Review: Catfish & The Bottlemen // The Ride

Catfish & The Bottlemen’s 2014 debut ‘The Balcony’ made an absolute storm, it’s an album that has propelled them to within touching distance of festival headline status. Their latest outing, ‘The Ride’, could be what puts them their.

‘7’ opens the album and it epitomises the step they’ve made between albums – a very small one. Other than polishing up the sound from the first album it’s difficult to see how the band has changed. Lyrically not a huge amount has changed with songs about girls, partying and regrets. Musically not a huge amount has changed either other than a slightly less frantic and fuller sound.

The most glaring thing missing from this album and Catfish & The Bottlemsn’s discography is a ‘Wonderwall’, a ‘Mr Brightside’, a song that will launch them from a good band to a great one. ‘Soundcheck’, their first single from the album, is the one that comes closest. With a sing-along chorus and a theme reflecting the difficulties of love and touring it’s an absolute hit with fans of the band, but not one that’s going to convert people that aren’t.

With all this said ‘The Ride’ is an excellent album, it improves and develops the band from their raw debut, however second albums are always difficult, especially if your first one is as successful as ‘The Balcony’ was. However it’s hard not to look at this album as a disappointment because it could have been so much more.

(8/10)

-Luke

Review: The Fused // Undertone // 19.07.16

The music industry was not born in big stadiums and festivals. It doesn't run on huge £60+ shows. It runs on shows in tiny basements with a lineup of young raw talent and some very sweaty punters. It runs on small venues and promoters who do it for the love of music and in the hope that one of the bands on the bill might one day make it. Tonight was one of these nights.

Parish @ Undertone

The night opened with Parish, a young band with a lot of potenetial, who's insatiable energy was reflected by the crowd. Their brand of energetic indie rock went down a storm - not something you often see for a first band at a gig - with mosh pits and dancing all through the set.

They then made way for Amber who brought the same level of intensity to their set. With a slightly more polished yet still raw modern indie sound they fed off the energy of the crowd. The band from Cwmbran showcased how to be an excellent support band, whipping the crowd into a frenzy before passing on the baton. 

Next up were Wetpainttt, a slightly older band to the rest of the line up which showed as they brought a more complete sounding performance to the tiny stage. With a sound somewhere between blues and frantic indie rock they were, as the gig panned out, a breather from the fast - paced frantics of the other 3 bands. However they still maintained the energy of the gig keeping the punters sweaty, the room hot and the atmosphere buzzing.

The Fused @ Undertone

Headline band The Fused took to the stage faced with an already sweltering, worn out and sweaty venue. This is almost as much of a challenge as facing a venue with no atmosphere whatsoever and yet the band from Cardiff pushed the crowd to expel that last ounce of energy before the night was up. With clever, honest annd early Arctic Monkey-esc lyrics about life in Cardiff coupled with a sound and persona comparable to Catfish & The Bottlemen, The Fused showed the crowd that they mean business and could really go places in the future.

On the hottest day of the year so far anybody that witnessed this gig was lucky enough to see some of the hottest talent from south Wales.

The Fused announced during the show they would be playing HOYFEST in November along with Amber.

They also will play Hub Festival along with Wetpainttt.

-Luke

You can find our preview of the other acts playing HOYfest HERE and a review of the last gig we saw The Fused at HERE

Stereo Brain: Top 10 Albums of 2016 So Far

10. Rusty Shackle // Dusk

Brilliant alternative folk. FULL REVIEW

9. Andy Hull & Rober McDowell // Swiss Army Man (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

An unusual inclusion however this a beautiful and musically brilliant original soundtrack the kind of which has been missing from modern film.

8. Black Peaks // Statues

The kick in the teeth the british rock scene needed. What an album, what a band!

7. Catfish & The Bottlemen // The Ride

Second albums are difficult, Catfish & The Bottlemen have found that out the hard way and despite it being a great album, they still havent got that 'Wonderwall'

6. Lonely The Brave // Things Will Matter

An example of a brilliant second album; dark, mysterious and everything you could have wanted from this band on the rise. FULL REVIEW

5. Heart Of Oak // EP | One

Delicate, thoughtful and brilliant, this unknown Southampton artist has unwittingly produced one of our favourite albums of the year so far. FULL REVIEW

4. Radiohead // A Moon Shaped Pool

Pure genius, a polished yet experimental Radiohead came out to play and they produced one of the albums of the year.

3. Spring King // Tell Me If You Like To

A debut to remember for this indie-punk band. With tunes like 'Rectifier' and 'Demons' as well as an allround brilliant album, this could propel them up the musical ladder at an alarming rate.

2. Modern Baseball // Holy Ghost

The Philadelphia band return for a 3rd time with an honest and open album. Personal and musically brilliant - a lethal combination for any band. FULL REVIEW

1. Frightened Rabbit // Paintng Of A Panic Attack

The Scottish bands 5th LP takes them to new heights. A reinvigorated and slightly different band comes out in this LP and yet the brings the greatest hits of previous albums. FULL REVIEW

Review: LUK // Clwb Ifor Bach // 16.06.16

'And Now For Something Completely Different...' is a film by british comedy giants Monty Python, in it the film jumps from unrelated skit to unrelated skit and yet still seems to, in some way or another, be related. Occasionally you get a gig like this where all the acts are completely different and yet seem to fit together, this is what the Cardiff crowd were treated to at LUK's gig.

The night opened with Chew, a grime MC from Blackwood. Spitting aggressive and unapologetic bars his sound slots somewhere inbetween Sleaford Mods and Skepta. Unlike many budding grime and hip-hop artists however, Chew had something to say with his music. In between the brief moments of "yeahs" and "my bars are sick" there was a genuine message of distaste for the establishment. Not only did a young anarchist come out but also an interesting commentary on life - this comes across most prominently in 'I Am Proud', a song produced by Equlibrium, which is also some of Chew's best work and is available on his free EP 'The MattheMattical Problem'.

The The 1975-esc Atterbury & Gibbz came up next. The bands melancholy sound is one that's very current but don't for one second think they're a carbon copy, they have a much sparser and less pop-like sound with music that slots somewhere between modern indie and the odd bit of deep house. It's a deadly combination and one that gives Atterbury & Gibbz more of a musical appeal than the pop driven The 1975.

Having gone from hip-hop beats to an electronic indie sound the gig ends halfway between with LUK. Their experimental, beat heavy electronic tracks and deep vocals show the darker side of electro-indie which fluctuates between smooth and jarring. Early on in the set LUK's experimental edge came through before they closed on two more polished tracks which they worked on with producer Lee House. These seemed a lot smoother, cohesive and direct in their approach and sound like the future of LUK.

All three very different artists gave a lesson in Cardiff on the diversity and quality of young, up & coming music and really delivered good solid performances.

-Luke

Review: Frightened Rabbit // Painting Of A Panic Attack

Not all music has to be loud, political and rebellious. Likewise not all music has to be brainless, thoughtless pop manufactured for the masses. Sometimes music can be delicate, thoughtful and personal and this is the kind of music Frightened Rabbit have been dealing in since their creation. From humble beginnings as two brothers playing in a band together, Frightened Rabbit has gained a few members, gotten a little older and have now released their 5th studio album - 'Painting Of A Panic Attack'.


Since their last album, released over 3 years a go, a lot has changed; lead singer Scott Hutchison has moved to LA leaving the band separated by the Atlantic ocean, the band has lost a member and the whole of Frightened Rabbit has been given a rethink. After the success of album number 4 - 'Pedestrian Verse' - to Scott, atleast, Frightened Rabbit had reached a triumphant finale, becoming the band he envisioned from a start. However he decided it was the end of a chapter not a story and the next chapter, 'Painting Of A Panic Attack', began to form.

The album opens with 'Death Dream', the first song released for the album, which very much sets the tone. Organ driven and ghostly the song paints a sombre and painful picture, one that appears even more personal than that of previous albums, before dropping into 'Get Out'. The two songs together really show what the album is about - love, loss but also hope. More than anything these songs lay out a new Frightened Rabbit with a slightly different sound but who's core element - the lyrical content - remains familiar and if anything more focussed.

'I Wish I Was Sober' and 'Woke Up Hurting' along with 'Get Out' compound the slightly rethought style of the band, introducing a greater element of electronic and a lesser use of the acoustic guitar - only really appearing on the closing number.

Despite the number of sombre songs on the album, there is the occasional moment where the guitar driven Frightened Rabbit from 'Pedestrian Verse' punches through. Particularly in 'Break' the guitar driven chorus is infectious and is certainly the most upbeat and positive sounding track on the album.

Catch Frightened Rabbit on tour this autumn

'Painting Of A Panic Attack' draws to a close with three very different songs. The piano driven '400 Bones' is the closest to a love song that Frightened Rabbit have ever reached, reflecting on the small intimate moments between two people. The song builds and builds to dramatic effect before dropping back to a singular piano in an almost eerie stillness. 'Lump Street' however delivers a dark, thumping and harsh reality to the listener before the album draws to a delicate conclusion with 'Die Like A Rich Boy'. The song completes the album combining elements of the Frightened Rabbit of old with the new style while providing a ghostly and refreshing view of life.

'Painting Of A Panic Attack' is the bands most complete work to date; reinventing and reworking themselves while maintaining the soul and quality of the band - a feat rarely pulled off by any artist. Frightened Rabbit have gone from strength to strength over the last decade, expect them to keep growing for another 10 years to come.
(9.5/10)

-Luke

Review: Lonely The Brave // Thing Will Matter

Lonely The Brave burst onto the scene in 2014 with 'The Day's War' and now they're back with a second album 'Things Will Matter'. David Jake's soft deep vocals still seep through the whole album and with the songs still heavily guitar, at a glance it doesn't look as if much as changed

It's difficult to put your finger on initially, however the more you listen the more you realise something has changed. In Black Mire, the second song on the album, its the most clear with the vocals becoming faint and at times overshadowed by the roaring guitar riffs creating a darker feel to the album.

Most importantly, however, this album shows the development of a band set to go to the top of alternative musics hierarchy. It's not the finished article just yet but its yet another step forward in this bands career. (8/10)

-Luke