Lord Fayrebank – A Matter of Time

Lord Fayrebank is Ken Popple's new creative outlet from Creation Records’ Biff Bang Pow! and The Revolving Paint Dream. In May this year, he released his new single ‘A Matter of Time’ with Kevin Taylor on vocals and guitars, Satchmo Taylor on trumpet, and The De La Luande String Quartet on strings also feature on the single.

Vocally, Popple has beautifully nestled in between melodious Pete Astor circa ‘Spilt Milk’ and the aching beauty of Armstrong circa ‘Under Blue Skies’. Underpinned by Ray Davies’ knack for turning unusual corners with a great melody, Popple has made being present something to achieve rather than looming over you like a daunting mental block it can so often be.

Despite being released back in May, ‘A Matter of Time’ is perfect the record for September in the UK. This ode to accepting the passing of time and living for the current summer renaissance perfectly accompanies sonic.

‘A Matter of Time’ is a record for the lost to find themselves in once more. Blessed with great wisdom, it’s a nourishing arm around the shoulder, an enriching pint with a mate, and, quite simply, divine.

Keyside - Runaway

Liverpool four-piece Keyside are back with their new single ‘Runaway’. The lead single from their upcoming sophomore EP with Modern Sky UK. ‘Runaway’ was recorded at their home city studio, Kempston Street Studios, with The Courteeners and Blossoms producer Chris Taylor.

Image & artwork courtesy of Modern Sky UK.

There’s something beautifully cinematic about ‘Runaway’, the kind that Nick Love and Shane Meadows did so well in their early films. Keyside makes the teenage struggle gritty and real, but their La’s-esque melodies and Johnny Marr's aching beauty make it a romantic expression of escapism.

Frontman Dan Parker has found a space between Lee Mavers and Kyle Falconer vocally. His raw melody and razor-sharp delivery allow him to take his ‘Meat Is Murder’ licks from pain to defiance to elation. Oisin McAvoy’s drums have gone to another level. His crisp stomp provides the perfect backdrop for this coming-of-age gem.  

With three more tracks in 2024, Keyside have set an extremely high standard for the incoming autumn and winter.

The Royston Club - The Patch Where Nothing Grows

The Royston Club, fresh from headlining This Feeling’s By The Sea festival, recently released their comeback single, ‘The Patch Where Nothing Grows’. It was produced by Blossoms and The Courteeners cohort Rich Turvey and recorded at Liverpool’s Kempston Street Studio.

*banner image credit: Sam Crowsto

Artwork courtesy of Fear PR

In 2023, the band proved there was still a need for hooks and anthems from bands. ‘The Patch Where Nothing Grows’ is not a departure from that; it is, however, a marked improvement. What were indie licks and charismatic vocal hooks have now strayed into guttural rock ‘n’ roll.

This single is about realising that you only get one chance, and anything short of all or nothing is cheating yourself. Leading the charge is frontman Tom Faithful. He oozed charisma on the debut, but now, his guttural howl is beset with a desperation that seeks and wreaks!

There is somewhat of a 00s renaissance around these days. Some pastiche, too many parodies, what The Royston Club have done here is neither sonically nor the sound is their own. Spiritually, though, the Libertines riots, the guerilla gigs from The Rakes and The Others, the sense that a band could come out of nowhere, play anywhere, and change lives oozes from their new-found fire.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming tour:

The Utopiates - Neighbourhood

The North London groove machine returns with the new single ‘Neighbourhood’ on September 20th. Not resting on the laurels of 2023’s critically acclaimed album ‘The Sun Also Rises’, they have spent 2024 in the studio plotting their next moves.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

‘TSAR’ was an array of baggy, rave, and 90s indie grooves, and those hallmarks remain intact. However, this time round, the jagged NYC funk of LCD Soundsystem and abrasive melodies of TV On The Radio filter into the guitar blasts. It’s freshened up a band already at the cutting edge of things.

The introduction of 00s influences continues with the little touches of Does it Offend Say Yeah and Sportsday Megaphone. The nu-rave touches on the synths and production add subtle depth to a marauding groove.

Lyrically, The Utopiates' debut offered couplets to engage with, but the album was ultimately about the sonic. ‘Neighbourhood, however, takes them to another level. Insightful social comment and guttural polemic unite to add another magic ingredient to the mix.

If there is a blueprint to kick off a run-up to a new album, this is surely it. The key touch points of their origins spark new avenues of creativity to produce yet another indie-dance crossover anthem.

Click the image below for tickets to their next gig:

Alex Spencer - There's Gotta Be More

Back in July, Manchester singer-songwriter Alex Spencer released his second EP ‘There’s Gotta Be More’ via Modern Sky UK Records. Following 2023’s eye-catching ‘One Step Forward’ EP, can Spencer maintain the promise?

Image & artwork courtesy of This Feeling & Modern Sky UK

Where former tracks ‘One Step Forward’ and ‘One Way Ticket’ leant into Jamie Webster and Catfish & The Bottlemen, Spencer’s debut EP showed on ‘Waiting For The Change’ that he would soon unfurl his own archetypal sonic, a clash of the raw and angelic.

The clashing styles inform most of the new EP in style. Opener ‘Love and Let Go’ beset with regret and bitterness, is soundtracked with Kyle Falconer fronting a Blossoms tune. On ‘Nightmares’, Spencer’s romantic regret threatens to spill over (“I don’t expect you to care but inside it’s a war”) as his demons take control. The Bombay Bicycle Club circa ‘A Different Kind of Fix’ percussion and the moonlit math rock noodling on guitar add the shades of light this all-consuming record needs to keep you afloat.

The title track, with its exploratory jagged licks, evokes the late 00s and early ‘10s indie sounds of Foals, BBC, Little Comets, and Two Door Cinema Club. Spencer exquisitely cuts through this with the directness of his label mate Webster and a smoky Elliot Smith drawl.

The newfound directness excels on ‘Fear Will The Kill Future’, giving the EP its moment of glory. Tom Clarke's righteous indignation is put through an Elliott Smith prism of purity and wistful inspiration with further flourishes of Falconer. Bands should draw battle lines; they should be clear and fought upon with violent passion. It’s a trickier prospect for solo artists. Without the gang mentality, there's a danger of a messianic complex clouding the situation. Spencer has developed an eloquent blueprint to lift others up and march forward with them on the EP’s closer.

Spencer opens the main stage at Bridling Spa for This Feeling’s second By The Sea festival this Saturday. He was chosen by Radio X new music guru John Kennedy. Click the image for tickets

The Sway: Truck Festival, This Feeling & Hunter Boots Stage

Liverpool’s The Sway recently treated the Thursday ticket holders to Truck Festival to a mesmerising set on the This Feeling stage.

Bands can dazzle, they can enthral, that’s the easy bit for fledgeling bands. Having the craft honed to back it all up takes time, often until albums two and three. The Sway delivered it in abundance in this set.

All images courtesy of Alan Wells Photography.

‘Dreamer’s devilishly rumbling licks, a la their Scouse elders The Stands, sauntered through the summer air as though they’d always been present. ‘Changing’ had an eloquence that defied their years even more. The lo-fi vocal and angelic back vocals are kissed by moonlit Dave McCabe-esque guitars, which hold a crowd in disbelief.

Track after track, The Sway continued to delight with songs with the melodic ease of a band basking in years of success. ‘Songs & Poetry’ swayed with Shack’s guile, DMA’s innocence, and the romantic glee of the Sarah’s Records cannon. ‘Living It Large’, heavier than most in the set, still knew when to step on and off the gas. Drip fed the excitement with Lou Reed's “oo oos” and lysergic licks as and when, like Townsend in his pomp, toying with rock ‘n' roll disciples.

You wait, and you wait, and YOU WAIT, for a band to have the talent, integrity and poetry. So often, one or more is missing. The Sway have it all. They looked like a band of brothers, all standing at the front of the stage, confronting yet enticing, all songwriters and singers but crucially, no ego!

The Sway will play the coveted Rewired all-dayer at Signature Brew’s Blackhorse Road venue. Click the image for tickets.

Good Health Good Wealth: Truck Festival, This Feeling & Hunter Boots Stage

Some bands stride on stage with purpose, with a sense of destiny in their eyes. Good Health, Good Wealth strolled on in their own time, looking like extras from The Business and the re-make of The Firm. The This Feeling and Hunter Boots audience drew breath; coming next was either awful or genius.

All images courtesy of Alan Wells Photography.

Frontman Bruce Breakey moved in micro-movements, redefining what it means to be cool AF every millisecond. At the same time, guitarist Simon Kuzmickas looked slicker than Serge and as coly withdrew as Chris Lowe.

‘Love Hangover’ grooved into the room with effortless confidence. Breakey’s deeper spoken word sections were delivered with subtle, wry nods and winks to a crowd marching straight into the palm of his hand. Their most recent single ‘Gold’ showcased the vocal talent of Breakey. It offered the kind of crossover hit the alternative world sorely needs to drag mainstream eyes to it.

On set closer ‘Snatch,’ GHGW turned the vibrancy of Truck Festival into the gritty smoke-filled warehouse clubs of London. They beefed up their laid-back record to become a festival banger, all the while, Breakey’s slow vocal drawl in the verses cutting through a room ready to erupt with excitement. Pulling from Man Like Me, Audio Bullys, and MJ Cole, this duo are ready to be catapulted to stardom and tear up a bland industry.

Fingers to the sky, the weak became heroes once again. Genius!

Spangled: Truck Festival, This Feeling Stage & Hunter Boots Stage

Two weekends ago, we were at Truck Festival to witness Manchester band Spangled headline This Feeling and Hunter Boots stage.

All images courtesy of Alan Wells Photography.

A year earlier, they were on early to a big crowd on the Market stage, and as such, the intimate tent was rammed well before their arrival. The buzz was palpable, sent into a frenzy with radio icon John Kennedy’s rabble-rousing introduction.

Bounding on stage like kids on cherryade, Spangled opened with Swordfish Trauma to show the world everything great about the band. Frontman Ben Johnson’s Roald Dhal via Neds Atomic Dustbin's sense of gambol lit up the playful lyrics. The guitars strayed from the funk of Prince to the psyche of the Roses, sending the packed tent into an Ian Brown shoulder-swaying march of blissed-out glory. As Haliday let loose in the solo, there was a tangible feeling that Hendrix had made the soundtrack to Miami Vice.

‘Crank Up The Splendour’ tapped into the Roses’ cuter songwriting style with the paisley guitars swaying in a hazy glee. Johnson, equally as distinct as Brown was, allows his steeliness to melt and rise throughout. His time on the bigger stage last year has lent him the tools to take a crowd on a journey within one song, let alone a whole set. A masterful performer has been born.

Elsewhere, the set explodes with the amusing ‘Horizon’s Glance’ and the Blur-esque ‘Charlie Hills’, but the heartfelt ‘Good Life Better’ is what sends this audience home with irremovable memories. The gothic psyche guitars sent shivers through the souls of all who witnessed this ode to a lost father. When Johnson sings, “That's when all of the scars inside of my soul were gone” in the closing stages, Spangled transcends to a higher power. Guttural, poetic, and vital, the band shows there is a substance anchoring their gaiety.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming show:

Megan Wyn: Godney Gathering, This Feeling Stage

Wales via Manchester singer-songwriter Megan Wyn recently played the This Feeling stage at Somerset festival Godeny Gathering.

All photos courtesy of Rhona Murphy

In 2023, Megan Wyn announced herself as a serious player with a jaw-dropping set at Truck Festival. She followed this up with a string of heavy-hitting singles and, now back on the festival circuit, she looks set to continue her domination.

At Godney, it felt less like an announcement of future talent and more like the arrival of a seasoned pro. On her former single, ‘Are You Bored Yet?’ she made regret the most melodic it had ever sounded. The rise and fall in her harmonies were breathtaking.

On ‘Jealously’, she dedicated it a “dick” from her past, and then proceeded to deliver a mesmeric Pj Harvey meets Kim Gordon banger. If there’s a better ode to cutting loose dead wood, we’ve yet to witness it.

This weekend, Wyn continues her summer festival journey with Kendal Calling and Y Not Festival.  

Rosellas: Godney Gathering, This Feeling Stage

Manchester’s Rosellas recently played the This Feeling stage at the Somerset festival Godney Gathering and we were there to check them out.

All photos courtesy of Rhona Murphy

With the sun finally appearing, their blissed-out rock ‘n’ roll was perfectly timed. The dreamscapes of ‘Switch Off’ floated in and out of the ether like otherworldly messages of hope. Meanwhile, ‘Is It Any Wonder?’ and ‘The Same Curse showcased songwriting talent beyond their fledgeling years.

A step back to 2021’s ‘Damaged’ and even further to a cover of New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’ saw the band take the Gidney faithful to another realm. Gentle sways gave way to souls being freed as their dramatic guitars took hold.

An undeniable set from a band destined for great things.

The Mezz: Godney Gathering, This Feeling Stage

All images courtesy of Rhona Murphy.

Oxfordshire four-piece The Mezz followed up their breakthrough performance at the Isle of Wight festival at the Godney Gathering in Somerset recently.

Playing the This Feeling Stage, they had their guitars set to delight! Their former single, ‘Now I Found You,’ oozed with so much charm that, by the end of its proceedings, it had become a fan favourite for future gigs. The crisp synths and delicate guitars dazzled with main stage charisma.

‘Town Boy’, taken from their self-titled EP released in March, was, and will be for years to come, the perfect platform for frontman Ben to become an icon. His infectious vocal rises to inspirational in the climatic moments, matched only by his sumptuous guitar parts.

The Mezz are set to play The Macbeth in London with Billy Otto on August 9th. Click below for tickets:

Lock-In: Godney Gathering, This Feeling Stage

The Harlow juggernaut, Lock-In, continued their rise to glory at the Somerset festival Godney Gathering, playing the This Feeling stage.

All images courtesy of Rhona Murphy

The Lo-fi guitars and frontman Benji Leak’s razor-sharp vocals on ‘Red Stripe Remedy’ had the tent buzzing. The heartfelt decrees of “working 9-5” and “it’s life” were poetic reminders of why this crowd has come together.

‘I Caught Feelings’ doubled down on the emotion with its euphoric "oh ahh” hooks and infectious Two Door Cinema Club licks. Meanwhile, the effervescent energy of the new single ‘Sun Kiss’ and the cover of Franz Ferdinand’s ‘Take Me Out’ sent the Essex gang off again as heroes.

Lock-In’s latest single ‘Sun Kiss’ is out on the 9th August. Click below for tickets to their upcoming This Feeling tour:

Shed Seven: York Museum Gardens

Friday, 19th July, Shed Seven played the historic York Museum Gardens, the first band since Roxy Music in the early seventies.

All images by Nicola Gibson.

Seven years after their comeback album ‘Instant Pleasures’ and six since their riotous show at the Castleford Bowl, Shed Seven returned to their home city with a number-one album (‘A Matter of Time’) under the belts earlier this year. It would be fine to repeat the Castlefield energy, but the stage was set for them to take the throne rather than 2018’s storming of the gates.

Where ‘Instant Pleasures’ and Castleford were an outpouring of emotion, a statement of defiance that the band was back, the opening night in York witnessed the band leave the pack to ascend to indie royalty. No longer the underdog, they glided into the position the sold-out crowd knew they belonged.

The Sheds responded to the proclamation by having Laura McClure, Rowetta, and Pete Doherty reprise their roles (and more) as though this was a Glastonbury 2024 set. Frontman Rick Witter and McClure’s vocals glowed with a folksy charm, releasing a warmth of affection only the likes of Richard Hawley can match. Rowetta’s power was never in doubt but seeing her alongside a frontman who remains in his prime was striking. Resplendent in her Shed Seven robe, her colossal delivery on ‘In Ecstasy’ and ‘Disco Down’ bounced off Witter’s melody like two heavyweight champs regaling in tales of their glorious bouts.

Despite McClure's melody and Rowetta's soul power, Pete Doherty's moments on stage stole the show. Banks’ aching guitars, Witter’s vocals beset with hope, and Doherty simultaneously beleaguered with joy and remorse were iconic. As Doherty sang “we survive, decompartmentalise / And is it any wonder, we live on borrowed time” the sold-out York crowd looked on in a rare moment of silence. The emotion and stature of the gig, of Shed Seven fighting on to be headliners and have a number-one album, and for Doherty to beat his demons coalesced in six minutes of achingly beautiful defiance.

Witter, jovial throughout (ten thirty curfew became a catchphrase), pointed out that back in 1996, in the heady days of labels splashing the cash, they knew they weren’t the chosen ones when their calls for a choir on the classic ‘Bully Boy’ were met with one solitary child. This was rectified by the Huntington School Choir who brought the Britpop classic alive with their euphoric harmonies.

If there was any doubt that the band couldn’t lift this homecoming gig away from the usual excitement of a tour, then the choir, the collaborations, the Liquid Gold Versions, the proposal, the brass, the strings, the joyous free-for-all of ‘Chasing Rainbows’ confined those doubts to history. After the dust had settled, the most striking feature is how the new material lit up the set with the greatest hits backing it up. Then can be no more fitting tribute to a band who have hung in there and kept their self-belief.

Who knows, in another thirty years, we may just get that ‘On Standby’ intro right.

Suede: Ally Pally, London

Last Thursday, Suede headlined the Ally Pally Outdoor Summer Season with fellow icons Manic Street Preachers in support.

Suede’s second incarnation band has been the blueprint for returning or older bands. They’ve walked the tightrope of nostalgia and creative output with aplomb, culminating in 2023’s classic ‘Autofiction’, a brutally personal dissection of Brett Anderson’s grief for his mother. The prose of the romantics was twisted into Ian Curtis’ poetic nihilism, giving their day dot fans something new to clutch to their hearts.

With such raw pain barely in the rearview mirror, they set out on tour with fellow lifers, the Manic Street Preachers, with most expecting a more relaxed greatest hits approach. On paper, they were right.

In reality, Suede’s huge (sort of) homecoming was a piece of intense performance art. Yes, it relied heavily on the past for content, but it was delivered with artistic credulity; no one was left uttering the dreaded B word.   

Osman’s throbbing bass on the opener ‘Turn Off Your Brain and Yell’ lit fire to a set that burned uncontrollably for large parts. Anderson, resplendent in his mournful-cum-disco-chic black, strode the stage like an actor stepping up to Hamlet. Steely-eyed, soft of heart, and defiant in spirit, as he decreed, “come on now and reveal yourself, and I’ll bend to you”, the vast crowd responded in kind.

The bulk of the set felt like two great sides of vinyl. Sex, drugs, and rock n roll fuelling a fire of flamboyance and righteousness. Both sides are bookended by pin-drop moments that will live forever in the hearts and minds of all who drew breath to witness. The grandiose ‘Still Life’ made its tour debut to bookend the first half of the set. As the moon drifted across the skyline, the eye was drawn to the greed of the city and then closer to London’s endless flats. Just how many were “there by the window” waiting? Wrapping up the second half was an acoustic version of ‘The Wild Ones’. Anderson and Richard Oakes stepped back at points, allowing the crowd to become a congregation rejoicing in a hymnal unison.

From the old to the new, Suede proved the adage that if a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well. Whether it’s shaking the snake-like hips to the glam roar of ‘Metal Mickey’ and ‘Trash’ or immersing himself in the bitter, venomous love of ‘The Only Way I Can Love You’, Anderson is a work of art. Backing him up is lead guitarist Oakes. His rock ‘n’ roll hedonism on Beautiful Ones and ‘New Generation’ would have stolen the stole in any other band. As a unit, they attack the potency of Anderson’s lyrics with the snarl and tenderness they deserve.

Nine years on from the release of ‘Bloodsports’, Suede have proved that musical journeys are worth traversing. From humble beginnings to 2023’s career-defining album, the people have been willing to follow and on that night at Ally Pally, Suede gave them something to follow for another generation.

Kasabian – Happenings

Kasabian’s eighth studio album ‘Happenings’ was released last Friday via Columbia Records. It’s the second album post-Tom Meighan and was produced by Serge Pizzorno and Mark Ralph (Sub Focus / Rag n Bone Man).

*banner image credit: Neil Bedford

Artwork courtesy of MBC PR

Despite 2022’s number one album, ‘The Alchemist’s Euphoria,’ there was no escaping its frontman-sized hole baggage. The focus should have been on the quality of ‘ALYGATYR’, ‘LETTING GO’ and ‘CHEMICALS;, instead,theret seemed to be constant questions and opinions about their past.

As such, the approach to the ‘Happenings’ release had the air of a last-chance saloon. A once truly great creative force was in danger of becoming a heritage act if this didn’t land.

There is a directness to ‘Happenings’, a real trimming of the fat at just twenty-eight minutes long, which serves it well. Every couplet a hook, no middle-eights, Pizzorno has written an album that Record Label bosses in the ‘60s would have killed for.

‘Darkest Lullaby’ and ‘Algorithms’ bookend the album with melodies so pure that any weight of expectation has seemingly dissipated. ‘Darkest Lullaby’, lyrically beset with self-doubt and heartbreak (“Oh, I don’t where I’m going now…I was afraid we got so high), they use the dancefloor, via the disco licks of Marr and Rodgers and the rock ‘n’ roll funk of Vanilla Fudge as route of escape. ‘Algorithms’ is blessed with the spirit of future tour buddies The Streets’ ‘Weak Become Heroes’ and Lou Reed’s simplistic classic ‘Perfect Day’. It’s the sound of the outsiders marching to victory against the odds once again. As Pizzorno croons “This this one for the weirdos / One day we’ll be heroes”, the marginalised, the dreamers, and those who believe in building things up emerge from the shadows to regain humanity's innocence. For too long, those seeking to destroy have halted progression in all walks of life, but, with ‘Algorithms’ soul and the recent election in the UK, a turning point with hope looming has surfaced.

Where ‘Darkest Lullaby’ is the sound of ecstasy giving freedom on the dancefloor, the former single ‘Call’ is the sound of the devil enticing you to it. The colossal, dirty 00s breakbeat demanding your attention (“come on, make your move, there's nothing left to prove”) is followed by Pizzorno’s blissed-out Balearic vocals and keys, which put you through hyperspace and blow you out the other side a better person. ‘Coming Back to Me Good’ has a sun-kissed easiness and the tenderness of a friend nursing you through tough times and trips. Whereas ‘Hell of It’ leans into the bombastic riffs of ‘N.E.R.D’ and Roots before fading into a heavenly synth release. Together, they help build a band rediscovering its soul among people who are losing control, a realm in which Kasabian has always thrived.

On ‘G.O.A.T’ and ‘How Far Will You Go’, Kasabian remind everyone they are still the creative force we wondered they could be before the album's release. The former, diving into the dystopian beats of the debut and the heavy psyche guitars of ‘Empire’ to conjure the albums outstanding moment and Pizzorno’s finest vocal to date. As epic as Stranger Things and majestically warped as a Moon Duo solo aid the punk rock rhetoric well. As Pizzorno decrees “cause you know it’s true / You could be the greatest of all time”, a flurry of images ranging from Lydon to Strummer/Jones to Morrissey/Marr to Gallagher to Wire raising souls to be whoever the fuck they want to be is released to the world. ‘How Far Will You Go’ somehow manages to add layers to Kasabian’s more riotous catalogue. They summon a venomous firepower which conjures a world where Jamie T and Chuck D spit venom alongside Andrew Innes and the Stooges blasting a hole into the sun! Approach with caution!

Kasabian and Pizzorno, in particular, have rediscovered their working-class glory on this record. They’ve brought the obscure to the masses once again. Every track is a single, and every verse is a chorus. Intense but never overbearing, catchy but never trite, this is a tour de force of a record from a band written off. It’s not a comeback, but it’s going to dazzle the masses and quieten the chin-strokers!

The Rifles - Love Thy Neighbour

The Rifles release their first studio album in eight years today. ‘Love Thy Neighbour’, Despite countless tours, festivals, and re-releases, the band’s life commitments to work and family have hindered their creative process.

Image & artwork courtesy of Fear PR.

In 2023, frontman Joel Stoker ventured into new sonic territories with his debut solo album, 'The Undertow ', recorded at his Right Hook Studios in Walthamstow. The album's free-spirited sound was mirrored in Stoker's lyrical exploration of mental anguish, marking a significant evolution in his musical style.

Early B-side ‘Rock the Boat’ became a firm live favourite in the intervening eight years. The ska-tinged guitars and Stoker’s vocals unite with crowds in a hymnal mood. Its opening stansa oozes through large sections of this album. ‘Mr Sunflower’ saunters with Madness keys and vocals in carnival mode. Its message of love your neighbour does not come to expect from their intensity but is a perfect fit. Time away as a band and getting older suits them.

‘Days of our Lives’ continues the effervescent spirit. Taking a Sham 69 reference and making it sound like a Rifles and George Harrison concoction is joyous. Deano Mumford’s keys and the acoustic lean into Bob Marey and Ocean Colour Scene before Luke Crowther steam rollers the closing stages with howling guitars and Grant Marsh’s drum fills, planting you firmly into the band's happy place.

The archetypal Rifles sound emerges with clarity alongside their new deft touch on ‘Starting Monday’, ‘The Kids Won’t Stop’, and ‘Out For The Weekend’. With its military drums and yearning to be more, the former takes classics like ‘Heebie Jeebies’ and turns them into prophecies for their middle age. Similarly, ‘The Kids Won’t Stop’ examines parenthood and day job relentlessness versus their youthful days of dreaming and chaos. As Marsh’s drums rumble, the ecstatic furore of ‘No Love Lost’ rears its head but, this time, with a humorous take on being a parent rather than tear-ups in East London. ‘Out For the Weekend’ blows away the responsibilities and leans into the boozy male bonding that has made them such a must-see live act for twenty years. Crowther’s licks, razor-sharp, beg you to put on your best threads and let the middle-aged spread rumble once more.

On tracks like ‘All Aboard’ and ‘Money Go Round,’ The Rifles venture into uncharted musical territories. ‘All Aboard' infuses the sweeping majesty of their album ‘Freedom Run’ with jagged edges and the folk and roots elements that their peers, The Coral, excelled in during the 00s. ‘Money Go Round’ takes on a Small Faces-esque groove before transitioning into a Beatles-worthy melody. Luke Crowther's psychedelic folk guitars draw inspiration from latter-day Weller and Cornershop, giving the band a fresh makeover and potentially, a new musical direction.

They say abstinence makes the heart fonder, well, for The Rifles as a writing new music band, it has. The album is steeped in the kind of love and hope George Harrison would look upon fondly. It marks a new era for the band. The need to produce chaos has faded into wry takes on that era, and their most mainstream rock classic sound to date. Let’s hope it’s not another eight years.

The Ritz – Back Against The Wall

Burton-on-Trent’s The Ritz Are back with their latest single ‘Back Against The Wall’. It was recorded and produced by Michael Smith (Wolf Alice / Elvis Costello / Spencer Davis Group) at RYP Recordings in London.

Last time out on ‘Only Time Will Tell’, The Ritz tapped into the kind of melody that adorns mass crowds and nostalgic joy. ‘Back Against The Wall’ is the counter-point to this. Serious and intense, it charts a turbulent course that only those of pure heart can navigate.

The windswept majesty of The Crooks and the keys of Richard Ashcroft’s early solo albums signify a focus and drive from the innermost parts of songwriter and frontman Robbie Joyce. Joyce’s vocal vividly lays bare his anxieties alongside newfound sonic distress. The records’ sonic pain and anguish ooze through him but always with earnest effrontery. In the moments when the torture swells (“I know the pain will never heal / Of the hurt, the suffering and the despair”), he manages to wade through the quagmire of despair with humble bravery.

Finley Armitage’s guitars shine on this record, particularly in two short but defining solos. The first solo, inspired by the melancholic grandeur of Andrew Cushin and Noel Gallagher’s ‘Chasing Yesterday,’ amplifies the record's volatility. The second solo, a nod to Richard Ashcroft’s ‘Science of Silence,’ injects a level of power and despair that solidifies The Ritz as serious.

It is, though, the hook of Joyce’s couplet “I can carry all this weight / I can’t leave it up to fate” that carries this record and the band to another level. Its power will drop grown men to their knees in gut-wrenching epiphanic moments of change.

With this single, The Ritz have become a serious player. They’ve always had the melodies, but now they have discovered that music is power, and the journey to their debut album is a drooling prospect.

Twin City – I Feel Alive

Bristol-based Twin City are back with their third single, ‘I Feel Alive’. It’s their first single signed to Bubblebrain Records and was recorded at J&J Studios. Tom Smith (Holy Youth Movement) produced it.

*image credit Iwan Jones. Courtesy of Songbird PR.

Last time out on ‘Solid Gold’, Twin City, although expertly, strayed probably too far into Oasis’ sphere of influence. ‘I Feel Alive’ has hints of ‘Definitely Maybe’ but has a funk to its basslines, charting a course very much of its own.  

Conor Feeney’s exquisite bassline kicks this rock 'n' roll affair off like the Devil emerging from the pub. Its devilish twists and turns funk through the soaring riffs and rock ‘n’ roll despair. Feeney’s killer hook allows Louis and Pete Refson’s guitars to build a wall of sound, climaxing with the escapist licks spiralling alongside Louis’ snarling vocals in sheer ecstasy.

Twin City’s Bubblebrain signing has kicked off in some style. Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming show:

Those Heavy Souls – Everything’s Changing

From the ashes of Cardiff’s Columbia comes Those Heavy Souls, the solo project of frontman Craig Lewis. His debut single ‘Everything’s Changing’ was recorded Kings Road Studios in Cardiff with Andrew Sanders producing and Small Miracles’ Steven Kenward guesting on guitar.

All images courtesy of Those Heavy Souls.

Where Columbia was an expression of sex, drugs, and floor rock n roll, Those Heavy Souls has a more thoughtful slant of attack. The build is more subtle, and the electronic production and trippy drums allow a world of Ian Brown's solo era to unite with early Kasabian.

Frontman Craig Lewis, renowned for his powerful vocals and unwavering belief, as demonstrated in Columbia’s ‘Embrace The Chaos’, now unveils a new facet of his artistry. In this fresh venture, Lewis exhibits a wealth of musicality and delves into the Gothic indie realm of Dave Gahan, with his higher notes echoing his admiration for Rob Harvey. These unexplored dimensions in the chorus testify to Lewis' ability to play with his natural soul and rock 'n roll power, a skill that becomes intoxicating by the end.

Lewis’ first solo venture has proven to be more than fruitful. The psyche licks in the closing stages here, segue exquisitely from his days with Columbia into this new vision. Sonically still a force of a nature but now, with deft touches to elevate him to the next level.

Echobelly: Chinnerys, Southend

Britpop icons Echobelly have been on the road recently, and we were there to see them at Chinnerys in Southend. Supported by Keeley, they were playing as part of the burgeoning Indie Cult Club.

*all images courtesy of Harvey Oscar Brown (@oscrvisual)

For bands like Echobelly, it can be tricky to negate the past. Southend was no different, with endless chatter for small pockets of the room. What those people forgot about the past, though, is Sonya Madan is a badass frontwoman who takes no prisoners. Her beguiling stage presence and telling said people “to shut the fuck up” was met in equal gratitude from the loving faithful.

Madan, at times, is utterly mesmeric. Arms aloft, gliding slowly across the room to ‘If The Dogs Don’t Get You, My Sisters Will’ as Glen Johnsson’s guitars trip with a thick psychedelic fog. There is something beautifully theatrical about their partnership. Madan’s vocal is devilish, enticing you into Johnsson’s spell, which can’t be undone.

This dynamic blossomed further on ‘Scream’ and set closer ‘Dark Therapy’, the former providing a real pin-drop moment. The pain and anguish oozing from the howling guitars was palpable. ‘Dark Therapy’s all these years on, still has the same emotive hypnotic power. The sliding guitars and Madan’s reflective and empowering vocals rise and tumble with breathtaking magnificence.

Although the set mainly contained the protracted art of their canon, in ‘In Great Things’ and ‘King of the Kerb’, they have two of the bona fide great singles of the 90s. Instinctive, sexy, and of their time, they transport you to a time when the art-rock scene of 1994 was blossoming in Camden. Images of debauchery at Blow Up club nights and record deals being signed in the Good Mixer rush to the forefront of elder minds becoming carefree once again.

Thirty years on since their debut album, Echobelly show no signs of slowing down creatively. Long may they reign.