Ecko: The Elephants Head, London

Last Sunday, Ayr’s Ecko made their live debut in London at Camden’s Elephant’s Head, supporting Bless.

*image credit A Deeper Groove

To date, Ecko have built a reputation as one of the most exciting bands in the UK but, not really beyond the confines of the Shiiine On Weekender. A free gig in a pub with unexpecting punters and tourists posed pitfalls we’d not witnessed them experience. For the few Shiiine On faithful in attendance, it built a pre-gig tension. What if it was just the magic of the Shiiine On Weekender carrying them?

Step forward, the boys from Ecko!

Batting away the security guard who checked their ID with grace and humour and adorning killer casual clobber, the future of rock ‘n’ roll was here to allay all fears.

The heads of unexpecting punters in the pub craned like the Regan McNeil with increasing frequency throughout their set. The hooks, vocals, and solos were as good as we’d all remembered from their two Weekenders.

Many, if not all, fledgeling bands flock to Camden as a rite of passage. It becomes a “thing” for them, attaching the history of the mercurial road to their insignificant futures. Ecko, however, are the kid at school you always wanted to be. Cooler and smarter, they roll out of town like Johnny Strabler, leaving everyone in their wake reeling.

Camden has gained another great origin story.

Rosellas: The Star, London

Last Friday, Manchester’s Rosellas filled the intimate venue of The Star in London as part of their tour with This Feeling.

*banner image courtesy of the band.

It follows the recent release of their new single, ‘Is It Any Wonder?’ which showed signs of a breakthrough as the sold-out crowd visibly grew in voice for their new melodic offering. In its protracted intro, the little touches of John Martyn’s masterpiece ‘Small Hours’ took the melodic tumble and soar gem to another level.

Tempering this newfound gentler sonic was an array of jaw-dropping psychedelic adventures. ‘Before the Storm’ swelled with the indie anxieties of Doves’ debut and Nick McCabe's explorative introspection before erupting into a modern-day Aphrodite’s Child.

‘Come Alive’ echoed with rock music’s mysticism. Spaced out and seeking something bigger than themselves, they sought meaning through life’s struggles with a tangible purity in the room. Drew Selby and Euan Mail’s guitars, powered by ‘A Storm in Heaven,’ drifted in the mire until a modern-day Andy Bell solo erupted with psychedelic clarity to transcend souls.

The band's growing stature, the songs, and the crowd just went on and on. Rosellas creatively looked like a collective, spiritually hedonistic gang built on togetherness. The songs, lifted to colossal in places (Switch Off), stripped to DMA’s magic in others (The Same Curse), seemingly at the will of this astonishing prospect of a band. The sold-out crowd filtered up the tight stairwell, giddy to smugness, knowing they were treated to something truly special before huge stages came the band's way.

The Utopiates: Chinnerys, Southend

Last Week, 2023’s all-conquering heroes, The Utopiates, made their debut live appearance In Southend at Chinnerys as part of the burgeoning Indie Cult Club.

*banner image courtesy of Indie Cult Club

Josh Redding made a name for himself in 2023, and his surge towards the guitar icon shows no sign of slowing down. His protracted intro to the set opener ‘Seekers’ is divine. The spiralling licks floated into view, indicating that something special was coming. The dreamlike state of ‘Seekers’ glides into carnival grooves of ‘Devolution’, which dissipates for the intense dystopia of ‘Only Human’. An opening trio that, on paper, should jar but, in their hands, is seamless.

Most bands in their position would still be riding the crest of last year's wave. The Utopiates are already one new single into the journey towards album number (due later this year). ‘Love Pill’ marked a real stride forward creatively in the studio. Live, they harnessed its love of Ibiza and Chicago to make it into a starring role in the set, which is some going when the instant classic ‘Best and Worst Days’ present. Frontman Dan Popplewell’s vocal in the closing stages of ‘Love Pill’ transcends into a hymnal state, nourishing all that stands before him.

Image courtesy of Indie Cult Club

Frontman Popplewell continues to shine with his more aggressive take on ‘Making History’. His venomous delivery of the Oasis-tinged lyrics, “One day you’ll see, yeah they’ll look at me, I’m not up here making tunes, I’m making history!” gave the Black Grape-esque anthem the swagger and bitterness it merits.

Another glimpse of album number two came via the debut airing of ‘Insomnia’. On this showing, it is shaping up to be another album of the year contender.

The Rosadocs – Stand Alone

Sheffield outfit The Rosadocs recently returned with their first release of 2024, ‘Stand Alone.’ It was recorded at Chairworks Studio (The Reytons) and mastered by Peter Maher of U2, Coldplay, and Rolling Stones fame.

*banner image courtesy of Scott Antcliffe.

Artwork courtesy of Scott Antcliffe.

The five-piece, basking in the glory of their monumental sell-out at Sheffield City Hall in 2023, are now reaping the rewards. The euphoria of that unforgettable night resonates in their soaring guitars and Maher’s masterful production. This success story, rooted in their working-class poetry, is now being showcased on a grand scale, rightfully earning them the limelight they deserve.

Despite' Stand Alone' being their most mainstream single to date, The Rosadocs have managed to maintain their musical integrity. Frontman Keelan Graney’s cadence in the verses skips with Gerry Cinnamon’s abandon before roaring with Tom Clarke’s (The Enemy) uncontrollable fire. With such vocal power comes great responsibility, and here, Graney knows when to step on and off the gas, giving this record a creative freedom few can rival.

Lyrically, the spirit of ‘We’ll Live and Down In These Town’ album is reimagined for this generation:

“When to school, college, uni just trying to learn / Went and got a degree for money you’ll never earn / Now you’re toeing the line / Losing your mind on your own“

The forging of ‘You’re Not Alone’s sonic with the gritty lyrical despair of ‘This Song Is About You’ is one of the finest juxtapositions the guitar scene has served up in some time.

Graney and Joe Egan’s guitar parts lift ‘Stand Alone’ well beyond just the realm of an indie-punk Enemy number. They ooze warmth and threaten to escape to the dizzy heights of The Courteeners Heaton Park triumphs.

Rock ‘n’ roll has been watered down for too long. The Rosadocs, as a mainstream weapon, have given it a much-needed dose of realness.

Click the image below for tickets to their Rock ‘n’ Roll Circus gig this summer:

Holy Youth Movement - The Shock of the Future

Bristol-based Holy Youth Movement will release their new single, ‘The Shock of the Future’ (Ditto Label Services), on Thursday, March 28th. Produced by the Jagz Kooner (Primal Scream, Andrew Weatherall, Sabres Of Paradise), it’s the lead single from their upcoming debut EP of the same name.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

In 2023, HYM supported Primal Scream and The Dandy Warhols. Both can be heard on this wild electronic rock ‘n’ roll single. The bugged-eyed glam-rock electronic stomp of ‘Detroit’ and the dirge euphoria of ‘Every Day Should Be Holiday’ link arms with Radio 4’s ‘Party Crashers’ on this breakthrough single.

The 00s was awash with bands with dance music sympathies. The Rapture, Radio 4, White Rose Movement, Kasabian, Keith, and Sunshine Underground are among the finest. Whilst they cut through various scenes, there was a world between the single and the remix. HYM are emerging as the seamless middle ground. Guitars roll into synths and back again whilst frontman Tom Newman sways like Nick Drake fronting Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. For the first time in an age, rock ‘n’ roll’s wheel is being nudged towards invention and it’s utterly intoxicating.

 HYM will release the next single from the EP ‘The Next One’ on Thursday 25th April. On this breathtaking showing, it’s going to agonising wait to see what they do next.

The Shop Window – Blues

Maidstone outfit The Shop Window will release their latest single, ‘Blues,’ on March 29th via their imprint Jangleshop Records.

Artwork & image courtesy of the band.

The Shop Window, a band that has long been on the radar, is bidding farewell to their cult indie status by releasing their bluesy jingle-jangle ballad,' Blues.' This unique sound marks their transition from a niche indie band to one poised to captivate the masses.

Sarah’s Records' beauty effortlessly blends with Carl Mann’s Andy Bell circa ‘Vapour Trail’ vocal, and the stoned melodic joy of ’10 Story Love Songs’ is evident in their latest single,' Blues.' This bluesy shoegaze track cuts through the world's chaos with a purity that offers hope for change, making it a fitting sonic ode to avoiding conflict and restoring love.

The Maidstone outfit is on the brink of unveiling their third album, and if this single is any indication, it's shaping up to be a strong contender for record of the year.

Lissy Taylor - Life Changing

Stoke artist Lissy Taylor returned on March 15th with her latest single, ‘Life Changing’. It follows the news she is opening the main stage at this year’s Y Not’s Y Not Festival. Let’s see if it’s justified.

*banner image credit: Paul Gallagher

Last tie out on ‘Minds A Riot’, Taylor was in an explosive mood and showed no signs of settling here. The guitars howl with the pain and torment that the protagonist must overcome to alter their reality. Mercifully, her awe-inspiring lyrics temper the sonics’ ability to drag you to hell:

“You have the power to change your life / Get on it and come alive / You / You can reach paradise”

Taylor’s spirit evokes the era-defining clarion calls of ‘Definitely Maybe’ and ‘Stone Roses’. Hope is often spoken, written, and sung about, but it hasn't seemed possible for the past thirteen years. With an election looming and Taylor’s colossal power, the offshoots are again visible.

Good luck to whoever follows Taylor on the main stage at Y Not.

Spangled - Horizon's Glance

Artwork courtesy of the band.

Manchester’s Spangled are back with their new single ‘Horizon’s Glance’. Produced and Mixed by Gareth Nuttall, it follows last September’s breathtaking ‘Little Tom’ but can it stack up?

*banner image courtesy of Alan Wells

‘Horizon’s Glance’ bursts forth with the hallmarks of a great Western movie. Like a lone cowboy striding into an unknown town, the acoustic guitars are both weary and stern as they prepare for the fight. In the heat of the shootout, they take Kasabian’s masterpiece ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’ to the edge The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster’s malevolent fire.

Their mercurial stamp pervades throughout and hits a new high when they loop the chorus, “ was eating vermicelli in the pouring rain.” This repetition, along with the tremolo pedal, brings a sense of delight and terror, conjuring images of a deranged hostage taker and euphoric glam-rock scenes alike.

Tonight, accompanied by The Avenues, Spangled headline Bridlington Spa Sessions. On this showing, it’s not to be missed!

Click the image below for ticket’s to tonight’s show:

Office for Personal Development - Doing. Is. Thinking

Click the image to buy the album.

The Office for Personal Development, resplendent in their company attire of double-breasted grey suits and green ties, have unleashed their foray into propaganda. Their debut album ‘Doing. Is. Thinking.’ is out now and captures the (mock) government department findings of the past eighteen months from their Bexhill offices.

*image credit John Cheves

During budget week, the treasury and the Chancellor offered little to no hope for public services, the working class, and the standard of life of improvement. Step forward, motivational guru Trevor Deeble. Famed for his time in Indigo Moss and the double act with Hannah-Lou, he created the finest ministerial department since DoSac lost its immigration file USB stick.

‘Born to Be’ takes gentler aspects of Alannah Myles and Pat Benatar's melodic prowess to the fun and quirks of Lemon Jelly, especially Fred Deakin’s recent solo album ‘Fred Deakin Presents The Lasters’. ‘Do It All Over Again’ leans into Deakin’s sonic furthermore, which climaxes in a joyous Kraftwerk ‘Computer Love’ era synth solo from their Head of IT Del Querns. Lyrically, this is where the former single comes alive. The protagonist, a messianic narcissist, details the monstrous thoughts darting around their deluded mind as they carry out the big shop. Both tracks sow the seeds of reintegrating fun back into an electronic scene that has been saturated by Boiler Room posers for far too long.

‘You Are In Control’ and ‘Take Me Back’ continue on this path, with Director Deeble leaning into his Neil Tennant-esque vocal. The former allowed him to glide from angelic to wry, accentuating his auteur overlord presence in the office. The sci-fi sonic is fraught with anxiety via the poptastic keys, the spirit of Hot Chip, and early 90s rave breakdowns but is never without a sense of hope. ‘Take Me Back’, Originally recorded ten years ago when Moss was a fine art student at Goldsmiths University, has a protracted landing to earth but unfurls a pop masterpiece. The heart of ‘A Bath Full of Ecstasy’ infiltrates the melodic magnificence of Wilson Phillips with the elegance of Goldfrapp strutting to the dancefloor.

A day of motivational speaking and team bonding is as promising as having a rusty spoon fish out your kidney stones. Until now! The OPD have business cliché into credible electronic hooks and substantive pop music. Late-night Magic FM has collided with 6Music to produce an underdog record-of-the-year contender.

Columbia – The Wait

Columbia returned recently with their latest single, ‘The Wait’. It was recorded at 3rd Planet Studios in their home city, Liverpool, and marks the run to their biggest headline show to date at District on the 9th of March.

Image & artwork courtesy of This Feeling.

In recent years, Columbia has carved out a reputation as an anthem maker. ‘Where Did It All Go?’ and ‘Memory Lane’ were chest-out, reaching for heaven’s moments. ‘The Wait’, however, has dropped in tempo but harnessed an intensity not yet seen.

As the protagonist continues to make the wrong choices (“I should have waited / Now I'm here alone”), anxiety levels skyrocket. When Jay Sweeney’s guitars chime, they carve out an inescapable panic attack you can’t escape.

The mid-tempo suits frontman Alex Sheppard in particular. He has the aggression of Tom Dempsey (The Kairos), the swagger of Chris Griffiths (The Real People), and the folksy rock ‘n’ roll splendour of Howie Payne (The Stands).

Columbia are not new by any stretch of the imagination anymore. They are, sadly, largely unknown still. ‘The Wait’ will not be a ‘Last Night’ or ‘Time For Heroes’ chaotic break-out single. It does, however, have the air of a ‘Love Burns’ (BRMC) or ‘The Good Ones’ (The Kills). The kind that spits rock ‘n’ roll and oozes sex and drugs to entice big crowds.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming gig:

Rosellas – Is It Any Wonder?

Manchester’s five-piece returned on Friday with their new single, ‘Is It Any Wonder?’. Backed by the two B-sides ‘Leaving For Chicago’ and ‘For Tonight’, it's their first new material since last November’s ‘The Last Curse’.

*Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

Last time out, they moved from the devilment and Nick McCabe atmospheric work on their Somewhere In-Between EP to a straight-line indie-rock. It was a fine counterpoint to their broodier moments. On ‘Is It Any Wonder?’, they’ve stripped everything away to allow their melody to do the talking.

Their time on tour with Starsailor appears to have paid dividends. The acoustic guitars bring the 00s starlets to the fore whilst the delicacy of the piano brings Thirteen Senses purity into play. Above all, they’ve given their melodies space to breathe. In an age where technology demands instant hooks, it’s not just refreshing; it's creatively brave!

‘Is It Any Wonder?’ is backed by the b-sides ‘Leaving For Chicago’ and ‘For Tonight’. The former is a forlorn yet positive moonlit melody which embodies everything great about Noel Gallagher’s songwriting. ‘For Tonight’, completely stripped back, caresses the lo-fi magic of Alfie and the melodic purity of Cherry Ghost, and, with that, Rosellas have proven to the world they can do it all.

Sea Power: Islington Assembly, London

Last week, national treasures Sea Power rolled back the clock to 2009 to play ‘Do You Like Rock Music?’ in full at London’s Islington Assembly. Back then, it was their highest charting album (no.10) and would remain so until February 2022’s ‘Everything Was Forever’.

Click the image to buy the anniversary reissue edition.

While the element of surprise is lost from the setlist, their ability to drop jaws is not. ‘Down On The Ground’ swelled with the grandeur of the Last Night of the Proms, whilst ‘All In It Now’ kicked off like a euphoric battle cry from Game of Thrones.

Examining DYLRM without packaging up ‘Lights Out for Darker Skies’, ‘No Lucifer’, and ‘Waving Flags’ is impossible. Once ‘All In It Now’ ushers you in, the album explodes into life and life; it feels almost gladiatorial. The former creates sparks with every lick until Martin Noble’s guitars scorch the earth in the closing stages. ‘No Lucifer’, with the adopted terrace chant (from wrestling icon Big Daddy), still carries a fire and depth to match anything from the cannon of Arcade Fire, a band which Sea Power was unfairly denigrated against in the 00s. On ‘Waving Flags’, Sea Power reminds us to fight fire with fire. The 00s were awash with anti-immigration, but a grown-up approach was taken under Blair and Brown. Cameron’s wretched part adopted nasty campaign tactics and opened the door to the hard right, whose sphincter still twitches with too much ferocity in the debate. Noble’s guitars kiss greatness here, but it’s the power of the lyrics that transcend. The welcoming message to those who have held up our economy and public services amid rapid decline is a stark reminder that rock ‘n’ roll could and should fight the good fight!

‘The Great Skua’, in many ways, is the blueprint to their success post-2009 and is delivered to a stunned silence. After twenty-one years, the crashing orchestration allows a pause for thought about this remarkable band. The rise and falls conjure such mesmerising drama, only topped by the choral crescendo. This ebbs into ‘Atom’ like a gentle tide before running amok like their peers, The Maccabees and The Rifles, but with the majesty of Bowie and the carnival mayhem of Arcade Fire and Polyphonic Spree.

‘Do You Like Rock Music’, we wager, is not many of Sea Power’s fans favourite. Part of their charm has always been the wayward disruption of ‘Remember Me’ or, increasingly, the washed-out joy of a ‘Two Fingers’ or ‘Bad Bohemian’ in its wake. It is, however, an album that all fans love and the adulation in the room was tangible. It serves as a reminder that indie rock ‘n’ roll can be mainstream and not about lager. Wild but intelligent, boisterous yet elegant. This set of juxtapositions is met rapturously and tenderly. Happy birthday old friend!

Marseille – Monkey in the Middle

Derby’s rising stars Marseille return on the 1st of March with their new single ‘Monkey In The Middle’. It’s the lead single from the GODIVA EP, due for release this September.

Image courtesy of

Last time on the ‘This Dream of Mine’ EP, they mostly enthused the Roses into their escapist fantasies. Except for the closing track, ‘Devil’s Gonna Get You’. The moodier piece traversed the world of Nick McCabe and Richard Ashcroft, thus ushering in non-single material that was worthy of equal attention.

‘Monkey In The Middle’ continues this direction with a mesmeric power. The guitars now drive with Andy Bell’s purpose on ‘Leave Them All Behind’ in the early part, adding a mystique to Marseille’s allure. The shoegaze dissipates midway, and their love of the Roses comes back via the ‘I Am The Resurrection’ bassline and Squire-esque guitars.

Joe Labrum’s guitars begin as a jingle-jangle breakdown, soon become an all-encompassing ‘Resurrection’ meets ‘Champagne Supernova’ freak-out moment of glory! What prevents them from parody is the rampageous spirit of The Verve’s ‘Come On’. In part due to frontman Will Brown’s vocals in the climatic stages. Moreover, it’s the intensity which they impart as a collective. Full on and all ablaze, they maintain a relentlessness destined to play massive stages, not for the money but for people, togetherness, and immortality.

THIS IS WAR! – All Hail to the CEO

Artwork courtesy of the band.

Liverpool’s THIS IS WAR! returned at the end of January with their latest single, ‘All Hail To CEO’. The single was recorded at Faktory Studios in Chester with The Verve’s Si Jones producing and Andy Fernihough mastering.

There are moments in some band's careers where a subtle tweak and change of tact change the game for them. The Libertines dropped their 60s flower-pop singles for an English garage-punk take on The Strokes and never looked back. On ‘All Hail The CEO’, it feels as though THIS IS WAR! Have approached a creative switch-up which will catapult them to greater things.

The band have stepped away from their archetypal rock-cum-punk classicism and introduced the post-punk dancefloor licks of Franz Ferdinand and Gang of Four to make them a serious floor-filler outfit.

The early garage riffs of Razorlight remain to carry their loyal following with them on their journey. However, this feels like a lift-off moment. They have a cut-through indie club dancefloor anthem to ram down the throats of any top 10 chart.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming show:

The Lilacs – Hopeless Romantic

Wigan outfit The Lilacs returned last Friday with their new single ‘Hopeless Romantic’.  

Image & artwork courtesy of Fear PR.

Lead guitarist Sam Birchall has moved away from indie anthems with great sensibilities into the trickier realm of forlorn indie. A weariness permeates through, bringing the majesty of The Rifles’ Luke Crowther to the fore. Like Crowther, Birchall maintains a sense of euphoria amid the protagonist’s romantic failures.

Meanwhile, Ollie Anglesa’s vocal taps into Liam Fray circa ‘Mapping The Rendezvous’. Melodic but gravelled, he is emerging as the next indie everyman for the masses to unite behind! With their production adding Blossoms-esque flourishes, The Lilacs are becoming a three-dimensional band that can flesh out anthems with subtle flourishes to hook you in for the long term.

The run of form The Lilacs have had from Vicarage Road to now is making their upcoming tour utterly unmissable.

Click the image below for tickets:

Cast - Love Is The Call

Cast return this Friday with their seventh studio album ‘Love is the Call’. It’s their first in seven years and sees them hook up with legendary producer Youth at Space Mountain Studios in Spain.

*image and artwork courtesy of Fear PR.

Last time out on ‘Kick Up The Dust’, there were offshoots of peak Cast, but overall, it loitered outside of this realm and became an album for only the truly loyal fans. This time though, frontman John Power and their manager, Alan McGee, have both been very buoyant about Cast delivering something special.

Pre-order the album here.

In the main, they’re not wrong. ‘Love is the Call’ feels like a debut album yearning to be set free onto the world to make its mark. ‘Forever and Day’ chugs with the optimism of a wiser mindset which knows the pitfalls to avoid. As Power sings, “some things in life are destined to change / and for the first time in forever you have a smile on your face”, the feeling of the band’s anxieties and creative fears melting away are tangible. Power’s melody is as pure as anything he’s ever written. It’s juxtaposed with a reassuring vocal sternness, like a father figure nudging young souls back to the light.

‘Time Is Like A River’ and ‘Tomorrow Calls My Name’ both stoke the band’s early creative fires, but now, Power’s lyrics look back with an experience and knowingness of when to fight and when to let go. The former meanders toward the ‘Forever Changes’ brass as the protagonist learns to let go of the past. ‘Tomorrow Calls My Name’ finds a sweet spot between vintage Cast, Shack, and Love on this tale of trepidation and redemption. The Bunnymen-esque acoustic guitars create a tense apprehension. Still, the melodic uplift in the chorus and Tyson’s sumptuous guitars provide a redemptive blueprint for even the most tarnished souls. Power’s vocal switches from defiant to hymnal as guitars rain down an emotional heft that surpasses ‘Walkaway’.

Throughout the album, two things become abundantly clear. Power’s songwriting has rediscovered the magic touch, and accompanying it is his desire to impart love and wisdom to the world. A well-lived life, not shared, is criminal, and Power is certainly not guilty. His pop sensibilities have also hit career peak with ‘Faraway’. It's more instant than a sun-drenched Coral ditty. The slight gravel tinge to his voice dissipates into choral euphoria as he attempts to lead us back to collectivism and kindness.

Restoration is key to this album. Cast have restored faith in humanity and their ability as a serious exponent of great music. Their faith in hope and love has, in turn, delivered, at worst, the best album since their debut. Where ‘All Change’ captured a moment of optimism and change in 1996, ‘Love is the Call’ seek to counter the fractured world with a reminder that things can, should, and will be ok again. It’s an arm around the shoulder of the discontented, a hand up off the floor to the disenfranchised but chiefly, great guitar music.

Shambolics - Dreams , Schemes, and Young Teams

Pre-order the album here.

Friday 16th, February will see the release of Fife’s Shambolics’ debut album ‘Dreams, Schemes & Young Teams via Scruff of the Neck Records. The album was produced by Chris Marshall (Gerry Cinnamon).

*banner image courtesy of Fear PR. Credit Liam Maxwell.

It’s been six years since they announced themselves as serious players with their debut single ‘When She Goes Home’. At that point, Blossoms and The Lathums were in serious ascension and, for many, despite their fine melodies, lacked an edge that these bleak times deserved. It is then notable that it, along with fan favourites ‘Sandra Speed’, ‘Chasing A Disaster’, and ‘Love Collides’, do not appear on the album.

Bold? Yes. Reckless? No.

In ‘Attention’, ‘Losing Your Mind’, and ‘Daily Dosage’, they have a new arsenal of melodic weapons to unleash.  ‘Attention’ is relentless and grand, perhaps capturing their live sound for the first time on record. Flourishes of The View combine with Fleetwood Mac and Big Star to conjure a dream-like state to rejoice in. ‘Losing Your Mind’ gracefully strides out into moonlit skies with angelic guitars before ascending to a ‘Rumours’-esque classic. The co-frontmen Darren Forbes and Lewis McDonald transcend music here with an ethereal rock ‘n’ roll vocal that will echo into eternity if any justice is left in this industry. ‘Daily Dosage’ leans into the melodic ache of ‘Well I Wonder’ and the sweeping majesty of ‘There Is Light That Never Goes Out’ as they guide The Smiths to a sunnier disposition.

While the standard remains melodically, the characterisation and intensity significantly outweigh the early years. This newfound substance spills over sonically on ‘If You Want It’ and ‘Fight In Side’, their heaviest sound to date. The substance levels and creativity spread their wings on ‘Tambourine Tam’ and ‘Universal Credit’. The former is armed with a Jamie T-esque riff, and The Libertines’ ramshackle beauty cuts through the album's archetypal harmonies. ‘Universal Credit’, is a joyously sardonic take on being on the doll whilst in a band. The humour of their interviews has now filtered into their writing and created a Sick Boy and Renton-style rant to guitar hooks worthy of The Rakes and The View.

Forbes and McDonald’s vision of working-class life is no better exemplified than in ‘Everything You Should've Done’ and ‘Dreams, Schemes & Young Teams’. It is a tale of what might have been versus a clarion call to chase your dreams. ‘Everything You Should've Done’, sonically euphoric, which is the notion it’s protagonist is trying to generate with drugs as they tragically run away from real life. The title track, however, is gritty, feel-good British cinema parading as an instant pop classic. Recklessly defiant and oozing confidence will make the oldest of souls feel like a teenager again! Together, the songs light up the working-class struggle for the first time in a generation. The former, downtrodden with no sense of a future, it's easy to check out of society with misguided dissipation as our hearts cry out for heroes on TV screens. What ‘Dreams, Schemes & Young Teams’ does so well is to lay bare the struggle and hope. Forbes and McDonald’s sense of Albion isn’t going to come by just wishing. It will be a long, hard road, but, such is their ebullience, you believe they will get there.

As debut albums go, it's not quite in the pantheon of all-time classics, but there are moments when it is. At worst, it's banging on that door to be allowed in.  Above all else, it’s refreshing to hear working-class life soundtracked by great melody again.

Skylights – Time To Let Things Go

On February 9th, Leeds’ unsung heroes Skylights will return with their new single ‘Time To Let Things Go‘. The single will be released as a 7” CD via the impeccable 42’s Records.

*banner image courtesy of 42’s Records. Credit: Johnny Grenda.

Artwork by Painted Papillon Smile. Click the image ot purchase.

Last time out on ‘Rebellion’, Skylights brought their natural inclination to indie euphoria to the precipice of the Pistols’ filth and fury. ‘Time To Let Things Go’ finds them in a much different mood, both sonically and philosophically.

If The Twang had written ‘Took The Fun’ with Embrace, this single's trippy, anthemic joy would have resulted. Rob Scarisbrick’s vocals have Phil Etheridge’s melodic gruffness, allowing for a humbleness to loiter even as they soar to the climax. It gives this tale of self-reflection and positive change the rawness and poignancy of Ken Loach at his best.

Guesting on the record are Julia Violinista on strings and Ian Surgenor on keyboards. Their input cannot be understated. The emotion of Surgenor’s keys in the opening alone are enough to set any bottom lip wobbling. Meanwhile, Violinista’s strings soar with such splendour they’ll have you double checking Youth wasn’t producing the single.

The single has moments of Embrace and Liam Gallagher’s solo-era euphoria. Still, its guitarist Turnbull Smith’s Ashcroft flourishes on the acoustic or the lo-fi Thirteen Senses indie in the outro, which gives it a sheen that spells an even brighter future for the band. Everything about them signifies a band who have no fear. They’ve seen the promised land; it’s up to us to follow them now.

Kula Shaker – Natural Magick

Kula Shaker return on Friday, the 2nd of February, with their seventh studio album, ‘Natural Magick’, via Strange Folk Records and Absolute. For the first time since 1998, keyboardist Jay Darlington returns to reunite the original line-up.

*images and artwork courtesy of Hermana PR.

Click the image to buy the album.

The band returned in 2022 after a six-year break with the album ‘1st Congregational Church of Eternal Love’, which marked a new era of great 60s-inspired psychedelic rock for the band. Can the old line-up continue this new run of form?

Based on recent singles ‘Waves’ and ‘Natural Magick’, their fire is burning bright.  The former blossoms with melodic sitars and bugged-out riffs, which frontman Crispin Mills wraps his Donovan via Syd Barret vocal around. Its melody is instantaneous, and Mills’ vocal is so buoyant it’s impossible not to be encapsulated by the joy of it all. However, this year's ‘Natural Magick’ thrusts into action with its best hook since ‘Hey Dude’ exploded onto the airwaves in 1996. Its psychedelic-funk licks stomp the way to the almost The Go! Team-esque DIY vocal breakdown. Ask any band that broke through in the mid-90s; breaking away from that era has been challenging for them. On these two singles, Kula Shaker appears to have embraced that time and put out singles worthy of their chart peak.

The band has always been known for their spaced-out psyche and Middle Eastern influences. They’ve been the bedrock for the band to manoeuvre away from the poppier moments with an ease that many bands struggle with. Bridging the gap is ‘Indian Record Player’. Opening with Ezra Furman-esque guitars and Cornershop‘s pop sensibilities, Mills returns to his Southall upbringing, discovering the soundtrack to Mughal-E-Azam and yearning for the ideal of 60s love and peace. The culmination is a groove which commands dancefloor and muso attention.

The band steps into full kaleidoscopic mode on ‘Happy Birthday’ and ‘Chura Liya (You Stole My Heart)’, both assisted by Laboni Barua’s spellbinding vocals, both come armed with mass cinematic appeal via Mills’ love of Bollywood. The former dips, peaks, and effortlessly grooves like classic Tarantino. Darlington’s hazy keys trip with a blissed-out freeness, allowing Barua to glide in with her divine, ethereal vocal. Then, the album spills over to bona fide classic territory on' Chura Liya'. They fuse the vastness of a Morricone epic, Bollywood, Lee Hazlewood vocals, and majestic widescreen brass and guitar licks of Arthur Lee’s Love.

The album's back end (‘Whistle And I Will Come’ / ‘Kalifornia Blues’ / ‘Give Me Tomorrow’) moves out from their mystical stance into a more timeless sense of writing. They don’t hit the heights of what came before it, but they add an enjoyable ballast for the poppier moments and the more thought-provoking tracks. Either way, they’ve tapped into the debut album energy of any great band desperate for your attention.

We suggest you give it to them.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming tour:

Airflo - Swansong

Bristol-based four-piece Airflo have returned with their new single ‘Swansong’. It was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Junkyard Studios, Newport, by Richard Jackson (Pretty Vicious, The Automatic, Super Furry Animals).

*banner image credit: Yushy

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Their debut single, ‘Drift Away', offered romantic escapism that even the coldest and oldest of souls couldn’t refrain from feeling like teenagers again. Buoyant and carefree, it was the blueprint for debut indie singles.

If ‘Drift Away’ and ‘Swansong’ were one movie, then ‘Swansong’ would be the poetic closing moments of a coming-of-age story, where the protagonists say goodbye to a friend or lover as the inevitably of real life appears. Both songs make each other better. The “I just want to listen whilst I drift away with you”, which felt like a live-for-the-moment release last September, is now coupled with the nostalgic agony of ‘Swansong’.  

Lyrically, it’s inherently romantic, but such is the youthful power of Cam Artigan’s vocal that images of friendships Evan and Seth, Molly and Amy, or Otis and Eric materialise just as easily.  Artigan’s vocal is beset with angelic innocence that will induce daydreams of those formative relationships that burned the brightest and fizzled out the quickest.

Although a song of looking back, sonically, it lands in you in the final moments of a significant relationship. The build is gentle but always intense, akin to the tentative footsteps taken on the walk home from a break-up. The knowingness that, once home, it's gone forever, which, through James Wilson’s climatic howling guitars, comes with devastating effect.

However, Wilson’s lyrics are charming and mature, easing the pain and allowing the fondness to creep back again. With only two songs released, Wilson’s songwriting has set sail towards greatness. Long may it sail!

Click the image below for tickets to see Airflo at This Feeling’s Big In 2024: