Recreations - Baby Boomers 2

It’s hard to believe that ten years have passed since Sam Duckworth’s debut album via the Get Cape Wear Cape Fly moniker was released. Duckworth now goes by Recreations and recently released ‘Baby Boomers 2’.

Duckworth has always been a consistent and prolific songwriter but, for our money, ‘The Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager’ and ‘The Mannequin’ are classics. So, can ‘Baby Boomers 2’ get in amongst them? Yes, yes it can. It combines the youthful euphoria of the debut with the intelligence and melancholy of ‘Mannequin’ to set him on another great adventure.

The album opens with ‘Zones 9 & 10’ and, quite frankly, could end here too because, in the words of Triple H:

“I’m that damn good”

The effortless flow of the acoustic guitar and sun-drenched production meanders away like the Thames estuary from “Wapping to Barking to Thurrock towards the sea” which he mentions. The main highlight of this song, especially for a fellow lost soul in Essex, comes from the hope he offers. Duckworth is not content to grow up to be a commuter in London and rejects the financial district as it is today (an industry which employs a large proportion of the county).

Duckworth has painted the picture of an Essex where hope for change seems (and is) bleak but his genuine plea to look at your immediate surroundings in a different light to the status quo is remarkable. It offers achievable change for anyone wanting to make an imprint on the world.

‘Red Spex’ immediately follows this and paves the way to the pop music via electronic production which dominates most of the album. It’s a spritely track, littered with relevant social comment, aka, classic Duckworth. ‘Outdoor Type’ serves up a Block Party style Balearic synth alongside his trademark EMO-lite vocals to create an unique and incredibly engaging new style.

The house music styles continue to filter through on ‘Pipe Down’. The slow build of beats, acoustic riffs and bubblegum pop synths will conjure memories of Lemonjelly circa ‘Lost Horizons’. Behind the sonic bliss however, lurks a tragic tale.  As our protagonist earnestly pleads “Don’t you know you could have it all / all you ever dreamed off / all you have to do is keep it down / keep it down down down”, the images of gut wrenching and life changing break up become inevitable.

The way in which Duckworth changes gears on ‘Baby Boomers 2’ is ultimately its biggest success. For fans of alternative pop music, this album is perfect. It moves from downbeat electronic folk to Calvin Harris pop cutting lyrics and thus, is always intriguing. The track ‘Forgiveness’ is brilliant prototype for a single. It’s emotive, great strings, and lyrically, it will speak to people of all ages reflecting on life. For a man of Duckworth’s talents, it would be easy to put out an album of these tracks and become a superstar. Less is more though, and when you reach this track you are left stunned and then you move on to the next, and crucially, different piece of art.

The only way to conclude this review is to quote the rousing moments of ‘Zones 9 & 10’:

“All these years of stress have taught me this / That hope begins at home / I just wish that glint in your eye was there all the time” 

https://www.facebook.com/recreations2k/videos/10153576390806434/

Stone Roses – Beautiful Thing

After the poor man’s Beady Eye debacle that was ‘All For One’, the Roses have found their form. Ian Brown’s influence reigns supreme as he invokes his ‘Golden Greats’ solo era. The beats and production allow Brown to deliver trip-hop style lyrics to their Mancuninan swagger in the verses and then just beautifully drift away.

All the combinations are working their magic on this record. Brown is the undeniable star of the show which holds back Squire’s guitar wizardry. A good thing, it allows various trippy manifestations to come through in short blasts, which, makes the psyche solo a reward rather than an inevitable outcome.

As ever, Mani and Reni hold everything together with their iconic groove and style. Old or young, their unique class remains. The alternative soundtrack of the summer begins right here.

States Of Emotion - Black & White to Gold

Do not underestimate how much blood sweat and tears went into this album. Record labels are not interested bands right now, the ones that are, have no money and the one that did show interest, treated the Essex outfit poorly. If there is a game to be played in life, States of Emotion have already won it. 

‘Black & White To Gold’ for the most part, is a rare gift which delivers so many avenues of joy. Where it doesn’t however, are valiant attempts to achieve big rock n roll epics. 'Inside Out' is one such instance, it throws bombs from the opening bell but none of which land that clean shot. Nevertheless, in the context of this album, you can see why they went for it, its in there locker and one day, it will be theirs.   

‘Back To Back’ and ‘Seeking Oblivion’ are great places to start for any newcomers to the band. ‘Back To Back’ slowly builds an escapist and slightly warped indie anthem which, when in the final moments packs so much heart and soul, the desire to change life for the better will coarse through your veins. 

‘Seeking Oblivion’ takes the early work of the Editors and combines it with a unique pacing style to lift it beyond their peers. The rasping drums and firing guitars come at you in sporadic assaults and, without any warning fall away like a dubstep breakdown. Once the element of surprise of these moments has passed, the anticipation of the tempo quickening becomes enthralling.  

Taking themselves further away from their indie roots is ‘Rag n Bone Men’. The desolate drum loops combine with short blasts of guitar psyche to produce a truly defiant and free-spirited record. To take their image and shove an alternative one so good right in your faces is a glorious act of rock n roll rebellion.  

The album is not without its moments of pop music either. ‘Lena’ has guitar riffs and parts of sublime beauty. The bubblegum pop nature of the verses is so romantic and infectious, daytime radio should be clambering after this.  

Yet again, band leader Olly Hookings has conjured a character that offers hope and a desire for something. So few bands have this ambition or effect now. There seems to be an apathy now that BBC6 heeds a career for bands. For States of Emotion, there is a purity oozing from them that this is a vocation. It was this or die and that, that is what is truly beautiful about them.  

The pop sensibilities keep coming with ‘She Cuts Shapes’. In essence, it’s an indie standard but, the production and backing vocals are so free-flowing, and soul-cleansing bedroom dancing is inevitable. Lyrically, this is straight out of the Jarvis league of brilliance as Hookings tells the tale of a of young enigmatic female tearing up the dance floor on drugs. 

As mentioned earlier, this is an album that can only make young folk want to be in a band. There appears to be a case that Noel Gallagher had this effect on the band. 'Black & White To Gold' is that rare thing that replicates the heart and soul of Gallagher's work which is overlooked for the bravado and soundbites. The juxtaposition of sun-drenched escapism and melancholy combine regularly here and will leave you feeling inspired and nostalgic simultaneously.   

The ability to stir creativity in others is what this record should be remembered for. For the first time in a long time, a band has transcended the greedy and spiteful age we live in. Thank you States of Emotion. 

Little Green Cars - Ephemera

The Dublin five-piece returned in March to release their second album ‘Ephemera’. The album title suggests this will only be of importance for a short time. However, the blending styles of the two vocalists suggest longevity more often than not.

The Stephen Appleby-fronted songs tend to have Fleet Foxes and Grandaddy sense of melancholy and beauty to them. Opener 'The Song They Play Every Night' sets the tone by decreeing 'If you don’t love me now / You didn’t love me before'. Set to a steadily increasing tempo and jingle-jangle guitars, it’s a bona fide indie winner.

‘The Garden Of Death’ continues on the same veil with the harmonies heavily influenced by the Fleet Foxes’ debut. There is a solid slice of The Shins served up too, this gives the song a genuine sense of purpose, rather than just showing off harmonies which, this kind of song can often fall victim to.

What also sets this song above the rest is, the conflicting styles and contrasts within. The defiance from the song’s lead character provides the uplift whilst the music pulls towards a gloomier state of affairs. That ability, to enjoy oneself despite the constant knocks, is something to heed.

The tracks sung by Faye O'Rourke on the other hand, have a far more immediate impact. This is because of one simple fact, O'Rourke is a powerhouse vocalist who combines the power of Adele with the indie-punk nodes of PJ Harvey.

‘Easier Day’, with its XX guitar riff witnesses O'Rourke set her vocals to stun. As the floaty riff holds the sound in a more mainstream indie realm, O'Rourke delivers a rage of angst and hurt as the story's lead laments her mother's reactions:

“It gets better, better, better / When I hear my mother crying in her sleep / It gets better, better, better / When I know that all the crying is for me.”

The problem with vocals so obviously great are, the tendency to just rely on them. This is fine when you’re Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey and your average fan just wants to hear an amazing set of pipes. In a band as talented as Little Green Cars, songs like 'I Don't Even Know Who' makes you think, where's the juxtaposition of sound etc. Maybe we are just being greedy.

The album closes with 'The Factory', and is the album’s best track. Everything the two singers attempted on their own combined on this record and it’s so much better for it. The innocence and fragility of Appleby take the lead for the most part, but, when they combine with O'Rourke, something magical happens.

Essentially, 'Ephemera' has repeated the successes and failures of their debut 'Absolute Zero'. There are some stand-out moments which, inevitably will win lots of favour at festivals this summer. Unfortunately, there is some filler as well. The difference this time round is, that the bar has been raised significantly. The weaker tracks rival the debuts middling to good tracks and the highlights comfortably eclipse the likes of 'Harper Lee' and 'The John Wayne'.

The Bluetones: Roundhouse, London

With a little charm and a lot of style, Mark Morriss and co were back playing the greatest hits set and Camden’s Roundhouse.  

A lot is made of bands who tour without new material these days and, it's usually negative. In the case of The Bluetones though, they made new music until 2010 so this isn’t a massive trip down nostalgia lane. Even if it was, there is clearly a demand from their fans to watch their concise alternative pop songs still.   

Nothing can be written about the anthems ‘Bluetonic’ or ‘Cut Some Rug’ that hasn’t been written before. They were, are, and always will be classics. What probably wasn’t written enough about the band, was their 2003 album ‘Luxembourg’. 

It should have been another hit album for the Hounslow band and adoring indie fans. However, a new decade was well underway and the Britpop tag was impossible to shake, especially when the lacklustre Nu-metal scene was dominating the share of alternative airplay.  

The performances of ‘Fast Boy’ and ‘Never Going Nowhere’ highlight just how overlooked they were in this period. ‘Fast Boy’, the tale of their weed dealer, demonstrates a shift towards more riff-heavy guitar tracks. Meanwhile, ‘Never Going Nowhere’ took all their classic pop sensibilities and romantically tumultuous lyrics with a slightly more glam-rock-tinged guitar and a bass breakdown so good, it is acceptable to dribble over.  

Morriss’ between-song banter is a stern reminder of just how much new bands could learn from the Bluetones. The dry wit, anecdotes, and jokes are continuous throughout, and crucially, it endears the crowd to the band even more. After their cover of Prince's 'I Could Never Take Your Place of Your Man', Morriss asks that the audience show their love for The Bluetones before its too late by buying something from the merch stall.  

There are sure to be many more nights like this for Bluetones fans to enjoy, it’s a good money-spinner for the band and clearly fun for them. However, to those who booed when Morriss said no more new music was coming, TT begs you, support Morriss' fine solo efforts. Last year' The Taste Of Mark Morriss' is a cracking little indie-pop album that should be in every Bluetones fans' collection.  

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.