Review: Catfish And The Bottlemen - The Ride | A Reinvention Of 'The Balcony', But Does Anybody Mind?

When it was announced earlier this year that the leather-wearing northerners would be returning with new material, it prompted the usual eager clamouring amongst their ever-expanding fan base. Would they be changing their style? Would their rise to fame see them lose that down-to-earth commentary which characterised their debut? Would they retain their non-mainstream charm? These questions were answered with the release of The Ride late last month.
     The answer: nearly everything has remained the same, the one word song titles, the intense high energy, the floppy, non-mainstream haircuts. The album is so similar to its predecessor that many have labelled it a consolidation of The Balcony's material. Sonically, however, they remain certainly far from tired, with the ability to produce quality, seemingly original tunes from essentially the same ingredients, albeit more nuanced this time around.

While the tone remains fairly similar between the two records and thus makes them seem rather alike at the surface, the progress is far more apparent within the intricacies of each song. For example, its clear to note the advances in the complexity and experimentation of the lead guitar in songs like Anything, Postpone and Soundcheck  with a few cheeky distorted solos featuring in the latter two. This is also the case with the rhythm guitar with McCann straying from the more basic chord patterns in the background to a set of far more intricate backing riffs.
      It also seems to me that they have let some of their early musical influences really shine through with the jangly high pitched guitar and what I'll call the vocal distortion (that thing where it sounds like he's singing through a radio) of The Strokes coming through in Emily. as well as the lullabic vocals/guitar-picking of The Kooks (who they supported on tour last year) on Glasgow. However it would be ridiculous to ignore the most obvious influence of all, Mr Noel Gallagher and Oasis, whom the quartet have always idolised. In the verses of Postpone, the piercing solo of Red and basically the entirety of Oxygen (hugely similar in structure to Oasis' The Importance Of Being Idle), we can see Gallagher's influence, not just thanks to their shared producer, Dave Sardy, but to a sound which became entrenched among a generation of young songwriters hoping to emulate their style.

This influence goes beyond sound and style alone, but is strongly rooted within the lyrics as well, One of McCann's greatest strengths is his lyric-writing style which is the most transparent link to their Mancunian heroes. NME perfectly summed this up as 'Everyman lyricism'; the content is not far-fetched or metaphorical so as to be truly reflective of audiences. Who gives a toss about metaphors and pathetic fallacy anyway? Not McCann: he talks of catching a girl "on her fag break" who later wakes up "just to join me to smoke". There are so many references to smoking, The Ride is basically an audio advert for the tobacco industry. Yet in this lies a unique charm. They depict the de-romanticised stories of ordinary people, thus abandoning any lofty status and coming down towards the level of the audiences.

Catfish's sound is really geared towards the live performance, allowing them to generate an incredible atmosphere at any venue they play. We had already seen this to some extent in The Balcony but its clear that they have added the experience of a year of touring. Perhaps this is most obvious in the extended bridges and solos of Anything, Soundcheck and 7 which will be clearly adapted during the live performance.

So while it may not be the most adventurous of records, it would be a mistake to claim that it is the 'same' as the last, Instead, I reckon they might be 'doing a Mumford & Sons', with this album really consolidating their now dominating presence in alternative music and enabling them to be more bold in the future. There are some truly great songs in this album, Oxygen and Outside standing out for me as favourites. However, they are yet to find their Wonderwall or I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor, an anthem which really categorises their overall quality. That being said, they really are on the way to doing so.

LIVE REVIEW - Sum 41 @ The Institute; Birmingham

The Canadian Skate-Punksters Explode Their Way Through First English Show In Nearly 5 Years

They're back, sporting a revitalised line-up which features new drummer Frank Zummo and the return of original guitarist (and only Indian guy I've ever seen in a rock band): Dave 'Brownsound' Baksh. I'm not a massive fan of that nickname either... it sounds 'sewage-y' and vaguely disgusting. The Canadian four-piece only returned to the live circuit last year, after singer: Deryck Whibley's lengthy recovery from liver failure, but showed no signs of rustiness, powering through a 22-song set to take Birmingham by storm.

The night began, as all good ones should, in the Institute's neighbouring Irish pub: The Kerryman. Here I saw a strange phenomenon in six drunken pub lads in complete 'cheeky nando's' attire loudly singing along to pop punk songs. It is indeed rare to see tattooed, shaven-headed, skin tight t-shirt-wearing blokes belting out Blink 182's All The Small Things. Or perhaps I've just lead a sheltered life.       Walking behind them into the gig itself, I was finding a good spot when a stocky, tasty-looking ginger guy shoves past me from behind, carving an aggressive path through the crowd. Usually, it would be accepted that he was a knob-head and I'd move on so it came as a bit of a shock to me when the guy clambered on to the stage, clutching a microphone. It transpired that the stocky red-head was in fact the main support act: Frank Carter whose set ended up featuring more climbing and crowd acrobatics than actual singing. Nevertheless it was incredibly exciting and had everyone in the mood for Kerrang! Tour headliners, Sum 41.

While support acts are often exciting to watch, you can immediately recognise a true headliner when you see one; they have the depth of material combined with the genuine stage presence. Sum 41's set set  reflected the former, spanning their entire discography yet with an emphasis on crowd favourites, with Over My Head, Summer, Underclass Hero, The Hell Song and Walking Disaster all appearing within the first half of their performance.



While Cone and Baksh both tend to remain in fixed positions, Whibley dominates the stage, covering every inch of it as if he was playing the O2 Arena rather than the O2 Institute. In reality, the Canadians are far bigger than the venue, yet this generated a sense of intimacy enjoyed by the band and fans alike. Whibley was visibly relaxed. Considering his near-death experience, I was astounded at the energy he put in to that performance, prowling the stage's perimeter as if to make eye contact with every person in the building. As a fan I got the sense that he was really beginning to retest himself as a live performer, producing some very powerful vocal efforts and stepping up the crowd interaction as the night drew on. This culminated in him standing on an amp playing the opening riffs to Smoke On The Water and Seven Nation Army announcing: "This was the first thing I ever learned to play" about the former. They had clearly enjoyed playing the older songs from their roster, particularly Summer and Handle This which were never singles in their own right but were nonetheless belted out word-for-word by the nostalgic audience.

However, where their set really distinguished itself from other bands I've seen is something which, to me, seems glaringly obvious: saving the most well-known songs until last. If we're being honest, Fat Lip and In Too Deep played themselves that night. They could have been performed by a hoarse, drunken karaoke singer on a one stringed banjo and the atmosphere would still have been fantastic but to hear those anthemic riffs live is certainly a tick off the bucket list. It was at that point when I realised how relatively subdued the crowd had been beforehand. I'd been a little bit disappointed that not everyone shared my level of enthusiasm or excitement but that's probably more telling of me than anyone else. Nevertheless, they finally found their voices, making that encore a memorable one.




This guy is incredibly cringey so... sorry about that. The best ones were:

• Underclass Hero - 24.55
• In Too Deep - 46.54
• Fat Lip - 54.35

In summary, Dave slotted back in seamlessly (tight white t shirt and all), the new drummer Zummo looked like a fantastic addition to the group and it was abundantly clear that Sum 41 have returned... and (barring any more organ failures) they will be here to stay.

Best Tracks Of 2015

While I realise it's already February, and there's various excuses I could reel off as to why this is late, you're not here to read them so here's my list. It's virtually impossible to rank such a diverse mix of genres but I've stretched myself to a highly contentious top five. The more inquisitive among you can even benefit from a handy key which shows the following:

Red = album worth listening to        Black = The song is either a single or one of the few good tracks

Mumford And Sons - Believe
This is perhaps the most interesting one for me. When the London folk rock outfit's third album: Wilder Mind was released, I -along with the critics- met it with some contempt. It wasn't that the ditching of the banjo (or 'Banjo Gate') and opting for a more mainstream sound and traditional line up that was the problem in my eyes. Instead it was that the songs didn't pack enough of a proverbial punch and didn't believe that they could reach that anthemic, crowd-chorusing standard that I've come to expect. Reading festival soon came along and it was time to put this depressing analysis to the test. The soaring vocals and echoing guitar solo of Believe changed my mind there and then; I am now a convert to the lyrically simplified, snare-smashing, bass-rumbling charm of this new sound. Teddy's uncontrollable swaying and gnashing can still be seen from 300 metres away, double bass or electric.

Other notable songs in the album: The Wolf, Tomkins Square Park, Wilder Mind

The Academic - Sometimes
A song from the easier-listening side of the indie world with the latest E.P from the emerging Irish quartet who are just a year into a record deal and set to release their first full album in 2016. The guitar is simply strummed and low-key, accompanied by softly sung vocals which contribute towards a generally mellow sound. This allows them to strike a nice balance between relaxing and captivating and avoids that characterless quality which affects many indie bands today.

The Offspring- Coming For You

2015 saw, after over 25 years since the release of their self-titled début, the return of these pop-punk giants with another single which, I think cements itself alongside some of their biggest tunes including You're Gonna Go Far Kid, Self Esteem and Want You Bad. The song deviates from the classically mundane lyric content that pop-punk boasts with Dexter Holland remarking that it is about 'the government keeping you down' prior to the single's release. Perhaps this signifies more of a potentially political edge to The Offspring's new material. The song certainly sports a heavier side to their sound with a more prominent bass line and a more traditional rock and roll guitar solo while retaining those 'hey's and 'hell yeah's beloved by their fans.

Dinosaur Pile-up - Eleven Eleven
The best intro of the year goes to this Leeds-originating heavy rock outfit. A blend of more classic rock riffs, the grumbling guitars of grunge and aggressively tuneful vocals of punk, Dinosaur Pile-up offer an impossibly rowdy song which can barely be confined to the constraints of it's 'alt-rock' labelling. The result of such a wide combination of styles produce a song which will have you on your feet and ready to smash something in no time. It's stop-start, reverberating guitar riff, thrashing drums and simplistic lyrics bring the spirit of the mosh pit to your (now throbbing) ears.

Slaves - Sugar Coated Bitter Truth

I've raved enough about this band during the year so if you'd like to read a more general review, you can do so here. This track is one of my favourites, simply because it shows off some of Slaves' versatility. Its paranoid, conspiracy theory-themed lyrics and slightly more intricate guitar melody seem like the perfect way to end what is a n enormous début. However, just as they've lulled you into a false sense of security with the song's relatively peaceful opening, in true Slaves fashion it builds to a roaring crescendo.

Stereophonics - Sunny
From alt rock newcomers to figureheads of the more mainstream genre, the Welsh four-piece released their ninth studio album Keep The Village Alive earlier this year. Packed with soothing ballads and careful guitar arrangements, Stereophonics haven't deviated too greatly from what is a proven winning formula. Kelly Jones' incredible voice, as usual, carries the album with this song an outstanding example of his true vocal range from low pitched gruffness to soaring falsettos. Sunny even features an extended guitar solo, something virtually unheard of in a Stereophonics record.

Other Notable Songs: C'est La Vie, Mr And Mrs Smith, I Want To Get Lost With You

Vant - Do You Know Me / Parasite
This band somehow manages to sound familiar and incomparable at the same time. The frantic tempo of the guitars and machine gun drums compliments the brash, care-free vocals of front man Mattie Vant giving their sound a lazy, casual quality despite the franticness of the backing instruments. Since all of their songs are under three minutes in duration (Parasite lasting just 1.26) you're treated to a short sharp burst of energy which draws to an abrupt standstill before you even know what's going on. The pace is so furious that the songs almost seem to be in fast forward which only acts to enhance the band's appeal in my eyes.


21 Pilots- Stressed Out
It would take a brave man to try and classify 21 Pilots with a genre. I'm not so I won't. The strange, quivering vocals of Tyler Joseph take on a variety of styles depending on the song: sometimes its emotional pop-punk, at others a more classic pop voice and occasionally you'll get a cheeky spoken word rap verse in there as well. The accompaniment is mostly synthetic with a rumbling bass line which, in this song, fits nicely with the deadpan vocals. Listening to the whole album, you're not likely to like every track but there really is something for virtually everyone and this song was a personal favourite for me.

Wonder Years - Cardinals
Proof that pop-punk can be intelligent. The Wonder Years have always boasted poetic lyrics, a tendency to avoid overproduction and generally a darker, more genuinely emotional focus. It was always going to be tricky to follow up 2013's sensational 'The Greatest Generation'  with No Closer To Heaven released late last year. While not necessarily 'better' than the last record, it certainly dealt with much more sensitive lyric content and Cardinals is a prominent example of this. The Bridge: "We're no saviours if we can't save our brothers" sums up the overriding theme of the track yet the production team have still been able combine this with a more outreaching, catchy chorus. As a result, Cardinals is as impressive for its craft as it is for its lyrical content.

The Hunna - Bonfire
Despite a truly shocking name and frequent use of words like 'Squaaaaad' and 'turnt' on their social media posts, the London quartet are showing huge promise in the indie-pop scene. They were formed just this year with Bonfire the title of their début E.P. with label, High Time Records and an album set for release this year. I'm imagining that their use of those dreadful words is an attempt to tap into more of a 'pop' following yet the undeniable catchiness of those songs should be enough to see them through anyway. Unfortunately, the echoing, anthemic qualities seen in this song simply aren't there in any of their other tracks but it's still just early days for this group.


The Top 5

Highly Suspect - Lydia
Dubbed by many as America's answer to Royal Blood, Massachusetts' Highly Suspect are carving a name for themselves in their home country  but are yet to taste real success on our side of the Atlantic. Comparisons have already been made to some huge names in rock including Kings of Leon (thanks to Stevens' husky vocals) and even Queens Of The Stone Age for their outlandish, high pitched synthesised guitar solos. Their outstanding single Lydia has deservedly commanded a storm of critical recognition for its undeniable power but more importantly an intoxicating classic rock charm.

Other Notable Songs: Bath Salts, Bloodfeather, Mom

A$AP Rocky- Wavybone
It's incredibly rare for me to find a rap album in which I'd struggle to choose a favourite song; it was the case with Dr Dre's Chronic 2001 and Jay-Z/Kanye West's Watch The Throne to exemplify the calibre I'm looking for. Rocky's second album At Long Last A$AP easily sits alongside those massive names, a display of the brave experimentalism which is powering the current growth of hip-hop towards popular musical dominance. The record as a whole has a hypnotic feel to it (almost resembling an hour-long L$D trip) with the echoing vocals, artificially low-pitch grunts and strange instrumental melodies. It's also nice to see Rocky making use of more traditional instruments like acoustic and electric guitars in his backing samples which accompany his impeccable flow which hooks you in as a listener. Wavybone represents a short break from the acid trip giving us more of an insight to the inspiration behind his lyrics as well as some clever sampling for the chorus. The verses from Juicy J and UGK are also a nice inclusion.

Other notable songs: Jukebox Joints, Canal St, Electric Body, M'$

Nothing But Thieves - Ban All The Music

The second song in possibly the best indie rock album of the year from the incredibly talented and original Essex hailing quintet Nothing But Thieves. They have a versatility to their sound, with particular reference to singer Connor Mason who has, without doubt, one of the best rock voices in music today and will be a catalyst for their impending success. Mason's voice brings what can only be described as a fiery delicacy to their songs, blending soaring operatic falsettos with rawer, more familiar rock screams. The band have drawn comparisons to a range of massive names including The Arctic Monkeys, Catfish and the Bottlemen and Royal Blood if you like this song, be sure to check out their self-titled album  

Other Notable Songs: Honey Whiskey, Itch, Wake Up Call, Trip Switch

Neck Deep - Can't Kick Up The Roots

Overall, probably my favourite album of the year, Neck Deep's Life's Not Out To Get You is the emotionally perceptive, harmony-infested follow-up to début: Wishful Thinking. My full review of the whole album can be read here on Ultimateguitar.com  (the second one). This track, the opener to the record is a down to earth, fondly reminiscent ode to their home town of Wrexham and one of the most catchy songs the genre has to offer.

Other notable songs: Gold Steps, Threat Level Midnight, Kali Ma, December

Everything Everything - To The Blade
An entry from certainly one of the most original (a more polite way of saying strange) bands of the year, with a tendency to wear uniform and sing in incomprehensible English. Combining the electronic drum beats and electronic synthesisers more familiar in dance music with the intelligent lyrics and soft harmonies of an indie band, they create a distinctive sound which seems to fit perfectly with their peculiar dress sense. This song is "written as a letter to someone who is close a person who's done something terrible" and is testament to the politically-tuned, analytic lyrics which are my favourite feature about the album.

Other Notable Songs: Regret, Spring/Sun/Winter/Dread, Distant Past, No Reptiles

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...