New Beats Media» Reviews

I Call Fives Album Review

Margo Gontar — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 20:30:00 +0000

Do you know that simulation of joy? Found in smiles of people around you or in the tracks of bands that your friend has told you about and claim they are best in the world. I don’t know about you guys, but personally, I hate those things.

There’s nothing to be worried about here though, I Call Fives really know how to do their thang.

The guys have just released their début full length self-titled album. The album was produced by Paul Leavitt who has worked with Yellowcard and All Time Low. He really knows how to work with début titles and has recently produced Avastera’s debut EP.

Here we have a good old uplifting summertime pop punk album full of joyous tunes in best traditions of Sum 41 and Blink 182, along with bad ass post hardcore guitar riffs.. You believe I Call Fives, because there’s nothing fake about these guys.

People may take the opinion that sometimes there’s not a lot differences between the tunes and it may sound like one long song and not 11 individual tracks. But hey – that’s what happiness looks like.. So it’s one, but long, 11-tracks-long of happiness.

This album makes everything feel good, the feeling is real and stays with you.

The Blue Screen of Death – Leave the Future Behind

Kate Walker — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 14:45:33 +0000

With a name that would strike fear in the hearts of most people in today’s technology times, The Blue Screen of Death is instantly interesting. Indeed this transgresses well into their music, not only in sound but more generally in their style and the atmosphere their music creates.

Opener Let It Go sets you up to do just that, forget all about the musical expectations you have and be open-minded to what lies ahead. The electric guitar interludes are worthy of a head-bang or two. From their lyrics their ethos is clear, ‘Now you see it, now you don’t / Just let it go’, giving the listener a sense that they’re as care free and as laid back as they come.

Highlight Fool’s Façade showcases the bands talent with jagged and edgy guitar parts that run throughout the whole track to create a funky number you can strut down the street to – rain or shine. Imaginative and original lyrics put the icing on their cake, honest, blunt and relatable; ‘The world will see you’re fake / Within the walls of your façade / Never show them who you are’.

The honesty of the band puts them a chord above the rest, their humour and quick wit coming through their music to let the listener know that although the take their music seriously, there is still fun to be had. For a band to incorporate such a variety of factors into their music is unusual. At times this formula of spinning plates falters slightly in that the music becomes a chaotic mash of chords; however this is part of the overall appeal. A band that is perfect all of the time is lacking not only in originality but also something relatable.

Back Against The Wall packs another punch that’s a little rough around the edges. The vocals take a back seat to the overall impression of the track, allowing the drum and guitar work to shine through to an impressive end.

To name the final track of an album as Fatal Error for any band is a subconscious risk, however it closes The Blue Screen of Deaths album with pride. The more relaxed and casual tone to the track adds in a missing element to the album. Plus, it includes the band’s name, ‘I must confess, I’m obsessed with the screen of death’ so you’ll be sure to remember them once the album comes to a close – subtle.

Although a little lacking in lustre and energy, the band still has a vibe around them that’s cool and a little bit quirky. However they would be more suited playing in small venues than big festivals and stadiums without the catchy anthems that are dominating the industry at the moment.

The Clocks Have Ticked Too Long -Avastera

Margo Gontar — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 15:01:47 +0000

Want to hear some Australian post hardcore? Well take a listen to this from the guys at Avastera – that’s Mike Lang on Lead Vocals, Chris Hanssen on Vocals and Guitar, Dave Thoomes on Bass, Chris Crole on Guitar and Jamie Savage on Drums. They have prepared their début EP The Clock Have Ticked Too Long produced by Paul Leavitt (Who has worked with big names like Yellowcard).

Amidst wild lead guitar, sophisticated drums, dulcet vocals, occasional screamo and – oh! – even clean piano lies sensual lyrics about relationships and tough life choices. These poetic layers gives The Clocks Have Ticked Too Long a juicy, dynamic and groovy sound which flows smoothly in its teenage dreamy tone.

Though frankly speaking, it’s not just purely post hardcore. Moreover, the guys themselves describe their genre as a symbiosis of post hardcore, alternative rock and pop punk, which is not a very strange thing to hear nowadays. This genre definition explains a lot about the uplifting sounds throughout the EP.

Their music is described as appealing to the taste of fans of Anberlin and A Day To Remember. Well it certainly sounds very similar to these artists but maybe a younger and sweeter A Day To Remember, less dramatic and sweeter Anberlin (yep, a sweeter Anberlin – there IS such a thing). Avastera’s EP sounds exactly how the cover looks – a yellow dahlia, surrounded by dark blue, indigo tracery but still it warms you from its sunny depth.

Album Review | Kyle Fosburgh – The Traveller’s Journey

James Hobson — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 18:28:59 +0000

Released on the 1st November was the American steel string guitarist Kyle Fosburgh’s second solo guitar album, The Traveller’s Journey. This is a rare type of album in that it is in the tradition of the solo instrument genre. It is almost like the modern day version of Bach’s Partitas or Paganini’s Caprices but following in the footsteps of John Fahey or the most excellent Leo Kottke. It is a collection of 12 pieces of hauntingly soothing acoustic guitar music played on the twelve and six string guitars. A piece of artwork at heart, these are pieces of music that are intended to conjure up images in the mind of one’s quest for truth in life and the obstacles that life can give you along the way. Inspiring? Let’s have a listen…

This is a deep album, it requires a few listens and a bit of maturing in the mind before you can open yourself up to the conceptual possibilities on offer here. These days musical releases can be kind of bite size and easy to digest so it is wonderful to come across a release of such creativity and tradition. After a few listens the songs mature in your mind and you notice the little nuances and melodic patterns below the surface. You then realise that this is much bigger than you thought. The tones audible on the top are serving to accentuate the rhythm and melody that is more felt than heard. Being a guitarist myself I suppose I am more likely to appreciate just simply the sounds the strings make and the different picking patterns used but I think that the music has a timeless beauty to it that anyone, given the right state of mind wouldn’t fail to appreciate.

Stand out moments include the wonderful chord play and major – minor switching on The Redwoods, the wonderful mandolin like effect on the opening track Fandango, and the rather groovy slide action on Peddler. Not to mention the excellent tonal colouring of Every Child Born. This cd explores the guitar, but the only critical thing I can say about it is that I don’t know that it expands it. Artists such as Andy Mckee are broadening the spectrum of sounds that one may produce with the acoustic guitar and I feel that this release could benefit from perhaps being a touch more modern in the sense that it could captivate its listeners much quicker. Because it is a beautiful collection of recordings and these releases are so few and far between that it needs to be appreciated by all. Melodic, conceptual, percussive, gorgeously American and placidly epic, this needs checking out.

One Arm's Length : History Of The Trade

Kate Walker — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 13:03:33 +0000

With successes such as supporting the likes of Feeder and Florence and the Machine, you’d expect great things from History of the Trade. Yet it’s not until the chorus of their track One Arm’s Length that they really show their true colours and play into a comfortable stride. The steadily increasing pace is enjoyable, the track progressing into a more commercial and mainstream set up.

‘Everything is kept at one arm’s length’ suggests a song about something a little torturous and a little painful, sung empathetically so that the listener can feel the emotion of their words. What makes History of the Trade interesting however is that the lyrics are almost obsolete when the track is taken as a whole. The blend of the music, lyrics and harmonies create a track which works as a sum of its parts and doesn’t need to be divided into individual elements to extract its worth at the tracks peak points. History of the Trade are definitely onto a winner.

Single Review : Limozine - Tokyo 1970

James Hobson — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 22:08:03 +0000

London based rock ’n ’rollers Limozine are set to release their new single Tokyo 1970 November 19th on Beat Atlas records. Their previous three full albums have all been met with great acclaim and their next one You’ve Been Limozined (set for release may 2013,) looks to receive the same warm welcome from the rock ’n’ roll scene.

Tokyo 1970 is two and a half minutes of what is now classic rock. It’s a pastiche of everything that was rock and roll, everything we used to listen to but recorded and released in a day and age that thinks its past all of that. So it is good to see a band still sticking to it and singing the virtues and freedom of rock and roll as it was. What you have within the song is much like you will have heard before; it’s the rock and roll formula. Punky, committed vocals, solid drums and dirty guitar riffs, it’s like a British Ramones all grown up. The track packs some serious punch in its recording and pure attitude and it is a party track through and through. It is however a two minute track of faith. This is a band who play rock and roll to the people who love rock and roll, and you can decide for yourself whether or not you think it is relevant today in comparison with music that is more a la mode. I could list rock ‘n’ roll review buzz words such as ‘sleazy,’ ‘booze-filled’ and ‘Guns n Roses,’ but at the end of the day you just have to listen to it and enjoy it for what it is, two minutes of rock and roll indulgence. I can’t say fairer than that.

Liz Lawrence - Oo Song

Kate Walker — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 11:54:32 +0000

If you haven’t heard of Liz Lawrence, then now is the time to get listening out for her. Her vocals are like silk to your ears with an added edge that leaves you feeling refreshed and contented. Somewhat resonant of the likes of Florence and the Machine, there is suggested power behind her voice that isn’t quite used to its full advantage. There is simply something beautiful in the way she performs Oo Song that makes you want to hear more, ‘All those seeds you sow / where do they go’, placing a smile on your face no matter what your mood.

With a clever title like Oo Song, Lawrence sets you up for a clever little number in tow – and she doesn’t disappoint. Indeed the chorus consists of varying intonations of ‘uh-oo, ooo’, which is to be expected, but becomes something a little bit special when sung by her sweetened vocals and are memorable from the first listen. The fact you can easily sing along without fear of getting the lyrics wrong is an added bonus.

What’s more interesting about her song however, is the fact you can take several layers from it. Whether your wanting a song for face-value happiness with a cheery back track and lifting guitar riff, or something with deeper meaning on the ever-popular subject of love and loss; ‘the seasons change but that quite frankly bores you’, Lawrence has it all and executes it with deceptive ease.

Engaging and mesmerising even on record, Lawrence has produced something that many artists fail to achieve — a song worth listening to from beginning to end, and then placed on repeat.

Single review : Damn Vandals - This Amazing

James Hobson — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 11:23:04 +0000

This single, taken from London based Damn Vandals’ recently released début album Done For Desire, is a joy. It is two tracks of tasteful rock music writing. On first listen you will find that it sounds instantly classic, it reminds me of the epically sprawling American rock music of thirty years ago. But this time it isn’t good because you have heard it before, it is good because this time a band has written music that is instantly classic.

Its key stand out point is the vocals. Deep, raw and very distinctive they are rocky but without any hint of pretension. They sound like the gravelly vocals of a tormented soul and layered over the solid musical background and beautifully subtly written guitar melodies it is a pleasure to hear. Speaking of the guitar melodies soaring over the tracks, they are inspired. They aren’t trying to be flashy like so many other bands making this kind of music. The playing isn’t from your average virtuoso-wannabe, it’s not trying to hog all your attention, it’s there to add to the whole aura of the tracks. It adds the extra dimension that separates this band from the rest. The landscapes they paint are vast, flat and epic. Instantly romantic but deeply masculine at the same time. The only thing this reviewer would say is that I would like to hear more of the guitar, but what more can I say? The tracks reverberate with quality on every beat and they are well worth checking out for yourself.

Single Review | Show Me Mercy

James Hobson — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 18:31:19 +0000

Photography by Mike Gatiss

Following the warm reception that was given to their previous two singles, the groovy Slam the Door, and the brown sugar like Candy Snake, Mancunian blues — soul three piece Turrentine Jones come back with their latest single, Show Me Mercy.

This song has more of that lovely brand of laid back grooving and warm, droning organ. Tweedy guitar and soulful vocals are held together with subtle, then gloriously splashy percussion. What gives the song its stand out edge is the use of that Hammond organ providing rich tone and bass. The sound of it is just delightful, and there’s a real feel of integrity and tradition about the whole thing. These guys seem to have the knack of recording contemporary, genuine blues music and giving it a smoky warm edge and making it all seem as though it required minimal effort to complete. The track listens like a fine jacket, no frills to the eye, but you know it is of the finest quality. The track seems to grow and grow each time you listen to it, giving a little more with each repeat. Quality stuff.

M83 at the Arches

Sarah Henderson — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:28:37 +0000

I have been looking forward to this gig for as long as I can remember, the fact I had ticket number 4 only proved this fact further.

The doors opened at 7 and the gig started promptly at 7.30 with opening band Porcelain Raft playing, I have listened to a few of their singles but that did not do them justice at all. These are definitely a live band and M83 did an excellent pick for support.

But unfortunately this is where the night went a bit downhill, it seems The Arches single roomed venue was a new thing for Anthony Gonzales and his tech team. Literally 1 hour later, M83 entered, obviously spirits had already been dampened by the extended wait but this seemed to all dissolve once the first note of intro started and carried on, they came out with some of their top hits which got the crowd moving like we were at an underground rave, despite the few tech issues that could still be heard the masses didn’t seem to care at this point.

Unfortunately this absolute belter of an opener ceased and they followed it up with an extremely lengthy set of songs from their new (and much overlong) album, arguably they were a mass of good songs but that’s all they seemed to be, a mass on songs which even had the most die-hard fans growing bored.

They understandably clawed it back when they brought out the super hit Midnight City this was a sure fire way to get everybody forget about ever feeling uninterested and reminded again why they came.

Unfortunately the lengthy wait between bands also meant they didn’t make the 10pm curfew so had to end a few songs short of their regular set.

All in all a good gig but I have a feeling they can do 100 times better. It hasn’t put me off seeing them again and I believe the 2000 fans tonight would agree.

Rap Is Power Promotional Video

The Beat — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 21:47:32 +0000

Introducing Rap Is Power and his promotional video for his eagerly awaited new mixtape L.O.V.E (Living Our Vision Everyday). The mixtape will be launched on the 14th of April and is set to be a huge hit with current and new fans. R.I.P is set to take the rap scene by storm this year and will definitely see all his hard work and long hours turn into a successful mixtape launch. 2012 will be the year R.I.P makes his name as one of the best up and coming rap artists not only in his home town of Duval, Jacksonville but the world. So sit back and get to know Rap Is Power.

More About Rap Is Power

Rap Is Power : Column #1
Rap Is Power — Duval’s Prodigy
R.I.P.(RapIsPower)
R.I.P website

Join the forum discussion on this post

Attention - The New Folk Is Here

James Hobson — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:43:28 +0000

Photos taken by Design House

This month, from Manchester’s soil springs Brit Rock band The Words’ debut album, Truth and Faith.

The album is a surprising one, and by that I mean surprising in a good way, it’s a good solid fashioned rock music release. Honest lyrics, homely imagery and understated but mature guitar work.

On the cd you will find none of the kind of disjointed danciness or quirky rhythmic noises you might expect from a 2011 release. The album isn’t trying to be anything, its not trying to trick you, it’s the kind of album that accompanies a pint in the local over the pool table, or in the background of an inner city back garden barbeque gathering on an orangey yellow summer afternoon. It may seem funny to say but its not even trying to be ‘cool.’ Wait, hold on, it’d be better to say fashionably unfashionable. Or even unknowingly good. What I mean is when you listen to it, you don’t picture a bunch of silver spoon Topman fops pretending to be deep and brooding with fringes a falling and blazers a size too small. There’ll be no lingering stares into the camera lens in the video, none of that. But you may say that maybe a band needs at least a little of this, a little forced mystery, a little feigned emotion maybe to capture the hearts of the music downloading public. At least at first… But listening to this album with its solid simple construction, northern accents and easy feel you are more reminded of traditional music. It is as though this music is becoming ingrained into the nation’s psyche as being the new folk. Folk re-imagined for these decades of supermarket and coffee chains, of foreign footballers and recession. More akin to the likes of that great British band The Levellers. Once the instance happens where you imagine it in this context, you cannot shake the sentiment, the album comes alive to you and you only see it for what it is. Unpretentious, simple and good. Its as though as British people we should factor music like this into our lives on the medical pretence that it’s good for you.

Photos taken by Design House

Zooming in onto it now, strong tracks on this album are Siren, a racy nostalgic number, Demons, a slower acoustic number rendered memorable by its consistent bright strumming and windy lyrical waltzing, Head Over Heels, a reminiscent dance, embellished with some original guitar riff – action and the authors particular favourite, Stand Up Sit Down. A good raucous British romp complete with violin and banjo and chant-along chorus. An excellent song.

As for weak points, I wont waste your time pointing out single songs and picking them apart, but my only criticism would be that some of the ballad singing work doesn’t seem to gel with the rest of the piece, but, you can decide for yourself when you inevitably google them after reading this.

At the end of the day, you can’t really go wrong with this one. It’s got a kind of timelessness, which is rare. You will listen Stand up sit down over and over again, and it will remind you of how great Britain can be. Bands like this are a large part of what remains of our national identity and are to be treasured. A good, proud album, come of hard work and a long time. But of course, it won’t tell you so…

Time for me to stop typing, thanks for reading.

I didn’t even mention Oasis once…

…damn.

Maya Yianni at McQueen

Dizz — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:10:43 +0000

A handful of people collect around a dim stage; it’s early, a Wednesday night, and people sip their drinks nonchalantly. Maya Yianni fits effortlessly into the crowd, seemingly inviting them up on stage with her as she steps up, casually and without nerves, chatting into the microphone with as much ease as if she was standing right here, beside you. It is the same effect when the first notes begin to spiral out, not the notes that might be expected of a 5’2″ petite blonde. They are not sweet notes, they are not small notes; this is a big voice that zaps the nonchalance from the room within two bars. It’s a voice that fills the room, and yet remains exquisitely unimposing, paired with only a bare minimum of acoustic that allows every syllable to shine, every lyric to hit with equal notice.

The twenty minute set is a blend from quick to slow, jazz and soul and folk mixed into one voice that scales through an immense range with as much ease as if she had just got up on stage for a quick chat. Highlights included Foolish and He said; both tunes with realistic overtones, lyrics that tell a story about a common friend, that ease you into conversation.

Now is the time to catch this girl before the quiet venues get too cramped, as her voice is one that draws in the outsiders, will eventually draw in a big crowd. Simple and yet silencing, Maya Yianni sings with no pretension, as if she is just waiting for you to be there to listen, so she can say hello.

Lowkey Finally Releases The Soundtrack To The Struggle

Alex Wilson — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:46:11 +0000

On the 16th of October 2011 an album was released, the importance of which is, I believe, unsurpassed in the world of hip-hop. The artist is Lowkey – an idol to some, and unknown to the others. The album is Soundtrack to the Struggle.

Soundtrack to the Struggle has, in Lowkey’s own words, been “a quarter century in the making”, and thus the music, the vocal delivery, and the lyrical content’s devastating attack on social and political structures, is the maturation, the ripening, the distillation of a career in which one man has tried to be heard – independently, and without the support of a record-label who, he fears, would stifle his dissenting voice.

The album’s devastating lyrical attack aims its crosshairs at the US’s invasion of the Middle-East, the perpetration of torture and war-crimes by the West, racism, Israel and Palestine, state-sponsored terrorism and many other issues of worldwide injustice. He also delves into more introspective and personal topics such as mental illness, the respect of women and the struggle of being an independent artist. There’s even a track on the album, called Terrorist Part 2, in which he makes an anticipatory defence against the various criticisms that are certain to bombard him as a result of the issues revealed throughout the album.

Whilst there is already a growing trend towards politically conscious rap artists (some of whom are featured on the album), what makes Soundtrack to the Struggle so devastating to the systems that it attacks is just how astonishingly good the music is. Lyrical content aside, this album has provided an answer to something I have long been searching for. As a fan of music across many genres I have always longed for hip-hop that transcends the parameters imposed by genre. Now, Soundtrack to the Struggle has made a very big step towards this with its epic use of strings, choirs, guitars, horns, synths and orchestral percussion, along with a huge variety of vocal styles from a selection of guest singers and rappers, as well as influences from a range of musical genres from across the world. Despite its dynamic range of influences, the album manages to retain a strong sense of cohesion and structure. All this is supported and enhanced by its very impressive production. From the elegiac poignancy of Haunted with its washy dreamscapes, to the epic call-to-arms that is Blood, Sweat and Tears or Million Man March, to the summery and celebratory sound of Too Much, the production continuously provides as much musical interest as Lowkey does lyrical interest. And, perhaps most importantly, what Lowkey has very intelligently done is to make sure that almost every track is insanely catchy, giving the messages contained within the lyrics the legs to spread and to stick.

Since the release of Soundtrack to the Struggle, I have been so exciting about its success, and the implications of this success. The hip-hop world has been abuzz with anticipation for some time, but now it seems that Lowkey is erupting into the mainstream to some degree. The album has received BBC radio-time and had amazing success on Amazon and iTunes, and even sat on top of an Eminem release in charts. And, with a media buzz, various gig-dates around the country, singles and many videos (produced by the excellent GlobalFaction outfit), it looks like Lowkey’s music is finally reaching a mass audience. And, more important, so are the topic’s that the album touches on; topics that I hope educate, inspire, and deeply touch every single listener, as they become the soundtrack to their — our – struggle for a better future.

Saso Release New Album : Exitudes

Nick Withers — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:35:56 +0000

After a five year hiatus, Irish band Saso, known best to some as “those guys from the Coors Light advert*” return to their dark musical roots with their fourth album Exitudes.

A slow, languishing album, it never reaches the particular heights that would highlight any one song as a potential single, instead weaving between styles to present an album that is vaguely haunting and supremely powerful.

The first song, Billion Hands is an eerie piano-based hymn featuring echo-y, subdued vocals over a steady drum beat and a muffled, repetitive piano pattern. Its full, mysterious sound trickles nicely in to the next song on the track — the surreal waltz that is Carousel. At only 2:14 this is one of the shorter tracks on the album, but is no less powerful. The long, high notes the vocals lounge upon are comparable to that of Muse singer Matt Bellamy, only without being washed out by pseudo-techno guitar riffs and a self-aggrandising attitude. One of the best songs on the album, this track really does conjure up images of an old battered carousel, broken and weathered but forever turning in some nightmarish, deserted, Terry Gilliam–esque fairground.

The tone turns up a little as we move on to the third track, as the acoustic guitars come out and the drums take on a more rhythmic feel. It’s here that you realise this is a band not content with a single sound, and we settle in to some more traditional indie fare, first with the acoustic funk of From Limbo and then the dark tones of Secret Ministry. That’s not to say that these songs are to be held to a lower standard than the others on the album — each contains the kind of dark lyricism rarely found in contemporary music — more that these may be more accessible to some who perhaps haven’t been exposed to this style of music before, and don’t have time to listen to the whole album.

We get a break in the middle of the album with the instrumental piece Silent Earth. In keeping with the tone of the album thus far, the piece begins very slowly, introducing each instrument gradually and building on some of the hooks developed in the previous songs. Though it does a nice job of ending the first part of the album and bringing in the second half, some may find it a little unnecessary and choose to skip over it. If there’s a weak link in this album it’s Silent Earth.

The second half of the album builds the tone up some more, starting with the acoustic ballad Idle Spirit that crashes in to life with a nice crescendo two thirds in to the song. By this point the band have taken you a thousand miles from where we started with Billion Hands, without you even noticing you were going anywhere.

Tracks like Man Overboard and Facts are the high point of this album — sounding a little like some of the quieter songs by bands like Incubus and Red Hot Chilli Peppers, but still keeping the calm, Jeff Buckley style vocals that make this band stand out.

When we reach Cardboard Cutout we go back to the kind of slow, surreal hymn that the album began with, and the haunting sound continues in to the penultimate song Sooner Or Later — a repetitive, almost threatening track built on minor chords and echo-y vocals that builds to a powerful ending.

Saso don’t leave us there though. The album ends on another instrumental track, Pull The Plug, a confident, sad piece with a simple structure that wouldn’t be out of place on a film score, sounding vaguely reminiscent of Hans Zimmer’s final piece for Inception. It’s a steady, strong song that never tries to build to an obvious end point, leaving you wanting more from this truly excellent album.

What Saso have done here is something that is often unheard in the days of downloads. They have created an album that is actually more than the sum of its parts. Each song has its own merits and style, and most — if not all — are wonderful on their own. But for the full Saso experience this is an album that has to be listened to in totality, in a dark room, in one sitting. And it’s an album that has to be listened to again and again.

*2007’s Type A Jitters from the album I Can Do Nice.

Ocean Vibe From East London

Margo Gontar — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:28:52 +0000

Courtesy of Ben Browning Photography

Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome : Films of Colour. They are — Andy Clutterbuck on vocals and guitar, James Hatcher on guitar, Jack Allinson on bass and synths, and James Rees-Flynn on drums.

They are back with a new single called Capital & Persinette. Side A to the single is the warm and charming Capital, with its visions of holidaying in the sunny London. The Side B Persinette presents the listener with a darker and evil sound, filled with hysteric, depressive and spontaneous drama filled tempo changes. You can really see this in the official video for both songs.

Simon Williams, the Fierce Panda Records honcho, has confessed his love of these lads and described them as the best band he’d signed since Radiohead and Coldplay. There is a big “Coldplay” vibe in these tracks, with Films of Colour really producing some extra drive with their drums. The tracks are heavily laced with the sound of Indie Rock, it reminds me a lot of the ocean and a peaceful wide open space. It is like you are diving into the Pacific Ocean.

So hold your breath and jump in and enjoy the depth that Films of Colour create.

Hopes Die Last Gig Review

Gena Hollyoake — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 11:32:44 +0000

This gig was, in theory, one that had the perfect line-up. Coming all the way from Australia, Hands Like Houses have been making waves on the UK circuit for a while now and everyone was pretty eager to catch them live. So when The Elijah and Violet were added to the line-up too, it was a gig that only a fool would miss. Did it live up to expectations though? Pah, of course it did!

Derby band A World Defined kicked things off and had a fair crowd considering they were first on the bill. The band had a great sound and despite technical difficulties, pulled off a decent set. Those who are looking for a band to fill that big Alexisonfire shaped hole in your heart, give A World Defined a listen. They will definitely help ease your pain.

Starting in complete silence, The Elijah took to the stage next, beginning their set with the soft, angelic vocals of clean vocalist Michael as their music slowly started building in preparation for the sudden roar of screamer, Dan. Throughout the set there was a real contrast between the instrumental and the screamo in each of their tracks, but they make it work to create a sound that is utterly addictive. For those who have not heard of this band, the best way to describe them would be to imagine if somehow Emarosa and While She Sleeps had a lovechild, and well, that lovechild would be called ‘The Elijah’. What is most impressive about this band is just how focused all of the members are. You can tell that their tracks are packed full of emotion and every member portrays this to such a degree, it is impossible as a spectator not to feel their raw passion. The set was intense and moving, and as I looked around to see posters advertising the likes of Kasabian, who played at The Victoria in 2004, I know that in a few years, people will be looking at the posters and thinking ‘Wow, The Elijah played here in 2011’.

Aussie band Hands Like Houses pulled out all the hits that every fan knows and loves. Lion Skin was a particular winner with almost everyone in the basement singing word for word, joining Trenton Smith as he serenaded everyone with his powerful, clean cut vocals. Despite keeping fingers crossed for a most unlikely appearance from Mister Johnny Craig himself, sadly he was a no show. Probably had things to do and people to see but Hands Like Houses rocked it without him anyway. The band kept saying ‘We can’t believe that we have come halfway across the world and you are all singing our songs back at us’. Well you had better believe it boys; the UK can’t get enough of you.

Local band Violet were the main support act and confidently started their set, with lead screamer Jonny having no qualms about getting right up close and personal, in people’s faces within the crowd. They started their set with a heavy track to shake the room up a bit but showed their versatility with a range of tracks throughout their set. They ended with the extremely popular release Perspectives, which had an incredible response. It is clear that this band is extremely well loved and supported in their hometown and judging by their Facebook, everywhere else for that matter.

Headliners Hopes Die Last appeared and despite a somewhat dwindling crowd, put in an enthusiastic performance. They were loud enough to make your ears burst but that’s the reason people love them.

All in all it was a fantastic gig and all bands are most definitely worth having a listen to or checking out live. However my band of the night, without a doubt was The Elijah and I am now a fan for life.

The Low Suns : Never Gonna Care

Katherine Bayly — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:27:23 +0000

The Low Suns are a five piece band whose influences range from Jeff Buckley, The Flaming Lips, 1940s Gospel and sci-fi soundtracks. Now, that may sound like quite a varied mix but the music they produce is something inspiring.

The Low Suns formed after band members and childhood friends Ali and James returned from L.A. Shortly after, unknown to them, they met their singer, folk musician Jack Berkley, in a pub in London. Expressing boredom for the folk scene in London, The Low Suns formed to push music to the max.

Never Gonna Care is their debut single recorded in their hand-made London studio. It’s an anthemic track full of electronics, heavy bass and eerily distant vocals. The chorus is especially passionate with the influence of gospel shining through making it one of the most interesting and exciting tracks I’ve heard in a long time. Never Gonna Care is a great example of their many talents to transform music which seems to involve a million different genres and roll it into one.

Combining rock, gospel and electronics, their debut single is definitely introducing a new sound into the music industry. At times, they do have some resemblance to Embrace with the pumping drums and bass blended with the explosive vocals. However, they do sound remarkably different through their use of the repetitive electronic underlying beats that keep the melody flowing in a cleverly subtle way.

Never Gonna Care is a song that’s bound to get your adrenaline pumping, particularly the bridge towards the end with the powerfully sung lyrics, ‘It won’t stop raining, won’t you stop this raining…’ The soft verses explode into a memorable chorus that will have you singing your heart out wherever you may be. The Low Suns are one not to be missed.

Introducing : Hiatus and Shura

Lucy Meek — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 11:16:18 +0000

Since Hiatus (Cyrus Shahrad) and Shura (Aleksandra Denton) teamed up as a musical duo they’ve gone from strength to strength: reviews are popping up on countless music sites and the video for their latest single was recently the most shared video on NME.com. Lucy Meek has had a listen to their latest EP – Fortune’s Fool – to see how things are sounding.

Track one – also titled Fortune’s Fool — is a moody dubstep number. Hiatus’ has used a glitchy guitar riff and tinkling beat to compliment Shura’s brooding, haunting vocals. The lyrics are very personal and heartfelt (and, interestingly, reminiscent of Des’ree’s song Kissing You), the rambling nature of her words creating the impression of a heartbroken teenager writing a love letter. Overall the song is likeable: it’s inoffensive and quite relaxing, and would be well-placed on a chillout playlist for background music when entertaining.

Having said that, it’s still missing a certain something to make it special. Anyone with the right software and a bit of spare time can make average-sounding dubstep these days. The accessibility is a positive thing — plenty of people are making quality music right out of their bedrooms – but it does mean that Soundcloud and the rest of the internet is saturated with slow, moody dubstep tracks, and this one doesn’t particularly stand out. It’s enjoyable to listen to, well made and certainly not a bad song, but a bit lacking in originality.

River, on the other hand, was quite a surprise. The second track is completely different to the first in style – Hiatus has done away with the clicky rhythm of Fortune’s Fool and instead opted for guitars and drums. The music is deep, complex and interesting, ebbing and flowing, and the multiple layers of sound work beautifully together. Where Fortune’s Fool was very vocals-heavy, River repeats the same sample of Shura’s lyrics over and over. Her voice is quirky and lends itself to being sampled – the vocals are what make the song. If you like laid back, trip-hoppy beats you’ll probably like this – think Zero 7 or Morcheeba.

Overall the EP is definitely worth a listen. Groundbreaking it isn’t, but if you’re looking for something relaxing to listen to on a Sunday afternoon it could be right up your street. Fortune’s Fool might be a little underwhelming, but River picks up the slack to make it a nice, well-rounded release for the duo. Watch this space…

Ed Sheeran + Album = Review

Phoebe Inglis-Holmes — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:37:38 +0000

Ed Sheeran is like marmite. Following the release of his No.1 single The A Team, either you’re an 11–16 year old girl madly in love with him and a hardcore dedicated fan omfg he’s so hot and talented and amazing and he’s your future husband, or you’re every other age male or female and think he’s just another guy with a guitar.

Well, the marmite theory is what I believed too. To be cliché, ‘I knew Ed Sheeran before he was famous’ (ew), being lucky enough to see him in late 2009 at very intimate gig by pure chance when he was supporting at a concert I was attending. I was hugely impressed by his easy acoustic style and the rarity of a guy coming onstage with nothing more than merely his voice and a guitar, with any effects being produced onstage with his loop pedal; a simplistic sign of sure talent. I was even more impressed by his folk song cover, performing completely A Capella — no easy feat as all those musically inclined will appreciate. I came away highly anticipating the release of more music from a brilliant young talent.

I was not let down. The A Team was a beautiful song, but unfortunately, as usual, the ridiculous amount of overplay on the beeb ruined a lovely song for all those who could have been fans, including myself. Disappointed with how commercial Ed Sheeran had suddenly become, I filled my ears with other musical geniuses. However, following internet links one day, I stumbled across a video of him recording his song You Need Me, I Don’t Need You on YouTube, not only performing his extraordinary mix of rapping/singing with such speed and precision, but also playing guitar avec la loop pedal and linking in various other unexpected songs so smoothly you would have thought he’d written them himself , I became interested again, although still being off put by his teenybopper fan base.

At a very small festival during the summer, I caught ten or so minutes of him performing. The tent was packed with little girls suicidal because they weren’t close enough to touch him, and who were all sighing and moaning through every song that wasn’t The A Team, as they wanted to sing along. I was rushing to get to another band so didn’t actually hear any of his other songs, but saw something amazing; whereas all the girls were there only to sing along to the one song they knew and didn’t sing along to any other, there was about twenty grown men scattered around the crowd, all singing their hearts out, word perfect to every song; and some were crying. That is when my opinion on Ed Sheeran changed, and the marmite theory was obliterated. Setting his commercialisation aside, if he could touch grown men like that emotionally, there must be something special about him.

And so I listened to his debut album, +, upon its release day yesterday, and it was not what I was expecting at all. Still a tad cynical, I was expecting all love cheesy slushy mushy gushy songs. Yes, there are some of those, namely This, Kiss, and Give me Love. However, the rest of the album blew me away.

The titles of most tracks lure you into a false sense of security, making you believe that the album is aimed solely at teenagers trapped in the anguish of love; this is true for the song U.N.I, in which Sheeran describes how many relationships suffer from one side of the relationship moving onto pastures new. The student lifestyle is so perfectly described in ‘I don’t get waves of missing you anymore/They’re more like tsunami tides in my eyes/Never getting dry, so I get high, smoke in the day then I sleep with the light on/Weeks pass in the blink of an eye/And I’m still drunk by the end of the night/I don’t drink like everybody else/I drink to forget things about myself’ that for all those moving to uni this year leaving their loved ones behind, it will lead to many tears, and for those having left uni in the past few years it will undoubtedly bring a flicker of a nostalgic smile to your face.

Another song you many believe is aimed solely at teenagers is Drunk. However, this for me is the most accessible song on the entire album. Loneliness, the wish to get drunk to make things easier, and then taking it too far and immediately regretting it are feelings all humans have experienced (if not, then go away. you aren’t allowed to listen to good music.), and the relate-ability is so apparent it’s near impossible not to like this song.

The City is another song that surprised me. I thought one ‘f#@k’ you song on the album was as much as we could expect (the first being You Need Me, I Don’t Need You) from Sheeran, but this tune is pumped full of such independent ‘who the hell do you think you are?!’ attitude that it’s quite possibly anthemic.

However, the songs that proved to me that Sheeran’s album is far from a girly teenage love-angst are tracks 1 and 6. Track 1 is of course the aforementioned The A Team, and although I still feel it’s slightly lost its appeal due to radio repetitiveness, if you place that thought out of your head and listen to the song for what it is, it is mind-blowing. In a recent radio interview, Sheeran said that the response he got from parents who had lost their daughters to the addiction of drugs and prostitution was overwhelming, and he couldn’t believe he’d touched so many people. This theme of class A drugs, giving the song its title, is not something to be placed in an album for love-struck girlies of the The Wanted, One Direction, JLS and Other Bollocks Boybands era, and neither is the theme of the track on the album which for me is by far the most outstanding, track 6.

Track 6 on + is called Small Bump. The song captures beautifully the pure uninhibited excitement of being an expecting parent, with the most amazing moments of anticipation being laid out gorgeously, like what the baby will look like and everything the future could hold ‘you might be left with my hair/but you’ll have your Mother’s eyes/I’ll hold your body in my hands be as gentle as I can/but for now you’re scan of my unmade plans’.

I don’t want to say too much about this song in fear of ruining the beauty of it. The feelings the track provokes in anyone who has or wants a child, myself included, are enormous, and I feel the song is so touching that even those who at the moment aren’t even casting a single half-thought to having baby will feel the pure delight at the eagerness for the life changing moment to arrive, the specialness to unfold and the wonder of this tiny person you’ve created to arrive in your life. Sheeran captures this so emotively that it’s hard not to cast your head to the future and imagine the day you’re going to become a mother or a father, and think about the little one that will become your entire world.

The exquisite feeling of excitement is ripped apart unexpectedly at the very end of the song. ‘You’re just a small bump unborn just four months then torn from life/Maybe you were needed up there but we’re still unaware of why.’ The emotion, the tears, and the sheer pain strike you immediately upon hearing this line. Don’t take it from me. Listen. Listen and feel your heart ripped apart.

+ is not what you expect. It’s relatable, raw, honest, gutwrenching. It will pull at the little holes in your soul, then stitch them back up together.

I’m not saying it’s for everyone. I’m not saying it’s perfect. But what I am saying is open your mind to it, and you will find something beautiful in there.

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