The Shed Project - Our Fear Is There Power

Bolton outfit The Shed Project have returned with their new single ‘Our Fear Is There Power’. Relesaed on Friday 26th May (One Love Records), it was produced by Danny Heyes and recorded Ivy Studio.

The debut album witnessed the band in an open mood as they told tales from their lives. Tinged with nostalgia, they traipsed their lysergic past from the North West to Amsterdam. On ‘If You’re Getting Busy (You’re Getting Better)’ they began to merge their diary-style storytelling with broader messages about tackling mental health. This new style of tying together the uber-personal with the universal continues on ‘Fear The Power’ as they manifest their angst about the government and press alongside a clarion call.  

Image and artwork courtesy of the band.

While the tempo may have dipped, this is their hardest sound. Like a caged tiger, they prowl with a visceral intent directed at the 6 toed pony fuckers running and ruining this country and the press that enables them.

Polemic is not something naturally associated with the rock ‘n’ roll of the North West but it’s always loitered in the hearts of Ian Brown and Noel Gallagher. Roy Fletcher’s success here proves the icons could have been more overt in with their lyrics. His line in the sand is met with haunting licks and a bassline desperate to break its leash. Together, they spiral with the baggy ease of The Charlatans towards the eruption of psychedelic guitars. It’s far less a solo and more a howling of hatred and despair wrenched from the gut. A fitting tonic to a week that witnessed more evidence of Johnson’s contempt for us all.

Trippy and tribal, The Shed Project continues to expand their sound on this offering. Rock ‘n’ roll, for so long has been about youth culture. What The Shed Project have proven is, it should be about rebel culture. Their true outsider status proves the future is always unwritten!

Rosellas - Somewhere Inbetween

Manchester’s Rosellas have released their new EP ‘Somewhere Inbetween’ via This Feeling Records. The EP was written by the whole band and produced by Oliver Shillito. Image and artwork courtesy of Fear PR>

Former singles ‘Switch Off’ and ‘Hideaway’ catapulted Rosellas to the front of the pack of The UK’s band scene in recent months. Their smooth rock ‘n’ roll pre-pandemic began to spark with a directness that didn’t demand attention, it took it. On ‘Switch Off’, they bridge that older sound to their new fire with an effortless that leaves no one behind. Frontman Drew Selby slots into a vocal groove honed on the likes of ‘Slowdance’ and ‘Common Ground’ but, now a brash, desperate sense of purpose looms lyrically and sonically.

This compulsion is doubled down on ‘Hideaway’. Selby’s vocal more urgent, willing to fray at the edges is partnered with the more celestial moments of The Verve’s classic ‘A Northern Soul’. With Shillito at the helm, they’ve found a space to sprinkle the psychedelic nuggets of the Byrds and Shack alongside their newfound sprawling power.

‘Bare Your Soul’ and the new single ‘Come Alive’ tread similar paths structurally, culminating in Selby’s sublime guitar parts. The former unites the more immediate moments of ‘The Second Coming’ with the melodic supremacy of ‘Urban Hymns.’ As Selby decrees “so come on, speak it easy” images of Haigh Hall, Knebworth, and Heaton Park glint in the eye. Ollie Appleby’s basslines create a tumultuous fog that allows Euan Mail and Selby’s guitars to emerge in a visceral blaze of glory.

The EP closes out with a glimpse of what is yet to come from this fine band. ‘Thunderstorming’ goes beyond the immediacy of teenage kicks and explores the world of Oasis b-side ‘Shout It Out Loud’ with hints of Neil Young’s ‘Cortez The Killer’. It witnesses the band moving into MOJO's front cover territory.

The Rosellas have begun a new chapter on this EP. Their inclination to reflect thoughtfully is now dancing with the kind of rock ‘n’ roll that the UK yearns for on big stages. It’s only a matter of time.

Senses - Little Pictures Without Sound

Coventry’s Senses have released their debut album ‘Little Pictures Without Sound’ via 42s Records. It was written by the whole band and recorded at Magic Garden Studio in Wolverhampton and produced by Gavin Monaghan (MOSES / The Twang / The Blinders).

Image & artwork courtesy of 42s Records.

Where many fail to blend their identity with their heroes Senses succeed with grace and ease. At several turns ‘Little Pictures Without Sound’ pushes the boundaries of what we know about BRMC, The Music, and New Order.

‘With Us / Against Us’ is a revolving door of Bernard Summer beauty and the beguiling leather-clad US rockers. Delicate Mary Chain riffs unite with frontman Brian Callan’s Barney-esque vocals. It is, however, his ability to strive, to reach beyond the usual that reels you in. Callan’s sense of exploration is blessed with defiance that few wouldn’t stand alongside to defend.

Former single ‘Harder Now (For Love)’ throbs with BRMC’s leather-clad rebel status. Brian Callan and Kevin Kavanagh’s brooding guitars are awash with great juxtaposition. There’s a Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre lo-fi quality chiming with the directness of Oasis’ ‘Heathen Chemistry’ and ‘Don’t Believe The Truth’ era. When they combine with Callan’s lead and Ian Finnegan’s backing vocal, they create a wall of sound worthy of Soundtracks Of Our Lives peak.

‘It Comes From Within’ and opener ‘Drifting’ however, turns to the recently reformed Leeds icons The Music. The howling guitars tap into the emotive power of ‘The Walls Get Smaller’ and the dramatic build of ‘Too High’. Meanwhile, Callan looks to his Coventry pal Reid Currie (The Institutes) for an ethereal vocal delivery from the heavens. As the tension builds a now-or-never narrative emerges through the guitar solo like a well-executed dramatic montage. ‘Drifting’ is a far more welcoming embrace with its shimmering guitars, ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ meets ‘Fight The Feeling’ production, and Ian Finnegan’s euphoric stomp on drums. Callan and Kevin Kannagh’s guitars impose themselves with the cinematic brilliance of Adam Nutter and fragile beauty of DMAs to create one of the finest album openers of the century.

On ‘Let Me In’ and ‘All Things Happen For A Reason’, Senses search for yet more meaningful connections with atmospheric down-tempo. The former lacks a point difference that makes the rest of the album so great. Whereas ‘All Things Happen For A Reason’ begins humbly low-key celestial guitars and before breaking free of its chains to become a bombastic Kasabian meets Soundtracks of our Lives number!

‘Little Pictures Without Sound’ is an album by dreamers for dreamers. Even in its most lo-fi moments it’s touched by the hands of fantasy. It breeds a vision of a better life at every turn.  

The Kairos - Price On Peace’ (P.O.P.)

Liverpool outfit The Kairos follow the critical acclaim of  ‘Thick Of It’ with their new single ‘Price On Peace’ (P.O.P). It is the second single to be taken from their upcoming EP ‘Better Late Than Never’ due out on 19th May. Image courtesy of The Songbird HQ.

Where the ‘Thick of It’ had more prolonged grooves before erupting, ‘P.O.P’ struts with jagged licks looking for a fight from the off. When it’s let off its leash, a feral display 60s r’n’b akin to their former peers The Shakes and The View explode into life.

There’s a playfulness to ‘P.O.P’ which refuses to allow The Kairos to be pigeonholed. Whether it’s adding aggression to the guitars of ‘Come Together’ or McCartney’s ‘Live and Let Die’ stomp emerging from the chorus, The Kairos keep cutting and pasting the hooks. It lends itself a playfulness only Spangled can match in today’s world.

On this showing, ‘Better Late Than Never’ is becoming one of the most anticipated Ep’s of 2023.

Click the image below for tickets to their hometown gig:

Sircacuse - Saviour

Cheltenham-based Siracuse have returned after three years to release their new single ‘Saviour’ via Vibrant Sky Records. In 2020, they forged life-long devotion on the underground circuit with their volatile debut album ‘Forever’. Can ’Saviour’ stack up to its power?

Where ‘Forever’ was hell-bent on destruction, ‘Saviour’ is on the precipice of the looking glass but not yet through it. A vastness worthy of Soundtracks Of Our Lives has infiltrated their penchant for psychedelia and created a joyous realm to reside in.

Image and artwork courtesy of Lloyd Jefferies

Frontman Ben Zakotti’s vocal taps into the solo era vocal of Liam Gallagher. Searching for that great melodic hook to bind us once more. Tinged with attitude and love equally alongside the looping guitars also brings the early indie meanderings of Tim Burgess into view.

Two minutes in, ‘Saviour’ could blissfully fade out to be a fine single. Siracuse however have other ambitions. The trip they’ve sauntered on hits the release valve with ecstatic results. Spiralling guitars chime alongside their cinematic vision. The groove of Charlatan’s ‘Then’ is given the lysergic beauty of John Squire to move Siracuse from also-rans to title contenders.

With DMA’s cementing their place at the top of the UK’s beloved bands, 2023 could be the moment others break through as a new generation discover the joys of freeing rock ‘n’ roll music. Siracuse could and should be making their way to the hearts and minds of young and old record collectors alike on this showing.

Marseille – Freedom EP

Derby’s Marseille made huge inroads into the hearts and minds of British music lovers on their recent sold-out tour. To cap it all off, they release their debut EP on the 5th May. Banner image courtesy of Paul Dixon.

Artwork courtesy of Mr. Shaw

The title track ‘Freedom’ is lit up by drummer Tom Spray’s drumming. What begins as a glorious nod to Tony McCaroll’s spiky drumming cascades into something far more flamboyant that Reni would rejoice in. It allows frontman Will Brown to slide into the limelight with his angelic rock ‘n’ roll star vocal. Brown gives the record a soaring sense of destiny but, through his beauty and fragility, lets the masses into the world of Marseille, which is becoming untouchable talent-wise.

On the latest single ‘Thinker’, the love of Oasis turns to Noel’s ‘Masterplan’. Rock ‘n’ roll isn’t here to reinvent the wheel, it is, however, a great tool to reignite old flames as Oasis did so well with Slade and T-Rex on ‘Definitely Maybe’. Blessed with sumptuous guitars and big key changes, they tap into Gallagher’s penchant to unite big crowds with even bigger universal sonic.

Former single ‘Only Just Begun’ steps back into a hazier realm. As weightless as ‘Twistarella’ and freeing as Shambolics’ ‘Dreams, Schemes, & Young Teams’, they’ve conjured images of ‘Sally Cinnamon’ flirting with The La’s and DMA’s. Vocally, the band has stepped up with harmonies enhancing what was, already a rich sound. As Brown decrees “I don’t want to be that guy”, he emits a level of emotion not seen by him before. His soul, for a fleeting moment, is left exposed and vulnerable. This level of openness and generosity of feeling is so often wrapped up in angst and rage. Brown and co have encased it with lysergic licks of love which breed hope and togetherness.

EP closer ‘Lost and Found’ finds a sweet spot between DMAs and Oasis. It allows for their sun-kissed instincts to connect with the raw pop-rock power of ‘What’s The Story…’. Lennon Hall’s power chords give this an urgent, almost desperate quality that Owen Morris’ reckless soul would surely smile through studio glass at. Hall’s rhythm is met by Labrum’s innate ability to stand on the shoulders of guitar giants. As carefree as The View’s debut he unleashes a sprawling melody that Lee Mavers and John Squires will marvel at.  

Indebted too much to the past? Possibly. There is so much joy and emotion emanating from this EP it’s near impossible not to be enamoured with it. Always pastiche, never parody, Marseille can fly the flag of their heroes with pride.

The Utopiates - The Sun Also Rises

London-based outfit The Utopiates are set to release their debut album ‘The Sun Also Rises’ on the 5th May via V2 Records.

Image and artwork courtesy of V2 Records.

Over recent years, the band’s live shows have been mesmeric, but their desire really grabbed audiences’ attention. A sheer will to succeed was omnipresent, a sense that their time is now was always at the forefront of everything.

Where many bands fail to translate their live power in the studio The Utopiates have succeeded on  ‘Seekers’, ‘Making History’, and ‘It’s Coming For You’ as the band serves up their destiny with serious mass appeal. ‘Seekers’ spirals heavenly with the vastness of ‘Second Coming’ but the anticipation generated is all firmly 1989’s. The military-esque drums and melodic keys create the sense of “coming up” that the album rarely pivots far from. Lead guitarist Josh Redding’s Hendrix and Squire licks forge breathtaking sunsets that unite the classes of ’88, ’92, and the current DMAs generation can unite behind. Political change may loiter in 2024, but culturally, The Utopiates are defining the epoch shift right here, right now!

In recent years, rock ‘n’ roll has fallen by the wayside. Plenty of promise, but a failure to deliver a generation-unifying album. The fashion, the sound, and the polemic felt too indebted to yesteryear. The Utopiates’ however, have found the path which links the broad brushstrokes of New Order’s ‘love’ and Oasis’ swagger with defiant punk and coming-of-age lyrics. Bullish and oozing togetherness and unwavering confidence, ‘Making History’ binds the bucket hats and Doc Martens types with their Oasis-tinged rhetoric:

“One day you’ll see, yeah they’ll look at me, I’m not up here making tunes, I’m making history!”

Ed Godshaw’s keys look to the Inspiral Carpets’ ‘Life’ and Black Grape’s debut, Redding has the showmanship of Prince, whilst Popplewell’s vocal nods to Dave Gahan. Collectively, the destiny they illuminate feels ginormous, but always within their grasp. Meanwhile, on ‘It’s Coming For You’, the hedonism of the Roses’ ‘Tightrope’, ‘Tears’, and ‘How Do You Sleep’ is taken into the mire by Popplewell’s steel and Redding’s heavy guitars. They encapsulate their struggle to escape the lives most of us lead and hate. As Redding’s guitars take flight, Cream’s ‘Disraeli Gears’ dances into view- but with the financial and social burden of the 20s hanging around its neck, rather than the hallucinogenic freedom of the 60s.

Most fledgling bands wear their influences on their sleeves; The Utopiates wear them on a trip. ‘Sick Love’ slips into the post-MDMA rush, with its free-flowing easy-riding soul of Morcheeba and Richard Hawley and Duane Eddy guitars. Whereas ‘Ups and Downs’ takes you right to the heart of a rush, with its nod to Asha JJ’s ‘Tribute’. It’s the acid house-infused anthem Serge Pizzorno has dreamt of making for a decade. ‘Midas Touch’ delves gloriously into the wonk of Happy Mondays’ ‘Wrote For Luck’ on a comedown. Spaced out and expansive, they conjure a blissful sonic for eyes to roll back to.

The album culminates in two places. ‘Only Human’ and ‘Best and Worst Days’, both former singles, light up an already fine album for very different reasons. ‘Only Human’ is the stop-everything moment! Like ‘Live Forever’, ‘Last Night’, and ‘Lay Down’, it pulls from the greats and spits out something new for the world to clutch to its hearts. Depeche Mode’s darkness; Marr’s expressiveness; EMF’s soul; New Fast Automatic Daffodils groove and Prince’s star power are forged into something near perfect, as The Utopiates propel themselves towards greatness.

‘Best and Worst Days’ is a different animal. More universal and polished, it’s classic songwriting that should straddle indie and corporate radio stations alike. 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. Popplewell’s ability to bring influences into his indie-soul vocal continue. He softens his snarl to allow Bernard Sumner and Danny Wilson nodes 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 the latter 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 of its despair and with ecstasy and New Order.

Whether you’re coming of age or finding a new lease on life, The Utopiates are the band to soundtrack it. From ‘Devolution’ to ‘It’s Coming To You’ they clutch onto hope with their fingernails as their sonic tumbles towards the darkness. Like all great bands before them, they find a way to lead the mortals out of their doldrums. During the introspection of ‘The Sun Also Rises’ the fog begins to lift allowing the rhapsodic ‘Ups and Downs’ conjures a moment of unrivalled happiness. The journey to their promised land is completed on the angelic reflective come-down piece ‘Simple Minds’.

Undeterred by Spotify’s influences, they take their time on intros and solos alike. They’ve allowed rock ‘n’ roll to breathe once more. The results are nothing short of a perfect debut album.

‘The Sun Also Rises’ is available for pre-order here: https://merch.theutopiates.com/products/the-sun-also-rises-album-pre-sale. Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming tour:

The Kynd - Timelines

The long-awaited second album from 90s stalwarts The Kynd has finally been released. The album was produced by Brian O'Shaughnessy (Primal Scream/My Bloody Valentine/Denim) at Bark Studios, London, and mastered by legendary engineer Barry Grint (Oasis/REM/The Beatles) at AIR Studios.

The Kynd released their debut album ‘Shakedown’ back in 1999. An unfortunate year for them in many ways. The ebullient spirit of 1995/96 had dissipated. The bands left were either making comedown records or multi-layered masterpieces. Whereas, ‘Shakedown’s merits lay within its mid-90s joy and 60s pastiche which was the centre ground just two years previous. This brief moment where style had substance was swallowed either by plastic pop or toxic masculinity from the US. It simply wasn’t to be.

Undeterred by their previous unfortunate timing, ‘Timelines’ in many ways picks up where ‘Shakedown’ left off. It’s blessed with great mod revival instincts in the former single ‘Whisper & Tones’ and opener ‘Workshy’. The former, resplendent with Mclagan-esque organs and the jagged guitars of The Prisoners are given a melodic polish as the backing vocals give a knowing wink to ‘Sympathy For The Devil’.  ‘Workshy’ however, has a driving relentlessness that breeds a death or glory vigour. Wave upon wave guitars builds a la Len Price 3 with brooding intensity to revel in before they lift everything with a slice of the psyche from The La’s and early Pink Floyd.

On ‘Effervescent’ frontman Paul King pulls from Michael Stipe whilst Danny Tipping’s guitars hazily meander between the Floyd and Beatles. The lysergic licks gently intoxicate the soul to wash away the soul’s ills. The slightly withdrawn and stoned sonic feels like the home turf they should always be playing. Confidence and swagger brood effortlessly throughout.

Similarly on ‘Older’, they lazily sojourn to the looping splendour of Ride’s ‘Vapour Trail’ and the baggy-mod paradise of the early Charlatans albums. It makes them a far superior outfit to be reckoned with. King’s voice is divine, tugging at the heartstrings with a strong sense of nostalgia that carts you back to the summer. The ones that last a lifetime, break hearts and forge friendships you’d die for.

The timing might have been everything the first time around for The Kynd but in 2023 they have proved to be timeless.

DMA’s: Wembley Arena, London

“I find it sad that there’s a whole generation of kids, working-class kids who have got nothing of their own to buy into and they’re projecting all that onto a couple of 50-year-old fellas. Where’s the new Oasis? Where’s that? Where is that, where are those guys?”

(Noel Gallagher taking on Jonathan Ross 2021)

DMA’s. DMA’s are those guys and on Friday night at Wembley Arena, they crossed the threshold from academy venue-filling indie band to generation-defining stars they’ve been threatening to do since 2016’s ‘Hills End’.

The unlikely Australian heroes walk on stage with the intro to ‘How Many Dreams?’ already pulsating through the huge crowd. The electricity in the room is tangible. The sudden realisation that the Sydney trio were about to transcend to immortality.

All bands have die-hard fans. They’ll jump to prove their love no matter what. Front and centre, every gig, they are there. The signifier of a band crossing over to that moment of gigantic glory is when it filters further and further back. As Tommy O’Dell’s angelic vocal decrees “how many dreams?”, the raptures are found a way beyond the sound desk and up in the seats. It’s bedlam. Only England winning knockout football breeds this loved-up debauchery. Togetherness is love, and DMA’s have it in abundance.

The set openers mirror the new album’s tracklisting with ‘Olympia‘ following. Matthew Mason’s rippling guitars send a feverish crowd into utter delirium. Two tracks in and best friends and lovers are hugging in disbelief. Their band was doing it. Their band was the style and the substance! Their band are it!

With every passing track their power grew culminating in previous albums ‘The Glow’ and ‘Silver’. ‘Live Forever’ and ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ at some point in British history ceased to be Oasis songs and became folklore handed on to future generations as beacons of hope. ‘The Glow’ and ‘Silver’ are rapidly approaching this territory.

‘The Glow’, with that crowd, became the archetypal two fingers up work and government. This was the people’s moment in the spotlight, and no-one missed their opportunity to rid themselves of the day-today. On the flipside ‘Silver’ felt more like a hymn than an indie-anthem. O’Dell’s presence was barely required as the crowd unified around the tracks uncertain and searching lyrics.

Four albums in, DMA’s power should really be fading. New songs should be becoming piss breaks not set closers. Oasis always failed to integrate the good work of ‘Heathen Chemistry’ onwards into a set alongside the power of ‘Definitely Maybe’ or the hysteria of ‘Morning Glory’. The DMA’s however, albeit to smaller crowds, are marrying the raw power of ‘Timeless’ and ‘Lay Down’ alongside the pop majesty of ‘Olympia’ and ‘Everybody’s Saying Thursday’s The Weekend’ effortlessly.

It was supposed to be Brixton Academy, a venue half the size. Through tragedy and corruption (at Brixton), DMAs were forced to move to Wembley. They rose to the occasion and delivered a gig that will echo down the ages.

This Is War – Rotten

Liverpool’s This Is War return this Friday with their new EP ‘Rotten’. Recorded at Faktory Studios with The Verve’s Si Jones behind the mixing desk, it will be released via Bubblebrain Records. banner image courtesy of Chloe Randall.

Artwork courtesy of The Songbird HQ

2022 was a great journey for This Is War and their fans alike. A single every month, a year-long advent calendar of fine rock music. From ‘Autumn Savage Rose’ to ‘Weekend’, consistent outsider rock anthems were delivered. If this was all they ever made, it would stand proud and long in record collections. Arguably the hardest-working band in the UK, there would always be more! Can the EP stack up to last year’s quality?

Bridging the 2022 run of singles to the EP is the title track ‘Rotten’. The punk guitars of The Clash and The Pistols come out fighting before, This Is War’s innate ability to find something euphoric in a moment of abrasion emerges once more.

Last December saw the band support Razorlight frontman Johnny Borrel in their home city. Time well spent as Razorlight’s early flourish of greatness surfaces on ‘No Pressure’ and ‘Waves’. The sharp biting licks of ‘Up All Night’ are reimagined for This Is War’s indomitable stomp. The poetic hope of ‘Vice’ and the jagged glory of ‘To The Sea’ are reborn via Johnny Roberts hope filled guitars. ‘Waves’ at times, trips along with the joy of ‘In The Morning’ but continuously fades into something more despairing. There could be no better no sonic to light up the lives of working-class people in times of hardship. No matter how hard we try, there’s always another bill fucking you over! Despite this reflection, ‘Waves’ is also blessed great ambition in the closing stages. It brings the power of U2’s ‘War’ through to 2023 with aggression that demands your respect.  

When BRMC made ‘Howl’, something in the rock ‘n’ roll cosmos aligned, the acoustic guitars which seemed so ill-befitting on paper became their natural domain without them losing any outsider credentials. On ‘Promised Land’, This Is War treads a similar path. The acoustic guitars have found a place between Penny Lane and The La’s and shimmer like a memory of The Roses at their peak. Frontman Paul Carden’s vocals are so often a venomous punk rock weapon for people to unite behind a mesmeric. So many frontmen would just soften the delivery, Carden retains his Dylan-esque power but couples it with a pearl of forlorn wisdom to conjure images of Ronnie Lane and Ronnie Wood telling their younger selves what they know now.  

This is a huge step up in quality for This Is War. Their talent as musicians have gelled with their penchant for punk and rock anthems to produce timeless music. 2022 was a good year for the band by anyone’s standards. The step up in class is perhaps best personified by the acoustic version of last year’s ‘Mona Lisa’. What was gritty and fiery melts into a George Martin-produced classic with Mick Head on guitars.

This is War will playing the Kick Out The Jams stage at the Brighton Mix Up (free entry) next month:

Rolla: Lower Third, London

Manchester’s Rolla kicked off their UK tour at London’s Lower Third last Wednesday to celebrate the release of their debut EP ‘Nothing Less Than Everything’.

To say anything short of a brutal onslaught developed would be tantamount to treason. As their guitars howled with a bludgeoning power and real sense of defiance grew. Death-defying and fearless, Rolla announced themselves as the next headline act powerhouse on the UK scene.

Amid what is a staunchly powerful set, ‘What Kid’ and ‘Explain Yourself To No One’ emerged as behemoth rock ‘n’ roll beasts. The early Oasis and Kasabian machinations ‘Thinking of Tomorrow’ and ‘Sweet Lullaby’ were left looking redundant by their supreme stature. The guitars had an innate ability to cause a fog, a descent into the mire where lost souls became directionless on their own intoxicating terms.

It wasn’t all just blistering psychedelia though. ‘Hey You’, indebted to the twisted funk of ‘Gravity Grave’ grooved around its ‘Rebel Without a Cause’ rhetoric with an ease that oozed a coolness we all dream of, but few possess. ‘No Violence’ showcased a more melodic cadence to the vocals and bigger key changes which conjured a freeing euphoria the set desperately needed. The set’s real point of difference comes from the new EP’s ‘When Life’s Thunder Striking’. Slower in build, and gentler in sonic, it’s a gift-wrapped ticket to the big time. Despite it being the only rest bite in the set for the crowd, they’re not letting it pass without arms aloft and larynxes left in the gutter as badges of honour.

With lucrative record deals and charting singles, a thing of the past, a band’s way out to a better life is far less likely than ever before. What Rolla proved in London is it is still a worthwhile cause. Laying your soul bare to strive for creative greatness despite the world’s race to the bottom is perhaps the only pure thing left to do, and Rolla are showing us the way.

Bloxx – Television Promises

Uxbridge four-piece kick off the run to their new EP ‘Modern Day’ (released 11th August) with the new single ‘Television Promises’ via Scruff of the Neck Records.

Image and artwork courtesy of the band and Zeitgeist PR

Fee Booth’s vocal cadence is utterly majestic. Beset with wit, sarcasm, and a forlornness, Booth moves effortlessly through them all on this love/hate ode to reality TV. Booth has the indie cuteness of Maria Eriksson (The Concretes) and the gentler moments of Ellie Rosswell to lure the masses in but lurking throughout is a frustration threatening to spill over. The angst is divided up between the media and herself for allowing our screens and dreams to be flooded with such mindless drivel.

Lyrically, as much as Bloxx try to draw a cultural line in the sand, the pulling power of phones and aimless programming always pervades. Their honesty in this is what makes this record great. There’s no sense of cultural elitism. Their fallibility allows the listener into their world as its one they know well. Creatively however they are headings toward immortality with divine melodic uplifts and angular licks.

Their debut album ‘Lie Out Loud’ was blessed with some fine moments to launch the into the world. ‘Television Promises’ is a marked leap forward from their humble beginnings. They’re now ticking all the boxes; radio-friendly, great hooks, and culturally relevant. Simply put, it’s great alt-pop music.

Click the image below for tickets to their BBC Introducing show in Manchester:

Shambolics - U Serious Boi?

Shambolics release their debut EP ‘U Serious Boi?’ this Friday via Scruff of the Neck Records. It was recorded at Glasgow’s 7 West Studios and produced by Chris Marshall.

Image & artwork courtesy of Sonic PR

Pre-pandemic, Shambolics were making huge inroads into our hearts and minds with Johnny Marr licks via the DMA’s and Fleetwood Mac. They looked destined to break through like Blossoms and The Lathums with alt-pop gems such as ‘Dreams, Schemes, & Young Teams’ and ‘Sandra Speed’. The time away has done nothing to dampen their spirit but has given them time to reflect upon their sonic.

‘U Serious Boi?’ witnesses the band playing with fuzzy guitars and synths for the first time. Former single ‘Take It Or Leave It’ taps into a hooks of Blossoms and early Madonna then builds a groove around its undeniable bassline. Frontman Darren Forbes delivers a vocal hook so good that Stock Aitken and Waterman will be wondering how they missed it. On ‘Like A Breeze’, Forbes taps into his archetypal infectious Fife vocal as the fuzzed-up guitars bounce along like Ben Folds Five to the chorus.

Lyrically, the Shambolics have always had protagonists of a fragile stature. The frail nature of our heroines witnessed on ‘Sandra Speed’ and ‘Love Collide’ were lit up with great heart and soaring melody. A principle that serves them well on ‘Living In The Shadows’. Delicate beginnings lure souls from the darkness as they point out demons are only ever temporary. The build is gentle and cautious, reflecting the integrity and empath of the band to the plight of others in troubled times. The solo is powerful but brief, just the merest of lights shone to offer hope without ever being self-congratulatory. Elsewhere, the strings lend a cinematic Bacharach quality, bringing further tranquility to proceedings.  

On ‘Never Gonna Change’ and ‘What’s Going On Your Head’ the band reignites the fire of the pre-pandemic singles. The former is alight with the guitars of ‘Queen Is Dead’, ‘Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others’, and ‘Boy With The Thorn In His Side’ are given a Lee Mavers (The La’s) and Pete Reilly (The View) makeover. ‘What’s Going On Your Head’ has hints of glam-rock as the devilish guitars build to the finest solo to date. With The Lathums currently on top, both tracks are serving them notice as the Shambolics will surely surpass them sooner rather than later.

Where they’ve explored new textures they haven’t achieved the greatness of the sound we know and love. However, there are elements in those tracks that have teeth and which, if they can unlock fully could enhance their repertoire no end.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming tour:

Usual Affairs – Elementary to Penitentiary

Edinburgh four-piece Usual Affairs fresh from supporting the mighty Marseille have released the new single ‘Elementary to Penitentiary’. Banner image courtesy Redwood Streets.

Artwork courtesy of the band.

A humbleness circulates lyrically and sonically, allowing their determination to break free from society’s pitfalls shine. Despite the earnestness, Jack Cordey’s emerges from indies’ shadows with a lo-fi take on The Pigeon Detectives and Shambolics to catapult him to stardom. His guitars continuously threaten to become unhinged before launching into a solo that could only erupt from the streets of his youth.

This generation is blessed with the finest array of guitar players since the mid-90s boom of bands. Josh Redding (The Utopiates), Joe Anderson (Pastel), JOe Labrum (Marseille), Joei Sylvester (formerly of The Shakes), Ryan Breslin (The K’s), Matthew Welsh (Ecko), and Andy Hall (The Institutes) have provided enthralling moments of destruction and ecstasy in recent times. On this display, Cordey is feverishly banging on the door to their club.

It begs the question, is their room for Usual Affairs with such prowess already prominent? What is absent from the above is the incisive polemic bassist Cal Gray serves up superbly here. The spirit of ‘Neds’ is lit up by his lyrics and frontman Scott Alexander’s vocal decreeing “How can a young boy’s garden grow / If burning grass is all he’ll ever know?” before they expertly lay the blame for lack of working-class choice at the door of this failed government:

“Charlatans rule the land so ignore their commands”

Their clarion call is devout but never patronising. Alexander’s vocal, akin to Kyle Falconer (The View) and Scott Forbes (Shambolics), has a warmth that leads you into the struggle by their side and never as a blind follower.

Usual Affairs’ story continues next month with a huge headline gig at the Mash House in Edinburgh. Click the image below for tickets:

Rolla - Nothing Less Than Everything

Manchester’s Rolla recently released their debut EP ‘Nothing Less Than Everything’ via Golden Robot Records. It was recorded at the iconic Rockfield Sudios with Nick Brine (Oasis / Stone Roses) producing and Gareth Nuttall (The Lottery Winners, The K’s) mixing.

Image and artwork courtesy of Fear PR.

Recent singles ‘Ease My Mind’ and ‘Hey You’ chart a debauched course as they seek out the undiscovered. On ‘Ease My Mind’ Nick McCabe’s sense of exploration links with Serge’s sprawling dynamism on this tale of extracurriculars. While ‘Hey You’ is more nuanced, its power remains equally as feverish. Frontman James Gilmore harnesses the more melodic moments of Tm Meighan’s time in Kasabian alongside a venom not yet seen. The demonic nature of Richard Ashcroft on ‘This IS Music’ and ‘No Knock On My Door’ ooze from his soul whilst his brother Luke’s bass throbs with the grooves of criminally underrated ‘Gravity Grave’. Luke McConnell and Tom Paddon’s guitars have that hissing power of Oasis’ live presence circa 95-97 but, with the deft touches of McCabe. The latter’s influence looms much larger creatively as the band takes you on a journey without a destination to free your soul. The yelps of ‘Rolling People’, the howling furore of ‘A New Decade’, and the perilous defiance of ‘Come On’ unite on what is, as close to pure art as rock ‘n’ roll can sound.

On ‘Explain Yourself To No One’ and ‘What Kid’, they find new ways to soar. The psychedelic howl of Noel’s Union Jack guitar at Maine Road in ’95 and the venomous attitude of Ashcroft at Haigh Hall or Meighan in the 00s roars back to life on these febrile tracks. The former culminates in chest out, nose to the table set of BRMC guitars circa ‘Whatever Happened TO My Rock ‘n’ Roll’. On ‘What Kid’, Gilmore delivers a vocal to enter him into the history books as he nestles in between Tom Meighan and Peter Hayes (BRMC). This swirling cauldron of psychedelic aggression threatens to overspill into pure violence but, lyrically they embed the protagonist with heart and an underdog spirit that us mortals can live through.

Amid the chaos and rebellion, Rolla have delivered a moment of unity on the drugged-up ‘When Life’s Thunder Striking’.  They tap into the soaring orchestration of their peers The Institutes on this tale of melting away from life’s pressures. As sweet as a classic Embrace single and emotive as Ashcroft on ‘Space and Time’ or ‘Weeping Willow’, they’ve given a new generation that last-minute FA Cup final winners are still a possibility.

‘Nothing Less Than Everything’ is the sound of a band who have stared mortality in the face and told it to fuck off. There’s an ease with sex, drugs, and violence not witnessed in some time flowing through them. Defiance oozes through their veins as much as their obvious talent. Strap yourselves in, it’s going to be one of hell of a joyride to those arenas!

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming tour.

The Cavs – Again

Manchester outfit The Cavs, fresh from their Big In 2023 show with This Feeling are back with their new single ‘Again’. Banner image courtesy of Debbie Ellis.

Artwork by Russell Holden. Courtesy of Moon Man PR.

Elliot Craven’s vocals have hit upon a sweet spot from which the band should never deviate. Delicate enough to allow people to fall in love with him, but bullish enough to make you believe he’ll lead the good fight. The toing and froing from innocence to steeliness vocally lends this tale a sense of drama and peril to overcome which is strikingly rewarding.

Like their previous single ‘Music Is My Madness’, the guitars possess great purpose. With hints of James Dean Bradfield’s dramatic flamboyance, lead guitarist Chris is driving the band a debauched hedonistic space worthy of the ‘Almost famous’ soundtrack.

A fine follow up to their breakthrough EP last year. It’s only a matter of time they make the breakthrough to radio a-lists and main stages at festivals.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming live shows:

Body Type – Holding On

Australian band Body Type are back with their new single ‘Holding On’. It’s the lead single from the eagerly anticipated sophomore album ‘Expired Candy’ (Poison City Records) released 2nd June.

Artwork courtesy of Super Cat PR

Tales of submitting to the passing of time should be melancholic reflective pieces, right? Think on! ‘Holding On’ is a bombastic triumph. The infectious guitars and vocals of The Concretes, the angular licks of The Long Blondes, the harmonies of The Pipettes, and the overriding joy of Kenickie reign supreme.

The vocals Annabel, Sophie, and Georgia impart are nothing short of divine. The cute but spikey drawl of Kate Jackson and Lauren Laverne ignite an excitement that rapidly becomes intoxicating. Collectively they’ve an innate ability to lean into the wry humour of The Pipettes one moment and the antagonistic fire of Jemina Pearl (Be Your Own Pet) the next. The great vocal inflections are met with a solo which, had Mick Ronson spent time in The Long Blondes, he surely would have made.

Difficult second album? Nah!

Click the image below for tour tickets

The Lunar Towers – About Time

The childhood adventures of Cheltenham four-piece The Lunar Towers continue with the new single ‘About Time’. Released today via Colorama Records, it was produced by Ric James. Banner image courtesy of Conor Fensam.

Vocally, Rory Moore has tapped into the smoky form of ‘Pillar 2 Post’ once more. No matter the increased urgency of the guitars around him, he finds a way of evoking Sarah Records legend James Hackett (The Orchids) with his laid-back drawl.

Joe Richardson and Rob Sewell’s guitars were awash with influences on the ‘Hurry Up and Wait’ EP. Here they’ve honed the influences into a precise style that answers the question ‘what if Norman Blake joined The Orchids?’. The fire injection into the heavenly sonic conjures images of young minds emerging from history’s shadows to forge new paths of optimism.

Lurking throughout are moments REM, The Byrds, and the spirit of The Coral’s ‘Distance Inbetween’ looms large. The touchpoints of the greats are being reimagined for a new generation and, with spring in the air, so now is hope with The Lunar Towers.

The Lunar Towers celebrate the release of ‘About Time’ at The Night Owl, Finsbury, London tomorrow night. Click image for tickets:

Rolla – Hey You

Don't wait to be found
Come along with our sound

Image and artwork courtesy of Fear PR

Manchester’s Rolla follow up on their tour with Kasabian with their new single ‘Hey You’. The single is taken from their upcoming debut EP ‘Nothing Less Than Everything’ which will be released on April 5th.

It’s bizarre how a band so seminal as The Verve have remained so uninfluential these past 15 years. Exit Calm was a fine exponent of their work in the early part of the last decade but no one else has really stood up. Like buses, two have come at once in recent times from Manchester. There’s been Pastel, who have been beautifully in tune with delicate jams of ‘Storm In Heaven’. Whereas Rolla have pulled in the power of ‘A Northern Soul’ and the sprawling melody of ‘Urban Hymns’.

If Noel Gallagher had possessed Nick McCabe’s guitar ability then ‘Hey You’ could have been the sound of the Oasis’s third album. Luke McConnell and Tom Paddon’s guitars have that hissing power of Oasis’ live presence circa 95-97 but, with the deft touches of McCabe. The latter’s influence looms much larger creatively as the band takes you on a journey without a destination to free your soul. The yelps of ‘Rolling People’, the howling furore of ‘A New Decade’, and the perilous defiance of ‘Come On’ unite on what is, as close to pure art as rock ‘n’ roll can sound.

Frontman James Gilmore harness the more melodic moments of Tm Meighan’s time in Kasabian alongside a venom not yet seen. The demonic nature of Richard Ashcroft on ‘This IS Music’ and ‘No Knock On My Door’ ooze from his soul whilst his brother Luke’s bass throbs with the grooves of criminally underrated ‘Gravity grave’.

Rolla’s ascent to the top not only looks inevitable, it looks gloriously volatile. They throb with danger and excitement at every turn. They are reigniting the mysticism of the rock star and it’s intoxicating.

 Click here for the last remaining tickets for their UK tour:

The K's: Lafayette, London

Back in 2020, The K’s headlined This Feeling’s Big in 2020 showcase. The promise was there in abundance, but, in a world where record contracts absconded the galaxy and radio airplay is so difficult to come by (despite 4 national alternative stations), fans were left hoping maybe.

For many, the pandemic became a reason, an excuse to fold. Not The K’s. They produced the solemn ‘Valley One’ which grabbed a generation of guitar music fans by heartstrings. Five more singles later and they have a national sold tour to their names. Catch a break? Nah mate, talent plus graft every step of the way.

From the Newcastle fans’ stage left to the die-hards chanting “the K’s are on fire”, the sense of anticipation was oozing from every corner of London’s Lafayette. As anticipation gave way to reality it became obvious that The K’s are not a band of promise anymore. They’ve arrived in the hearts and minds of rock ‘n’ roll fans. Limbs and vocal chords are sacrificed alike as they blast out of the traps with ‘Picture’, ‘Got A Feeling’, ‘Relying On You’, and ‘TV’.

The set is utterly relentless as they follow with new single ‘Chancer’ and fan favourite ‘Glass Towns’. New singles on tour can be tricky, has anyone heard it yet, will it become a piss break. For bands on the up, it’s the chance for the fans to take ownership of it, and man, did they ever. The tale of a risk-taker living for the moment captured the dreams of the sold-out crowd yearning for their own escapism.

Former single ‘Hoping Maybe’ acts more as a lifeline to a crowd feverish with a desire to prove themselves to their new heroes. The singalong anthem has a hymnal quality and its boisterous congregation rejoiced in its illustrious stature.

A special night, a special tour, both sold out. The K’s are indeed on fire and the UK’s cumbersome radio stations are going to have to pay attention now. With an album on the way, it’s inevitable this will be The K’s year.