ones’ is no different. Yet again they have expanded their sound without losing sight of their inner poet which makes them great. The essence of The Smiths and 50s rock n roll is still core to their beauty but now they diversified towards other greats such as Depeche mode and The Cure.

‘Lucky Ones’ might not be their best album but now their song writing is delving into broader themes for hope and escape, the chances of bigger audiences surely await.

Night Beats - Who Sold My Generation

Seattle’s Night Beats have made a break from the garage psyche pack early in 2016 with ‘Who Sold My Generation’, here’s why.

The garage-psyche scene in recent years has produced some great stuff but often its formulaic which, is probably the biggest reason we don’t hear enough of it. Night Beats have set themselves apart by edging towards sound that is broader rather than mainstream but, one which could reel in more casual guitar music fans. This is a bold move in an era when Ty Segall is an underground God.

Night Beats’ more refined sound within the noise and confusion of garage-psyche emanates from ‘Power Child’ and current single ‘No Cops’. Importantly, they both offer crisp vocals for fans to unite behind at live shows.

What Blackwell does well on ‘Who Sold My Generation’ is allow everything time to develop. This will hopefully begin to pull in the more casual fan and subsequently suck them in to the freaky world of garage-psyche.

‘Sunday Mourning’ is a fine example of this bcause of its slow build to a distinct escapist ending. The build-up is akin to the work of The Bee’s on ‘Octopus’ which sets a foundation for Blackwell to shred like Steve Craddock. Furthermore, there is an entrancing bassline which brings Oasis’ ‘Fuckin In the Bushes’ to mind.

Any fans of Miles Kane’s debut album will love ‘Power Child’. The mod hook is so catchy you’ll be desperate to get this on at house party’s to impersonate Jimmy from Quadrophenia. The Dan Auberch vocals complement the epic Segall via Peter green solo.

Many genre obsessives will be comparing various tracks to The Seeds, The Electric Prunes and The Creation on this album from a negative standpoint. Sadly its what happens with this kind of music. Our response to their negativity is so what? There is more than enough originality here to see Night Beats reap the rewards that 2016 has to offer them. 

The Sherlocks: Borderline, London

The Sheffield four-piece played only their second London date at the Borderline on Tuesday.

The two sets of brothers are both still young, and this youthfulness, at times, is a real weapon for them. Crowd favourites ‘Live For The Moment’ and ‘Escapade’ are so free-flowing that you can almost touch their teenage escapism.

There are other moments though, where their brazen rock ‘n’ roll loses identity and impact. Kieran Crook’s vocal delivery can imitate The Courteeners’ Liam Fray heavily and some of the guitar playing strays deep into The View and The Rifles territory. All good bands do it but, they are in such recent memory you have to question whether they need revisiting just yet.  

Nevertheless, you fault The Sherlocks too much. They have come a long way quickly and already look set to soundtrack many boozy nights out. Their performance is laden with versus the world attitude and you know what? They look like they will win.