Pynch – Beautiful Noise

London’s Pynch have followed up their critically acclaimed debut, ‘Howling At A Concrete Moon,’ with their new album, ‘Beautiful Noise’ (Chilliburn Records). It was recorded at the band's home studio in Brixton, with frontman Spencer Enock handling production duties and Los Campesinos cohort Jimmy Robertson overseeing the mixing.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band

‘Howling At A Concrete Moon’ was the finest coming-of-age record in a generation. Lost protagonists searching for hope amid a sea of austerity and races to the bottom. Without being an explicitly political record, it lit up the times in the bleak, grey brush strokes that were.

Fast forward two years, with hope still a distant dream for many, and so, ‘Beautiful Noise’ saddles up and searches for more meaning. ‘Forever’ comes out the gates with Grandaddy-esque production and the effortless summer cool of Real Estate as they yearn for “late nights to go see the world To find God in the eyes of a girl”. With the spirit of Billy Bragg’s ‘A New England’ coursing through it, Pynch land you straight back into their out-of-kilter world of Kerouac prose and Jonathan Richman vocals.

Enock’s development on studio duties is enriching on ‘Forever’, but on ‘Revolve Around You’, it gives the band new dimensions. The tinges of drum ‘n’ bass fold in the sound of cathartic chaos. The coming to terms with loss, with unfathomable heartache that catapults your soul into nights of empty sex and excessive booze:

“I lost myself chasing memories / Of things that were never there at all”

They channel their soul through coming-of-age tales, reaching a powerful peak on ‘Microwave Rhapsody’. It's where the divine cool of Is ‘This It’-era Strokes collides with the raw, unfiltered roar of Seafood, a sound both expansive and intimately wounded, as they gaze out across London’s grey skyline, wrestling with life’s big, unanswerable questions.

There’s a hypnotic chaos to their slower songs, a sense of losing control that grips the listener, claws into the spirit, and tears at self-doubt. Memories and dreams blur through their guitars like spectres; the past grins knowingly, its scars worn like armour. The joy, when it comes, is laced with sorrow, aware of its all too fleeting nature.

Elsewhere, they cut through the philosophical torment with the likes of ‘Supermarket’, ‘Hanging On A Bassline’, and ‘Come Outside’. ‘Supermarket’ whilst steeped in youthful estrangement, sonically plays with Graham Coxon and his inclination to b surrounded by “painter and decorators” in the Good Mixer to feel something real. ‘Hanging On A Bassline’ reimagines Beach Boys and The Strokes for London’s youth looking for its freedom. Meanwhile, on ‘Come Outside’, Enock duets with drummer Juliana Hopkins. The lightness of The Cure’s pop-goth guitars sprinkles fairy dust before they race with the glee of Sebadoh and the romance of The Wedding Present circa ‘Seamonsters’.

Pynch documents the isolating nature of your twenties with an innate sensitivity, but crucially, with a burning passion. They wander willingly to the edges of emotional cliffs, staring into the abyss, not with despair, but with curiosity. Music can be playful, even meaningless, but Pynch injects substance into their brand of rock ’n’ roll like a collision of T.S. Eliot and Irvine.

Elsewhere, they cut through the philosophical torment with the likes of ‘Supermarket’, ‘Hanging On A Bassline’, and ‘Come Outside’. ‘Supermarket’ whilst steeped in youthful estrangement, sonically plays with Graham Coxon and his inclination to b surrounded by “painter and decorators” in the Good Mixer to feel something real. ‘Hanging On A Bassline’ reimagines Beach Boys and The Strokes for London’s youth looking for its freedom. Meanwhile, on ‘Come Outside’, Enock duets with drummer Juliana Hopkins. The lightness of The Cure’s pop-goth guitars sprinkles fairy dust before they race with the glee of Sebadoh and the romance of The Wedding Present circa ‘Seamonsters’.

Pynch documents the isolating nature of your twenties with an innate sensitivity, but crucially, with a burning passion. They wander willingly to the edges of emotional cliffs, staring into the abyss, not with despair, but with curiosity. Music can be playful, even meaningless, but Pynch injects substance into their brand of rock ’n’ roll like a collision of T.S. Eliot and Irvine Welsh.

Pablo Carrizo – Bit of Me

Rising Hull starlet Pablo Carizzo recently released his third single, ‘Bit of Me’, via M. A. Promotions.

*banner image credit: Hayden Bell

Artwork credit: Alfie Stanford 

Like a lost classic from The Inbetweeners or Gavin & Stacey, ‘Bit of Me’ waltzes through 00s indie with charm and style, evoking memories of Converse stomping sticky floors and shouting ‘laaaandon’ to Jamie T.

The charming end of The Coral’s singles and Zutons links arms with the Violent Femmes on a sonic dalliance for indie kids to stomp feet and spill cider once again. His acoustic solo lifts this beyond 00s rehash with a skill level that demands respect.

Meanwhile, Carizzo’s breathy and soulful vocal toys with cadence a la Jack Penate’s debut to amp the allure. It demonstrates a wisdom and risk-taking approach that far exceeds his fledgling status. Easy to see why This Feeling tipped him back in January

Tuesday Night Whites - Time

Lancashire’s Tuesday Night Whites on the 19th September. Produced by Tom Hale, it was recorded at the now-defunct All Silk Recording Studio.

*banner image credit: Liam Maxwell

As The K’s announce their huge shows at Castleford Bowl and Halifax Piece Hall, the indie doors open wider. Emerging from the shadows, with The K’s songwriting style emblazoned across their hearts is ‘Time’.

An intro blessed with youth’s desire to break free is met with frontman Ollie’s most urgent vocal to date. Together, they capture a generation straining at the leash to be given their shot at glory.

Jack and Nathan’s guitars lean heavily into Ryan Breslin (The K’s) enthralling style, allowing an immediacy to rise up. Death-defying, desperate, and brilliant, these licks are going to catapult the band into a world that The K’s have opened for so many. Come one, come all. Bands. Are. Back!

The Cases – Leaving Behind

Preston outfit The Cases released their latest single ‘Leaving Behind’ last week. Recorded at Kempston Street Studios, it was produced by Chris Taylor (The Courteeners, The Coral, The Lathums.

*banner image credit: Izzy Scott

This autumn sees the band support The Lilacs, Arkayla, and travel to Sweden’s Viva Sounds. They’re a band on an upward curve in a hurry. This is reflected in their condensed intro on this ode to letting go.

Frontman Harry’s vocal cadence dances with a kind of youthful mischief, cleverly disguising the heartache woven through the lyrics. From the sting of unrequited love to the ache of rejection and the simmer of quiet resentment, The Cases channel the raw, tangled emotions of adolescence. Through Harry and Will’s guitars, they craft a build that feels less like a song and more like a rite of passage, a short, aching crescendo that doesn’t just echo teen angst, but exorcises it.

It may be a simple song with minimal thrills, but they do it well. They deserve their shot this fall, watch them take it.

The Utopiates - Montezuma

The Utopiates released their latest single, ‘Montezuma’, at the end of July via V2 Records. It’s the fourth single from the upcoming second album due in early 2026.

The previous three singles have taken the band on a journey away from the elegant baggy grooves of their debut album. ‘Neighbourhood’ and ‘Reputation’ took them to NYC and Nu-rave, whilst ‘Evanescent’ became their most left-field track to date with its Skint & Demoralised-esque spoken word.

Banner image & artwork courtesy of the band.

On ‘Montezuma’, the flirtations with LCD Soundsystem, Tom Vek, and The Rapture chill out and mesh with the effortlessness of the debut album. The bassline has the funk of those above but has been given Peter Hook’s iconic dose of bliss.  

The keys glisten on sun-kissed waves lapping over pristine beaches, allowing frontman Daniel Popplewell to paint pictures of love in technicolour. Lyrically, this is comfortably Popplewell’s finest moment to date. Too many writers leap to the feeling of love as a get-rich-quick songwriting scheme. Popplewell takes you on a journey from the bleakness of 9 to 5:

“So, pleased to meet you and what do you do? / I fake all these friendships for cash / It’s dragging me down and it’s stealing my prime”

Then reminds you of why you sell your soul to get there:

“Dream of the horizon / Close your eyes and see, / We lived and died in Montezuma”

The Utopiates may be in a lazy mode sonically here, but the creativity at play is making next year’s album a drool-worthy prospect.

Holy Youth Movement – Fearless

Bristol’s Holy Youth Movement have returned with their new single ‘Fearless’. It was produced and mixed by the legendary Jagz Kooner( Sabres Of Paradise/ Primal Scream / Andrew Weatherall) at his Stone Circle Studio.

*banner image credit: Alan Wells

Previous releases have conjured a mesh of Primal Scream and Kasabian. Intoxicating as they have been, in truth, they lacked their own presence to catapult them to the big time.

Step forward, ‘Fearless’.

The sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll of their previous work remain strong as they finally tip over into club classic territory. It’s a realm so many bands flirt with; few have the confidence or the skill to take the plunge, leaving it to others to remix.

Not HYM!

Frontman Tom Newman strikes a poignant tone in his delivery, whilst Tom “Schmidt” Smith’s synths distil the ecstatic joy of Underworld’s ‘Rez’ into a sensational hook. Whilst the gas has been stepped off, the potency remains prominent. The out-and-out club sonic has delicate guitars chiming with the lightest of touches, and basslines destined to be the catalyst for success.

As we approach closing party season, ‘Fearless’ is set to soundtrack lifelong memories and love-fuelled friendships with the skittish synths and defiant vocals soaring through night skies.

 Click the image to buy the hit debut novel from Wrestletalk’s Oli Davis.

The Guest List: Market Stage, Truck Festival

Altrincham’s The Guest List played the Market Stage last week at Truck Festival, and we were there to catch their set.

*image credit: The Real McCor

Having toured with Blossoms, the buzz around The Guest List was rife on the day of Truck Festival. Talk of a new Blossoms swelled, which gave us the jitters, truth be told. What Blossoms do is perfect, and they’ve left no vacuum.

What came next was a weekend-stealing set.

On Loose Tongue and ‘Canada’, they proved to the world that guitars will groove once again. Swooning hooks that move from the darkness to the light and then fall away again. ‘Canada’, a more obviously appealing record, proved their time with the Blossoms was well spent. Set opener ‘Loose Tongue’, however, armed with a more muscular sound, saw frontman Cai Alty drag the band from their Blossoms pop instincts to the guttural post-punk howls of Fontaines DC.

This middle ground is where The Guest List was at their best. Killing pop and illuminating the underground from one couplet to the next was beautiful, yes, but more importantly, powerful! It gave their former single ‘Mary’ the space to land all of its power. Alty strayed from Chatten to Ogden in the verses, but soon, the sweet spot he carved out was his own realm to do with as he wished. His vocals twisted with turmoil and rose with righteousness before tumbling again like all great underdogs. It was a masterclass in how to make us plebs fall in love with a band.

Then, on ‘161’, they unfurled an anthem for the lost, for the brave, for 161 men from Chapel Street in Altrincham who fought in WW1. Twenty-nine died in battle, and twenty more passed upon return.  It was blessed with the songwriting classicism of The Lathums and injected with Pete Doherty’s credibility. The lush melodies of their mentors, Blossoms, chimed with the masterful scouse arrangements of The Zutons and The Coral, united to prove that music can still leave a room in awe.

Guitar music hasn’t sounded this pure since Pete and Carl recited Wilfred Owen in the same mic. Long may Manchester reign supreme!

Wunderhorse: Main Stage, Truck Festival

Wunderhorse’s incredible run in 2025 cruised into Truck Festival on a scorching Saturday afternoon. The main stage had just been set alight by the indomitable spirit of CMAT, could Jacob Slater and co fan the flames further?

*banner image credit: This Is Gary

Image credit: This Is Gary

From the explosion of ‘Midas’ to the fraught ‘Teal’ to the emotionally charged ‘July’, Wunderhorse unveiled the blueprint for being in a band. A vivid chronicle of adolescence, tangled romances, and substance-fuelled chaos.

Crucial to their success is their overriding sense of realness. As sweat pours from Slater, you can visibly see his soul being left on stage. These moments of reckless joy, intertwined with alt-rock bands of the 90s and Neil Young, was met head-on by the crowd with despairing empathy and the kind adulating self-sabotage that only a band of the moment can extract.

Amidst the angst and turmoil, lay ‘Purple’ and ‘Teal. The former a delicate powerhouse of a single. Soulful, catchy, and blessed with rock ‘n’ roll’s desperation to be heard, and heard it was! A deafening roar of joy from the Truck crowd stemmed from crowd to stage, proof that to be an outsider is still the greatest place to reside! ‘Teal’, however, was a shimmering moment of US guitars lit up by the brooding working class of the UK. Slater’s vocals embodied hope. The kind that’s born amongst life-long friends, leaving school, drinking to the wee hours, and plotting to change the world.

On this balmy evening, feeling was anything but failing!

Image credit: This Is Gary

Maystones: This Feeling, Truck Festival

Following an eye-catching support slot for The Crooks at the 100 Club, Hertfordshire’s Maystones returned on the This Feeling stage at this year’s Truck Festival.

*banner image credit: Alan Wells

Image Credit: Alan Wells

Opening the This Feeling stage on Saturday, the four-piece picked up where they left off at the 100 Club. Their brooding slant on rock ‘n’ roll drew comparison to Wunderhorse, who would grace the main stage later that evening.

Raw and enigmatic, they blitzed through their set with punk’s archetypal intensity. For some bands, playing this weekend was fun; it was an experience to tell their friends about. For Maystones, this was real life. It was now or never, and their defiant brutality was here to fight.

They lit up the struggle of working-class bands through their angst-ridden desperation to prove themselves. Whilst the songs may not have been fully formed, they all banged, and they all had flourishes of excellence that would keep this captivated crowd coming back for more.

Image Credit: Alan Wells

Rolla: This Feeling Stage, Truck Festival

Manchester’s Rolla headlined This Feeling’s stage at Truck Festival two weeks ago today, and we were there to catch them.

*banner image credit: This Is Gary  

Image credit: This Is Gary  

Back in March Rolla supported Pastel on their UK tour. at the Dome in London, on a bigger stage, with a better PA, Rolla emerged from wannabes to serious contenders. Maintaining their intensity, they sounded fuller and broader, allowing more into their world of chaos.

This rich vein of form was carried into their headline slot and was a lesson to any young band watching on. The loyal, faithful got their fix, but their broader sound spread a wider net. Luck by lick, you could feel the unsuspecting inching closer, yearning to become one of the faithful.

Former single ‘Hey You’ was the finest exponent of this newfound confidence. While the mayhem of their early sound remains prominent, there’s now space for Luke McConnell and Tom Paddon’s guitars to breathe. The Nick McCabe-esque blasts from ‘Rolling People’ and the deranged glory of ‘Come On’ soared through the tent like the devil singing it’s the nature of my game.

Bassist Luke Gilmore was in fine fettle. His bass lines thundered with devastating effect on ‘We Owe You Nothing’ and throbbed with violent anticipation on ‘Hey You’. He set the tone throughout the set, allowing frontman Gilmore to bound around the stage like a loose cannon.

They professed to owe us nothing; they delivered a hell of a lot!

Image credit: This Is Gary

April Tapes: This Feeling Stage, Truck Festival

Chesterfield via Sheffield outfit April Tapes were second up on This Feeling’s stage on day 2 of Truck Festival this year. Sweltering heat had migrated in to challenge the hangovers and comedowns of day 1 overindulgence. Could they blow away the cowebs?

*banner image credit; Rhona Murphy

Image Credit: Rhona Murphy

They say timing is everything in music, and, in a testing heat, April Tapes’ blend of meandering introspection was the perfect tonic. Thoughtful prose and melancholic licks, which occasionally strayed into moments of euphoria, coerced a tentative crowd back to life.

Former singles ‘Reyt Fast’ and ‘Those Days’ breezed through the tent, suggesting their name will climb festival bills sooner rather than later. The former stomped its way to hearts and minds like lost indie underdogs Polytechnic and Two Wounded Birds, but with frontman Max Stokes’ indie take on Jonathan Richman, April Tapes are set to outrun the underdog tag. On ‘Those Days’, the coming-of-age sounds of The Goa Express came to life through the brooding guitars and rueful lyrics.

From their latest EP ‘Dead in Water’, ‘Salt Rock’ and ‘Grunge’ burned Brightest. The former was a gentle foray into the world of Seafood and Six By Seven. Whereas ‘Grunge’ saw bassist Bethan Evans take lead vocals and drag their outsider status to the edge of mainstream.

Truck Festival has a great knack for putting over new talent, and in 2025, the offshoots of a new era emerged. Out goes the spoken word post-punk craze, and in comes the likes of Maystones, The North, and April Tapes. Bands which blur the lines of indie and punk with melody and teenage angst always at their core.

The Bracknall: This Feeling, Truck Festival

Essex DIY success story The Bracknall played This Feeling’s stage at Truck Festival recently. Last time out in London, they headlined Lower Third with a stunning set. This slot was just thirty minutes, could they condense their form into a smaller slot?

*banner image credit: This Is Gary

Image credit: This Is Gary

From the moment the haunting pianos drop on ‘No Way Back For Me’, the air changes at Truck Festival. Rock ‘n’ roll had entered the festival and, through its dogged sense of glory, was going to leave a resounding mark upon all who witnessed.

Former single ‘Get Better’ tapped into the key changes that made us all fall in love with Noel for the first time around, and through the gutsy vocals of Jack Dacey, bred an underdog status that demanded everyone’s emotional investment.

Image credit: This Is Gary

Anthemic sing-alongs nailed, they then brought the noise and confusion with ‘Make It Happen’, Visceral guitars and violent vocals united on this righteous line in the sand. Defiant self-belief on a gargantuan scale roared through the This Feeling tent. As they hit fever pitch, Ed Smith announced himself to the festival as a generational guitar talent. His explosive solo stared into the devil’s eyes and made Satan sit down!

‘I Don’t Understand It’ from their debut album closed proceedings with such grandeur you’d be forgiven for thinking it was Knebworth. The bluesy bohemia of early Kings of Leon collided with the windswept glory of Soundtrack Of Our Lives on the weekend’s one true moment of majesty. Layer upon layer of melody, hope, and togetherness fed through the band with an ease that led them to fold in ‘Love Spreads’. There was an ease and confidence to their playing which offered hope to bands to stick with it. The spotlight may take a while to come, but when it does, be ready, know who you are, and unleash it upon all and sundry with unwavering integrity.

The Bracknall’s latest album and this performance prove a working-class hero is still someone to be, that rock n roll will never die and that maybe, we could all see things they’ll never see once again.

Image credit: This Is Gary

The North: This Feeling Stage, Truck Festival

Leeds outfit The North burst onto the scene in January in our New Band Spotlight and then straight onto John Kennedy’s Xposure show on Radio X. It felt fitting that radio icon Kennedy would introduce them for their debut festival slot at Truck Festival in the This Feeling tent.

*banner image credit: Alan Wells

It may be seven months later, but that fiery momentum at the start of 2025 was burning bright still. Wave upon wave of teenage angst and indie-punk rock was unfurled upon a packed tent.

Image Credit: Alan Wells

In an era of post-punk excess, it felt natural that what would come next would be a melodic rock ‘n’ roll band as the antithesis. However, through gritty licks, snarling vocals, and a furious yet melodic rhythm section, The North realigned post-punk to its biting best.

On ‘She’, they tapped into the more eloquent moments of Bloc Party’s debut. As they chased victory and caressed dreams with their angelic licks, they came of age and took a generation with them.

On ‘Soundtrack Your Soul’ they can march into any festival and light it up with an instant classic. On record, it’s divine. Live, it was an enthralling joyride of teenage hope destined to overspill and save souls!

It may have been their first ever festival, but The North proved they are the real deal!

Image Credit: Alan Wells

Good Health Good Wealth: This Feeling Stage, Truck Festival

Last year, they breezed into the This Feeling tent at Truck Festival, mid-afternoon and stole the effing show. Effortless, playful and slick af, GHGW laid bare their credentials.

*banner image credit: This Is Gary

Image Credit: This Is Gary

Fast forward a year, and they headline the same tent. There’s a national tour to support, and anticipation for a debut album is sky high.

Pressure? What Pressure!

Frontman Bruce Breakey, resplendent in his white Sergio Tacchini tracky top, had a poise and grace to his delivery that said farewell to the smallest stage of Truck Festival and gave a knowing smile to main stage.

On ‘Snatch’, he put all of the UK’s grand stages on notice. With the smoky groove of Baxter Dury and the attitude of Audio Bullys, he is taking the sound of a cult classic to the precipice of a cultural anthem.

Breakey’s progression is notable, but it’s Simon Kuzmickas where the stark improvement lay. Twelve months ago, Kuzmickas looked good and was a fine aide to Breakey. In 2025, he comes as his equal. Excelling with solos, dipping the tempo with delicate licks when needed, he is now a master of his craft and together they feel force to be reckoned with.

Image Credit: This Is Gary

Sleeper: Chinnerys, Southend

90s icons Sleeper took to Chnnerys in Southend last Friday to play for Indie Cult Club.

Since their return in 2017, Sleeper have been gracing big stages and Festival headline slots. So it was a rare treat for the 600 who crammed into the seaside venue on a balmy summer’s evening.

*image credit: Oscr Visuals

And what a treat it was!

2019’s comeback album, ‘The Modern Age’, as credible a comeback as any from the Britpop contingent, featured thrice in the set. ‘Look At You Now’ cuts through the mid-90s singles with Louise Wener’s elegant performance and Jon Stewart’s warped homage to the Pixies on guitar.  ‘The Sun Also Rises’, crisp and aloof, worked the room like an IT girl, knowing everyone's secrets. Meanwhile, ‘Cellophane’s hooks hit like a hammer while Wener served up a boisterous vocal to unite a rapturous crowd.

Elsewhere, the set is littered with classics that lit up the UK from ’94 to ’97. ‘Statuesque’ shone brightest as the Southend faithful bounced in unison, defying their years. Stewart’s playing was muscular and aggressive, allowing Wener to parade the stage and perform the song instead. ‘Delicious’ sounded as cute and vibrant as ever, and ‘Sale of the Century’ blitzed its way through the sweat-filled room with the freedom of a teenager coming of age.

This summer may be about other 90s bands, but Sleeper proved their tales of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll will live forever with the same potency.

Theatre Royal – A Change of Weather

Rochester’s Theatre Royal are back with their sixth studio album ‘A Change of Weather’. Recorded at Ranscombe Studios, the record was produced by fellow Medway soul Jim Riley and is released by the impeccable label Spinout Nuggets.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

Middle age comes to us all; how we choose to approach it remains a personal choice. Fortunately, motorbikes and affairs at Coldplay gigs are not for our Kent heroes. They’ve allowed life’s natural slowing-down process to filter into their songwriting to fine effect. There’s a reflective tone percolating throughout which, on ‘Saturday Son’, is not without its questioning of what they’re becoming. The angelic vocals from Oliver Burgess and the dreamlike guitars allow their uncertain rhetoric to swell with heightened poignancy.

 Former single ‘Souvenir’ and album opener ‘In Time’ follow a similar pattern. The former, tinged with the stomp of classic R’n’B, Northern Soul and the bubble gum pop of the Lightning Seeds’ Ready or Not’ tackles not letting go of the past. ‘In Time’ leans into the estuary blues and greens warmth of their Medway peers The Claim, Beatles harmonies, and post-2010 Edwyn Collins as they eloquently explore being out of time.

In places, A Change of Weather turns to folk influences for the first time in their careers. On ‘Feet First’, they blend the whimsical pop of Noah & The Whale with the charm of Stornoway. Whereas, ‘Angelina’s strings evolve Portland’s Decemberists into a Kent countryside ramble. Both feel like a natural fit for Theatre Royal and raise the question: should they transition into the genre full-time?

Their archetypal sound has not disappeared, though. It still informs their twisting melodies throughout. ‘Feel A Lot Better’ and ‘Thrown Up Grown Up’ are both best with the riotous glee of former greats ‘Port Bou’ and ‘Locked Together On the Lines’. Then, on ‘Welsh Coastal Towns’, they serve up the album's finest moment and perhaps their best since ‘French Riviera 1988’. The frenetic jingle-jangle is accompanied by pulsating brass parts, taking them from The Jam to Phil Spector. It’s the romantic classic The Wedding Present forgot to write. The beauty and frustration of family holidays haven’t sounded this good since the Griswolds went to Walley World. Burgess’ prose and his vocal cadence are nostalgic, vital, and simply brilliant

Six albums in, the creative well has certainly not run dry. With the folk influences creeping in, it feels like a fresh start for one the UK’s hidden treasures. If there was any justice in the world, recognition would go beyond the iconic John Kennedy and Steve Lamacq as it is, those who know, know. Those who don’t, should.

Brògeal - Tuesday Paper Club

Falkirk’s Brògeal released their latest single, Tuesday Paper Club, recently. It’s accompanied by previous releases ‘Vicar Street Days’ and ‘Friday On Mind’, which will all feature on their debut album ‘Tuesday Paper Club’, released October 17th via Play It Again Sam.

*Banner image credit: Sam McGill

Artwork courtesy of TE-AM

If you’re going to invoke the greats like the Pogues, then, like Oasis did on ‘Definitely Maybe’ with the Beatles, the Stones, and T-Rex, you best come armed with heaven-sent melody. ‘Tuesday Paper Club’ does just that. This indie folk-punk riot sees frontman Aidan Callaghan deliver a vocal breakdown that sounds like Christy Moore fronting The Pogues in an inspired moment of songwriting.

Then, on ‘Vicar Street Days’, the official anointment to the throne of the finest new band around is made. Tinged Frank Turner’s romantic woes circa ‘Better Days’, the life-affirming stomp of The Wonder Stuff, and the earnest beauty of Billy Bragg drown the senses on this instant classic.

Wave upon wave of coming-of-age melody oozes from this ode to saying goodbye to a lost friend. Great pop song? Yes, but there's something more powerful at play. Defiance, via love and celebration, lights up this record as the most joyful eulogy ever constructed.

‘Friday On My Mind’ veers from the raw energy of Fontaines D.C. to the sharp hooks of The Ordinary Boys but never loses sight of its identity; this is no mere pastiche.

This EP marks a return to great melodic songwriting by life’s outsiders. Rebels have professed a lot of causes of late; they’ll achieve nothing without great songs, and Brògeal have them in abundance.

The world is theirs for the taking on October 17th.

My Raining Stars - Momentum

Thierry Haliniak’s My Raining Stars returned this summer with their latest album ‘Momentum’. It follows 2022’s fine ’89 Memories’, can it match up to its quality?

‘Momentum’ is available via their Bandcamp page.

’89 Memories’ was indebted to the lush melodies of the early 90s indie-pop and shoegaze scene in the UK. Whilst these hallmarks remain, there is a newfound directness to Haliniak’s songwriting, causing a stir here. Opener ‘For Good’ puts Johnny Marr’s hook-making skills through Andy Bell’s psychedelic prism to great effect. Whilst not full throttle in tempo, there is an urgency pouring out of ‘For Good’ that demands serious attention. ‘Lost in the Wild’ follows this more direct route with punchy, breathy vocals and defiant blasts on the guitar. Haliniak’s playing strays into the gothic overtures of The Cure, allowing a melancholic beauty to swell around the lysergic ‘Sonic Flower Groove’ artistry. ‘The Cost Within’ takes all that was good from ’89 Memories’ and is between the paisley singles era of Stone Roses and The La’s to conjure the jingle-jangle moment of the year.

All great shoegaze bands attempt to make coming-of-age records. It’s a default setting that all dreamers with pedals have. On ‘Special Place’ and ‘Stop the Time’, My Raining Stars enter said realm. The former opens with “There’s a place I know you’ve never seen”, from here on, Haliniak acts as the effortlessly cool friend who takes you to the best books, music and clothes. Sonically massive, spiritually pure, ‘Special Place’ hits hard with poignancy and, as the drums begin to close in on you like an anxiety dream, Haliniak’s solo heals with its divinity. ‘Stop the Time’ is steeped in rock ‘n’ roll desperation, of a longing to be heard. Haliniak’s ethereal vocals struggle to find space to breathe as the guitars come to the fore. It gives the song a cinematic quality, where the protagonists' arduous journey to triumph is against all odds.  

‘Manhattan’ close the album out with the finest Brian Jonestown Massacre homage written in a decade. Mid-paced, psych-guitar-driven tracks, beset with great drama, close out this album in the heroic style it richly deserves.

What comes next for My Raining Stars must be word-of-mouth success. Accept the challenge and spread the love!

All The Young - Bad Blood

Cult icons All The Young have released their second single of 2025. ‘Bad Blood’ was self-released on the 13th June and follows the instant classic ‘Demons’.

‘Demons’ was a deeply personal record, one that examined the relationship of a rock n roll partner. This confessional style continues on ‘Bad Blood’ as they explore the break-up of lead guitarist Tom Crompton’s former band.

Image & artwork courtesy of the band.

Poignant guitars shimmer with echoes of the past as Dooley’s vocal searches the most agonising moments of the fallout. Although not technically about All The Young, it’ll be hard for fans to escape that feeling.

The notion that the third album has to be the masterpiece is probably a bit alien in 2025. For those like All The Young who straddle different eras, it’s still worth striving for. Something seemingly on their mind when Crompton’s solo comes. In both 2010 and 2022, we suspect they would have unleashed a wall of sound at this point. Instead, they unfurl a lighter, almost ethereal but warped moment of majesty to light up yesteryear’s torment.

Dooley’s vocal cadence is nothing short of masterful in 2025. Knowing when to refrain, when to hit the power of ‘Welcome Home’, and when to let his penchant for emotive melody to soar. He tugs on the heartstrings as he lets some couplets fade, and ramps up the bitterness in others when he steps on the gas.

If 2022’s ‘Tales of Grandeur’ was a return to form, then their third album is shaping up to be a masterclass in songwriting.

Ryan Dunn – Lovin’ You

Former Gazelle frontman Ryan Dun released his second single, ‘Lovin’ You’, last week. It followed his debut solo venture ‘Ale House Blues’ in 2024, can it stack up to the promise shown/

‘Ale House Blues’ was indebted to Dylan circa ‘Bringing It All Back Home’. This time out, we see Dunn in a buoyant Motown mood akin to the back end of his former band, Gazelle.

Image % artwork courtesy of Ryan Dunn.

Dun lands himself instantly in the melody and beats of Stevie Wonder and Frank Wilson on this soul-pop gem. At points, he counters the uplifting northern soul with moments of real drama and intensity as a wall of sound eclipses the sunnier climates.

Vocally, this is Dunn’s most varied performance to date. He moves from Smokey’s angelic side of soul to Sam Cooke’s defiant nature with a grace that warrants serious attention!

Two singles deep and any ghosts of his former band are showing no sign of haunting Dunn. His eyes are focused on reimagining the classics for the modern age, and the results are triumphant.