The Shop Window – Lighthouse

This Image courtesy of Beth Arzy & the band.

Fresh from 2021’s acclaimed debut album ‘The State of Being Human’, Maidstone’s The Shop Window are back their new single ‘Lighthouse’. It will be digitally self-released on 4th February.

They haven’t missed a beat since their last trip to the studio. Rays of light shoot across horizons in homage to Teenage Fanclub and The Mock Turtles. Spritely licks and effortless jangles bring the warmth of C86 to 2022 on this romantic meander.

The elegant and breezy sonic is the perfect companion to songwriter Carl Mann’s discourse; his wife. This passionate ode highlights her calming and nourishing effect on his soul.

Despite the topics’ protagonist, it is Mann’s vocals (backed by Simon ‘Syd’ Oxlee) that shine brightest. He takes the ethereal beauty of Mark Gardener and the forlorn ache of Massage’s Andrew Romano to conjure something truly spellbinding.

Released a week before Valentine’s Day, Mann has made us all up our efforts for present buying now! Check back on the 4th Feb to watch

*Banner image courtesy of Darren Stokes & the band.

Live Dates
19th March - 33 Oldham St, Manchester - with Arcade State & Jay Tennant

Guerilla Toss – Cannibal Capital

New York's quintet Guerilla Toss are back with a new single ‘Cannibal Capital’. Taken from their upcoming album ‘Famously Alive’, which is released March 25th via the iconic Sub Pop.

The album is available for pre-order here https://megamart.subpop.com/products/guerilla-toss_famously-alive

A riot of cut and paste travelling through hyperspace arrives not at Alderaan but at the edge of greatness. MBV’s fuzz, MGMT’s vastness, and Passion Pit’s pop instincts combine on this glorious assault on the senses.

Singer (and lyricist) Kassie Carlson hovers above the mayhem like a psychedelic butterfly, just drifting from glitch to glitch carefree. All the while, dealing with the mental struggle of the pandemic with a grace worthy of Thom Yorke’s ‘Eraser’.

*Image courtesy of Ebru Yildiz & Sub Pop.

Tigers & Flies - Among Everything Else

The Manchester via Brighton via six-piece released their debut album ‘Among Everything Else’ last autumn via Violette Records.

Images courtesy of Ellie Rankin

Album’s laced in jazz’ oddities can be difficult and obstructive. Tiger & Flies seeks to dispel this myth. For every jagged edge, there is a pop hook and warming vocal, and enriching brass gently sanding them away.

‘Among Everything Else’ is in large, a set of great musical components coming together to forge new bonds and reawaken a few lost. Opener ‘Night Time Mood’ sees John Hassall and Burt Bacharach’s pop instincts hooking up with the melodic quirks of Baxter Dury. ‘Headspace’ takes the warmth of Orange Juice to the wayward landscapes of Murder Capital and Iceage. Meanwhile, ‘In My Skin’ splices Fontaines DC’s debut with soulful hints of New Street Adventure and, the underrated vocals of Suggs.

‘Pretty Good at Doing Fine’, despite its undeniable funk, strays too far into Talking Heads and XTC territory to step out as the band’s own. Countering this though is the sheer majesty of ‘Bat and Ball’, ‘Ben’, and ‘Don’t Let Her Walk Away’. On ‘Bat and Ball’, Arthur Arnold combines the vocal drawl of Charlie Steen (Shame) and the Albion jaunt of Carl Barat which culminates in a stunning set of Libertines via Lightning Seeds bubblegum s ‘ba ba ba’s’.

The latest single ‘Ben’ is a lost set of Johnny Marr guitar parts. Short angular riffs and eloquent jangles unite with Red Rum Club’s pop-brass instincts to create an almost euphoric sonic. Lifting it to the next level are the backing vocals as they carry an understated anthem to near-perfect status.

Then, on ‘Don’t Let Her Walk Away’, the album offers up its crowning glory. A forlorn beginning worthy of Sea Power at their most reflective clouds the air. It’s here their use of brass feels truly theirs. The hook acting as a breath, a reset on the pain darkening the protagonists’ vision on a relationship is astonishing. A truly fine update to the Orange Juice classic ‘Falling and Laughing’.

In 1967, Cream took jazz principles to the heights of psyche music with ‘Disraeli Gears’. Tigers & Flies have taken similar difficult foundations to the pinnacle of 60s pop and post-punk.

MOSES – Happy Birthday Payday

London’s MOSES have released their new single ‘Happy Birthday Payday’ via Space & I Records. Taken from their upcoming second album, it was recorded at Magic Garden Studios and produced by long-time partner Gavin Monaghan.

Image & artwork courtesy of Artbeat Promotions & Matei Parascan.

Right out of the gate the early rock ‘n’ roll of The Beatles is pummelled with the Stooges intensity. There’s a brashness and looseness a la Longpigs and 60ft Dolls creeping into their playing which allows frontman Victor Moses to play with his lyrical delivery more.

The rejection of a 9 to 5 life comes round for every generation. However, Victor’s sardonic take steers clear of cliché and will have Ryan Jarman and Alan Donohoe applauding from on high.

They’re in a sweet spot where they are us and we are them. Financial struggles are rife with inflation but, who really cares about the working classes in the arts? Not many! Without MOSES lyrical insights, the arts will continue to be plagued by the middle and upper classes. It’s not reverse snobbery; the struggle just has to be real.

This has the hallmarks of Blur coming of age on ‘Modern Life Is Rubbish’. This is the sound of a band in tune with its people. Does a band impart empathy better than MOSES? Probably not!

They will be on tour in February:

22 Liverpool, The Jacaranda

23 Leeds, The Vinyl Whistle

25 Bristol , The Crofters Rights

Ticket links at https://mosesofficial.com

Frank Turner – A Wave Across A Bay

Punk-folk stalwart Frank Turner is back with a new single ‘A Wave Across A Bay’. It’s taken from his upcoming ninth studio album ‘FTHC’ released on February 11th via Xtra Mile Recordings & Polydor. ‘A Wave Across A Bay’ was born out of a lucid dream that featured his dear departed friend Scott Hutchison. The single is out now and all proceeds are going to the charity Tiny Changes, a mental health organisation set up in Scott’s memory.

Check out the acoustic version here.

Frank Turner’s songwriting has always had an honest, brutal at times. Whether it be the troublesome journey with his dad (happily restored now) on ‘Father’s Day’ and ‘Redemption’ or the Amy break up songs, Turner has worn his heart on his sleeve.

Despite this, few could have expected the openness of his latest single. With the discourse so tragic, a rage-filled punk anthem would have been acceptable right? Not for Turner! Stepping away from his bread and butter to combine spoken word, angelic vocals, and ethereal production, if that’s not paying homage to his friend and Frightened Rabbit, we don’t know what is.

It would be forgivable to trot out clichés of love and loss lyrically. Turner’s creativity and furthermore, adoration for his friend have not allowed it. At times he becomes his friend, at others, he offers up a level of understanding to his plight that is a triumph of the human spirit.

The Mural was painted by Michael Corr in Glasglow with his wife and daughter who walked by wanting to help. http://www.michaelcorrartist.co.uk/

For so long, we, like thousands of others, have followed Turner into battle fists aloft. Even his gentler moments are embedded with a punk spirit that acts as a moral compass. The sonic departure from this offers a sense of reflection on love, life, and regret akin to the beauty of Thom Yorke’s writing on ‘The Bends’.

The struggles that lockdown brought upon so many are well documented. As an artist, Turner had a reason for being ripped away from him. It must have brought his own struggles. The level of generosity in his art, made at a time of personal strife, about the loss of a loved one, is a truly remarkable creative gesture.

Frank’s new album will be released on 11th February and is available for pre-order here https://store.frank-turner.com/

The Boo Radleys – Keep On With Falling

After the mesmerising comeback EP ‘A Full Syringe and Memories of You’ and ill heath anthem ‘You and Me’ in 2021, The Boo Radleys are back once again. Their new single ‘Keep On With Falling’ is the lead from their upcoming seventh album of the same name (released March 11th).

Image and artwork courtesy of Perspective Communications.

The EP and single witnessed Sice has been in a confessional and defiant mode. ‘Keep On With Falling’ continues in this vein as he seeks meaning through life’s biggest failures. On this ode to himself, he extracts the wisdom to carry on at the juncture most would fold under the weight of collapse:

“When you fall, it will follow, it will shine, it will bite,
And you'll see all the windows that have closed up on your life”

Sice’s vocals hit their angelic nineties peak without missing a beat. No more prevalent than on the delicious layers of backing vocals. So good are his pop instincts here that, Ian Brodie and will be pirouetting with glee.

Layer upon layer of pop-driven backing vocals is added building a definition of alternative bubblegum pop so good that, Lightning Seeds and The Go Go’s looking on in awe.

Not content with being a great indie jangle, the trio introduces elements of Electronic ‘s ‘Some Distant Memory’ and more notably, Nile Rodgers’ guitars. The Chic solos chime with the synths like sunshine on still water, so simple, so pure, and yet so far out of reach of most bands. Not since the Style Council has something English sounded this sun-kissed and funked up!

Form is temporary, class is permanent.

*The album is available for pre-order from the band’s website https://www.thebooradleys.com/

Rooskin ft Katy for Kings – Just a Town You’re Passing Through

Southend’s Rooskin have teamed up with fellow songsmith Katy for Kings on their latest single ‘Just a Town You’re Passing Through’. Released late 2021, can they keep up their rich vein form?

This time out, they allow a melancholy to pervade their hazy technicolour. Furthermore, the duet with Katy for Kings shows a creative instinct way beyond their years. Usually, it’s senior artists who dabble in a concept album. Rooskin, have boiled it down to a concept single where a couple enacts their tumultuous position.

The lyrical back and forth is less playful than Mystery Jets & Laura Marling’s ‘Young Love’ and more forlorn, albeit just as melodic. They impart honesty from both sides, demonstrating a creative acumen beyond their years. The Rooksin perspective, hopeful but beaten (“come on oversee things my way / but you never do / and you never will”) is downtrodden but shrouded in great melody. It is though, the spiky nature of Katy’s character where the true magic lies:

“my conversations come with a catch / I say things just to take them back”

The ethereal refrain is rapidly becoming an archetypal sonic. By adding the pop instincts of Mystery jets and the harmonies of the west coast on this offering, they have continued their fine run of singles by growing as a creative collective.

Ian M Bailey - Songs to Dream Along To

In October, Ian M bailey followed up on his critically acclaimed EP ‘Shots of Sun’ with ‘Songs To Dream Along To’. Recorded and produced at his home studio, it was written with Cosmic Rough Rider’s songwriter Daniel Wylie and released on Kool Kat Musik.

Artwork courtesy of Ian and https://johnwashington.co.uk/

Musically, it lives romantically in the past, largely residing in the Laurel Canyon scene. There is modern-day wisdom to lots his writing keeping it relevant. ‘A Place To Live’, escapes to the gentle beauty of early Ian Matthews records. The real artistry though, appears in the lyrics, seemingly an ode to the child about the pitfalls of lockdown (“Glory days cut down in our prime”). Bailey is blessed with empathy in his writing but, in the chorus here, he taps into a melody so potent that, it lifts the troubled soul beyond its despair:

“just a place to live / a place where we can be together / just a place to live / we won’t be here forever”

‘I’m Not The Enemy’, tackles the same problems but, further down the line mental of struggle. As such, the Byrdisan sonic is tinged with Gene Clark’s rich darkness and the psyche solo suggests a breaking point was reached. Yet again, the uplift of the chorus keeps the protagonists reaching for the light.

The Byrds influences reach far and wide on the record. None better than on ‘This Is Not A Feeling’ with the 12 string Rickenbacker out in its all glory. The positivity radiating from the guitars and Bailey’s vocals is near perfect. Coupled with the enriching keys, a state of bliss is achieved.

Album number two has begun between bailey and Wylie. Based on this showing, it cannot come soon enough. 

*Banner images courtesy of https://www.johnmiddleham.com/

Columbia – Glory People

The Cardiff four-piece had one hell of a run in 2021. Their last release of the year ‘Glory People’, did they save the best to last?

Images courtesy of the band.

When Shed Seven returned with new music in 2017, they led the charge with ‘Room In My House’. A glorious piece of rock ‘n’ roll that paid homage to the Stones, The Roses, and their ‘96 classic ‘A Maximum High’. In 5mins, Columbia have almost rendered it redundant with its phenomenal belief, destructive guitars, and incredible backing vocals from Asha Jane.

Guitarist Ben has found a sweet spot that pays homage to Richards, Squire (Second Coming/Seahorses era), and the hypnotic riffs of early Oasis & BRMC. However, this is no pastiche. This is a statement of intent! Columbia determined, destined even, to be their equals. More importantly, through the shimmering loops and escapist solos, they will take us, mortals, with them.

24hr news and social media has busted the myth of being a rockstar. The era of idolising excess and womanising is over. Good riddance! However, with it (bar Liam), went confidence and a swagger in the frontman. Millions of us lead ordinary lives. Boring lives. Often without hope. Step forward, Craig Lewis.

Lewis gives birth to the new rockstar. Never taking a backward step, his unwavering belief in his ability lifts you to closer to a promised land not seen in a while. Crucially, empathy leads his vision. No sneering, just a helping hand through the fog:

“Embrace the chaos as the silence invades your mind / When we walk into a storm I know we’ll be fine / We are the glory people shine / we are the glory people yeah”

Oasis continually reached for an anthem to return each new album post ‘Be Here Now’. They continually failed. Columbia have signified in one incredible moment why their reformation is pointless. They are the past; Columbia are the future!

The K's - Picture

Earlestown quintet The K’s have returned with their new single ‘Picture’. Produced and mixed by Gareth Nuttall (‘Saravejo’ producer) at The Lounge in Wigan, it follows the raucous ‘TV’.

Picture courtesy of Katie Stokes & Songbird PR.

Mid-December, credible singles tend to fade into icy cold acoustic affairs in a reflective mood. Not The K’s! Blasting out of the traps with a rip-roaring solo, they set December ablaze with their brand of rock ‘n’ roll.

Guitarist Ryan Breslin taps into The Rifles’ Lucas Crowther as he pummels the senses with infectious and aggressive licks. Every time Breslin steps forward on this record, a frenzy follows. The Pistols-esque solo alongside the crashing drums is enough to believe the second coming has already happened!

Like all great frontmen, Jamie Boyle is never overshadowed. His humble tale of regret allows us, mortals, a way into their iconic sonic. His innate ability to deliver rapid-fire lyrics is the perfect accompaniment to the colossal noise of their gang mentality.

With Father Christmas watching over you. Don’t be naughty, get on this record!

*Cover picture courtesy of Olivia McDowall & Songbird PR

Charlie Clark – Blink of an Eye

Astrid frontman Charlie Clark has been one of 2021’s highlights. The poignant ode to his father ‘A Bridge To Your Idol’ and our single of the year ‘Don’t Have A Cow Man’ have lit up this stop-start year. His third single, ‘Blink of an Eye’, was released at the start of November via No Big Deal Records.

Last time out, Clark was dealing with the pain of his father’s illness. Many in this situation, opt for the music to convey the pain but, Clark has a rare talent to express himself lyrically as well as sonically. This ability is on display again as he digs into the minutiae of relationships. Specifically, he looks at the over-analysis of mistakes made, a trait all can relate to, especially the Rob Fleming’s of the world.

Clark doesn’t waste time, dives straight into his anguish with the line “I don’t want to make this harder on you”. Only James’s ‘Zero’ can lay claim to a harder-hitting opener (“We’re all going to die”). It’s easy to see why Ride’s Mark Gardener mastered this album. Clark holds you in a loving but lost ethereal state of bliss and confusion. Despite his specific narrative, he has a universality to this songwriting which sucks you into a realm of weightlessness to zone out or hone in on life’s pressing issues.

Clark’s guitar playing excels itself on this record. He creates a powerful looping rumble that comes alive in the closing moments. It perfectly encapsulates how the brain can be going a million miles all the while, nothing changes. It rams home those nights of poor life choices, ones most of us made during lockdown wondering where life was going. 

Clark’s debut solo album will be released on No Big Deal Records in the new year. His three singles have been of such quality, variety, and integrity, it is simply not to be missed.

The Gulps – Stuck in the City

The international collective based in London are back with their new single ‘Stuck in the City. It is their debut release on Alan McGee’s label It’s Creation Baby.

Image and artwork courtesy of Sonic PR.

Their early days saw them produce Oasis via The Strokes records which live were fantastic but, on record, were missing something. They began to recreate this magic on their previous single ‘The Kings House’ and on ‘Stuck in the City’, the electricity of the live shows has made the transfer.

Rock ‘n’ roll often needs a reset. The Pistols did it 70s, Oasis did it in the 90s The Strokes/Libertines did it in the 00s. The Gulps have taken their first step towards said reset with this heartfelt polemic. Under Blair, the UK was often cited as apathetic but, with Boris’ shambolic tenure going unchallenged in the polls, the lethargy to incompetence is almost apocalyptic. The Gulps have a rage that is perfect for the modern age. It’s rooted in punk classicism taking aim at consumerism, politics, and social disinterest. It’s their empathy that shines brightest though, it cuts through the angst and chimes gloriously against the hissing guitars.

The psyche debauchery of Oasis remains ever-present but, this time, it’s backed with a relentless rhythm section worthy of early Bloc Party. It creates a glorious punk dichotomy whereby, the introverted genius of Dan Treacy and Gedge are given the stadium belief of Noel Gallagher.

Its only weakness is, it’s arguably too long. A hallmark of ‘Be Here Now’ that surely won’t happen under McGee twice. Nevertheless, the energy of the verses is utterly irrepressible and, the full-throttle solo is more than enough to keep everyone coming back for more.

 The Gulps will be supporting Cast on various dates in January:

The Winachi Tribe - Parasitical Elimination

Warrington’s Winachi Tribe are back with their new EP ‘Parasitical Elimination’. A collaborative remix piece was recorded between their own studio and LA with producer John X at the Earthstar Creation Centre.

Last time out, we saw their love of Chic and Johnny Marr soar across sun-drenched climates on ‘Time For Love’. This time out, they match the style but dial up the attitude. Throughout the EP, there is a sense of zero fucks given. The title track has the accessibility of Massive Attack effortlessly colliding with Prince Fatty to conjure an indomitable dub groove. Rather than just stay on this glorious track, they lift the soundsystem to higher planes with the injection of Asian Dub Foundation’s aggression. It adds sonic defiance that few can match!

‘Sense of Drama’ sees the band rejoice in their North West heritage. The lo-fi guitars of Aziz Abraham chime with a bugged-out and melodic homage to Rob Collins.

When frontman Liam Croker interjects, business picks up. His husky, almost whispered vocals strike a menacing tone that Death in Vegas would revel in. It’s Croker’s Bobby Gillespie ability sporadically and expertly join the affray where his genius lay. It heightens everything and takes the ego out of what is clearly a big talent.

‘A Room With a Zoo’ is yet another beast to contend with. The soul-pop sensibilities of Pharrell Williams are taken on a dank journey into the North West’s underground scene. Croker’s vocals cut through the tension and beckon you into a world of trepidation. Its trippy funk and soul for the witching hour taps into Daft Punk and the Stranger Things score to conjure one of the finest tracks of the year.

Their debut album is due for release later this year and, with this array of quality, has to be a late runner for album of the year.

The Shakes: Shiiine On Festival

Some bands you like, some bands you love, then, there are bands like The Shakes. The type that walks on stage mortal and leaves it immortal. After two years away, Shiiine On festival returned and, its loyal following would have been forgiven for ignoring the new bands. It didn’t. 

The London-Liverpool express opened up Centre Stage on the Friday to a big crowd and did not disappoint. Not since The Strokes and The Libertines have band looked this good and seemed this important.

The clothes, looks, and crucially, the tunes. They are now the zeitgeist!

‘Watch It’ struts with the r’n’b Small Faces and the far-reaching ambition of a young Liam Gallagher. ‘Lost Along the Way’ traverses the sodden world of ‘Guanga Gin’, the poetic soul of Morrison, and the grooves of The Ordinary Boys to create a truly magical moment! Meanwhile, on ‘I’m Your Man’, they deliver an infectious piece of rock ‘n’ roll that makes aging men in the crowd wish they could be 18 again and every woman fall in love with them.

Their scintillating majesty is led by frontman Zak Nimmo. Beautiful like a young Jagger, he moves like no one you have ever seen. From northern soul to RnB to borderline breakdancing, Nimmo doesn’t demand your attention, he takes it! Seemingly love the child of Brian Jones and Mick Jagger, Nimmo is the icon rock ‘n’ roll so desperately needs. Confident and substantive. He can tap into Liam’s melodic soul, the tenacity of Marriot, and the all-blaze riot of Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist.

Their next show at Camden’s Fiddlers Elbow is not to be missed!

*Image courtesy of the band

Peter Hall – The Best Idea

Nottingham’s Peter Hall will release ‘The Best Idea’, via his Bandcamp page on 5th November. It is the second single to be released from his upcoming album, ‘Light The Stars’. Can it match the star quality of his debut EP ‘There’s Something Wrong with Everyone’.

It takes seconds to answer with an emphatic yes! Hall has such an effortlessness to his writing, it’s impossible not to embrace his world. The meanderings of Mick Head and the acoustic innovation of Badly Drawn Boy combine to create a crisp autumnal sonic.

Vocally, he strays from the icy brilliance of Elliott Smith to the warmth of Sice (Boo Radleys). This ability allows him to shapeshift from an isolated soul to one coming of age with cinematic appeal.

There is something inherently scouse about the Nottingham starlet, especially on the solo. Hints of Shack and Candy Opera permeate the touching moment, ever so forlorn but never downtrodden, it shimmers in the lowly October sun with grace.

On this showing, hall’s album is not to be missed.

Columbia – Keys To The Kingdom

Cardiff’s Columbia have been building a reputation for destructive rock ’n’ roll this past eighteen month. Can their latest single ‘Keys to the Kingdom’ follow suit?

They waste no time in setting ablaze once more. Taking the febrile ‘Reason is Treason’ and turning it into a Knebworth-sized piece of rock is a masterstroke. It allows frontman Craig Lewis to pull back during the verses. Sitting in the pocket, snarling, waiting to attack raises the menace of this track tenfold.

Lewis’ refrain allows for the guitarist Ben and bassist Aaron to flourish. Arron’s basslines have that early firesome funk of Kasasbian and The Music, which, alongside the colossal riffs, begin to make the 00s sound like they were recorded with Stephen Stills in a debauched 70s studio.

When it all chimes in the closing stages, those big psychedelic rock moments Liam yearned for post ‘Heathen Chemistry’ become a reality. With an album due later this year, Columbia could be set for an album of the year.

Afflecks Palace – What Do You Mean It’s Not Raining

“Every second of the album drips perfect lysergic melodic and simmering summer tunes…9/10” – Louder Than War / John Rob

 Manchester’s Afflecks Palace have been on one hell of a charge this past two years. Not content with launching their label Spirit of Spike Island, looking after the rising star of Pastel, they have now self-released their debut album ‘What Do You Mean It’s Not Raining’. Never let it be said the youth of today are lazy!

You can buy the album from Spirit of Spike Island.

It may have been recorded at James Kenoshas studio in Hull and mastered by John Davies at Metropolis in London but, it’s very much a Manchester album. Forget rehash, this is a recreation for the famous city from the ground up for 2021.

‘Capre Diem’ and ‘Pink Skies’ are fine clarion calls and, burn with a unique rage. Both clutch The Roses and Smiths to their hearts. There’s a spirit, a raging desire to be heard, to be brilliant and to be loved! The former, sprinkled with the brash parts of The La’s and the infectious moments of Ride’s comeback will disarm the most hardened souls as its buoyant charm races to your serotonin.  

On ‘Pink Skies’, they serve up sun drenched imagery and poetry so blissful, it’s inevitable the masses don’t flock to them. Working class anthems haven’t sounded this good since Tom Clarke’s gritty Coventry tales burned bright in 2007. Like Clarke, frontman James Fender has a knack of his digging his heels in and making it sound joyous. No one is stopping his dreams! Where they differ from The Enemy is, Afflecks Palace have deafness of touch. The angelic vocals and feather light guitars smile at the naysayers. All the while, their propulsive polemic strives for glory:

“The pyramid is ten feet tall
Shall we climb it, risk the fall?
Steal the rusty copper crown”

This is an album that far outreaches its Manchester roots though. A huge slice of the Laurel Canyon scene infiltrates its beauty. ‘Ripley Jean’ is an effortless Byrdsian meander into sun-kissed landscapes. The rapid-fire licks and Fender’s Alan Wilson-esque (Canned Heat) vocals serve this adventure well. The accelerated guitars keep on coming via the Johnny Marr-inspired ‘Forever Young. Meanwhile, on album opener ‘This City Is Burning Alive’, an array of McGinn and Clark guitar parts erupt into life to make the laissez-faire psyche of seem Tame Impala extinct.

Then, on ‘Spinner’, comes the moment that will catapult the band to superstardom. Everything you thought you liked about The Lathums dissipates here. They have eclipsed their (fine) Wigan peers’ infectious sound with this bubblegum pop classic. Witty and humble, this heaven-sent reincarnation of Sally Cinnamon via Ride’s ‘Future Love’ is beset with joyous vocal inflections and a freeing nature so pure, its more intoxicating than MDMA.

Some are dubbing them ‘nu-Manchester’, what we know is, they have found a way to reimagine the past in 2021. So many have striven to be like the greats, Afflecks have found space in their slipstream on this debut. How soon they can overtake remains to be seen but, their Destiney clearly lies alongside them at least!

*Images courtesy of Spirit of Spike Island

Pastel - Deeper Than Holy

Manchester’s Pastel recently released their debut EP ‘Deeper Than Holy’ via the label of the moment Spirit of Spike Island. It follows the colossal, Andy Bell endorsed ‘She Waits For Me’. Can it match its power?

Go buy their EP from Spirit of Spike Island here.

Title track ‘Deeper Than Holy’ eloquently follows in its footsteps. The trippy ‘Life’s An Ocean’ guitars and Blake-esque power of the lyrics elevate the best moments of The Verve to the fore.

‘Run Rabbit Run’ delivers another slice of powerful psyche music. They’ve taken Cream for a 4am walk through the northern quarter and it’s intoxicating. The short splices of Squire combine with the modern-day baggy pioneers like Big

Image and The Utopiates to keep their spiralling propulsion traversing new planes.

The power of these two tracks needs brevity and on ‘Blu’ and Where We Go’ they do not disappoint. The former, taps into Oasis’ groove on their cover of Cartouche’s ‘Better Let You Know’ whilst, gently unfurling like Mock Turtles and climaxing in The Twang’s swagger. Lyrically, it’s the EP’s most freeing moment. We defy you not to readdress your life as Jack Yates proclaims ‘I was waiting for something / But I had nothing / but I had nothing to lose…….It’s getting better/ And higher’.

Meanwhile, ‘Where We Go’ reignites the c86 movement with the beauty of Felt and the jagged drive of Servant.  Arguably, it’s a song that defines this generation of dreamers more than any other (along with label mates Afflecks Palace and Coventry’s The Institutes). Kicked, maligned, and locked up, their songwriting has been born out of utter frustration and has come to set us free.

Bands like these are so vital right now. More so than Joy Division, The Smiths, The Roses, and Oasis. The aforementioned had a carrot dangled. They knew that, if they could produce, then they would be rewarded. Today, bands face a race to the bottom. Spotify believes its model is morally justifiable. It isn’t! Pastel are making good new music but, furthermore, they are going to succeed despite an industry intent on denying them a future!

*Image courtesy of Matthew Enyon

In Earnest: Chinnerys, Southend

Southend’s In Earnest played their first headline gig at their iconic hometown (city) venue of Chinnerys last week.

Images courtesy of Rob Humm & the band.

October the 9th marked their release of their stunning EP ‘Reasons to Stay Alive’. A seamless piece of music that delves into the struggles of mental health in relationships. Not content with the challenge of recording the EP, of challenging discourse, in this fashion, their creative chops were again at full capacity. Playing the EP fully with seamless transitions was a joy to watch. Whilst physically, it may have looked frantic at points but, the guitar and pedal switches were delivered with aplomb. It added a bigger sense of drama to already tumultuous tracks like ‘I Feel Alone Even If I’m Not’ and ‘Hands Are Tied’.

They come as a collective but, it’s Sarah Holbourn’s voice are that people leave talking about. The harrowing lyrics are met with heaven-sent vocals to forge the most intimate of bonds with the Southend crowd. On ‘Put Me Under’, she drifts from Laura Marling to Phoebe Bridgers whilst songwriting partner Thomas Eatherton’s guitars shimmer with Bon Iver’s majesty.

Eatherton’s guitars, eloquent throughout, stack up to Holbourn’s beauty on several occasions. Whether it be the Ryan Adams-tinged ‘29’, the Cocteau Twins dreaminess of ‘Fables’, or the dreampop meets Billy Bragg, he has an ability to know when to let things breathe around him.

With another show at The Amersham Arms tomorrow and a film launch with Rooskin’s Rob Humm to supplement the EP in November, this is a band with serious creative chops that should not be missed.

The Institutes - Colosseums

The Institutes, hailing from Coventry, release their debut album ‘Colosseums’ Friday 22nd October via 42s Records. After a string of anthemic singles behind them, can the album live up to the expectation?

Images and artwork courtesy of End of the Trail Creative.

For two years, The Institutes have been rapidly closing the gap between them and DMA’s in terms of quality fuzzed-up singalongs. Like their Australian counterparts, they have a knack for making a specific tale mean all things to all people. Former singles ‘Something Beautiful’ and ‘I Just Can’t Keep Myself From Loving You’ being the finest exponents of this. The former is a tale of a relationship breakup where a child is involved. The power of the love for the child is so intoxicating it lends itself to addiction or a burning desire to make it in life. ‘I Just Can’t Keep Myself From Loving You’ follows a similar path where the protagonist demonstrates a breath-taking imbalance. It’s a tidal way sent to blow you away! Both songs befit their ethereal sonic but, lurking within are short muscular guitars and Reni-likes drums intensifying the power.

This writing capability allows for such a greater emotional pull when they do hone in on a discourse. ‘Feels Like Rain Again’, colossal in sound, tackles fog that clouds the mind in moments of mental torment. The protagonist’s journey is one of struggle (“I don’t if I’m Jekyll or Hyde”) to one of the finest contrast in music, ever. As frontman Reid Zappa Currie decrees “this is a part of me”, the guitars swirl with such majesty that, it’s as though our hero has come to terms with the problems. Reid’s delivery though is a triumph of the human spirit. Wrenched from the soul, it carries so much pain that you can hear his soul fragmenting.

Their more precise songwriting style culminates in the album closer ‘Better Now’. The third act resolution of the journey trickles hazily into view with early Nick McCabe guitars before ascending to DMA’s glory and beyond. The cinematic climax is signed off with Kirk Savage’s eruption of drums and cacophony of guitars providing a truly cathartic moment for mind, body, and soul.

It is, by no means an exaggeration to state, that every song here is an anthem. They walk the tightrope of mass melodic appeal and artistic integrity searching for new pastures. ‘Inside Out’ takes the inspiration summer fading sounds of Soundtracks of Our Lives to new planes. ‘Alleyways’, musically battles between the forlorn nature of ‘Listen Up’ and the effervescent spirit of ‘Sally Cinnamon. All the while, it humbly taps into the nostalgic mind of people and, reflects upon carefree childhood relationships. Meanwhile, ‘Heal In Time’ is an urgent burst of hope with The La’s and Ride in their hearts.

On and on this joy goes on ‘Colosseums’. This album’s spirit is nothing short of heroic. Its quality vastly towers over its peers. The majors have come sniffing around bands of late, their choices, eyebrow-raising to say the least. The Institutes have been ignored to date. However, not by Lammo, John Kennedy, and Tom Robinson. Not by us, now, it’s time for you, the people to go send them to the top and make their journey the stratospheric one it merits.