The Skinner Brothers - Lonedon

The Skinner Brothers are wasting no time after the success of their latest album ‘Soul Boy II’. Their new single ‘Lonedom’ will be released on August 19th ahead of their new EP of the same name on September 23rd.

Images courtesy of Fear PR

Frontman Zac Skinner’s vocals should be iconic by now. On this latest offing, he has the gruffness of beans on Toast, the insolence of Jamie T but, crucially it’s his soul-boy persona that shines brightest. Theirs an air of the 80s wide boy donning the finest Fila jacket sipping G&T’s surveying the chancers who know better to cross him.

Despite the coolness of the record, their anxiety permeates throughout as our protagonist struggles to belong in London. The big smoke is a vibrant joyous place full of choice if you can afford it. For anyone slipping financially, mentally or emotionally, it can be a pressure cooker waiting to blow. The Skinner brothers take those infectious laid-back licks of The Astors and the chilled bombast of Eddie Floyd for a walk along desolation row. The solo that blasts out twice takes the band to another level altogether. The Coral’s ‘Magic and Medicine’ unites with Miles Kane’s dreams of rock star status to conjure a perfect blend of isolation and toxicity.

“I wanted the EP to have a mixtape kind of feel” says Skinner, on this showing, it’s shaping up to be of a very high calibre.

Tour Dates

OCTOBER 

1st - Manchester, Neighbourhood Festival 

2nd - Blackpool, Bootleg Social 

4th - Southampton, Joiners 

5th - Southend, Chinnery’s 

6th - London, O2 Academy Islington 

8th - Cambridge, Mash 

9th - Guildford, The Boiler Room 

10th - Oxford, Bullingdon Arms 

12th - Edinburgh. The Caves 

14th - Stockton, KU 

15th - Live At Leeds 

The Heavy North – Electric Soul Machine

Liverpool’s piece The Heavy North released their debut album ‘Electric Soul Machine’ for Record Store Day in April this year. Recorded at guitarist Jose Ibanez’s 3rd Planet Recording Studio, the album has been featured on Tim Burgess’ Twitter Listening Party.

‘Electric Soul Machine’ is available from their website https://theheavynorth.bigcartel.com/

In short, ‘Electric Soul Machine’ is an album of great guitar solos. They’re everywhere! Former single ‘Darkness In Your Eyes’ sees the dream of Jack White joining The Black Keys to create blistering bluesy riffs alongside Clapton’s soulful vocals from the Cream era. Cream feature heavenly in the solo as the psychedelic darkness descends. Ibanez and Jack Birch’s guitars create a tornado of haze that could set fire to ice. ‘Awake’, another former single, evokes memories of Kasabian circa ‘West Pauper Lunatic Asylum’ and Noel Gallagher’s greatest choruses with its great key change. Ibanez and Birch cruise like Santana until the solo where they tap into Neil Young at his escapist best. It allows frontman Kenny Stuart to toy with his cadence, which delivers both soul and west coast moments of joy.

Even on ‘The Genie’ and ‘She Gets Me higher’ where their slightly laboured verses explode into life on the solos. The former finds Peter Green jamming with Soundgarden, whereas ‘She Gets Me Higher’ comes to life with a Stephen Stills-esque dose of hedonism.

In ‘Satisfy You’ and ‘To The Wind I Go’ they moments where they raise the devil to glorious effect. ‘Satisfy You’ dons its leather and drinks whiskey with rock ‘n’ roll outliers BRMC. The scintillating guitar and defiant lyrics are begging for excessive dry ice and flashing red lights to blow audiences away. Whereas, ‘To The Wind I Go’ takes Muddy Waters out for a night of excess and regret. Both tracks, despite their bluesy nature, have an unknown destination which creates a sense of carefree abandon. They set themselves apart on what is, a remarkably consistent album.

The Heavy North have achieved a great deal on this debut. The guitar solos are the big take home but, the creative flourishes with the drums and vocals begin to shine upon repeat listens. It leaves you with a sense of hope that, next time out, they could do something really powerful.

*Images courtesy of http://www.blue22photography.com/

Afflecks Palace: Islington Assembly Hall

 Afflecks Palace, although headlining, were dealt a tough hand by label mates Pastel. So stark was Pastels’ performance, Afflecks had to work overtime to whip the crowd back up. Hard work is what Afflecks Palace lives for though. Running the label Spirit of Spike Island, producing records, writing records, artwork, and designing merch. They must be the hardest-working band in the UK!

Images courtesy of the Adrian Lee.

What might have taken some bands half a set to recover, they did by track three ‘Spinner’. The paisley guitars were drenched in floral glory. As sweat and booze fell to the floor, souls were released into a kaleidoscope of bliss.  

‘We Can Be The Avalanche’ went up a notch from the album. Pete Darling’s basslines darker and broodier alongside Pete Redshaw’s devastatingly destructive drumming took their clarion call to dizzying new heights!

In James Fender, the band has the humble icon the UK scene has sorely missed for some time. Fender looks like us, dances like us, and he is here to save us all! Proving to the world men in bucket hats are full of love and not to be avoided, he danced like it was 1988 apace with his ethereal baggy vocals. Watching him effortlessly groove across the stage to the sun-drenched ‘Pink Skies’ or explode into life on ‘Calling All Cars’ was nothing short of poetic.

With new songs ‘I’m So Glad You’re On Ecstasy’ and ‘Big Fish Small Pond’ sounding equally as dynamic, the future looks incredibly bright.

The Utopiates - Best and Worst Days

It’s a special release day for The Utopiates. ‘Best and Worst Days’ is their first signed to V2 Records and marks the official run to their debut album.

Single is available from their Bandcamp page.

The shimmering acoustic guitars of ‘Kinky Afro’ and the chilled sunset beats of ‘Dennis and Lois’ chime gloriously in the intro of this tale of looking back. Frontman Dan Popplewell’s ability to bring influences into his indie-soul vocal continues to grow. This time out, he softens his snarl to allow nodes of Bernard Sumner and Danny Wilson in. It adds to the sense of self-reflection permeating throughout but, in the closing moments, he turns on his raw power to say goodbye to his younger self.  

They’ve taken the classic rock ‘n’ roll adage of “you have to go there to comeback” and juxtaposed it with their archetypal trippy sound. It’s an astonishingly open ode to their early twenties. Nights of excess, relationship failure, and letting people down are examined from a wiser perspective. It’s that latter point that gives the track’s lyrics brevity the sonic deserves. Without the protagonists understanding that it’s made them who they are, a Cobain nihilistic nightmare would be looming.

No matter the torment of the discourse, through Ed Godhsaw’s keys, the single finds a way to cruise effortlessly to the sun. He’s lifted The Horror’s distressed seaside sonic of ‘Primary Colours’ out it’s their despair and slipped them a pill whilst dancing with New Order.

The Utopiates formed during lockdown. Quite how the bleakest of times produced something so entrenched in love is beyond us. This is not the sound of a band on the rise to their debut album. This is The Mondays approaching ‘Pills Thrills and Bellyaches’ or Depeche Mode gearing up for ‘Violator’. Fully formed and brilliant!

Catch them tonight at Colours in Hoxton.

This Is War – Exile Poet

Liverpool’s This Is War are releasing a single a month in 2022. Their seventh of the year is ‘Exile Poet’, their tribute to Bob Dylan.

Former Black Velvets frontman Paul Carden has been showcasing an array of influences through the singles run. From Rod Stewart to Jim Morrison to Tom Meighan. This time out, he takes his punk-soul spirit to the precipice of Dylan’s iconic drawl. The shorter breathier cadence illicit joyous images of the 00s indie-punk scene jamming Dylan songs.

The guitars in the closing minutes light up this ode to Dylan. Johnny Roberts and Mike Mullard’s escapist Rifles-esque licks collide with killer basslines worthy of Maximo Park and The Enemy at their peak.

‘Exile Poet’ is at its best when their own archetypal sound roars. The destructive drumming of Martyn Leah and the desperation Carden’s vocals could set fire to an ocean. They bleed passion, cut them and you’ll see Iggy tattooed on their spleen!  

Roll on next month’s instalment.

Pastel: Islington Assembly Hall, London

“Don't you feel alive / These are your times and our highs”

Last Saturday, as part of the record label ‘Spirit of Spike Island’ tour, Manchester’s Pastel went on second at the Islington Assembly Hall. They left all-conquering heroes!

It’s rare for a burgeoning band to leave everyone talking about the as-yet-unreleased songs of the set. However, in ‘Running On Empty’ and ‘Soho’ they did just that. Frontman Jack Yates vocals, sent from heaven, stoned, flood the senses with The Verve circa ‘The Verve’ and ‘Voyager’. Angelic with the ability to step off the power and let everything swirl around him in a t4echnicolour haze. Meanwhile, lead guitarist Joe Anderson was cementing his place as the heir to Nick McCabe’s throne.  Anderson’s celestial majesty conjured a druggy vortex the like of which have not been seen since their Wigan peers’ triumphant Glastonbury return in 2008.

The latest single ‘Escape’ brought a tear to many an eye. They combine the slide guitar beauty of ‘Space and Time’ with the scenic psyche soundscapes of ‘Blue’ and the bugged-out melancholy of ‘Virtual World’. The UK scene has never lacked meaning. It’s full of great polemic. What it has missed as the industry raced to the bottom, is a band willing to shun indie’s immediacy in the hunt for success. Pastel hadn’t forgotten! They have existence and it’s theirs to share!

It was a set of so much power, one in which where you leave knowing the world just changed. Despite this, they still had moments of great brevity spliced in. ‘Blu’ pulls in the delicate immediacy of DMA’s Matthew Mason and Johnny Took’s guitars whilst still striving for their own swirling splendour.

Pastel, despite their trippy sonic, looks like a band of brothers. The gang mentality in all fronting up the stage is reminiscent of Oasis's run to glory. Looking great, all in a line, demanding everyone’s attention! Jack Yates, has that mystical Bobby Gillespie appeal and knows when to refrain and allow his band to shine brightest. A gang, a collective, they rock ‘n roll in arts purist form.

The Shed Project – If You Know You Know

The Shed Project returned last Friday with their new single ‘If You Know You Know’ via One Love Records. It comes hot on the heels of their debut album ‘The Curious Mind Of A Common Man’ which only came out in April. Album number two is underway, how does the new sound fair?

They may have formed in the garden, but with guitar power like this, they’ll end on big stages. The expansive sonic of Squire’s ‘It’s Begging You’ is given the snarl and hiss of ‘Be Here Now’. Crucially, unlike the latter, The Shed Project have honed its power by keeping it under four minutes.

Despite the ‘Second Coming’-esque power, their baggy spirit hasn’t dissipated. As the hedonistic riffs strive for the heavens Roy Fletcher’s vocals float alongside to anchor their roots. Fletcher could be forgiven for delivering a more ethereal vocal alongside the heavy psychedelia, more interestingly though, he takes his early Tim Burgess-esque style towards the early raw punk spirit of Liam Gallagher with hints of Daltrey circa ‘I Can See For Miles’.

The hate, the anger, and the lack of agency we all feel toward these incompetent and corrupt energy companies posting record profits pour out of the Cream-esque crescendo guitars in the closing stages. It’s the perfect tonic for the masses to release their angst at a world going to shit!

Be sure to catch them at K Festival in Rhyl on August 6th

Click image for tickets.

Matilda Shakes – Fast Lane

Sheffield-based Matilda Shakes returned at the end of June with their new single ‘Fast Lane’. It follows their glam stomping anthem ‘Up All Night’ and the dirge joy of ‘Shakedown’. Can they continue their run of form?

‘Fast Lane’ does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a genius display of blistering leather-clad rock ‘n’ roll. The Doors mysticism and the Bunnymen’s snarl has picked a barroom fight with BRMC and no one is giving up!

The frenzied attack, like BRMC and the Bunnymen, remains melodic no matter how often its gang mentality violence threatens to spill over. The pace briefly drops for a sumptuous Will Seagrent-esque guitar breakdown. No matter the violence embedded in their sound, this brief moment showcases that, Matilda Shakes are a band in control of their destiny.

Click image for tickets.

Priestgate - Eyes Closed For Winter

Yorkshire’s Priestgate recently released their debut EP ‘Eyes Closed For Winter’ via Lucky Number Music (HMTLD / Walt Disco).

Here’s our track-by-track review:

Bedtime Story

If The DMA’s made a Cure record, this would be it. Dream pop-psyche flirting with the lighter gothic moments of Robert Smith’s eyeliner magic. Frontman Rob Schofield switches from a popper Farris Badwan in the verses to the broken gruff soul of James Geard (Sissy & The Blisters) or Alexander "Chilli" Jesson (Palma Violets) in the pain-ridden end.

Darkness loiters lyrically throughout:

“All I really wanna do is sleep / That's the only thing that belongs to mе”

Our protagonist worryingly losing agency is a brave and bold discourse for such a young band to tackle but, a triumph remains!

Eyes Closed For Winter

They’ve taken The Maccabees ‘Feel To Follow’ to the edge of The Horrors’ psychedelic landscapes.  

Both walked the tightrope of creative and commercial success with aplomb. Priestgate has effortlessly moved into this territory on the title track. Melodically soaring throughout, frontman Rob Schofield toys switches from angelic to anthemic alongside the life-affirming guitars of Connor Bingham and Isaac Ellis.

Credits

Real Estate’s bliss and Ride’s pop alt-pop sensibilities ignite this dreamy affair. Schofield’s vocals nestle in between Robert Smith and Harry McVeigh which elevate The Horror’s ‘Primary Colours’ keys and the sumptuous guitar hooks.

The lysergic joy of Afflecks Palace is pumped full of Walt Disco’s new wave playfulness to create a bona fide alt-pop track for the ages.

By The Door

The crowning jewel of a truly incredible debut EP.  The Maccabees ‘Given To The World’ collides with A Flock of Seagulls on this epic adventure. As Schofield sings “leave your secrets by the door / what ya bring them here for”, a darker abrasive world opens up for them.

It’s here their penchant for great melody soars the highest. The juxtaposition of Cure-esque hooks and fractious relationships is a collision Priestgate should revisit over and over for our pleasure.   

Thousand Yard Stare – Isadora

The Slough missive embarked on a series of single releases in 2022. ‘Isadora’ is the third in that run and was recorded at Raffer Studios in Kent where their stunning psyche comeback album ‘Panglossian Momentum’ was made.

Guitarist Giles Duffy originally created this surreal frenzy as an instrumental. In many ways, it pays homage to his more drawn-out work of the initial run in the late 80s and early 90s. However, once the singer and lyricist Stephen Barnes got to work, it became a condensed, almost demonic nursery rhyme befitting the post-pandemic world we find ourselves in.

During lockdown, with nowhere but to look in the past or inwards, Duffy and Barnes have conjured the dark and weirdness we all strayed to. Hope is often coursing through their melodies. Here, they’ve attacked the studio like a Dadaist nightmare where the concept never existed.

If only uncertainty always sounded this good.

The band will return to the stage again later in the year:

Click image for tickets.

Gazelle – Clementine

Leicester-based Gazelle, fresh from the success of the ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ are back with their new single ‘Clementine’. It was recorded at Hope Mill Studio in Manchester.

Like ‘Magic Carpet Ride’, their love of soul music again comes into play. The combo of Motown’s stomp and the acoustic jingle-jangle of the DMA’s sparkles like Stevie Wonder fronting The Byrds’s with Steve Cradock on lead guitar.

Their step-back time is blessed with a warmth that demands playlist recognition immediately. The psyche-jangle effortlessness of The Left Banke’s ‘She May Call You Up Tonight’ and ‘I’ve Got Something On My Mind’ combines with the emotive pop hooks of Bee Gee’s ‘I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You’. All the while, Richard Sorbi, and Danny Wright’s rhythm taps into the vitality of Spencer Davis Group and Them.

Despite the R'n'B influences, it’s their punk spirit that drives their success. Gazelle, like The Jam and The Rifles before them, delves into the past and produce new subcultures for the next generation.

The best bands always look and sound like a gang, Gazelle are no different. There are times though for the frontman to step up and shine and this is Ryan Dunn’s. The cadence he deposits is divine. From the quick-fire Stevie Wonder chorus moments to the euphoric Steve Winwood in the closing stages, Dunn showcases immortal talent.

Click the image below for tickets to their headline show in August.

*Banner image courtesy of https://www.trustafoxphotography.com/

Spangled - Good Life Better

Manchester’s Spangled, charged up from ‘Tramlines’ and primed for ‘Y Not? Festival’, are back with their new single ‘Good Life Better’. Produced by Gareth Nuttal (The K’s, Lottery Winners), the track is released by This Feeling Records.

There’s rock ‘n’ roll like ‘Live Forever’, which is the purist of escapist dreams. Spangled are in the same cosmic sphere but here, they occupy a more intense personal realm.

The shimmer of Shed Seven’s ‘Long Time Dead’ combines with the heartfelt poetry of MOSES which takes them to the precipice of a Knebworth or Reading headline slot. For all those who gazed on at Liam this summer, step aside now, it’s their fucking turn!

As Johnson sings "All of the scars in my soul are gone" and the Soundtrack Of Our Lives guitars chime, their big stage destiny is so tangible you can smell it. It screams hope to all teenagers unable to wrench out their pain, but has the ambition to take dreamers with them too.

In an alternate reality, Nicky Wire would have written the great sloganeering here for Richard McNarama and Youth to produce. The eloquence of DMA’s is given an injection of British aggression via Ben Johnson’s vocal roar whilst Jamie Haliday’s guitars stray from the harrowing goth of The Cure to the grandiose of The Who.

‘Good Life Better’ is more than just a rock ‘n’ roll epic though. It’s a tribute to frontman Johnson’s father who tragically passed away after their triumphant Isle of Wight Festival set in 2021. If Johnson ever tops this vocal, the world is in for something special. The pain he wrenches from his soul is astonishing, but it is the ecstasy and hope he emits which is truly astounding. At his lowest point, Johnson manages to lift others up around him. There can be no consolation for the loss of a parent. We only hope that, knowing one of his last acts alive was to see his son with his best friends doing (and succeeding) what they love to do. No father could wish for more.

 *Image courtesy of This Feeling Records

Theatre Royal – 1994

Medway’s Theatre Royal recently supported the Human League at Rochester Castle. To celebrate this triumph, they released the lead single ‘1994’ from their EP ‘Beneath The Floor’.

The single & EP are available from their Bancamp page.

Johnny Marr is the undoubted king of riffs. However, loitering behind him are the guitars of Oliver and Robert. Single after single they find a new way to bring mod revival and c86 glory into the modern world. ‘1994’ is no different. The warming guitar parts alongside the dazzling brass conjure images of Graham Coxon joining Orange Juice. Meanwhile, the solo fires out from Steve Cradock’s majestic OCS cannon circa 1996.

The use of brass (Chris Kingman) is not new for the band. To be in full carnival mode is though. It’s the perfect accompaniment to this tale of an erratic friend. It places the wayward soul in the middle of a party they most likely should never have arrived at. The edge of darkness lurking beneath the celebratory atmosphere is a joy to behold.

‘1994’ confirms we’ve known for a decade and what Louder Than War professed perfectly:

 “why the fuck are they not really famous?”

Marseille – The Jungle

Derby’s Marseille have been on a hell of a run in 2022. Debuting at the Isle of Wight festival and playing Pride Park to name a few landmarks. Last week they returned with their new single ‘The Jungle’, out now on all platforms via Away Day Records.

Artwork courtesy of Karl Shaw - https://www.silverbirchcreative.com/

The day of release was one of celebration for the band but, for music lovers, the tragic loss of Paul Ryder was tough to take. A week on and, the loss still stings but, ‘The Jungle’ has served as a timely eulogy for the Mondays’ funk master. The new single locks in a Ryder and Mani-esque killer bassline and builds a baggy classic around it. Once it combines with the funk and flair of Mark Day’s guitars, the tribute is complete!

Coincidence aside, this is a single of unswerving talent and ambition. ‘Fools Gold’ it is not but, the spirit of the Roses looms large. A steep trajectory awaits and evidently they have the skill to get there.

Today marks the anniversary of the Hammond genius of Rob Collins. Marseille have celebrated the present with a nods to Manchester’s baggy past. Meanwhile, there’s a cloud with Ryder, Collins, and Liam Maher having it to ‘The Jungle’.

*Image courtesy of Jason Bridges.

The Chase - Not the F*cking Game Show

Nottinghamshire’s The Chase have been on a roll the last 12 months. Brothers Tyler (frontman) & Dion (drums) along with cousin Luke on bass and James on keys have notched up support slots with The Rifles and The Skinner Brothers.

They recently released their debut EP ‘Not the F*cking Game Show’. Here’s our track-by-track review:

Black Cloud

Raucous garage punk sitting between The Stranglers and The Velvet Hands. James’ great keys light up this explosive affair alongside the scintillating guitars.

I'm the Man

Tyler’s vocals have the deranged but melodic joy Frederick Macpherson (Les incompetents/Spector). The power he emanates alongside the stomping drums and violent guitars feels like the single comeback Oasis always attempted ‘Heathen Chemistry’ until the end but never landed.

The bluesy stomp teases The Stones’ devilment out of BRMC’s wayward souls and yet, there is a togetherness oozing from this record. One which is going to set ablaze live audiences.

Live to Die

Great synths take the band towards an indie-punk rapture. Taking all the best bits from Maximo Park, Spector, and The Cribs they lift off to a destination unknown but one you’ll be hell-bent on finding.

Set The World To Rights

Despite the frenetic pace to the EP so far, musicianship worthy of session artists has lurked. Here, with pace mercifully slowed, they showcase just what they’re capable of when they let everything breathe.

Melodies worthy of Crowded House are taken to the sun-setting rock ‘n’ roll of Soundtracks of our Lives. Despite the center-ground here, the vitality of the sound is not diminished. Urgency pours from their sweat like fine wine!

La La La

The Dead 60s ‘Ghostface Killah’ collides with early Ordinary Boys on this psychedelic ska anthem. Volatile like The Coral’s debut, they prove that, no matter what the genre, they are unpredictable, melodic, and ready to take the alternative scene by the scruff of its neck!

In The Queue

A sign of their quality that this ramshackle throwaway affair carries more melody than most alt-bands we saw at Glastonbury this weekend.  

Lucigenic - Joy

Manchester supergroup Lucigenic returned recently with their latest single ‘Joy’. It was recorded at Far Heath Studio with Mike Bennett (Fat White Family, The Fall, Ian Brown) producing and Angus Wallace engineering.

Artwork Photo credit : Olivia McCaffrey/Rachael Flaszczak / Dylan (Fried Banana)

In 2021, they released the ’Hope’ and ‘Still Breathing’, reacquainting themselves with many of rock music’s classic moments from the 70s and 80s. A method that takes some courage with so many ready to sneer in the modern world. On ‘Joy’, they double down on this methodology. Does it pay off?

Lucy Davies taps into her Stevie Knicks and Patti Smith power at times but, it’s the little punky Siouxee or Ari flourishes and the Louise Wener whispering refrain that truly captivate. Mark Refoy’s guitars range from the shimmer Marr to the ecstatic Mick Ronson to the pop splendour of Bolan. Meanwhile, drummer Dave Barbarossa has that Mick Fleetwood or Terry "Bandsman" Howarth appeal which, no matter the vocals or solos in play, just make you want to air drum like a child.

It should come as no surprise this trio has this ability. However, it’s the childlike spirit that makes it great. This is the sound of friends laying their teenage record collections bare. From the Banshees to Fleetwood Mac all the way up to the Rob Collins inspired keys, Lucigenic have reimagined their past to produce a melodic rumble that few can match today.

*Banner image courtesy of Sonic PR and Trust A Fox

MOSES - I Still Believe! Do You?

London’s MOSES have released their second album ‘I Still Believe! Do You?’. Making the trip back to Wolverhampton, they recorded once again with Gavin Monaghan (Shade, The Twang) at his Magic Garden Studio (except 'Caffy' and 'Pawns' by Ian Flynn).

Last time out, they served up a raw an album in every sense, emotion, power, and talent. Firecrackers like ‘Cause Got You’ and ‘River Thames’ were instant indie bangers. On ‘Joy’, ‘Waiter’, and ‘Crocodile’, they sought to try different things musically and lyrically. Brave yes, but ultimately, they were overshadowed by the aforementioned.

On ‘I Still Believe! Do You?’, they not only level up the more explorative tracks, but they also surpass their indie-punk roots at light speed. ‘Move On’, ‘Will’, and ‘Murderer’ are big departures from their roots musically. ‘Move On’ walks into Foal’s living room and says hi to ‘Spanish Sahara’ whilst offering a bolder vision for hope. ‘Will’ taps into the debuts dynamism but is far more courageous and audacious. The spoken word and intense dreampop guitars hover above the clouds until the eruption of defiance. They take ‘Hail The Thief’ to the fury of early Manic Street Preachers’ as they dig in, stand tall and attempt to change the world forever! Whereas ‘Murderer’, is laden with Johnny Cash guitars, Richey Edwards desperation, and Frank Turner’s sense of goodwill. It’s one thing to be angry and spit venomous hostility at the status quo. It is, however, a whole new ball game to do it poetically and still sound violent.

On all three tracks, frontman Victor Moses proves he is one of life’s rarest breeds. Defying the odds with rebellious integrity whilst simultaneously unifying souls with passion. He doesn’t just sing “A murderer that's what we need / To kill the hate to kill hypocrisy and greed”, he wrenches it from the gut if it’s his dying breath.

There are moments that act as a bridge between this new colossal sound and the debut. ‘That’s Who You Are’ has the cuteness of ‘Joy’ and the togetherness of ‘Basically’. However, this is the sound of a band coming to their peak of power. The twist and turns of the narrative, the Peace-esque noodling, and the stadium-sized explosion collide to spectacular effects.

On ‘The Last Kick of Melancholia’, they take their past to new creative highs what is, almost a mini rock opera. Part one pulls together the best bits of Peace, Little Comets, and Foals over the past decade. They descend into the chaos of ‘Popscene’ and the “cockney” mayhem of ‘Sunday Sunday’ before parading to the vast landscapes of The Who in the closing stages. Whereas, ‘Alone’ finds Victor in Rob Harvey mode. High pitched, enraged, and always beautifully melodic.

Most bands’ biggest asset in the build-up to the debut album is their sense of hope. It certainly was for MOSES. Ironically, on an album about hope, they leave this realm. ‘I Still Believe! Do You?’ is blessed with The Kinks’ storytelling, Blur’s chaos, Manic Street Preachers realness, and Blossoms’ pop sensibilities. One criticism could be, does it have the wayward genius of Fat White Family, probably not, but pulling from all those fields has landed MOSES with a second album of real quality.

*Image courtesy of Rocklands Artbeat

Skylights – What You Are

Acomb’s Skylights have had quite the journey to the release of their debut album ‘What You Are’. The band called it a day a few years back their indie euphoria looked set to fall into the category of ‘what might have been’. Then, in 2020, they returned, would this last roll of the dice pay off?

The album is available to buy from 42s Records.

In the spirit of the last chance saloon, they often adopt the windswept string anthems of Feeder and the sun setting drama of Soundtrack of our Lives. ‘Nothing Left To Say’ has the dreamy ambition of ‘Feeling A Moment’ and the emotive power of ‘Just The Way I’m Feeling’ but, Turnbull Smith’s guitars take it to new planes. His Wedding Present jangle of the intro and shimmering solo give it ambition and hopefulness the grey landscapes of the UK so desperately require.

Meanwhile, on ‘What You Are’ and ‘Take Me Somewhere’ they inject their newfound defiance into these well-worn sounds. The former is far more bullish and accompanied by great aggressive Pete Townsend windmills. Whereas, ‘Take Me Somewhere’ has the longing visions and psychedelic hooks of the Soundtracks of ‘You Are The Beginning’.

Their penchant for the indie epic is offset by more urgent flourishes on ‘YRA’ and ‘Lifeline’.  ‘YRA’ is the perfect homage to the 00s with its Kasabian beats, The Music’s guitar licks, and the balls-out swagger of The Twang. ‘Lifeline’ taps into the colossal sound of Adam Nutter’s disco-psychedelia and puts it through Noel’s looping masterpiece ‘Columbia’. Both offer a way out for anyone angst-ridden and yearning for their Jimmy “way of life” moment.

‘Britannia’, originally written for the 2012 Olympics, also has the vastness of The Who’s world. Myles Soley’s apocalyptic drumming provides a cataclysmic platform for Smith’s Townsend-esque fury and frontman Rob Scarisbrick’s snarling to erupt the album into chaos.

What was a fortuitous reformation has undoubtedly led to one of the albums of the year! This isn’t a breakout debut, it’s the sound of a band 3 albums deep commanding the respect of academy-sized audiences.

Image courtesy of 42s Records & Mark Tigue

The Native - Changes

Plymouth’s The Native are back with their new single ‘Changes’. It was produced by John Cornfield (Oasis / Stone Roses) and mixed by Grammy Award-winning Adrian Bushby (Everything Everything).

Sam Fender’s positive influence on the UK guitar scene is laid bare in this new single. The infectious jingle-jangle is met with a breathy melancholic vocal in the intro. The injection of Tom Lumley-esque fury not only alters the song’s trajectory, but it also propels the band beyond any feeling of Fender parody.

The dramatic shift in urgency is the perfect sonic to this tale of standing tall. Whilst frontman Charlie Noordewier vocals strike a superstar accord, this record shines because of its gang mentality. Its chest-beating power comes with open arms, join them or be a naysayer, the choice is yours.

The us versus the world aura they conjure is truly intriguing. Most do via escapist riffs or some visceral polemic. The Natives walk the more dangerous tightrope of painting with broad brushstrokes. One way lies The K’s, The Jam, and Oasis, the other direction be the beige of Keane, Foals, and latter-day Coldplay. The Natives, interestingly, sonically have more in common with the latter but, the spirit of the former keeps the edges harder and their lyrics razor sharp. As Noordewier decrees “I can only do so much / I know the world is tired but at least just try”, images of those two tribes coming together formulate poetic images in the mind.

The Wedding Present : Chinnerys, Southend

Ten years on from their last visit, Leeds’ iconic Wedding Present returned to Chinnerys in Southend. The intention: to play their indie opus ‘Seamonsters’ in full.

A curious album to take on the road; where ‘George Best’ and ‘Bizarro’ lend themselves to youthful exuberance and righteous angst,’ Seamonsters’ turned to the introspection of the 30s with mere flashes of the rage that had carried them thus far in 1991.

It’s within that spirit that the audience largely gazed. On ‘Blonde’, Sarah’s Records and Nirvana’s pop-tinged grunge enters the affray; but it is Gedge’s forlorn protagonist that the audience has come to rejoice in. No matter how old and settled we become as an audience, Gedge has the ability to transport an audience back to their naive unrequited love days. Meanwhile, the gentle psychedelia of ‘Rotterdam’ in tandem with Gedge’s ability to wrap his unique voice around melody was truly life-affirming.

There are moments (with 30 years’ hindsight, of course) where their performance sheds light on how music travelled in the direction it did back then. Opener ‘Dalliance’ walks proud with Wedding Present identity, but raises a glass to early Andy Bell guitar licks and in the closing stages, Swervedriver’s future roar lurks on the horizon. ‘Dare’ also takes from their archetypal ‘Bizzarro’ sound to the precipice of grunge and shoegaze. It may at the time have been seen as a departure from what made people fall in love with them. But in 2022, it sounds like a band that knew which way the wind was blowing and had the creative nous to propel their vision beyond their humble start.

They do, of course, dip in and out of those modest beginnings with ‘My Favourite Dress’ sounding as vital as ever and ‘Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft’ remaining one of the most fun anthems ever written. 

Whilst being a night of nostalgia, the true beauty of ‘Seamonsters’ is it’s sonic of introspection and self-reflection. It gives everyone the breathing space for an hour; to ponder life, love, and loss, which, post-covid is akin to therapy.

The Wedding Present were never a force of nature but, they are a force to be reckoned with. They have an emotive power many would kill for. Long may they continue.