The Lilacs – Calling It A Night

Wigan outfit The Lilacs have come roaring out of the blocks in 2025 with their new single ‘Calling It A Night’. The single is released via Scruff of the Neck Records.

Infectious and sun-kissed, they explore the avenues of taking life to the edge of debauched oblivion and questioning its legitimacy. Many adopt the imagery of “bensons in one hand and heels the other”, too many, but The Lilacs’ infectious and sun-kissed sonic allows them a space to operate credibly. The sense of the gang loitering in the corner of a Spoons, watching others' worlds fall by the wayside with great amusement, shines through. A British pastime as traditional as conkers or cricket.

Sam Birchall’s guitars tap into the rippling joy of ‘Cavorting’ and provide a platform for the melody to breeze into the nation's souls yearning for bands to fill big rooms. Upon first listening, anyone who came of age in the 00s will inevitably feel The Courteeners’ presence looms too large. However, such is the melodic exuberance coursing through the single that ultimately, most will end at a destination of “who cares”.

The Lilacs have kicked off 2025 with an effortlessness that suggests those big rooms are soon to become a reality. A band in such a free-flowing mood can be a hard juggernaut to stop, woe betide anyone attempts it in 2025.

Pete Doherty – Felt Better Alive

“I gave my nights up for old songs, sound better alive
I gave my life over to old songs, sound better alive”

 The Libertines icon recently released his latest single, ‘Felt Better Alive’, via his label Strap Originals. It is the lead single from the upcoming fifth studio album of the same name, due May 16th.

*image credit: Bridie Cummings

The flourishes of skiffle and slide guitar suit Doherty’s down but not out image with a poetic magic that few can authentically compete with. Alongside the strings, it allows a mournful Doherty to build up an intense narrative before his melody melts all life’s woes away.

Nods to ‘What Katie Did’ and ‘Delany’ sonically toy with his glorious and checkered past on the most textured record within his solo cannon to date. The strings, at points, have a lost-at-sea isolation which plants you in his reality, whereas, lyrically, he seeks to reaffirm his younger self’s dreams and notions of “what might have been”. It’s a juxtaposition that seems a natural fit for his romanticism. However, for those who’ve followed the course of his Albion, it comes loaded with tortured imagery and regret.

As he decrees, “I’d always planned to sing in a sweet and soulful way, as only cowboys can!” Doherty transcends music. Like a bird singing just because it can, Doherty finds the sweet spot between a free soul and one trapped by the past.

After a career-redefining year with The Libertines in 2024, the good ship Albion looks set to sail into more glorious sunsets with its chief troubadour in great form.

Marseille – History

For the most part, Marseille has presented itself as a joyous collective. Pulling from the same psychedelic hymn sheet, they’ve traversed Ride, Oasis, and The Verve. On ‘History’, deliberately or not, tension in style arises, and it’s great!

*banner image courtesy of the band.

Lead guitarist Joe Labrum’s parts sound like Noel Gallagher playing Nick McCabe. Less intricate more universal, but still beset with enough spaced-out exploration of The Verve to keep things interesting. They’re guitars for dreamers.

Cut to frontman Will Brown, whose vocals are urgent, besotted with making said dreams reality. They collide poetically with the guitars, causing a chasm. Labrum entices Brown to a more philosophical world, and Brown, in turn, demands they implement it.  

In the closing stages, Brown decrees “you and I, you and me / you and I, you and me / you and I, you and me” in a moment of feverish euphoria. Their worlds unite, dreams become destiny, and hope is restored to guitar lovers.

Like Pastel’s triumphant debut album, Marseille are on a journey to restore rock ‘n’ roll to a time when it mattered when bands were life and death! In ‘History’, they stare into their souls, face their fears, and march forward with a confidence that can only be a clarion call for change to all who listen.

Derby’s Marseille returns on Friday, 24th January, with the new single ‘History’.

Pastel – Souls In Motion

As lockdown began to fade in October 2021, Pastel put the world on notice with their ‘Deeper Than Holy’ EP. Organic, righteous, explorative indie-psyche music reared its head and sowed the seeds of hope for the guitar scene.

Four years on, they’ve opened for Liam Gallagher at Knebworth, blown their label mates of stage at the Islington Academy, and ushered in a new era of shoegaze and rock ‘n’ roll with a miraculous performance at The Garage in London.

Key to their ascendancy has been the likes of ‘Deeper Than Holy’, ‘Isiah’, and ‘Escape’. The former eloquently follows in its footsteps. The trippy ‘Life’s An Ocean’ guitars, whilst Blake-esque lyrics elevate the best moments of The Verve to the fore, something that will become their stock in trade. ‘Isaiah’ is steeped in Nick McCabe’s magical swirling guitars that beckon tonnes of dry ice on a huge stage for them. Frontman Jack Yates’ angelic vocals give the astonishing sonic a human touch, allowing us mortals into their world. ‘Escape’, written after a hefty acid trip, has the melodic hallmarks of ‘Weeping Willow’ and ‘Space & Time’ and the explorative splendour of ‘Blue’. The sumptuous slide guitars are destined for iconic status.

Image courtesy of Fear PR

The unheard additions to the album are its biggest assets, though. ‘Heroes Blood’ and ‘Gone Too Fast’ rise to the top of ‘Souls In Motion’ with astonishing power. ‘Heroes Blood’ is a tornado of rock ‘n’ roll with basslines from the devil and guitars from the darkest quarter of McCabe’s soul. With hedonism in their blood, they march unsighted through the mire to announce “I’m free” alongside the majesty of ‘Urban Hymns’. It’s a monstrous opener, beset with the kind of intent that ‘Stone Roses’, ‘Definitely Maybe’, and ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ unleashed.

‘Gone To Fast’ is where they transcend to greatness. Frontman Jack Yates finds spitefulness in his vocals in the verse; it gives the self-belief in the lyrics the venom they richly deserve. Conversely, as  Joe Anderson and James Yates build the tension to a fever pitch, Jack’s melodic vocal uplift becomes the most significant moment in rock ‘n’ roll this decade! Has three and a half minutes ever felt more like a victory?

Pastel have given the alternative circuit its credibility back. For the first time in what feels like forever, a band has decreed statements of intent and confidence that, not only can be believed in, can resonate with the life-or-death authenticity of Jimmy Cooper (Quadrophenia):

“I’ve got heroes blood running through my veins” (‘Heroes Blood’)

“The hand that shakes the suit and tie / is the one that will betray” (‘Your Day’)

“You can’t walk a single step in my shoes” (‘Gone To Fast’)

The time is up for the raffle winners who are half-arsing fame and supporting 90s legends on seemingly every tour! The real deal has woken from its slumber, and it’s taking back big stages, festivals, and glory.

Manchester’s Pastel are set to release their debut album on January 17th via Spirit of Spike Island Records. ‘Souls In Motion’ was recorded at The Old Bank studios, with Afflecks Palace frontman J Fender producing and James Kenosha mixing.

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The Crooks – Dreaming Out Loud

Chesterfield rock ‘n’ rollers The Crooks are back with their fourth single since reforming ‘Dreaming Out Loud’.

*Banner image by Oliver London.

Since their return, their live shows have been enthralling, emotion-driven moments that will echo down eternity to those who went. On record, ‘Wide Awake’ and ‘In the Meantime’ picked up where they left off sonically, but something was missing.

On ‘What You Know’ and now ‘Dreaming Out Loud’, they’ve found the missing ingredient: the fall-to-the-floor anthem that countenances their sing-along ballads pieces of rock n roll defiance.

The middle ground between ‘Silhouette Sunshine’ and ‘Better Days’ shows the band completely controlling their identity and destiny. Toying with chaos and splicing in great melodies like rock star puppeteers, they have found their sweet spot.

Concise yet huge, they now sound like a band conquering the studio.

The guitars come out swinging with a heavy, intoxicating power on what is comfortably their best riff to date. Its power lies in its conciseness. Like a great heavyweight boxer’s jab, it knocks its opponent back into a daze. The violence of Kasabian’s debut and Rolla loiter as Modders’ hook loops with its way to glory.

Frontman Jacko, so often their melodic secret weapon, pulls back from an all-out assault and allows his soulful drawl to wash over the devastation with euphoric consequences. Few can match Embrace when Danny and Rich McNamara sing in tandem, but Jacko surpasses them in this showing. He leads you to the edge of the universe, allowing the solo to blow holes into the sun.

When they initially split, fans were devastated. The real deal was taken away from them. In the intervening years, no marks and also-rans have filled the void and reaped huge benefits their talents do not warrant. The Crooks’ return was less relief to fans and more, saddle up, we’re coming for the pretenders. ‘Dreaming Out Loud’ gives them yet another stick to beat the middle of the road with, and it feels great!

The Utopiates – Reputation

London outfit The Utopiates are back with their new single, ‘Reputation. ‘Released last week on V2 Records, it follows their LCD Soundsystem-driven ‘Neighbourhood,’ which came out in September.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

Their direction of travel on ‘Neighbourhood’ significantly shifted towards NYC and the 00s indie-electro scene. ‘Reputation’ struts further into this territory with crunching basslines akin to London’s 00s scenesters New Young Pony Club.

Frontman Dan Poppewell taps into his vocal cadence on ‘Devolution’, which allows the Disco elements to creep in alongside the New Order meets nu-rave synths, which sprinkle magic sporadically throughout.

The combination of disco and indie-electro in this stripped-back style allows The Utopiates to glide in between Radio 4 and Tom Vek to occupy the fascinating ground. What neither of those above had, nor anyone from the nu-rave/electro scenes, was Josh Redding. He shone as a riff and solo maker of baggy and psyche classics on the debut album. Now, he appears mercurially like a guitar genie. Sprinkling psyche magic a la (Moon Duo) but in concise moments of technicoloured bliss.

Electric Sheep Inc. - Inn on the Green, Shiiine On '24

Rhyl outfit Electric Sheep Inc. made their Shiiine On debut two weekends ago on the Inn on the Green stage and we were there to check it out.

To outsiders, Shiiine On has the unfair tag of a nostalgia festival. There’s some, granted. Step inside Minehead for that weekend, and you’ll see the established perfecting their craft on new albums, but, furthermore, you’ll find nuggets of fledgeling gold like Ecko, Deja Vega (no longer fledgeling) by any means, and Holy Youth Movement being given grand stages to emerge from the shadows.

With nine years of unearthing the UK’s finest new bands behind them, Electric Sheep Inc. in the Inn on the Green came with a buzz.

They did not disappoint!

The intoxicating Velvet Underground drama of ‘Liberation’ unfurled with breathtaking power, while ‘Cough Syrup’ and ‘Moosha Moosh’ swayed from the Mondays to PiL debauched and undeniable.

On former singles ‘Queen’s Nose’ and ‘Taste of It’, the band went from engaging to weekend stealing. As frontman Christian Pimley wrenched “your sheep, annnnnd your cattle, iii’mmmmm not dying for you” from his soul, he found a space between ‘Bummed’ era Ryder and PiL era Lydon to reign supreme as the next great frontman. So many proclaim their colossal stature; Pimley exuded it as he glided effortlessly, making a tiny pub stage look like a vast arena. Coupled with Cameron Kelly and Josh Jones’ spiralling guitars, rock ‘n roll announced its greatness once again.

Set closer, ‘Taste of It’ doubled down on this with its warping majesty. Pimley’s snarling vocal cut through the Mondays-esque grooves with a euphoric intensity. MORE

A festival so synonymous with Happy Mondays was arguably treated to the finest thirty minutes of post-‘Pills, Thrills, and Bellyaches’ ever seen—great lyrics, effortless swagger, and a venom that could kill from a hundred paces.

Ecko: Centre Stage, Shiiine On '24

Ayrshire’s Ecko have become cult heroes at the Shiiine On Weekender since their 2022 debut. Their rags-to-riches debut was a tough act to follow last year, but they still impressed. If the band remained at this level this year, it could only be considered a success. Could they go further still?

Pressure? What pressure?

Shoulders were loose, guitars were slung low, and this was a band with confidence oozing through their souls. On ‘Danny MacKenzie,’ frontman Jamie Warden moved with an ease not seen before. He stepped on the intensity when the power came on top and then eased off into a gentler, aloof mode, visibly allowing an aurora to build around him. Like all great frontmen, he wheeled away from the limelight when it was Matthew Welsh’s (lead guitarist) moment to shine.

A practice they doubled down on during ‘Play Pretend’ when Welsh became the lead singer for the first time. With Warden in such great form, heads turned rapidly. The most exciting band of the decade just added another intoxicating dimension to the band. Welsh's vocal snarled with bullish defiance, his incredulous Keith Richards-esque solo and Liam O’Connor’s career-best bassline crunching its way to glory set this band out so far ahead of the rest.

After the behemoth performance of the latest single ‘Let Go’, the band cut loose on ‘Think Three Times’. The perfect ying and yang of these two felt like a set closing pair for a long time. The violence of ‘Let Go’ tempered by the glee of ‘Think Three Times’ to send thousands home joyously became an inescapable image.

Ecko, three years into their Shiiine careers, played with the skill of a mainstage headliner. Pumping the room full of adrenaline on ‘Miss Hurricane’, and dipping it on ‘Sour’ to show their genius, Ecko propelled souls into the darkness and lifted them out via a haze of psychedelic immortality.

The main stage awaits!

Siracuse - Simple Pleasures

Image courtesy of Goldstein United Mgmt

Cheltenham outfit Siracuse recently returned with their latest single, ‘Simple Pleasures,’ via Vibrant Sky Records. The single is backed by the angelic euphoria of ‘You Change,’ and a defined live version of ‘Lossen Your Grip’ on Spotify.

*banner image credit: @james_taking_pictures

Lyrically, Ben Zakotti finds himself in a carefree head space. As seen on ‘Saviour’ and So Serene’, shackle-free is where Zakotti thrives. His innate ability to be in the moment while creating rock music carnage around with nods to the Stones, the Primals, and Kasabian is enough to keep Siracuse’s stick rising into these bleak winter months.

The pulsating intro pushes the hedonism of Soundtrack of Our Lives to the edge of what is sane. Debauched, with the threat of violence lurking, it showcases how intoxicating rock ‘n’ roll’s three chords can still be.

Siracuse is rapidly becoming one of the UK’s best-kept secrets, and the time feels right for that to change. From big epics to short blasts of glory, they have the rock ‘n’ roll cannon to change lives.

Ecko - Let Go

Once upon a time, in a land not far behind us, the media would seek out new rock ‘n’ roll strands to define youth culture. Today, alas, they care more for some obnoxious cunt opening a box of third-world tat so tax-dodging conglomerates can pay them.

*banner image courtesy of All images courtesy of A Deeper Groove

Artwork credit: @turner_photographs

Ayrshire four-piece Ecko is back with their new single ‘Let Go’ for those still curious. The visceral intro leans into the noise and confusion of early Oasis and the filthy and fury of the Pistols. It allows

The licks of Oasis’ ‘Hung In A Bad Place’ are given an injection of breathtaking intensity. It allows the protagonist to lay down the law with a soon-to-be iconic confidence. As the single builds, drummer Johnny Armstrong’s drumming steals the show a la Matt Helders for the Arctics' first three albums before Matthew Welsh’s guitars tap into the riotous angst of ‘Bring It On Down’ with scintillating guile.

The journey to their debut album may feel slow to fans desperate for more, but Ecko is a measured beast for something so sonically unhinged. Appear when they want and deliver significant improvements each time. ‘Let Go’ is flanked by a stunning ode to The Strokes with the b-side ‘Think Three Times’.  A track most bands couldn’t dream of writing is there to back up the gift that is this single.

Yon Mon – Shine On

As the sun sets on The Shed Project, frontman Roy Fletcher launches his new project, Yon Mon. The debut single ‘Shine On’ was recorded with The Jade Assembly's Danny Hayes at Bolton’s Ivy Studio.

Where The Shed Project’s second album had heavier sound and discourse, Yon Mon has returned to the freer energy of their debut. The escapist with the lysergic spirit of Northside and hints of early Charlatans.

Fletcher breaks from the straight-up guitar sound of his former project in the second half, giving the seaside keys of The Horrors’ ‘Primary Colours’ an injection of ecstasy. Coupled with the resounding guitars that loom large, Fletcher has struck upon a sonic perfect for his ‘Some Friendly’ Burgess-era vocal.

Yon Mon will be releasing three more singles in the coming months with the debut album coming in summer 2025. On this showing, it’s shaping up very well indeed!

Memorial - Redsetter

Brighton’s Memorial released their second album, ‘Redsetter’, back in May via Lucy Rose’s Real Kind Records. It followed 2022’s critically acclaimed self-titled debut, but could it match its prowess?

Image and artwork courtesy of Longevity PR

‘Redsetter’ is an album searching for meaning for men approaching the settling down period of their lives. On ‘Corduroy’, songwriting duo Ollie Spalding and Jack Watts ponder the present and allow the itchy fever to creep in that perhaps they’re not ready to relinquish “steady day-drinking / soaked in that memory light”. Despite the unwillingness to let go of this freedom, King Creosote's hypnotic hooks and lush melodies of Kings of Convenience lend it an eloquence that pulls from the friendship of The Detectorists far more than anything toxic.

The vulnerability they let in gives the record a curiosity and tenderness to the moments they are less clear of thought. It parks darkness and shows a side to masculinity far more in keeping with the common man than bravado rock ‘n’ roll often does. On ‘White Campion’, the low-light folk of Richard and Linda Thompson’s early work combines with the beauty of Judy Collins and the lo-fi richness of Alfie and Bon Iver’s debut. The luscious combinations allow this poignant coming-of-age tale to take an emotive stranglehold of your senses and never let go. There’s a real sense that the clouds have parted and that commitment and fatherhood don’t have to mean a relinquishing of your identity. Still, through the heartfelt vocal, a loving acceptance that sacrifice is pleasing will work in tandem.

The songwriting fervour peaks on ‘Honey’, ‘Circle’, and ‘Silver’, lifting the record to album of the year contender. The former, a song with suicide undertones and subsequent mental health issues is as pure a song recorded this decade. The gentle warmth of James Yorkston and the ethereal folk of Bon Iver delivers a woozy moment of comfort for anyone struggling. ‘Circle’, meanwhile, takes the peak Turin Breaks for a woozy meander on this beautiful ode to letting go. Then, the album is given its crowning glory on 'Silver'! The vocals range from the potency of CSN and the joy of Paul Simon to the aching beauty of Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses). They create an addictive richness on what is, quite simply, an instant classic! The subtle but soaring orchestration fades into the ether with an autumnal glow's beauty but inevitable decay.

‘Redsetter’ is often an enigma, and it is unclear how the protagonist crosses the most significant crossroads. It lends itself a curiosity and a poignancy that music lovers will lean on in their darkest and happiest moments. Nothing short of an alt-folk triumph!”

MOSES – Raining For Days

London’s MOSES released ‘Raining For Days’ at the end of September. It is the third single from their upcoming third studio album and was recorded with long-time cohort Gavin Monaghan at the Magic Garden Studio in Wolverhampton.

Images courtesy of Rocklands Artbeat Promo

There is a beautiful simplicity to ‘Raining For Days’ that recalls Dinosaur Jr. ’s classic ‘Feel The Pain’ or Graham Coxon’s Pavement-esque era of Blur. The melodic guitar noodling building to a heavier release suits MOSES' maturer sound with resounding effectiveness.

Frontman Victor Moses’ vocal is now venturing into masterful territory. More withdrawn than the fire-breathing early singles, knowing when to flash the teeth and spit venom with precision. When he decrees “we only get one life / A cliche that I really like / I believe in what I am and no /  I'll never stop”, the band’s natural inclination to defiance oozes from band to listener, from soul to soul as a unifying clarion call.

Clearer, crisper, and broader than ever, MOSES still maintain their underground status. There’s a renegade spirit festering with intent around everything here that’s undeniable. What were once ifs have become whens with almost the utmost urgency.

Click the image below for tickets to their upcoming shows:

Those Heavy Souls – How High Is Too High?

Cardiff’s Craig Lewis, aka Those Heavy Souls, recently returned with his new single ‘How High Is Too High?’. Recorded at  Kings Road Studios in Cardiff with Andrew Sanders producing, it follows the fine debut single ‘Everybody’s Changing’.

Images courtesy of the band.

Where ‘Everybody’s Changing’ was a departure from his Columbia days, ‘How High Is Too High?’ introduces his new electronic vision to those heady rock' n roll visions. Lewis has unearthed a sweet spot between Slow Readers Club and early Kasabian, and it’s paying dividends for him.

The Sanders’ trippy Reni-esque drums set the platform for the following discordant Warehouse vision. Lewis’ and Steven Kenward’s guitars are kissed with the melodic glory of Serge Pizzorno’s 00s work and the soaring yet understated psyche work of Adam Nutter (The Music).

Holy Youth Movement and The Utopiates have been leading the charge for rock ‘n’ roll and dance music fusion lately. Those Heavy Souls, armed with a ‘Champagne Supernova’ reference, have entered said race with a blistering charge!

Spangled – Maggie

Manchester’s Spangled returned yesterday with their new single ‘Maggie’. It marks a new era for the band, with Joe Kilroy joining the band on drums. ‘Maggie’ was produced by Gareth Nuttall (The K’s / Rolla) and mastered by Grant Berry.

*image credit: Owen Peters

Artwork credit: Owen Peters

Musically, Spangled have leaned into their love of The Cure with Jamie Halliday’s subtle guitar lines taking a romantic gothic turn. As the single builds, the underdog spirit of Neds Atomic Dustbin and Thousand Yard Stare collide with The Who’s vastness as they build to a euphoric climax.

However, frontman Ben Johnson’s vocals and lyrics are where ‘Maggie’s brilliance lay. At points, Johnson delivers his most angelic vocal. As such, the innocence and celebratory look back at Nan’s life with dementia are allowed to shine through.

The early stages are blessed with a romance and charm that can only come from a grandchild gazing lovingly on at a story they’ve heard a thousand times before. Johnson lights up his Nan with a curiosity about where her mind went and will have many raising their heads to the heavens to think upon those gone.

In the closing stages, though, Johnson delivers an emotional uppercut to set bottom lips quivering:

“I had to look the other way when she asked me if my dad was ok / I wonder if she knows”

The gut-wrenching moments of ‘Good Life Better’ roar to the surface as Johnson howls out a truly incredible vocal. His pain and torment try to find a way out, but Johnson fights back defiantly, not wanting to let the scars show to someone he clearly worshipped.

Despite the grief-ridden torment end, you’re left with the touching sentiment:

“I wanna go wherever Maggie goes”.

On such a deeply personal tale, Spangled have touched upon something universal that will win them legions of fans. The echoes of Pulp discovering themselves in 1994 ooze from this record, now it’s time for those big crowds for Spangled too.

The Kowloons – Raining (It Don’t Stop)

Merseyside’s The Kowloons are back with their new single ‘Raining (It Don’t Stop) today. It follows ‘Can We Go Faster?’ and is the second single from their upcoming debut EP.

*banner image credit: Matt Owen

Artwork courtesy of the band.

Where ‘Can We Go Faster?’ built to an epic climax, ‘Raining’ is instantaneous. The moment Kinks-esque drums rumble, they tap into a British classicism that only evokes joy. Lead guitarist Mason Jones lays the foundation with the acoustic stomp of ‘Dead End Street’ and the melodic blues of the Stones circa ’65 to ’67. Meanwhile, frontman Stephen Ng even drops a sublime “I can't get no” to ramp up this sumptuous slice of ‘60s pastiche.

Despite the immediacy of the melody, a sense of distress and heartbreak percolates throughout. Frontman Ng carries an aching sense of loss through his disillusioned vocal. He has taken all the best bits from Noel Gallagher’s ‘Chasing Yesterday’ and spliced them with a Lee Mavers and Ray Davies-esque vocal.

Two songs into their debut EP, they have already surpassed the eagerly anticipated checkpoint. Two great songs are propelling them into the fast lane and making them one of the most sought-after bands in the UK.

Rolla – We Owe You Nothing

Manchester’s Rolla are back with a new single ‘We Owe You Nothing’. The latest single marks a new era for the band as they sign with Run On Records (The Royston Club). Guitarist Luke McConnell has stepped up to mixing duties with Gareth Nuttall (The K’s) producing.

Image & artwork courtesy of Fear PR.

Their time on tour with Kasabian in 2023 wasn’t wasted. The intoxicating violence of their Leicester peers’ debut has been taken on board as they reimagine ‘Club Foot’ in the most visceral and violent intro of the year.

With stadiums back on the rock ‘n’ roll agenda, Rolla have announced themselves as someone to open them via Luke Gilmore’s colossal and destructive basslines. Throbbing with malicious intent, Gilmore descends to the underworld, flirting with ‘Fuckin’ in the Bushes’ and ‘666 Conducer’ along the joyride.

Guitar music is defiant mainly, but not from a position of power like this. Rolla are underdogs (for now), but they project themselves like champions. Chest-out, shoulders back, and zero fucks given! James Gilmore’s howls into the ether with devilish charm and Zeus-like authority.

There are no blueprints to rock ‘n’ roll, but ‘We Owe You Nothing’ is as good as. Hellacious and rebellious, Rolla are back and better than ever!

Trip Hazard: Chinnerys, Southend

Southend’s Trip Hazard recently opened for Desperate Journalist at Chinnerys as part of the Indie Cult Club and we were there to check them out.

*banner image courtesy of Oscr Visuals

Image courtesy of Oscr Visuals

On set opener ‘Nasty Party’, frontwoman Lottey set the stage ablaze with her compelling punk rock volatility. Her iconic indie sleaze hair thrashed with abandon to Sam’s heavy-hitting guitars. If they can harness this power in the studio more, then the next voices of a generation will be born.

Lottey continued her masterful performance on ‘Body’ and its reprise. The struts, the pivots, and the knowing looks to band members were nothing short of mesmerising. To have a crowd in the palm of your hand when the songs are not quite there is truly astonishing.

Whilst their cannon currently lacks the hooks and anthems to catapult them further, it’s surely only a matter of time. On ‘Yellow’ and ‘High Horse’, the seeds of great songwriting are beginning to take root. Both brought the temperature down and gave the band space to breathe bringing the power of Black Honey and The Big Moon into play.

Trip Hazard set a standard at the Indie Cult Club that’s making their next moves unmissable.

Desperate Journalist: Chinnerys, Southend

London’s Desperate Journalist kicked off their UK tour at Southend’s Chinnerys last week. Playing for Indie Cult Club, it marked the run-up to their fifth album, ‘No Hero,’ which is out on September 27th via Fierce Panda Records.

*image courtesy of Indie Cult Club

Five tracks from No Hero feature in the set, with latest single ‘You Say You’re Lonely’ and ‘Unsympathetic Parts 1 & 2’ shining brightest. The former was nothing short of a pin-drop moment. The pain and anguish oozing through front woman Jo Bevan’s vocal was intoxicating at times, but she cut through it with the aid of the sumptuous keys, and her vocal uplifts that were worthy of pop music royalty. It’s so easy to see why Brett Anderson loves this band; it’s less so to understand why they’re not national treasures. On ‘Unsympathetic Parts 1 & 2’, bassist Simon Drowner’ bass playing is hitting its peak on the latter. Flitting between hopeful and crushing, pulling the intimate Southend faithful from dark to light whilst guitarist Rob Harvey sprinkled cinematic shimmering guitars to build an aching atmosphere.

Over the past three studio albums, the band has become a masterclass of emotional depth and gothic textures. But when they launch into the free-flowing "Why Are You So Boring?" Two songs in, they remind everyone that every so often, pop majesty lies beneath the blackened eyeliner.

It’s not all emotion-fraying Johnny Marr licks and Cocteau Twins moonlit eloquence. The mid-point is set ablaze by the poignant rollercoaster of ‘Cedars’. When they let their melodic instincts loose, Bevan goes from cult hero to rock icon. Her vocal wrapping around Harvey’s ecstatic guitars proves that band chemistry is still worth dying for. In set closer ‘Satellite’, they have a behemoth record of sending any crowd home with their jaw dragging the streets in awe.

Their backward, misspent youth gave the intimate Southend crowd something to cling to with teenage obsessive levels of devotion. Some bands entertain, but some can impart a devotion, a connection, that makes you howl their brilliance into the night in the hope that everyone will listen. Desperate Journalist are that band.  

Marseille – Godiva

Derby’s Marseille released their third EP ‘Godiva’ this past Friday via Bubblebrain Records. It follows 2023’s ‘The Dream Is Mine’, which led them to This Feeling’s stages at the Isle of Wight Festival and Y Not this summer. Can they maintain the momentum?

*banner image credit: Anya Maya Photography

Artwork and tour poster courtesy of Songbird PR.

Where the previous EP was primarily indebted to the Stone Roses and Ride’s jingle-jangle moments, ‘Godiva’ leans into The Verve and Ride’s heavier moments. ‘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’. This is partly due to frontman Will Brown’s vocals during 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.

Where ‘Monkey In The Middle’ stared down the world with its psychedelic directness, ‘She Can Fly’, as the title suggests, has a more ethereal quality. Without losing a scintilla of heft, Marseille have managed to jab and move here with exquisite poise.

With The Verve’s debut album, ‘Storm In Heaven’, as a guiding light, ‘She Can Fly’ leans into the melodic power of ‘Slide Away’. With fleeting moments of driving shoegaze dynamism, the band pays homage to its influences before embarking on its rippling exploration.

Stepping on and off the power provides the perfect counterpoint to the psyche assault of ‘Monkey in the Middle’, which Labrum intercuts with rippling guitar magic that strays from Andy Bell to John Martyn with a drool-worthy effortlessness.

Their love of the Roses loiters on the opener ‘You Don’t Belong To Me’ alongside the lo-fi driving fury of Oasis b-side ‘Alive’. The EP is victoriously sent off into the sunset by ‘If It Hurts Don’t Cry’. ‘Urban Hymns’ sprawling power unites with the majesty of ‘Champagne Supernova’ to make next summer all but redundant.

Marseille have proved time and time again that rock ‘n’ roll belongs in youth culture. Their time is now, and despite next year’s colossus returning, the future belongs to them.

Click the tour poster below for tickets to their upcoming shows: