Live Review: Catfish And The Bottlemen @ O2 Academy Brixton 7.11.15

I didn't think they'd be able to top an incredible Reading performance but Catfish prove me wrong yet again

Catfish And The Bottlemen are one of the stand-out rock bands of the year, propelling themselves from leather-clad local boys playing in basements to seasoned rock stars in just over 365 days since the release of their début, The Balcony, in September last year. Many bands would quite happily content themselves with a sell-out spring tour, huge performances at some of the World's biggest and most prestigious festivals on top of the usual barrage of interviews that come hand in hand with a soaring album. Not this one. I was lucky enough to see their incredible performance at Reading festival this August but the sheer energy and raw passion I saw last Saturday seemed intensified even since then with the nuclear powered Van McCann bringing the crowd surging to life from his first bounding step onto the stage to The Beatles' Helter Skelter. This song choice in itself seemed significant, a statement of their intent and the expectations they set of themselves as a band. Or maybe they just like the song?  It is a constant source of disappointment for music fans worldwide to see their heroes fall short of the idyllic standards of excited expectation going round and round in their heads as they clutch their tickets in the queue but McCann once again shattered any doubts instantly with a note-perfect performance of Rango to start the show. Pacifier and Fallout -two of the more well known tracks- followed, sparking renewed roaring from the crowd... and a couple of flares as well. This shocked even the band themselves before it (along with the bloke holding it) were mercilessly extinguished by three burly bouncers. I was delighted to then hear the echoey guitar opening to Sidewinder, whose absence had been perhaps my only disappointment at their festival set. There was a brief dip in intensity as they played yet to be released single, 7 which struggled to strike home with the audience but always seems to be the case with new material.  One of the few criticisms I have of the band is the lack of influence that the bassist, lead guitarist and drummer actually have on the show. Their robotic performances, almost void of personality really understated the incredible talent they clearly have on stage and turned the concert into 'The Van McCann Show'... but what a show it was. What the others may have lacked in character or confidence, he more than made up for over the course of the night. Other than perhaps Billie-Joe Armstrong of Green Day, I have never seen a front man truly connect with audiences in the way McCann does, commanding, inviting and inspiring us in equal measure. Even his, often, clumsy efforts to captivate the baying crowd -at one point clambering onto Blakeway's drum platform, knocking over microphones and tangling wires in the process- only make him more personable. His polite, nearly apologetic call to anarchy: 'The security is here to control you, give 'em something to... erm... control...' is testament to their labelling by American critics as 'Oasis but with better manners'.  It was during Tyrants however, that the Welshmen demonstrated their true elegance as performers, holding the frankly already captivated audience with its simple yet delicate riff. Their ability to do so distinguishes them from many other rock bands I have seen, with the extended drum and guitar solos turning a regular album track into a ten-minute, larynx-busting finale. So when the last, piercing note of the song rang out across the hall and McCann retreated backstage with a final wave, no one even bothered to ask for an encore because there was simply nothing left to be given.

Top 5 Bands Who Followed Me On Twitter

I am referred to as one of two things: musical genius and master of the English language by myself and Indie pr*ck by my ever supporting friends. One thing I have always enjoyed writing about is finding those unsigned or unknown bands lurking just around the corner from success. There are those who have been unable to get their careers off the ground in our often image-driven musical culture or those who, for whatever reason, have so far missed out on the recent surges in their genre's popularity.
     While success and exposure often seem to dangle elusively at the top of a never-ending ladder for most artists, nowadays more than ever, the emergence of social networking giants like Facebook and Twitter give bands an opportunity. These networks allow bands to simply 'get their music out there' and grow a fan base one step at a time with relative ease which, for the majority of aspiring bands, is of paramount importance. More lucrative in this sense than Facebook, Twitter allows these artists to target potential fans individually by searching for keywords or trawling through the follower lists of bands in a similar genre. In the ego-driven social climate that Twitter has created in recent years, checking how many followers one has is a daily occurrence for many people and therefore, the ideal way to get your band noticed.

As a self-promoting music fan and writer, I've received a few of these myself so here's my run-down of the top four bands who have followed me in the past couple of months. Give them a listen if you can.

4. Friday Night Lites
    For fans of: Neck Deep, Hit The Lights, Real Friends, State Champs
I hate to say it but the name is pretty crap, fulfilling every cliché in the book, but let's just get past that and try to focus on the music. I'm making this one stretch a little because all of my judgements and comments are describing the two songs they have released. That said, they are two very decent tracks and I look forward to hearing more. With a sound centring around that energetic brand of pop-punk, popularised by groups like Neck Deep and Hit The Lights over the course of the past several years, it's nothing new but easily warmed to. The lead guitar is fast-paced, the drums furious and the harmonies on point. Simply put, it's characteristic of the genre: always nice to listen to and certainly downloadable but nothing gorundbreaking. Safe would be an apt word to describe it. If you're one of those people who will refuse to listen to something because it's 'not edgy enough' then it might not be for you but I for one listen to music for enjoyment above all and I certainly get that from these songs. What's more, you can download the two singles, Face The World and I'm A Sandra Bullock Kinda Guy for FREE at their website and nothing makes captures my heart quicker than some free stuff.


3. For All The Wrong Reasons
       For Fans Of: The Wonder Years, Man Overboard

The names really aren't getting any better are they... Nevertheless, Going slightly more old school in their increased use of melodies, FATWR (their self-given and somewhat convenient acronym) have a slightly rougher edge than the other members of this list with gruff vocals and rumbling guitars. The Lincoln-based musicians opt for less refined instrumentals and high pitched guitar melodies in the background which actually remind me of Sum 41 in that sense. At the same time I can see the ties with pop punk artists like The Wonder Years and Man Overboard; while not quite as anthemic, the similarities are definitely there in the emotionally charged, powerful vocals as well as the intelligent lyrics. Okay, singer Alex Statham may not be as prominent as TWY's Dan Campbell but that simply shift the emphasis towards the other areas of their sound. With two albums already under their belts since their formation in 2013, it's clear this group have a wealth of creativity and eagerness to write which will allow them to go much further than many bands. Nothing complimentary here though I'm afraid.

2. Wander
For Fans Of: Sum 41, ADTR, Neck Deep, 
Deaf Havana

Our journey now takes us across the Atlantic to a garage somewhere in Frederick; Maryland with the best pop punk act so far. A definite step up from the others, Wander are spawned from the same brand as the others but have taken a more original, measured approach to the genre and as a result have a much more diverse set of tracks. Vocally, I'm reminded immediately of the early days of A Day To Remember and vocalist Andy Cizek manages to be both powerful and delicate to fit the mood of each song. They combine this with melody orientated guitar tracks similar to Sum 41 to create a sound which is both pleasant to listen to and at the same time unpredictable. While they may lack some of the bite that ADTR and Sum 41 possess, they easily make up for this by employing the harmonies and echo effects in each song to perfection without overuse or running out of ideas. Not only this but No Rest, a recently released (mostly) acoustic E.P. displays a really nice versatility and a deviation from their usual style, not just thrashing out the electric guitar chords. If you don't think they sound like A Day To Remember upon first listening, this will undoubtedly change your mind. This band has a really prominent future ahead of them and I'll be watching it closely.


1. Silver Story
       For Fans Of: 3 Doors Down, Default, Her Bright Skies, Deaf Havana
This one was a really tough call for the top spot but they just about edged Wander as the best of a pretty decent bunch. What a difference a good solid name can make, and their sibilance-stocked title makes a fantastic first impression which matches the original, intriguing style that they've created. Loosely defining themselves as a 'rock' band, the Mancunian quartet have taken a wide range of influences on board to create something of a post-grunge, pop-punk hybrid. It's almost like the love child of 3 Doors Down and Green Day who's been brought up listening to A Day To Remember. We've got classic rock vocals, strongly reminiscent of Default's Dallas Smith and 3DD's Brad Arnold, the crunching guitar chords of bands like Green Day and The Offspring (in Bleed) and a few Jeremy Mckinnon-esque screamo verses interspersed between delicate vocals throughout their début album Cold Street Lights out last year. There's even a few extended guitar solos kicking about ,in songs like Run, which is basically unheard of in more modern rock music.
     The blending of all these styles means no song sounds the same and there is sufficient variation from track to track- an often underrated feature- so the Northerners have done a great job on that front. Silver Story are part of a seemingly dying breed of bands, particularly in Britain, who embrace a more classic rock and roll sound while still managing to be creative and organic which makes it all the more confusing as to why they aren't more popular already. They shouldn't have to be following random people like me on Twitter just to get their music heard. Give them a listen and if you like what you hear then spread the word about this up and coming band from Manchester.

Of course you can listen to all of these young bands on my Not Now Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/w-avery/playlist/4CAps4jqmlBK7LPOPFgi3T

Acts To Look Out For At Reading 2015

The festival season has opened it's sweaty doors for another summer of van-cooked meat, disgusting pranks and burning tents. They are the epitome of our musical culture and for the true festival experience, complete with people sellotaped to telegraph poles and some pretty unspeakable drug fuelled antics, you’ll want to head on over to Reading or Leeds this August. Believe it or not, there's also some pretty good music playing as well. Here are some acts you'll want to see at this year’s event whether it's live or on the telly.

Slaves
For Fans Of: Sex Pistols, Gallows, Cancer Bats, Dahlia

I’ve banged on about them enough recently so I’ll try to condense this one as much as possible. With their full début Sugar Coated Bitter Truth released earlier this year, the Kentish duo have burst on to the festival scene this summer with appearances at Big Weekend and Glastonbury providing them with vital experience on the world's biggest and most prestigious stages. Originally making their name from their raucous live performances, the punk revival outfit have a very simple stage set up: just two men, one guitar, a basic drum kit and enough shouting to leave the word 'oi' ringing in your half-deafened ears for hours after the gig. Despite the minimalist approach, the group command a huge stage presence which features dancing manta rays and crowdsurfing from the band and fans alike. For any grime fans, there also might be an appearance from London MC, Skepta to look forward to so if you want a lively show, you'll need to be in the NME tent on Saturday.

Run The Jewels

Another minimalist approach is favoured by American underground Hip-Hop act Run The Jewels fronted by rappers EL-P and Killer Mike. Just like Slaves, they are a duo, just like Slaves they are relatively young in the making and just like Slaves they possess the ability to bring crowds of any size to life. Debatably, RTJ perform with an even more stripped-back set up than their Transatlantic counterparts: just the pair and a DJ, which is a nice contrast to the often flamboyant shows put on by other Hip-Hop acts. Not only will their show be exciting, but the pair also emanate passion with every bar. It’s clear they seem to delight in the fact that they’re only getting started in the festival game in their early forties and seem genuinely grateful to their adoring audiences for giving them that opportunity. Whether you're well versed in their relatively small pool of songs or you're just up for an exhilarating set, head over to the NME tent on Friday night for a huge performance.

Rebel Sound

This act demands a double negative of me: they simply cannot not be amazing. Some of the finest DJs the UK have to offer come together in an Electronica supergroup spanning multiple generations and more than a few genres including reggae, drum'n'bass and dance. Originally formed solely for Red Bull's culture clash last year, every member of Rebel Sound is a veteran live performer in their own right, Chase And Status themselves playing the main stage just two years ago. Showcasing songs from each DJ, Rebel Sound’s sets include the studio classics like End Credits, No Problem and Original Nuttah as well as never seen before live songs and remixes. The drum’n’bass dream team even have their own captain in the form of Radio 1 DJ David Rodigan who acts as what can only be described as a ‘Hype Man’ who still gets the crowd roaring at the age of 64. They are certainly one of the most talked-about acts of the year and whether or not they can meet the mountain of expectation facing them is yet to be seen.

Panic! At The Disco
For Fans Of: Fall Out Boy, We The Kings

An easy way to quantify the quality of a band's live performances is via 'Best Live Act' awards for which Panic have been nominated frequently throughout their career especially since the release of their last album Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die in 2013. Brendon Urie, the band's lead singer, guitarist and predominant creative force, is a truly gifted singer and that ability has sustained the group's success despite the whittling down of the remaining members. Therefore his essentially 'one man band' status in tandem with the lack of permanence of the live musicians accompanying him means the pressure really mounts on Urie to deliver with his performances and he has responded to the expectation admirably. Make no mistake if you're attending, it's for the Brendon Urie show so all eyes on that far too chiselled face of his because it'll be a show to remember.

Twin Atlantic
For Fans Of: Biffy Clyro, You Me At Six, Deaf Havana
One of the best features of Reading and Leeds is the real blend of artists and musical styles, rock bands squeezing seamlessly into the schedule alongside dance heavyweights. Many people will know the Royal Bloods and the Catfishes but Twin Atlantic seem to have just missed out on the wave of Indie rock bands who have burst onto the British scene over the past five years. I have been following the group fairly closely since their fantastic performance at the festival last year so to me it was no surprise to see them in an important slot this time around since they are yet to graduate from the NME tent to the main stage. As a straightforward post-hardcore band, the four Scotsmen combine the anthemic choruses of rock giants like Biffy Clyro with the more intricate guitar melodies and a younger fan base of the household pop-punk names like Blink 182 and Sum 41. While they tend to stick more towards the rockier side of the post-hardcore spectrum, I found their year-old album Great Divide was impressive for it's blend of intelligent tracks with perceptive lyrics with the more relatable anthems more well suited to the festival crowds. However, perhaps their biggest asset is their thick, inherent Glasgow accents which add a shade of originality to a genre in which bands often fall into the trap of becoming samey. 

And there finishes my Reading preview. Obviously I left out the headliners and other key acts so give these bands a chance and I'm sure you'll enjoy at least one of them.

No. 14 Slaves - A Punk Revival

There's nothing like a bit of loud noise to get you pumped for a dreary Tuesday morning. Monday officially marked the beginning of summer thus licencing Brits everywhere to scoff  "Some summer eh!" as they peer through the windscreen at the spitting raindrops on their way to work. The release of Slaves' eagerly anticipated second album: Are You Satisfied? perfectly coincides with this very moment and, for the half hour or so I spent listening to the it, I was transported to a grim, grey industrial estate somewhere in Kent to immerse myself in a performance filled with attitude and anger.

With a stripped back sound consisting of only gravelly electric guitar, drums bashed to within an inch of their lives and vocals even more aggressive than the forefathers of punk like the Sex Pistols or The Ramones themselves, the band are really making a statement with their music. What that statement is, I'm still not entirely sure but if you shout it loud enough like they do it doesn't even matter. If there is something more quintessentially British than punk music and the word 'Oi' then I have yet to hear it with Slaves making use of both in their revitalisation of a genre which has struggled to find it's feet in British culture since Johhny Rotten started doing those Countryfile adverts. Maidstone's own dynamic duo of lead shoutist/drummer Isaac Holden and guitarist/co-shouter Laurie Vincent are bringing back the roots of punk rock to a younger generation in a music industry which is almost unrecognisable from the time when the genre's greats were clashing, protesting and offending monarchs.
     They have done so with integrity fully intact. Contrary to what their name suggests, they have not sold-out or become slaves to the overproduced, industrialised machine of today's musical environment. Each song feels like a live performance meaning the record as a whole feels like a raucous concert from wherever it is you are listening. Opening with stand out single and my favourite: The Hunter, the words are chanted while the instrumental builds in intensity as the song really comes to life. The same effect is used in the following track Cheer Up London which get the record roaring into life. These songs have everything you need to make a classic punk hit; the choruses are anthemic, the instrumental is rough not refined and each one captures the, at times, hidden British passion for 'getting rowdy'.

     However the distinguishing detail in Are You Satisfied? is the lyrics. What they may lack in anti-establishment outcry or political messages in relation to traditional punk artists, they more than make up for with the delivery. The words come at a furious pace, bellowed or chanted and I can see the potential influences of modern UK grime and garage rap creeping in in the rhythmic way each line is belted out. In any case, politics isn't their main concern with the main focus of the lyrics centring around social commentaries and personal encounters. Holden himself urged fans at a recent show to “Leave politics out of this, I'm fed up of hearing about it.” when greeted with "We hate the Tories" chants reverberating around the venue. Making their name on the live circuit for their vigorous performances, it is no surprise that the best songs capture the excitement and insanity of the concerts. One of the few shortcomings in the album is that some songs struggle to make this transition yet they have been much more successful in doing so than they were with Sugar Coated Bitter Truth. One thing that really impresses me is that the album is never pretentious and some songs like Sockets and notably Feed The Mantaray seem to be just simple calculated silliness (or as Holden likes to call it "an aquatic ballad"). As is the case with many breakthrough albums, there are several songs which blend together in the middle of the record but the three opening and closing tracks are very strong, leaving any listener with an acute overall memory of a quality album in my opinion.

It appears to me that, on the whole, Slaves have produced a style of punk which may differ from the originals but is actually very well suited to the modern listener. Essentially it is the roadman, slang-using, trackie-wearing teenage son of classic punk who can relate to the modern day audience. It is a classless genre, which can be appreciated by Jordan in Hackney as well as Gerald in Windsor. Unfortunately, acts as original as this are something of rarity nowadays but when one like Slaves comes around, it cannot be overlooked.

As usual you can find Slaves' Are You Satisfied? and more on the Not Now Playlist on spotify.

Until next time...

Albums I Missed

Those of you who read my previous round-up of the finest 2014's alternative world had to offer unfortunately may have missed out on fantastic breakthrough artists which I have since discovered. This time, however, we are delving even deeper into Spotify's murky depths, far beyond the likes of Catfish and Ludacris. Presently, we find ourselves intrepidly venturing within somewhat unmapped territory, like Victorian explorers embarking on hazardous expeditions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Only this time, there is a lot less khaki. We search not for the source of the Nile but for that enigmatic '<1000 plays' symbol where the world seemingly fears to tread. Nevertheless, at times it can be pleasing to find sanctuary in the calm oasis on the page of an artist with 39 followers, seemingly untouched by the image orientated musical world. These are four artists which I missed out from last year.

Ocasan - Elixir
For fans of: Panic! At The Disco, Fall Out Boy

A band which perfectly illustrates that rather confusing description above. Their follower count sitting at a mere 149 upon my last inspection, Ocasan are a three-piece alternative rock band originating from that cultural capital of the world: Milton Keynes. This band have enjoyed a very colourful history according to the limited information I've gleaned from their Facebook page, including "skinny dipping with Bulgarians" and "partying with Russian Oligarchs". In amongst this rather hectic schedule, they've managed to craft new album Elixir, which is interestingly divided into three bafflingly titled EPs which almost act as chapters. The album in itself certainly has me hooked, combining punchy electric guitar, ear-pleasing harmonies and more melodic hooks than Paul McCartney on a fishing holiday; so much so that you seem to recognise the songs even when hearing them for the fist time. However, for me the most impressive aspect of Ocasan are their astute lyrics, offering a perceptive commentary of British society (like all rock bands should), touching on themes like the 2011 riots in London Town in way reminiscent to me of Panic! At The Disco, although thankfully with shorter titles. While I would like to see a little more variation in their songs, it is certainly a fresh style which I like, particularly encapsulated in The River, Invincible and my personal favourite: The Wizard Man. Here especially, I see very strong ties with Panic! At The Disco and even Fall Out Boy but with that typically British attitude creeping in there. Definitely worth a listen in my opinion.

Light You Up - All We've Ever Known

For fans of: Deaf Havana, Mallory Knox, Don Broco

Moving North to Birmingham now with a slightly heavier outfit in Light You Up with their brand new album released last year. This début album demonstrates an interesting take on the post-hardcore punk genre but, like Ocasan, with that original British accent, a welcome deviation from the typically whiny Americanised vocals. My first impression was that this is effectively Deaf Havana on steroids and with more attitude. Particularly in terms of the vocals which are rough yet satisfyingly tuneful, the Brummy quintet seem able to avoid falling in to that lack of variation trap so often suffered by artists within the genre and there is a sufficient quantity of guitar melodies and intricate lyrics, This can be seen especially within Monsters, Haven't You Heard and Breathe which have all those catchy elements of a pop song but with the anthemic choruses and bridges of a stadium-filling rock band complete with chanted vocals and that thing where everyone shouts the words back. Admittedly, apart from those three songs and All We've Ever Known, for me there are few other stand out ones, perhaps making the album more suited to shuffling a playlist rather than listening to the whole record outright. At the same time, there is not a single song I'd be tempted to skip.

JJ And The Pillars - Wolves

For fans of: Mumford And Sons, Dry The River, Ben Howard

Becoming more Indie by the minute, we now travel across the Atlantic to Canada with alternative folk rock quartet JJ And The Pillars and their début album: Wolves, released just two months ago. Usually, it would simply be the easy way out to compare them to Mumford And Sons but the murmuring, radio-friendly vocals, soft guitars and stomping crescendos are certainly reminiscent of the bearded Brits. The Canadians' answer to the banjo: a bluesy harmonica. It appears to me that their sound is what the aforementioned London outfit were trying to achieve with Wilder Mind. This is where the similarity ends however since, unlike their British counterparts, JJ And The Pillars have succeeded in their endeavours and the electric sound blends seamlessly with the more traditional folk style to produce an easy listening yet eagerly appreciated album. Acoustic meets electric, just like ebony and ivory, in a perfect harmony (forgive me for that). This is evident particularly in the songs  Burning Leaves, The Bench and my stand-out favourite: The Wolves to which the record owes it's name. Admittedly, the folk genre is not to everyone's taste but this album excels, in my opinion, where Mumford And Sons failed . Yes this is a huge claim but that simply shows how impressed I am with it. At only eight songs in length, the album is relatively short so it flies by if it is listened to in one go yet there is sufficient variety between songs so they don't blend together monotonously like some albums. While to the outsider, it could be accused of being a little bland, I ,along with Canada's music-loving population, would beg to differ with the group, winning a nationwide competition hosted by the country's biggest rock radio station which has thus lead to the subsequent success. I'm sure there will be more to come.



The Temperance Movement - The Temperance Movement
For Fans of: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Stone Cherry, The Faces

Now, after our long journey, exhausted from the alt-rock labyrinth within which we have lost ourselves, the holy grail of our arduous voyage finally creeps into our vision; our source of the Nile is upon us. Except for the the fact that ours is adorned in lairy checked shirts, covered in facial hair and contains an ex-member of Jamiroquai. Essentially, then, The Temperance Movement complete our undiscovered line-up with the deluxe version of their self-titled album, (another début) released just last year. Their style strays greatly from previous artist in the list, opting for a more blues-rock orientated sound, suitably fitting with their hairy demeanour. Upon first listening, I was immediately transported to an Alabama gospel church along a dusty road, surrounding me the scent of barbecued red meat and an overly casual attitude towards guns. While their squealing guitar melodies and gruff vocals seemingly emulate world renowned Southern rock outfits like Lynyrd Skynyrd or Black Stone Cherry, it comes as a big surprise to find out that the group actually hail from Glasgow and London. The Jamiroquai bit is also true with the 90s funk band's ex-bassist Nick Fyffe completing the line up alongside Scottish vocalist Phil Campbell. They are equally capable at producing roaring rock'n'roll songs like Ain't No Telling and Midnight Black as they are in the production of smoother numbers like Pride and Chinese Lanterns. The first two captivated my attention as a listener considerably more than the others and Ain't No Telling is by far the stand out song of the CD for me. Okay, it may not be a band to put on at a party, unless of course it's a party with my dad, but The Temperance Movement offer a stripped back, floor-thumping style of rock unseen in the image obsessed exterior of today's music industry. Not only does this album display more of a guitar-focussed approach, there is the sense that their songs genuinely do tell a story with the best example being Only Friend,  This makes them, in many ways, a symbol of hope for a return to roots which has been a long time coming in popular rock music. Refuse to believe me? The Rolling Stones clearly don't, appointing them as a support act on their last European tour which is a monumental achievement in itself. Don't get me wrong, this isn't the best album ever written but it is definitely one that people should be made aware of and one that deserves huge amounts of credit.

Seeing as few others seem willing to spread this message, it just looks like I'll have to persist on my quest to inform you of the music industry's hidden talents and rising stars.

As usual you can find all of these artists and more on the Not Now Playlist on spotify.

Until next time...

Freshest New Albums 2015

Spotify have been up to some serious snakery in the latest update to their desktop client, getting rid of all internal applications (yep that's about as technical as it gets) which disastrously includes the beloved Last FM and it's similar track playlist maker. The loss of this means that music fans worldwide will now actually have to search for new music THEMSELVES to add that extra wing to their music library or diversify those cringe-inducing playlists entitled 'Summer Vibes' or 'Phat Tunes'.
     Let's face it, we're all far too busy to be dealing with that  and other media like radio, to most people, seem so much a foreign concept, it's almost laughable. As I write this I'm becoming increasingly aware that perhaps I am indeed the only one that still searches for music in this way. On my voyage to indie-music enlightenment I've traversed cliffs of disappointment, and waves of unparalleled elation all to find that single artist or album which allows me to bask smugly in the warm knowledge that no one else I know listens to them. It's also fair to say I have trawled through far more than my fair share of sh**t, searching bleary eyed through the darkest reaches of the musical world in search of Spotify's hidden artists. There was also a couple of familiar names along the way too.
     These are the newest, freshest albums the musical world has to offer:

Plain White T's - American Nights

Yes...Hey There Delilah to cut that head scratching short. No one else knows any of their other songs so why should you? Well let's put an end to that with the fourth and latest release from America's soft-singing, girl-loving, Nickelodeon-appearing sweethearts. The sort of band who were always regarded as 'nice boys' throughout childhood by cooing friends' mums and I bet they never refuse an autograph, Previously a more easily defined alternative rock band, the Plain White T's have moved steadily away from mainstream pop-punk over the course of their nearly 10 year career. Since the last album Wonders Of The Younger, they have favoured a more acoustic, I would even dare to say country and folk influenced style which in my opinion is a welcomed change. The impeccable harmonies remain, but now are used in a folk-like way (evident in Heavy Rotation) while still maintaining their teenage heart throb status and soppy, wounded lyrics. Rejoicing and heartbroken are the only types of song they're comfortable doing. I also like to see more singing from Tim Lopez whose voice compliments that of the natural front man Tom Higgenson. My favourite songs are Pause, Heavy Rotation and Here Come That Sunrise which are really testament to the versatile band they've become.

The Sonics - This Is The Sonics

From a modern branch of punk to the genre's predecessors with a brand new album from The Sonics: founding fathers of garage rock and pioneers of punk. The self-titled record is the first in 40 years bringing the spirit of the '60s to the grim today. Actually, you know what, I'm pretty sure the 60s was just as bleak as it is today, just without the internet and marijuana which "wasn't half as strong as the stuff you kids smoke these days". Oh, and some pretty horrific hairstyles.
     Honestly, if someone were to have asked me some six years previously I would have been as likely to listen to it with an open mind as I would trade my phone for a packet of Quavers but it's more about the appreciation than the cleanliness of the sound itself.
     Before, and if you can muster up enough effort to give it a try, have a listen to Have Love, Will Travel, who knows, you may even recognise it. I'm glad to see that on this record there seems to be barely any deviation from their classic style; that style being some loud heavy vocals and a lot of blues guitar chords. This, I must say grows repetitive after a while but if you find any you like, you can arm any playlist with some classic early garage rock. Essentially, while this may be a band for your dad and, if you're willing to appreciate it for what it is, then it could be for you as well. Well... that was rather deep wasn't it.

The Sonics here releasing their new album after an unsuccessful inbetweeners spin-off 

We Are Harlot - We are harlot

It's never good news to hear a band breaking up. Just ask Blink 182 fans who had the experience for about the 17th time during the latter stages of last year. Most of the time you can expect to see arguments on twitter sporting various bitter hash tags as well as several snooty solo albums from the contemptuous front man who believes that he's 'expressing himself'' in a way he never could do before and whose 'found himself ' as a musician. We may as well name names now: Brandon Flowers and Tom Delonge. Usually (and of course gratefully), these albums tend to be awful and the artist promptly realises he's not bigger than said mother group and comes crawling back. Now that's if it goes badly and of course we forget the number of people who defy this model like your man Charlie Simpson.
     And also brand new English outfit We Are Harlot who consist of band members from multiple previous bands including Danny Worsnop of Asking Alexandria. While I was never keen on the latter, this brand new hard rock amalgamation brings out the best in them all with a much more traditional, retro sound than any of the previous groups. We Are Harlot in their self-titled record released last month see a return to their roots (aware of the cliché) with a lot of elements from more classic metal bands such as AC/DC and Kiss as well as influences of proper old school rock and roll. This is apparent especially in Dancing On Nails, Denial and The One which are easily my favourite songs since they bring out a new side of Worsnop's vocals which far exceeds the more hardcore nature of Asking Alexandria. The album is almost split in half in terms of the metal sounding and classic sounding tracks, the latter of which are far more enjoyable and original while the others become repetitive at times.

Ludacris - Ludaversal

I originally listened to this album as a joke. Ludacris?! Come on, the guy surely lost any artistic credibility when he collaborated with Justin Bieber, let alone the Fast And Furious films. A choice between a collaboration with Ludacris or a desecrated corpse? It's safe to say I would have gone with the corpse because he'd have had a less dead career. Way too excessive an example. Anyway, the fact of the matter is I didn't take this guy seriously.

     So you can imagine my surprise when I clicked play on Ludaversal Intro, a smirk plastered across my face, and the first thing I hear was, what I think, a fantastic song. He has flow, dumbed down instrumentals with a real focus on the words, all you can ask for. Unfortunately, we still have plenty, probably too much, of the posturing and boasting of pimpin', 'whips' and 'bitches' which really detracts from any lyrical meaning apart from in Good Lovin and Ocean Skies which are actually very deep. The former is what spurned my disillusion with rap as a genre, however if you take a step back and perhaps ignore the meaning of the words themselves, the albums is a very enjoyable experience. Never thought I'd say that.

Hit the lights - Summer Bones

With all this neo, retro and experimental genre merging it's a relief that this band are about as straight forwards a pop punk band as you'll ever see. In essence, yes, they are a boy band of sorts and you may get called a 12 year old girl for listening by those self-righteous, integrity obsessed, too cool for such safe music metaphorical bullies in the playground. However, I think it can be a welcome change not choosing your music based on its edginess and throw in a few of those safe, easy listening harmonies and rough electric guitar chords. In any case, Hit The Lights are about as edgy a pop punk boy band as you'll find even to those who see the word pop as some kind of vile infection on a genre. The band themselves certainly seem to be aware of this with an album defying the chronology of their career in that it is almost a carbon copy of its predecessors. One dimensional indeed yet enjoyable all the same with particular attention to Fucked Up Kids and Blasphemy, myself and I. I have to say it is very difficult to distinguish any of the others in the album but there you go, that's pop punk for you.

To hear these songs, albums from the other posts and other music which I find, follow my blog on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/user/w-avery/playlist/4CAps4jqmlBK7LPOPFgi3T

You may know the artist, but have you heard these songs?

Without the risk of sounding like a nostalgic old bloke or an out of touch grandparent, nowadays it is almost seamlessly easy to listen to music. Whether it's iTunes, Spotify or YouTube, there is an endless library of songs available from your most well-known artists to stuff which has below 10,000 plays (the calling card of the indie music fan) meaning places like HMV are now something of an alien concept. Gone are the days of trawling through CDs to find that one track you like or putting on albums in the car, we live in the age of the playlist where the only things you listen to are those you actually want to hear. This is a marvellous system no doubt but unfortunately I feel it is to the detriment of the whole experience of listening to music owing to the the development of what I call 'Greatest Hits Syndrome' which obviously I have made up presently. This is basically the idea that people end up only listening to the most famous songs or the singles when an album comes out without even considering anything with popularity bars below halfway. What a terrifying prospect... Don't get me wrong, a lot of time the syndrome allows you to skip, to put it in the nicest way possible, a load of s**t, but you often pass up the opportunity to find that song which distinguishes you from the rest and making you a true fan of that artist.
     This is why I have compiled this short list of some of the worlds most famous bands naming that song which you along with millions of others have missed out. Let's make you a little less mainstream shall we.

Blink 182- Anthem Part 2

Up first are the 90s emblem that is Blink 182. High school, toilet humour and swear words: the recipe for the Californian trio's punk-rock domination which began nearly two decades ago. It is the nature of the genre as well as the artist that anthems are commonplace since if we're being honest they made pretty easy for themselves to relate to their teenage audience. Any teenager can relate to lyrics where the main focus is "Yeah, who hates school, and the government and rules yeeeaaah" or "Yeah I've found this really cool girlfriend man, she's so rad, yeaaaah"; a pretty safe bet if you ask me. Either way, with so many anthems released, its almost easy for you to miss what I think is perhaps the best song of the lot despite its blindingly obvious name: Anthem Part Two. One of my favourite intros to any song, the rest of it sustains an equally high level. It is a typically blink song complete with its anti-establishment, high school fuelled tone and easy-listening harmonies. The clue is in the name with this one.

Sum 41- Walking Disaster

Moving from the band beloved by the 90s to one who just seemed to miss out on that millennium deadline. Its astonishing to consider that Sum 41's début album actually came to our ears in the year 2000 making them something of an interim between two decades of very contrasting styles. Nineties leftovers if you will. Yes their hair may be spiky, their songs angry and their t-shirts baggy, but they are something of an 'in between' generation from the giants of pop-punk like our aforementioned Blink 182 to the hair gel and plastic of Busted. While this song itself is beloved among the band's more avid listeners, most people rarely seem to look past the two big boys: In Too Deep and Fat Lip. Walking Disaster is a song which has all of the anthemic quality in the lyrics but also those classic catchy melodies from which Sum 41 have made their name. It's going to be a comeback year for this band so if you're a fan, watch out for an album.

Green Day- Viva La Gloria  (Little Girl)

Green Day aren't exactly a group known for their adaptability and musical dynamism. I mean, why would you change a formula if that formula is churning you out hits year on year with just three simple chords. Seems like a pretty solid deal to me. They had often been criticised for this until the release of the ground breaking American Idiot which in many ways broke the punk-shaped mould created from previous albums. Therefore, it is something of a treat to hear off-beat piano and an almost jazzy start to the song... before it all kicks off. Some great harmonies and nice layering make this a track to remember even if the title is a bit of a mouthful.

Mumford And Sons- Holland Road

Yes, this song does follow that classic Mumford And Sons format. It starts quietly, with whispered vocals, the tempo picks up until the second chorus before getting stuck in with the banjos and shouting. This post has perhaps revealed that the key to musical success is to get yourself a nice little formula and it appears the quartet have done just that. However, this song has much more integrity in my opinion while unfortunately others sometimes have the tendency to become parodies of themselves.

Take these songs and make yourselves more interesting music listeners.

To hear these songs, albums from the other posts and other music which I find, follow my blog on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/user/w-avery/playlist/4CAps4jqmlBK7LPOPFgi3T

5 Albums You May Not Necessarily Have Heard In 2014

2014, most of us will agree, was a year to forget. For me, all events in the past 730+ days since everyone was banging on about the Olympics and 2012 have seemed to blend into one sprawling mass of a Karl Pilkington-esque "Not much really". Of course loads has gone on but that apparent and blissful ignorance saves me extra typing. However, other than general conflict in the Middle East, planes going missing and a refreshingly smug smile on the face of Arsene Wenger there isn't much I can update you on. If you are reading this but have absolutely no idea what those events actually are then you must be living in some kind of cave so frankly I'm surprised you can read at all; try a newspaper. Musically speaking, it has also all been relatively on the quiet side. The charts are still awful, mainstream rock is still nice and mainstream (Nickelback, Foo Fighters etc), Travis Barker is still Tshirtless and I am still repeatedly mocked for liking Indie music. But I guess its Indie for a reason
       Luckily, I have kindly scraped together five albums which will slither under most people's musical radar... if you actually have one of those. These will refresh your ear with a variety of sounds from a variety of bands, new and old, from Scottish post hardcore to American traditional rock.

Dry The River: Alarms In The Heart

Officially the most easy-listening album of the year with forty five minutes of well-articulated lullaby. This alternative outfit are the latest branch of a London Indie folk-rock scene which has spawned the likes of Mumford and Sons and Noah and the Whale in recent years. With pasty skin, long hair, old fashioned yet questionably retro clothes and a guitarist who doubles up as tenor horn player, they couldn't belong to any other genre and manage to pull it off. For me this album offers a little more versatility than its forerunner No Rest with stronger electric guitar and drums, a more powerful voice from Peter Liddle and less of that vocal thing which can only be described as extremely tuneful wailing. The songs in the middle of the album do at times blend into a long, lilting ballad but there is a significantly lower volume of this than in No Rest. 

      
Listening to it, you get the sense that at least some of the songs are actually going somewhere, building to something rather than remaining in perpetual acoustic sadness- although sadness plays an important role. This is characterised by Alarms In The Heart, Hidden Hand and Gethsemane which are undoubtedly the best tracks of the album and will hopefully pave the way for a less wussy future for this band

Rival Sons: Great Western Valkyrie 

Undoubtedly the least well known on this list and provoking some head-scratching to most, Rival Sons have passed six short years since the release of their debut in 2009. Showcasing a unique blend of classic rock drums and guitar riffs with some apparent blues elements, the California originated quartet produce a unique sound that even the most stubborn 50 year-old men will admit to liking. It has just the right amount of classic rock to soothe the mid-life crisis but plenty of modern features like good sound quality and tight harmonies to attract younger listeners.

The vocals of Jay Buchanan are unbelievably powerful yet controlled and can create nice variation between songs. With inspirations ranging from Robert Plant to Van Morrison, Otis Redding to the gospel choir, it's no wonder their style is so unique and Great Western Valkyrie is a clear example of this. Praise the almighty for that. They may look old and bearded, (the guitarist looks vaguely like a cross between Keith Lemon and Phillip Seymour Hoffman) the very audience they typically appeal to, but this band certainly has one bright future.

The Fray: Helios

I may now be forced to retract my previous statement, for The Fray are historically the champion of easy-listening, soft rock, 'you may actually enjoy it but then again so does your mum' bands; my mum likes Take That for God's sake. Firstly, yes, that may not be the most illustrious title to ascertain but sometimes you just have to accept what your labelled as, the band certainly did with a good 40 songs worth of emotional piano, heartfelt (moist) lyrics and generally safe style. Secondly, before you ask, How To Save A Life, yep... that was them. Don't get me wrong I love the Fray but I think at times, the group have ridden on Isaac Slade's exceptional vocals to reduce scrutiny towards an otherwise simplistic musical style. The structure being: chords (gearing up for a ballad), softly sung verse and chorus, ooh drums this is getting exciting now, bass even better, louder chorus, guitar solo? Don't be silly MORE CHORDS, hold the piano note to finish.
 

That's why I am frankly overjoyed to announce that the latest release Helios is the best since their début. Huge deviation from their normal routine with a much better vocal range and power from Slade. Obviously there is the good old ballad but it now shoulders for ear space with some funk guitar, more prominent lead guitar and a much more varied song structure. Just as with Dry The River, this album demonstrates songs which actually go somewhere with Hold My Hand and Love Don't Die proving this. It's less generic and finally shows that the Fray are creating a more original style.

Twin Atlantic: Great Divide

Finally, the band even more Scottish than Biffy Clyro. Accents aren't usually a big thing in music; most people either learn to cover them up or at least try to. Not the case for this band. This band are about as Scottish as it gets. Take the names of their four Glasgow-born members for example: Sam Mctrusty, Barry Mckenna, Craig Kneale and Ross Mcknae. They don't just enjoy the occasional deep fried Mars bar, this band is pale skinned, independence demanding, thistle brandishing, scotch glugging "You can take our land but you can never take our freedom" kind of Scottish. This is, perhaps unsurprisingly, my favourite feature of Twin Atlantic, not simply because it amuses me but their sense of Scottish identity is a genuinely original artistic quality especially within the post-hardcore rock genre. It makes them immediately recognisable in any playlist and creates an image in my head of them performing in a grimy Glaswegian car park on a rainy night upon listening.

   

There was no way I was leaving this out

The latest album is also unique in the sense that the artistic style is virtually unchanged from the last album Free but with the sound still original. This is the same within the album itself with a healthy variety of acoustic and electric songs that each sound unique from the last, therefore avoiding the problem of being too generic which is common in the genre (You Me At Six, All Time Low etc.) The slightly heavier tracks like Be A Kid and Cell Mate are balanced out by calmer numbers like Brothers And Sisters This is a truly fantastic album which, even if you think I talk utter crap, you need to at least give an experimental listen.


Catfish And The Bottlemen: The Balcony

Now at last on to what I feel is, as the saying goes, the best of an above average bunch in the début album from these Welsh Indie rock newcomers. With a series of hugely successful singles preceding The Balcony, by the time Catfish And The Bottlemen hit the album charts it was with little surprise that their popularity soared. They are certainly a band who have carved out their own success and in just five years have gone from rainy car parks to Radio 1, Cardiff to Canberra, red pot noodles to Reading and Leeds. Indeed, the Welshmen have become a real success story for self released music in the short years since their foundation: music done the hard way. They may be young and relatively inexperienced but their gradual ascension to fame via all levels of the industry has given them a wealth of song-writing experience unrivalled by even the best pop sound machines around in the charts currently.

The album itself consists mainly of songs which had been released already in the build up to The Balcony's release with the first five songs all exceptional in their own right. Collectively however, you get a wave of anthemic, festival orientated garage rock with (as it seems to me) influences from Stereophonics and even, dare I say it, The Streets in terms of the lyrics. I could list them all but it would be tedious and since I thoroughly recommend those five for new listeners, its impossible to select specific tracks. My personal favourite would have to be Cocoon for its relatability and arena-style chorus. Unfortunately, the songs following Pacifier grow less memorable and, listening to the record consecutively, the revival in the form of Rango is much needed. This is the music I would recommend to all, as this four-piece should command respect from the feats they have achieved at least. With exceptional live performances providing a platform for a sell out tour (of which I will be attending), 2015 will be huge for Catfish And The Bottlemen.

Disagree with anything I've written? Frankly, I'm impressed you've made it this far so that's the only important thing. Thank you to Alex Dalton

To hear these songs, albums from the other posts and other music which I find, follow my blog on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/user/w-avery/playlist/4CAps4jqmlBK7LPOPFgi3T