Bleed Electric This Is My Masterpiece

Bleed Electric is the convergence of two talents -  Welsh based Music Producer and Media Specialist Chris Maguire aka Mug5 with imaginative wordsmith  & rapper/vocalist Silk (S-Tradamus).

Together Mug5 and Silk are an exciting melting pot of talent and freshness – and this makes Bleed Electric’s originality of sound unlike anything that has been heard before.

‘This Is My Masterpiece’  is a continuation of the last, and third Bleed Electric EP  ‘Let The Invasion Begin’. Fully realizing the future fresh sound of Bleed Electric, ‘This Is My Masterpiece’ is considered, by the band, to be their most masterful musical statement to date.

We had an early listen to ‘This Is My Masterpiece’ and here’s what we thought:

First track, ‘A New Reason’ has hoopy loopy spirals of sound that flow healthily around, and gush up to greet you. Then a bubbling beat jaggers and sizzles. Anxious voices seem to be rumbling in the background, long before their meeting with a sheer cliff of overpowering sound… and that’s when a basket of Eastern tones shake up the plot, as they connive to cut off the rap in full flight.

‘Accidental Genius’ – This hot and sweaty beat-fest vibrates along, all spread out and happy. And after a big blast of a horn, the sounds continue to flap, as they regurgitate the sound before them,  and shuffle manfully onwards. This throbbing track will free the latent fire that you have hidden so deeply in your knapsack.

‘Pragmatic’ has a lacerating rhythm and a voice so piercing that the primordial silence- when it comes – is comforting. The vocals bounce right up to spit you in the eye. And if that is not enough, the sluggardly womp
will fluster and befuddle your sweetmeats right up to the point of climax. You can take a ride on this one.

‘Angel Fly’ has a withering coat of sweat covering its tight skin.  Clarified vocals are intermittently smothered by an other-worldly intruder, and these cause the entire pace to be subtly suspended.  Then the whole piece turns into a paradise of enviably delicate, utopian sounds.

Title track ‘This Is My Masterpiece’ begins with a hollow fluttering. The inscribed words seem to be slightly floating, as if they are being drawn gently upwards into a hot sky. Then a corridor of relaxing sounds creates a flamboyant blanket of comfort whist  the all encompassing composition manifests itself as a creation of absolute control and total immersion.

Sit back and let Bleed Electric take you on a musical journey that you have never experienced before.

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –

Link:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bleed-Electric/449669410202

Foreign Soil A Plastic Rose

The Belfast based rock band  ‘A Plastic Rose’ have been bringing their anthemic and emotionally charged brand of rock and roll directly to their growing army of fans since 2007.

Comprising of Gerry Norman (guitar/vocals), Ian McHugh (guitar/vocals), Troy Heaton (bass), and David Reid (drums), the Belfast/Sligo four piece share a bond of camaraderie and common vision that has compelled them to improve upon each release, pushing themselves further and further in their pursuit of greatness.

A Plastic Rose have now announced a UK tour with We Came From Wolves (details below) and have released a brand new track called ‘Foreign Soil’ from their upcoming album.  [Camera.Shutter.Life which is to be released on the 22nd October 2012 through Di Di Mau Records/Third Bar.]

We took an early listen to ‘Foreign Soil’ and here’s what we thought:

A shivering grid of looting guitar-sound rushes in to greet you. Then an icy voice is heard struggling against the acid licks. The pace changes direction for a moment – as if it is lost. Then, with screams of anguish, the song howls back into view, piercing the darkness with a generous chording  riff .

The verse seems beautifully at home in the blistering meshwork prison that surrounds it. But it is the oven-hot chorus that will make you scream with joy. With thumping percussion, spraying and threshing rhythms, and pulverizing bass-  the finale is a cataclysmic climax that will shake you out from the inside. 

Devastating and essential.

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –

Link:

http://www.facebook.com/aplasticrose

On tour with We Came From Wolves:
28 Fri – UK, Dunfermline
29 Sat – UK, Dumfries

October:

1 Mon – UK, Newcastle, The Cluny 2
3 Wed – UK, Aberdeen, Tunnels
4 Thurs – UK, Glawgow, King Tuts (supporting The Birthday Suit)
5 Fri – UK, Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete’s
6 Sat – UK, Nottingham, Rock City, Hey Hey Hey Club Night
9 Tue – UK, Leeds, Cockpit 3
10 Wed, UK, Bristol, Louisiana
11 Thurs – UK, Kingston, The Hippodrome, New Slang Club Night
12 Fri – UK, Truro, Bunters, B-Side Club Night
13 Sat – UK, London, The Borderline
14 Sun – UK, Manchester, Sound Control
16 Tue – UK, Guilford, The Boiler Room

Velvet Stream Selfish Mind Review

Velvet Stream are a female-led, Alternative Pop/Rock band from London. Their uplifting and vibrant songs are a fusion of contemporary Pop/Rock and nostalgic influences such as Patti Smith, Lene Lovich, Talking Heads, The Beach Boys and Roy Orbison.

The band recently secured a place in the Top 20 for MTV’s Unsigned Artist 2012 and has performed gigs at Shoreditch House, Ronnie Scotts and a session for the BBC at Maida Vale Studios in 2011.

They have now released ‘Selfish Mind’ (Single) and we took a listen:

When did doo-wop come back? It slid in when you were not looking. And now it’s taking over the dance floor. With its strong hula shirt, wide rimmed hat and bright smile. Wouldn’t you like a selfish mind like this, if it was as generous as Mati’s? She really is the ballroom professor of the Sh-Boom and the Bomp.

Exquisitely crispy and pearly are those lead vocals, and they are encrusted with coconut deep harmonies and oscillating descants. This song seems to flower in the moonlight. And the fun does not stop with the rattling voices. Juicy arrangements and chipper keyboard fireworks all add up to a rebounding bouncyball of jungle-garden cocktail fun.

In fact this is a toucan’s bill full of bright colours and happy zestiness. Luscious.

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –

Link: http://www.facebook.com/VelvetStreamOfficial

http://youtu.be/P_bKfXu59-k

Azealia Band Van Vogue

You’ll be barking and panting when you catch this. It ‘s true. All that writhing onto you. All that flipping of the shiniest, superlative Rapunzel hair. Hooking those amped up, luscious lips, tilting and flipping the bazookas in all those suggestive poses. Groans sweep around the bumps and the shock pulse compression. And that’s the point. Pretty AB is the real thing. She’s not too good for the hood. But she’s better than all the hypocrites in there who are trying to conform - and trying to make out that they won’t even smoke with her no more. But she knows that they’re fronting. But she is the real thing.

The ratio of this song is lean and fast. It’s turned upside down one way - and then it tips all the way over to the other. Breakdowns are pleasant, and growly- or they are sparkly-bee and grumbly, but then this song is all about the pulses of life - if you miss her or dismiss her - she just comes right back in and sketches you back. This is baptism by total immersion. Nodding grinning and growling. You need to lay your hands on this one as soon as you can.

 – © Neil_Mach August 2012 –

Link: http://www.facebook.com/azealiabanksmusic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWk-5F2A1zE&feature=youtu.be

Poor Moon is Christian Wargo (Fleet Foxes, Crystal Skulls), Casey Wescott (Fleet Foxes) and brothers Ian and Peter Murray (The Christmas Cards). And Poor Moon is the title of their full-length debut. But before there was a band or a record, there was the music, a series of songs forged by Christian Wargo over a period of several years. That’s one of the things that makes Poor Moon sound so special: this band grew out of the songs, not vice-verse.

Thanks to their affinity for warm, earthy tones -  the music of Poor Moon can sound deceptively simple. Assorted timbres decorate their recordings—marimba, harpsichord, fretless zither—but this isn’t everything-but-the kitchen-sink arranging. Whatever the instrumentation, the sense of choosing the right tool for the job always prevails. Thoughtful, impassioned vocal harmonies further reinforce the myriad musical bonds at play.

We took a listen to some new ‘Poor Moon’ tunes and this is what we thought:

‘People In Her Mind’ – made us think of ‘The Shadows’ crossed with ‘Smith Westerns’. This is naive pop with the quirky, fresh appeal of the Sixties. It reminds us of  something by Arthur Lee’s ‘Love’ – but created for us. Here and now. It is charming, candy coated and quixotic. Yet there is a hint of sadness and relentless melancholia within it’s finely drawn limits.

‘Holiday’  has tiny stars in the sky that look, to all the world, like frost fairies dancing and spiraling down to your toes. Your gently laid  foot steps in the sand will be sweetly followed by the tip-toes of percussion. And the wintry keys that glisten on the white sand, will remind you of a powdery Christmas. 

‘Birds’ is a ditty that gently slouches. The warmth and the sadness will exude from the sweaty walls of this ripe shanty,  like syrup dripping from an open wound. A rustle of rhythm is all that is needed to gently cup the sweetest of the voices. But there is still threat and greed hidden within the tempered folds of this subtle song. It is best to remain cautious. Because this is hypnotically charming.

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –
Link:

http://www.facebook.com/thepoormoon

UK Shows

31 Aug 2012 Dorset at End of the Road
01 Sep 2012 Manchester at Ruby Lounge
03 Sep 2012 London at The Lexington

Toy at End Of The Road

TOY are an English indie rock/psychedelic rock band from London.

The band were picked as one of NME’s “100 New Bands You Have to Hear” in January 2012, with Rhys Webb of ‘The Horrors’ describing them as “the most exciting band to come out last year” and “my favourite band for 2012.”

We checked out a couple of their tracks prior to their appearance at this year’s End Of The Road Festival, Dorset (Big Top Stage – Saturday 1st September) :

Listening to ‘Motoring’ is like being sucked into a hugely cavernous mouth. Not an entirely unpleasant experience- until the gnashers start biting into your feeble tissue.  A nodding, prodding beat keeps things chugging briskly along, while the lines of guitar and keyboards filter sleepily out of the turmoil, to stifle you within their coils. Vocals are clear and pulpy. 

‘Left Myself Behind’ is peppery and dark. It has abundant bass lines that tend to add a sense of grandeur and tension, and some generously clouded guitars that fog-up the mechanism. But the vocals are elegantly polished and as shiny as cherry wood veneer and  so the song steers you in the right direction – i.e. away from yourself.

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –

Link:

http://www.facebook.com/toy.band

http://youtu.be/dcQ2nXDvWDY

Make sure you check TOY out at this year’s End Of The Road Festival.

Cuushe Do You Know The Way To Sleep (Slow Magic Remix)

After three years of silence since the release of her captivating debut album ‘Red Rocket Telepathy’, contemporary Japanese dream-pop singer, Cuushe is back with a gorgeous new set of breath-taking materials.

In this masterfully produced new EP, entitled Girl / You Know That I am Here / But the Dream , the multi-talented Cuushe once again carefully crafted 3 songs that were sonically constructed to illustrate beautiful dreamscapes with her feathery voices, floating electronic sounds, and heart-melting dream pop melodies.
In this beautiful collection of dream-pop songs, Cuushe uses her voices as the main instrument to wrap those exquisite synthesizer sounds, elegant strokes of piano and edgy guitar chords, and float them altogether into the air, with layers of vocals and reverb of noises. This amazing soundscape will euphorically transport you to the other side of the never ending dream, where you always wanted to be.

We took a listen to Cuushe’s – Do You Know The Way To Sleep (Slow Magic Remix) and here’s what we thought:

Difficult breathing, and a click in the throat. Thus it begins. The subtle heart falters and stutters alone,  and then a little tic-tac of powdery piano keys chung monolithically into view.

An ethereal and gentle voice wafts softly from the cloudy veins – and wavers trembling to the ground. The a bumpier bass-beat noses it’s way in and the chords become grander and more lavishly applied.

A thumpier drum gains some courage and then -at last- the rattier and shakier sounds loom into view and your release can begin. 

Earnest, tight and hard. This piece grows organically, and ends in gentle flutters.

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –

Link:
http://www.facebook.com/cuushe

you can download the remix on bandcamp!
http://flau.bandcamp.com/track/do-you-know-the-way-to-sleep-slow-magic-remix

Marry Waterson and Oliver Knight- New Single Review

Marry Waterson and Oliver Knight are brother and sister who have grown up immersed in traditional song. As part of the Waterson Family musical dynasty, the siblings have thrived on communal music making whilst developing highly original and distinctly English performance styles of their own, a method that owes much to the folk tradition, but isn’t beholden to it.

Decisively moving out of the shadow of their mother - folk legend Lal Waterson – with the arrival of last year’s long-gestated ‘The Days That Shaped Me’ album- for which they were also nominated a BBC Folk Award - Marry & Oliver have readied a second album, ‘Hidden’ for release on One Little Indian, 24th September.

A single ‘Going Going Gone’ is released from the album on 17th September, its Andrew Sisters style harmonies courtesy of their cousin, Eliza Carthy and acapella trio Coope, Boyes and Simpson.

We took an early listen to the single ‘Going Going Gone’ and here’s what we thought:

 A simply strummed guitar, faintly reminiscent of Mellow Yellow (Donovan), together with some exquisite harmonies, a bar-room piano ... and a blazing fire in the grate. What better way to spend an evening with friends?  

Marry Waterson’s voice is bright, clear and concise. Merrily abundant, sherry shaded and cherry-blossom polished. And when those mahogany a cappella polyphonies come into view, to share in the moiling, your hands will feel more evenly balanced and your head starts to feel a great deal clearer.

The stippled, tinkling notes of the piano seem naked - as if suddenly exposed and dancing in the gaslight. And you will gently sway to the warm chorus as it tapers delicately out of sight, until it’s gone, gone gone.

Such faded charm! 

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –

Link: http://www.facebook.com/WatersonKnight  

Marry and Oliver play a one-off show at: 
The Slaughtered Lamb Great Sutton St. 
Clerkenwell, London, 
EC1V 0DX  
Mon 17^th Sep
http://www.theslaughteredlambpub.com

Frail Grounds Track Review - Freeze Me

Hailing from Norway, a country known for its high quality in both progressive and extreme metal, the expectations are always high when a new band emerges on the stage.

The heavy progressive-metal band Frail Grounds challenge these expectations with their debut album, The Fields of Trauma.

Frail Grounds was formed late 2005, and released their first EP ‘Corrosion’ in 2008. Their musical vision was always to create interesting and flowing soundscapes, merging elements from different genres ranging from traditional heavy, progressive and extreme metal, yet always maintaining a melodic baseline.

The recording of the album ‘The Fields of Trauma’ started by the end of 2010 at Lionheart Studios, and was finished fall 2011. A conceptual album, ‘The Fields of Trauma’ follows an expedition deep into Siberia, and deals with how far a person might go under extreme circumstances, in order to achieve a sense of resolution.

We took a listen to ‘Freeze Me’ from the Fields Of Trauma album - and this is what we thought: Grandly operatic - this shines like a crystal cathedral on a distant hill. Ever visible, but so hard to reach. Sheer guitars sheathe the burgeoning bass notes that come bundled, grumbling and rumbling in the dankest mire. But the keys ascend willingly from the ice - and the sheer joy of soaring voices that sail into the radiant sun - will gladden your heart.

A complicated verse structure is, however, perfectly enjoyable - especially as it spirals closer and closer to the vertiginous cliff faces of sound that can be found in the looming climax of the chorus. Sometimes this piece rushes headlong into a mix of brooding despair and melancholic moodiness. But at other times it is a source of inspiration and joy - an exercise in abundant hope and expectation.

This is an epic piece of work.

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –

Link: http://www.facebook.com/frailgrounds

Jay James Picton Album Review

We saw Jay James Picton performing at the Monto Water Rats in London last week, launching his debut album [ ‘Play It By Heart’ which is to be released on August 27].

The Welsh singer / songwriter has been very busy, in collaboration with the likes of Booker T Jones and John Legend, and working with Mike Peden and Malay to co-produce his album. The album has been described as a combination of blues and R & B. but it is, in essence, a slice of dark classic soul.

‘Another Man’ begins with a discordant crash, as if the bottom has fallen out of someone’s life. The extent of devastation, revealed in the voice of Jay James as he opens up his heart to you - will you tear your asunder. What a waste. Feel the pity. And the anxiety will fester in the pit of your stomach.

Respite comes mercifully quickly, because the opening track quickly segues into ‘Long May They Roll’ - not that any emotion stops there - because your senses will be kept boiling. The gently murmuring keyboards and the gurgling of guitars suit the impassioned vocals that weep and mourn so abundantly and so clearly. Yet the words have that fragile emotional quality that is hard to release and hard to forget. So no tears will come to be wasted ...

Then ‘Play It By Heart’ gently bobs along. Sweet accompaniment helps that fat, greasy, tobacco stained voice to exploit and manipulate your feelings. This song has a reasonably formulaic chorus - but is so expertly rendered that it will linger in your mind long after it is first played. ‘Nothing But You’ is a big bruising blues number. Evoking distant memories of smoky honky-tonk dance halls and squalid West Memphis gambling joints. The haunting trumpet emblazons those heartfelt vocals.

I imagine ‘Gravity’ is probably gonna be lifting Jay James up - rather than pulling him down. And this is another superbly crafted song, deftly preaching its sermon in a gently proficient verse and competent lyrical structures. The paths of sound in this song tend to twine and gradually merge, joining up in an accomplished and magnificent end-piece which cannot be easily forgotten.

‘You’re The Sea’ show-cases the extraordinary vocal range of Jay James Picton. And ‘Spiders’ is dark, moody and paranoically melancholy. You may be able to nuzzle up to this one, but the sadness penetrates irresistibly into your heart, obscuring any mood.

‘Heads vs Hearts’ explains the manifesto of Jay James Picton. You may be wanting to do something - or to act in a certain way- and you may even think you know how something’s going to turn out ... but in the end, it is your heart that will always dictate what is good for you - and it will come through for you if you allow it. And, if you don’t let your heart direct you and guide you - disaster will likely fall upon everything. In this song the singer stands to loose the woman he loves - and he may even loose his fraught mind in the process - just because he chooses to ignore his heart.

 Dappled song ‘Sunshine’ has a jazzy feel to it and is one of several songs that may remind you of work by Amy Winehouse. And if you think that comparisons with female blue-eyed soul singers are not relevant - think again. Picton’s voice easily reaches and even exceeds the highs and low attempted by the likes of Robert Palmer or Mick Hucknall.

The rhythm of ‘Someone That’s Real’ will also remind you of a female performer- in this case Emeli Sandé [Next to Me]. This song ignites the flame in your heart. And, as usual, the oozing passion exudes- like thick blood - from every open wound. Listening to this is like ripping out your heart - still beating- from your breast ... before wearing it proudly upon your sleeve.

The album concludes with ‘The Boy The Wants To Fly’. This sizzles with faded Americana - as that spirited and haunting voice lifts you ever upwards - and you realise that you can look down from the highest of highs. Enjoy the vision of a world spread out like a blanket below you.

Don’t doubt it. This boy will fly- and you had better hang on to his shirt-tails if you wanna go with him!

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –

Link: http://www.facebook.com/jayjamespictonofficial
 

Bonafide Ultimate Rebel Album Review

Classic rock band BONAFIDE was formed by singer/guitarist Pontus Snibb in Malmö, southern Sweden, in 2006. Guitar player Mikael Fässberg, drummer Niklas Matsson and bass player Martin Ekelund joined him. Their mission was to play Hard Rock the way it´s supposed to be played: True to it´s roots in the electric blues and early R´n´B.

In December 2011, BONAFIDE made their UK debut at the Hard Rock Hell Festival.  The band continued to do shows around the UK, culminating in a show at London´s  Islington O2 Academy.
The band have now released their third full length album ‘Ultimate Rebel’. A full scale world tour is planned to coincide with this release.

We listened to ‘Ultimate Rebel’ and here’s what we thought:

‘Make My Own Rules’  has a calamitous uproar of drums that comes at you – fighting mad. It has a sparkling infusion of riffs.  Pontus Snibb’s vocals sound as though they are strained through a pair of stripper’s stockings (think Chappo.) The chorus reminded us of AC / DC.  It has that exquisite kick of acid guitar solo just where you need it. Right in your face. This song gives it to you. Long and hard.

‘The Mess’ has a riff that rips apart your spangled pants and lets all the fresh air in. The insistent beat rams home the point, as it rummages through your unprotected tenderloins, and it only leaves when a squelchy guitar pounces in to take possession of the remaining tattered pieces. Those vocals heave and sigh.  And this song leaves you thinking that,  if regret really is this slinky, there is room for a bit more.

Riff-based ‘Too Fired Up’ reminded us of vintage ‘Boston’ (1976) especially that glistening lead guitar from Mikael Fässberg. This song will anoint you and then it will release you.  And track ‘Doing The Pretty’  has a storm of percussion that will make you spasm and discharge. Tight, fast and ‘Riding Hard’. It will crush you and corrupt you!

‘Blue Skies Red’ is the centerpiece of this exhilarating album. Weighty and serious. This whole composition, and especially the chorus, favourably recalls ‘Rainbow’ during their ‘sword and sorcery’ period. An irreverent riff sneers at you, as the bass chugs manfully along. Then you will feel the full wind in your face. As your bike rips a path through the burning tar,  as you head into the desert sun. The trip is oh so worth it. If you can hold on tight you will be rewarded with a conclusion of melting magnificence.

Bristly streamers of guitar fly and flay in the wind as the song ‘Rough Cut’ veers into view. The riff kinda reminded us of something by Jefferson Starship’s Paul Kantner.  Crunchy and clever. And it has that certain seventies whiff.

Then continuing their journey through the  history of classic rock – Bonafide’s  brash, ballistic and brave-hearted ‘Rag and Bone Man’ song will almost definitely remind you of Welsh heavy-metal darlings Budgie.

The album concludes with ‘Rebel Machine’ which is a juicy, blues based, jeering rock number. Dirty, fuming and unforgiving. The drums spatter and fizz. The bass opens up full  throttle. Whilst the dusty vocals grab hold of your pants and start to twist and grind. Then that gaping guitar slides in- and you have to cling onto something to stop crying, and you pray. The liberation found in the climax of this song is sure to make you wilt. But you will droop gracefully and gratefully.

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –

Link:

http://www.bonafiderocks.com/

Ten Artists You Dare Not Miss at Beacons

Ten Artists You Dare Not Miss at Beacons

With an amazing line-up that includes acts like Wild Beasts, Toots & The Maytals, Roots Manuva,  Patrick Wolf and GhostPoet – you always knew that you were in for a surfeit of musical deliciousness at this splendid boutique festival set in the stunning Yorkshire Dales.  But with such a huge variety of music to choose from, what else should you be looking out for?  Well, here is our list of 10 artists you dare not miss !


Wachs Lyrical
Greendales Stage – Friday

Wachs Lyrica (Liam Wachs) is a producer and DJ of underground dance music. Based in Leeds -  he is a resident at Vagabondz and Disrupt:on.

He also composes bespoke music for adverts, corporate videos, television and films.
Wachs Lyrical mixes the ground shaking sounds of Dubstep along with  Drum & Bass & Electronica to eager audiences all around the country.

Track ‘Feral’ whimpers and sighs. Percussion irritably itches and scratches. The elements of the keypad will start gnawing at your skirt. You will feel conscious of the fact that the deep bass sounds are lurking. And amidst all this there are yawning, cavernous gaps in the floorboards. You can slip at any moment. Then slide into the sleaze.

Link:
http://www.facebook.com/wachslyricalmusic


 
Pins
Noisey / Vice Stage – Friday


PINS is an all female four piece from Manchester consisting of Faith Holgate (vocals, guitar), Lois McDonald (guitar), Anna Donigan (bass), and Lara Williams (drums). Their deep basslines and jangly guitars make for noisy pop mixed with sultry vocals. Your be hearing a lot more about these over the next twelve months, so get on board now.

Track ‘You Don’t Need To Be’ is ghostly. Wind howls through the bare limbed trees. Cool moon-beams flicker on a wintry night. You can hear an anxious clomp-clomp sound coming towards you through the fallen leaves. Frosty branches of sound gradually loom into view. And the abstract, almost illuminous, spectral vision of Faith’s cool voice wisps around in the darkness. Cymbals stir as the last leaves that cling stubbornly to icy branches, are left dancing in the cold night air. Crisp and magical.

Link:
http://www.wearepins.co.uk/



 
Splashh
Noisey / Vice Stage – Saturday


This Hackney, London based Garage / Dream Pop outfit is already causing a big – er …  splashh… on the circuit down South

‘Headspins’ has a gorgeous corset-twanging bass vibe and some rousing chords that create textured layers of sound. The clean shimmering vocals from Toto Vivian (vocals), are an inviting revelation. This whole work is a passionately drawn artifact, it may well remind you of the skills and qualities of ‘Blur’ and the nostalgic peculiarity of the ‘Smith Westerns.’ Take in. And enjoy !


 
Secret Sirens
ELFM Caravan of Love – Saturday

‘Secret Sirens’ is a Pop/Indie music project created and fronted by singer/songwriter/musician Narelle Frances alongside multi-instrumentalist and music visionary Andrew Siron and a bunch of other collaborating ‘secret’ musicians to create a full live band line up.
Based in Leeds, Secret Sirens produce their music to capture images of fantasy, mythology, love and hate, to create grandiose catchy pop songs with an emotive feel and large sweeping soundscapes.  Northern for sure, but their roots are not just set in the beautiful sweeping landscapes of Yorkshire. Their music takes you on an imaginary exploration around the world and deep within your mind and heart…
‘Black Heart’ has a weighty nature- a heart of stone. Waves of rhythm are launched at you. The power-vocals of Narelle shine brightly in the darkness. That voice anoints the stonework, like so much sacrificial blood.  This song is romantic in the truest meaning of the word. Gothic, natural, shocking and dark. Earthy love.

Links:
http://www.facebook.com/secretsirens
http://youtu.be/2ZvfzTytYDQ


Goodnight Lenin
Stool Pigeon Stage – Sunday

Formed in the autumn of 2009, Goodnight Lenin’s songs are reminiscent of the singer songwriters of the 1960s & 1970s, whilst still being relevant to the modern day listener. Inspired by Dylan, Young and Simon & Garfunkel, they constantly strive to deliver honest, experience based lyrics that flow along into their carefully crafted sound that seamlessly crosses genres.

‘Wenceslas Square’ has a simplified form. But, like work from ‘Simon & Garfunkel’, the lack of obvious complexity should not put you off. This song soon grows into an enormously expansive piece-  embracing ambition and wild space. Luxuriant vocals are perfectly suited to the lofty and grand arrangements.

Link:
http://www.goodnightlenin.com/

 
Frankie & The Heartstrings
Stool Pigeon Stage – Sunday

This Sunderland band are idealist and romantic about pop. Embracing 50′s glamour and 60′s sounds, they are a living, breathing rock ‘n’ roll artwork in their own right.

‘Everybody Looks Better (In The Right Light)’ has a racy rock ‘n’ roll pace. The vocals from Frankie Francis may remind you of  a light  ‘Gene Pitney’,  but this is a fun, wise-cracking band so don’t a expect serious lament. This is a singalong, feelgood toe-tapper.  What a cracker !

Link:
http://www.facebook.com/frankieandtheheartstrings


 
Admiral Fallow
Stool Pigeon Stage – Sunday

You should have heard Admiral Fallow by now.  If you haven’t, then you are in for a treat !
Admiral Fallow is a Scottish musical group formed in 2007 by singer/song-writer Louis Abbott and based in Glasgow. They write and perform folk/pop.

New album “Tree Bursts In Snow” is out now on Nettwerk.  Q Magazine gave it four stars in June 2012.
‘The Paper Trench’ has that rolling rhythm we expect from Admiral Fallow. Vocals are shared and dispersed amongst the rustling folk sounds. The chorus is a holy thing.  Held up like a candle, it will enchant you.

Link: http://www.facebook.com/AdmiralFallow
http://youtu.be/v9Hj8bVqcig



XXXY
Greendales Stage – Sunday

Hailing from Manchester, Rupert Taylor, aka xxxy, is one of bass music’s most forward thinking producers.
Having spent his youth in various bands xxxy finally decided to hang up his guitar and mic and began producing electronic music fuelled by his love at the time of drum and bass and techno.
‘Bash’ overlaps and undulates. Booms blossom in the magical air. Grasp the handrail, because this is gonna be a long, hard night. Chirrups of sound flicker into view. And all the time that feverish beat clamours and haunts. Addictive.

Link: http://www.facebook.com/triplexy

 
The Wave Pictures
Noisey / Vice Stage – Sunday

The Wave Pictures are an indie rock band consisting of David Tattersall (vocals and guitar), Franic Rozycki (bass guitar) and Jonny Helm (drums). Their homespun byronic ditties have been delighting fans since 1998 (The Blind Summit days.)

Track ‘If You Leave It Alone’  is a wavering, quavering lament.  Lightly accompanied by tatty drums and an elegant bass. It’s the vocals from David Tattersall that will entice you. Half ‘Morrissey’ and half ‘Anderson’ – the voice daintily sprites about like a lost foal. This song is whimsically lyrical and, at it’s core,  broken-hearted.  Sad, long-faced and moody.

‘Sugar Maple Charcoal‘  is more hoppy. It is still as naively cute and as squeaky clean as Sunday school may-polers,  and it has that trademark rubbery bass that doesn’t so much thump along – as stumble along.  This is stripped-down pop and the clean lines and the clear vision are almost hypnotic.

Link:
http://www.facebook.com/thewavepictures

 
seas-of-green
ELFM Caravan of Love – Saturday

Seas of Green are a lo-fi Indie Pop four piece from Leeds.A young DIY musical collective formed in 2009 with the current incarnation of the band playing together since September 2011. Seas-Of-Green are positively genre schizophrenic, an ever changing, mutating, disbanding, reforming band who pride themselves on their pop hooks and being a little odd.

‘Bearpit‘ – This is joyously jangly.  Percussion is flamboyant and driven. Waves of gorgeous paper-thin chords are strewn into the air. The voice is emotional and picturesque.  The pace changes to a softer rhythm. Then tiny sparks of guitar create a party of fireflies – it is then that the foot-tapping chorus starts to really sink in. Invigorating and clever.

Link: http://www.facebook.com/seasofgreen
http://youtu.be/_otarAyXxgo

Howl Griff Fragile Diamond

Anglo-Welsh-American psychedelic rockers Howl Griff release their third full album, Fragile Diamond, on 15 October 2012.

Following their critically acclaimed eponymous Welsh language debut (which Clash magazine called the work of a “Welsh Brian Wilson”) and English language LP The Hum – which yielded much coverage on BBC 6Music including an MPFree of the Day, a BBC Radio Wales Single of the Week and being hailed as “bloody lush” by Lauren Laverne – the band has taken another major step forward.

We took a listen to Fragile Diamond and here’s what we thought:

The disc starts off with ‘You Don’t Have To Leave On Your Own’  a quasi-rocksteady punk- rock  tune laden with guitar twanging spasms. After an interval, the song evolves into a huge fanfare of chords and an expansive vocal upset. A simple guitar solo threads sinfully through the finale, and leaves it a chewy mess. Sticky fun!

The title track ‘Fragile Diamond’ invites those ‘Welsh Beach Boy’ comparisons. A syrupy chorus, which is spread out like gooey chocolate spread, slathered onto  creamy thighs,  glisten with happy chords. This song gives each listener a love bath. Aromatic, healthy and healing – it will make you feel all warm inside.
‘Sharkfins In The Sky’ slices like silver through the cool sea-breeze. The vocals gently flutter through the mesh to scutter away gently and out-of-sight. Even if it is utterly smooth, and a tad too kiss-me-quick, this song still harbours an awful secret.

‘Radio Revoloution’  reminds us of something by vintage Strawbs or even Lindisfarne. It has that maverick Brit-Folk quality. But the song also retains the noble heart of pop.  A guttural guitar solo squeezes itself through the gaps left by the cushioned vocals, creating a slice of valued sourness, left flapping amongst the sweet.

‘Meet My Maker’  is allegedly based on singer Griff’s experiences of going blind while driving fast down the M4 motorway. It’s just a matter of strummed acoustic guitar, together with some sweet lyrics. But then the simple song blossoms into something grand and quite indispensable. When those keyboards clink and tumble in, you know you have got a classic number on your hands. Perfection.

‘She Walks On By The Flame’ could easily be an extended theme for any 1970’s spy-based television show. Chipper keys swing back and forth and that cocky riff keeps the tension going beneath the surface. The chorus is pure rock ‘n’ roll. This is a hugely gratifying frolic.

Cowboy song ‘Rose of Emily’ whip-cracks-away as it describes, with some skill, the dusty ride back to the barn. Reminding us of ‘The Yellow Rose of Texas’, the guitars – that are unimaginably squeaky clean -  are fired up towards the rear of this song, adding fire-crackers to get this stampede movin ‘on.

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –

Links:

http://www.facebook.com/howlgriffband
http://www.howlgriff.com/  

Japanese Fighting Fish Are Set for Beacons 2012

Leeds four-piece alternative rock band Japanese Fighting Fish burst onto the underground rock scene with their debut album Just Before We Go MAD in 2010 and their electrifying live shows have been rounding up people willing or no since some unknown time before then.

Now you can catch the band live at The Beaconsfest 2012, Funkirk Estate, Skipton, North Yorkshire on Friday 17th August on the Noisey / Vice Stage.

For the benefit of folks not acquainted with this crazy band,  here is what we thought of some recent  Japanese Fighting Fish tracks:

‘Salalar’ has chiming guitars that ply for trade with the syncopated rhythms that dance around excitedly.  Theatrical vocals spike, purr and whine. Then the jangle-jangle of guitar based grandeur looms up and takes the narrow limelight. An uneasy and slightly mawkish centre-parting creates a nagging furrow, before the golden nip-and-tuck ‘Far Away’ chorus piles in again to take all the glory.

‘Boots’ is altogether a more bass-full affair. Punkish and wispy. The South American influence prevails. Fuzzy chords are smeared on thickly.  And that outrageously nuanced voice gazes and guzzles up all the attention. Sticky spurts of guitar keep things motoring along. And the chorus drills itself lazily into your bones.

‘Dry 1’  gives it longer, harder. The music-hall vocals leer up and lurch around. And the metallic guitars growl and hurl themselves suicidally at the stone walls. Put your fists up, ‘cos you will need to fight to get this one off !

So come down and get outraged by the JFF next Friday!

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –

Links:

http://soundcloud.com/japanese-fighting-fish
http://www.reverbnation.com/japanesefightingfish

Juffage Will Play Live at Beacons

 
Juffage aka Jeff  T. Smith (based in Leeds)  is a solo sound artist and multi-instrumentalist.

A recording enthusiast at heart, Jeff has spent time in Chicago’s finest studios such as the Engine Studios (w/ Brian Deck), and Electrical Audio (w/ Steve Albini).

His compelling live performances bring these multi layered recordings to the stage, utilizing drums, basses, cassettes, guitars, synths, seamless live-looping, and super-colossal multitasking to construct complex, yet surprising catchy pop songs.

In June of 2011, his album ‘Semicircle’ was released on Function Records to critical acclaim. After the release, he played 90 + shows in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Now fans can enjoy the extraordinary vision and exciting performance of Juffage live at the Beacons Festival – Skipton – on Saturday 18 August 2012. ( On the Noisey  / Vice Stage.)

Title track ‘Semi Circle’ from last year’s album begins with a ghostly chorus that shines like burning coals. Some jarring rasps of guitar displace the unctuous organ sound found beneath the lip of the verse. The limping vocals tread carefully amongst the strewn debris created by the instruments. An intrusion of chromium sounds, gleaming protrusions and angular hooks, spray up. These evolve imperceptibly into something generous and equally gorgeous.

‘120/240’  gurgles as it runs in rivulets down a steep canyon. This is the essence of creation envolted.  And the track ‘Small Fires’ is joyous and blessed.  A blanched vocal sits atop a dusty structure. Although windswept by the turmoil, the lyric maintains its dominance and achieves ascendancy.

‘Stop Making Music’ is even ‘counted in’ like a ‘real’  rock ‘n’ roll standard. But the rhythms lazily limp along. And a lightly etched vocal is slightly offset against a higher positioned descant vision. The beauty of this structure is found in the iced walls of percussion and the paper thin instrumentality.

‘My Weakness’ is like being hit hard in the face by a handful of feathers. Not entirely pleasant nor comfortable. But harmless. Bubbling keyboards wobble around the place precariously, like newborn fawns. And all the while the big verses clomp along in a folksy fashion.

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –
Link:

http://juffage.com

Koreless at Beacons

Busy British DJ/Producer Lewis Roberts aka “Koreless” released his highly energized.debut 12”  last year on Pictures Music to a large and very pleased fanbase.

His sounds are less womp- womp & dub-steppy – and more fragrant and thoughtful. They tend to linger in the heart of the listener, long after the dance is over. 

Although not directly related to jazz, the listener can tell that the music of Koreless is inspired by jazz rhythms and textures.

Koreless has now released “Lost In Tokyo” to much applause.

We took a listen, along with a couple of older Koreless tracks.  Here’s what we thought:

‘Lost in Tokyo’  sounds like patterns made by confused ghosts that haunt a lonely tube line. Icy drips of muddy water sliver down blackened walls. The dark floor is permanently cold.  Echoes dominate the darkness. This is a sooty and foreboding place.  But a rattle in the distance means life.  Bright lights and a rush of sound means that life passes in and passes by.  Life is a rush.  And then it is all over.

‘MTI’  is like an old haunted trail.  And in this gnarly passage, the ghosts rise and flitter against an emerging bongo rhythm and a blue bass line. It’s all over before it even sinks in.  This is sparse, inventive and incredibly invasive.

‘4D’  Yodels and wriggles. Limbs are crushed against one another, rubbing each other along slickly.  Inky blots of pure colour spatter the crinkly surfaces of this piece. Dainty buttons shine frostily in the middle portion. Then the buzzy beat gets moving again, against a speckled landscape. Splendid !

Fans of the unusual can witness Koreless live at this year’s Beacons Festival – Skipton – on 18th August on the Greendales Stage.

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –

Link:

http://www.facebook.com/Koreless

Visions of Trees Album Review

East London male-female duo ‘Visions of Trees’, ( Sara Atalar and Joni Juden) create moody electro-pop.

Sometimes gloomy, always unexpected. Their music is inspirational and can never be taken for granted.
Festival goers can see the duo perform live at this year’s Beacons Festival on the Greendales Stage (on Friday).

Beacons is a fresh art & music boutique festival for the North, set upon the stunning Yorkshire Dales.

The band have now released their first album on the Something In Constuction label entitled ‘Visions of Trees’.

Here we take a listen:

The ‘Visions of Trees’ self titled album begins with ‘Isolates’ -  a cheeky hoisin. A spicy, peppery soup of chip-chop beats and slices of fried and flipperty fragments. Sizzling.

‘Turn 2U’ is more spatial. Eddies of flickering colour gather around the central motif – a sweet breathy voice that is as light as a feather and as clingy as a cobweb. A distant rhythm begins to form, and this starts to become stronger with the progression of the song.  It is then that the dainty fragments of sensitive keys start to flit and fly  up – like loose chippings  – to pin-prick your face.

‘Ocean Floor’ has a mouthful of throbbing, heaving sounds. Drawing in and out painfully. The eerie voice shines like the moon in a sterling mist. The gloops tide and bubble – and the world  remains silvery firm, and proudly steadfast, above the deep blue.

‘With You’ is esoteric and private. A voice whispers to you confidentially. Charming and crystal clear. A windfall of pleasurable sound rushes in to swamp you. But by then it is secret love.

‘Everything Awaits’ is a brilliant pick ‘n’ mix bag of nuggets. The angelic voices rise and fall gently,  like the breath of a lover in recovery. The pace grows ever more urgent – and glass towers pop up randomly-   at intersecting intervals. These cause small fissures within the dense mesh-like woven structures created by the sound.

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –

Link:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Visions-of-Trees/159352548268

Orkney: Symphony of the Magnetic North

“When someone comes to you in a dream and tells you to make an album about your homeland – the Orkney islands- would you disregard it?“

Especially when,  it seems, the the figure who invaded your dreams was none other than the ghost of Betty Corrigall, an Orcadian girl who killed herself in the 1770’s -  having been cast out by her village.

Last year this haunting dream inspired singer-songwriter Erland Cooper to gather together his Erland & The Carnival band mate Simon Tong and singer/orchestral arranger Hannah Peel (of last year’s solo ‘The Broken Wave’ album) to form a new group called The Magnetic North, with a distinct purpose – to write and record an ‘Orkney’ based Symphony -  Of  ‘The Magnetic North’.

The Magnetic North can be experienced live on Saturday at the Stool Pigeon Stage at the wonderful BEACONS festival.

Beacons is a fresh art & music boutique festival for the North. Set upon the stunning Yorkshire Dales.

We took a listen to Orkney: Symphony of the Magnetic North and here’s what we thought:

The album starts with the simple piece ‘Stromness’. The word Straum refers to strong currents that rip past the Point of Ness through Hoy Sound – and this introduces us to the sound experiences developed during this whole project.

Tidy and haunting drums start off  the track ‘Bay of Skaill’  together with downwards spiraling guitar chords. Somnolently tender vocals drift, like empty clouds, across the bleached landscape.  Tenderness is found in the spray-like sweetness of the vocals from Hannah. Sprinkles of frosty delicacy flitter around. Like a spring tempest, things busily build up, and the birds flutter back to shelter as the lanterns flicker on.

‘Hi Life’ has a whirlwind pace and a sickly churning rhythm. The tunes loop like coils of rope on a beach of crystal salt. Softly whispered lyrics shine. Spirals of voice hoop and flume in ever increasing circles. And all the time, the wind moans softly through the tides.

‘Betty Corrigal’ – In the 1770’s, in a remote cottage in Hoy, lived a young woman named Betty Corrigall. At the age of 27 years, Betty’s life was left in ruins. The man she had loved, and who had made her pregnant, abandoned her and ran to the call of the sea. The condemnation of the locals, and the trauma and shame of the situation, were too much for the poor girl. Betty decided to take her own life. An attempt to drown herself in the briny sea was foiled when she was rescued and brought back ashore by neighbours. But the respite was brief. Some days later she hanged herself. This song evokes the nature of pain and anxiety of  a woman who finds herself at the mercy of those ever-present,  vindictive tides. The call of the sea was strong, too strong, for both Betty and her lover. The haunting melody leeches into your soul.

‘Radwick’ sounds like the beginning of a sombre service in a stony chapel. Wind plays against the frames of the locked down windows. Moss drips from the alcoves. Damp and fragile vocals linger. This is a world hidden by moisture and regret.

‘The Black Craig’ is acidic, flinty and coarse. Isolated paths worm their way to the darkening summit. Each step is such brutal agony. But the wind and the rain are your fateful companions on this journey to the end.

‘Yesnaby’ is renowned for its sea-stacks and other alarming geological features. Similarly, this piece evokes real emotions of fear and trembling – the feeling of being at the mercy of the full brutality of nature at her most powerful. A power that is so dominant and so ageless that you may never escape it.

This is a distinctly emotional and a somewhat lonely album. But consolation can be found within it’s tranquil seclusion and the serene gracefulness that it offers.

– © Neil_Mach August 2012 –
Link:
http://www.facebook.com/themagneticnorth  

Twelve Acts You Should Not Miss at Boomtown 2012

Now in its fourth year the festival will offer an array of music, theatre, comedy and art. BoomTown Fair is a music, arts and family festival that takes place at Matterley Bowl, nr. Winchester, Hampshire, from Thursday 9th until Sunday 12th August 2012.

With 30 Stages and 15 venues, the choice of where to go and what to see  is deliciously exhausting !   So we have come up with 12 Artists you should not miss  … add these to your weekend ‘check list’ …

 

Dub Pistols

The Town Centre Stage

Try this FREE download of summer vibes Rompa’s Reggae Shack – Dub Pistols Mix by @RompaUrbanNerds via #soundcloud to get an idea of why you should not miss this band.

http://t.co/uvjsAvH6

Moonshine and waves of silk start this song going – light drums glisten the surface before a huge bass wallows into view. This bassline sets up the gleaming reggae – for all it’s worth. Rude yet civilized vocals limp around. And they add piquancy and flavor when they are most needed. You won’t be able to stop your shimmy to the vibrating beat though – it’s so shakable. Tense yourself. And wait for release.     

Link:  http://www.facebook.com/dub.pistols

First Degree Burns

Oldtown Theatre

Born out of a city that often echoes the bassy hypnotic sounds of Dub influenced music come ‘First Degree Burns’ or more simply known FDB. Having coined the term ‘Skip-Hop’ to sum up their unique blend of genres,  FDB have held onto their roots, developing their unique sound into their impressive 8-piece band and creating a seamless fusion of Ska, Reggae, Hip-Hop and Rock.With a trunk load of new material being finely tuned in their Bristol studio and various videos projects due to launch this year, FDB are set to turn even more heads in 2012.

‘Hip Hop Why’ – has an enormous expanse – almost a hollywood movie in intent and ambition. The horns bump, gleam and intrude. The vocals and lyrics are timeless and splendid. Rappy at times, they also hold on tight to their vintage heritage. The percussion sparkles and the whole piece dances along- shoving slow-coaches out of the way to get to the centre of the dance-floor. Stupendous.
And ‘Narcissus’ has some gorgeous steelpan harmonies and then a twisting horny instrumental, that comes in like a python on the kill, and  soon takes over. The place turns into a fiery wreck, as things speed up to a break-neck assault. The vocalist manages to hang on, but has to spatter out vocals as fast as a scatter gun. A lesson in shaking and vibrating.

Link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Degree-Burns/8675257333

BaByHeAd

The Town Centre Stage

Born out of love for Jamaican sound clash, forged through a do it yourself punk rock ethic and delivered with a raw hip hop swagger, the unstoppable BaByHeAd sound is drawn from all quarters of the musical universe, in true Bristol fashion. They have been a live phenomenon in the clubs and on the festival circuit, for a decade plus, rocking stages from Glastonbury to Fabric and Keith Allen once called them the “bastard child of Ian Dury and Iggy pop” while the legendary Toots Hibbert has, himself, tipped the band.Rapid-fire vocals illuminate the bruising fleshy sounds that are stout in girth and all encompassing in ambition. Every now and then, things get glued down, and then things can become hot, anarchic and raunchy. This is when trumpets flare and the audience skanks.  Come alive to BaByHeAd !

Link:   http://babyhead.co.uk/

The Empress of Fur
The Devil Kicks Dancehall

This freaky fur-piece voodoo billy outfit from Fenland farming country look like the bastard offspring of an unholy four-way bunk up between Bettie Page, Zorro, Uncle Fester and Mr Macphisto.

They sound like the equally unwanted children of the Cramps, Link Wray, Nancy Sinatra and the Rezillos. And they just wanna be loved…

 

So, so sexy, melodramatic and twangy.

 

Check ‘em out at the Dirty Water Club here: http://youtu.be/y3ZlR560dBM

 

Link:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Empress-of-Fur/64425995996

The Go Go Cult

The Devil Kicks Dancehall

From a heavily armed farmhouse in the swamplands of Reading the Go Go Cult play crazy & surreal 50’s Psychedelic Punk. It’s like crossing Johnny Cash with The Clash (perhaps Johnny Clash) and seeing what happens.

 

The chemical mix is explosive.

 

And it will shake your pants.

 

Link:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Go-Go-Cult/342771049790

Pussycat and the Dirty Johnsons

The Devil Kicks Dancehall

Basingstoke rock ‘n’ rollers Pussycat and the Dirty Johnsons have all the twang necessary to shake your quiff and get those winkle-pickers a-popping. Toyah-sounding vocals leer and veer about, as the crunchy rock beats glisten and glitter.

 

It’s always time to party with the Pussycat!

Check out “Trouble with the Devil” here:   http://youtu.be/8Y5swwI5N4w

Link:  http://www.facebook.com/thedirtyjohnsons

Lady Chann

The Lion’s Den

Billed as the U.K’s number one dance-hall queen… When this lady steps on stage it is an explosion of vibes and energy. Combine that with her magnetic good looks and huge collaborations with names such as Toddla T, The Heatwave and UK star Sticky, this girl is not to be missed!

 

‘Sticky Situation’ – is a confluence of icky glutinous vocal sounds creating a breezy intro – then the muscular reggae gets stuck in,  to root out what’s what. But the ‘sticky situation’ chorus is like a sail seen on the horizon. It can be seen, but never reached. This song gloops, it wallows and finally it delights the listener.

 

Check out ‘Sticky Situation’ here:  http://youtu.be/bUobXtV3Vfo

 

Link:  http://www.facebook.com/ladychannofficial

Stush

The Lion’s Den

Reggae influenced Recording artist Stush is signed to Island records and known for UK top ten single ‘Get Down’ alongside Groove Armada.   Currently Stush is recording new material, and has recently launched her ‘already popular’ jewellery line Stushlery.

Link:

http://www.facebook.com/StushUK

Honeyfeet

The Wandering Word

Put simply, Honeyfeet are Manchester’s best ethno-trad, barrel-house pop, cowpunk folk-hop band. It’s as easy as that to categorise them! Honeyfeet have already garnered a magnificent reputation as one of the best live acts in Manchester, down – in no small part -  to the vocal prowess of front-woman Ríoghnach Connolly, assisted by a tight rhythm section and a hefty bank of horns.

Honeyfeet will be releasing their debut EP “Little Boat” on Debt Records in the summer of 2012.
‘Knocking on Another Man’s Door’ is a soft elegy, preposterously shaky - and about to collapse in a faint at any given moment. The accommodating blues sounds tend to hold things up a little, but this shaky confection is just too fragile, it cannot stand on it’s own two legs. Calamity awaits.

‘You Let Me Down’ is smoky and jazzy. The clarinet twines around the Blue Café, lingering a while on the empty tables, before meeting with the claggy air outside. The voice is livid. You will feel terribly sad. The drip-drip of unwanted rain in your life will shock you. Yes, you will have been let me down, lover. But the lingering taste of rich jazz will captivate the soul.

Link: http://www.honeyfeet.org/

The Infinite Collective
The Hanging Gardens

The Ska/funk/electro outfit The Infinite Collective from Plymouth just buzz and purr. This group of like minded musicians, encompassing many styles and backgrounds, aim to come together and partake in nights of fun and creativity.

They’ve had many successful times at festivals and running nights in gig venues across the southwest… and now they have been let loose at Boomtown!

They are as greasy as a grey seal on a slimy rock. But as potent as a red rutting rooster on the strut.

 

Link:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Infinite-Collective/125754900770284

The Meow Meows

The Hanging Gardens

The Meow Meows are a legendary eight piece traditional Ska ‘n’ Roll supergroup from Brighton, UK. with vocals from Danny and Hanna and a whole pile of juicy sounds from saxophone, trumpet and guitars.
Their unique sound is something of an amalgamation of 60s garage rock ‘n’ roll, 80’s 2 tone ska and anything else they may feel like chucking in. They formed back in summer 2005 mainly as an excuse to drink on a week-night, but since then they have played with major international acts including The Beat, King Blues, Bad Manners, The Slackers, and The Aggrolites.

Song ‘Bad Man’ is refreshingly bright with stashes of breezy chords and an upbeat attitude. A profusion of drums is the precursor to those flamboyant Meow Meow horns – and then you realise that this is a ‘Twist’ – so get twistin’ sister!  Absolutely superb!

Link:

http://www.facebook.com/themeowmeows

Keltrix

The Hanging Gardens

Say it with a song… and why not indeed especially when you have a lot to say and a voice strong enough to ensure that you are heard!  Keltrix is a varied beast, grooving it up one minute with freak folk foot stomping crowd pleaser’s before sliding into ambient acoustic moments then rousing it up all over again with hints of ska, rock disco and dubfunk. An eclectic mix but one that appears to work…

Keltrix are led, most fearlessly into battle by Keri. Better known as ‘Scouse’ for obvious reasons after a few ciders, Keri’s fiery, temperament is just as apparent in her voice as it is in her general demeanour, though she and the rest of the band are really quite nice when you get to know them.

With a flourish of Spanish guitar and some wavering strings ‘Different But The Same’ starts. Kerri’s vocals may remind you of Grace Slick crossed with Sandy Denny. Seeping enough to shiver your timbers, but protesting and hard faced when the nuances need it. This is a spiky song – as spiny as the holly that is lyrically painted- the pain and aggravation is hardly hidden. But the quality is like a highly polished piece of furniture. It even smells rich and waxy!

Check ‘em out here:
http://youtu.be/hMMFpLANmu8