Stereo Brain // 2016 Awards Results

Thanks to everyone who voted in this years Stereo Brain Awards. The public vote scores have been added to our Stereo Brain scores - here are the results!

CARDIFF AWARDS - BEST BAND

Chroma @ Gwdihw Cafe Bar 23/11/16
(Photo: Robin Norman Photgraphy)

1st Place - CHROMA

The bi-lingual 3 piece from Pontypridd have had a mega 2016. They released an excellent debut EP which has been backed up by a string of impressive live performances across the city. With support from BBC horizons, being added to the Forte Project roster for 2017 and a new single imminent - CHROMA are set to go from strength to strength and are deserved winners of this award!
Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

2nd Place - The Fused
Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud

3rd Place - Local Enemy
Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud

CARDIFF AWARDS - BEST PROMOTER

1st Place - Young Promoters Network

The Young Promoters Network (or YPN) is an organisation made up of people under the age of 25 with the aim of putting on gigs, supporting the local music scene and supporting young people who want to be involved in the music industry. This year YPN began a partnership with Forte Project, created an organisation called W.O.M.E.N and provided one of the highlights at Swn festival with the inclusion of BETSY in their line up.
Facebook | Twitter

2nd Place - Luckyman Records
Facebook | Twitter

3rd Place - Orchard Entertainment
Facebook | Twitter

CARDIFF AWARDS - BEST FESTIVAL

1st Place - Swn Festival

Swn Festival, now in it's 10th year, triumphed musically both locally and nationally. With a wonderful array of upcoming talent from all over the country and most importantly from South Wales the festival was jam packed with absolute gems.

2nd Place - HOYfest

HOYfest, in it's first year, deserves a mention too. A wonderful line up of exciting and new indie acts. The highlights included wonderful headline sets from hotly tipped VANT and indie-funkers (who were 2nd place in last years Stereo Brain Album Of The Year) The Milk.

3rd Place - Dim Swn

BEST EP OF 2016

1st Place - CHROMA // CHROMA EP

2nd Place - VANT // Karma Seeker EP


3rd Place - Montreux Fires // Trying For The Sake Of Trying



BEST SONG OF 2016

1st Place - Blink-182 // Bored To Death

Blink 182's latest album is a step forward for the band. Leaving behind Tom Delonge they've produced, arguably, some of the best material of their career. This includes a fantastic sing along single in 'Bored To Death'.



=2nd Place - Twenty One Pilots // Heathens
=2nd Place - Biffy Clyro // Wolves Of Winter
=2nd Place - Enter Shikari // Hoodwinker

Stereo Brain // 2016 Awards Vote!

Stereo Brain // Cardiff Awards Longlist

Best Band

CHROMA

• Released an EP featured in Stereo Brain EP of the year list
• New single to be released 29th December
• A series of headline shows at Clwb & Gwdihw & notable support slots at Clwb Ifor Bach
• Secured BBC Horizons / Gorwelion funding

Estrons

•  Released an EP featured in Stereo Brain EP of the year list
• Supported Slaves on their 'Back In The Van Tour'
• Co-headline tour with The Bay Rays
• Impressive headline show upstairs in Clwb
• Secured BBC Horizons / Gorwelion funding

The Fused

• Debut single release
• Impressive headline shows at Undertone
• Perfromances at HUBfest & Hoyfest

Himalayas

• Released Ecstacy EP
• Established performances at HUBfest, Swn fest an Xpresstival
• Headlined Fireball Whiskey stage at HOYfest
• Secured BBC Horizons / Gorwelion funding

Upbeat Sneakers

• Released two strong singles
• Supported Madness amongst other notable support/headline slots
• Secured BBC Horizons / Gorwelion funding

The Broadcasts

• An excellent debut album release
• A series of notable support/headline slots around the city
• A european tour

Local Enemy

• Headlined a stage at Cardiff's legendary Swn fest and had Huw Stephens turn up for good measure
• Performance at half time at the Cardiff City Stadium
• Charity single

Best Promoter

Fuelled By Jealous Lovers

• Bringing excellent overseas bands such as Modern Baseball, Into It. Over It & Pinegrove amongst other UK acts

Orchard Entertainment

• Put on one of my favourite gigs of the year - Black Peaks & Heck at Clwb Ifor Bach
• Supporting up 'n' coming & local acts including Fickle Friends, Sundara Karma, VANT, Chroma, Parcs and so many more!

Luckyman Records

• Put on the best festival nominated HOYfest
• Brought This Feeling gigs & club night to Cardiff
• A lot of support for local bands at all of their gigs

Young Promoters Network

• Designed specifically to support acts from the South Wales area
• Booked one of the most anticipated acts of Swn festival - Betsy
• Presence at both HUBfest, Swn & Dim Swn festivals
• Continued partneship with Forte Project and their artists

Imperial Music

• Put on Cardiff's only metal festival - Throwfest
• Booked some of the best hardcore/rock/metal bands from around the UK
• Continued support for the heavier music scene in Cardiff

Stereo Brain // Album Of The Year Longlist

Andy Hull & Robert McDowell // Swiss Army Man Soundtrack
Genre: Soundtrack
Label: Lakeshore Records
Released: 24th June
Verdict: Something that's just a bit different - interesting and inventive musically while still capturing the essence of a movie of the same irk.

Architects // All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us

Genre: Metalcore

Label: Epitaph Records

Released: 27th May

Verdict: Loud, in your face and yet incredibly intricate. Certainly Architects best work to date.

Black Foxxes // I'm Not Well
Genre: Alternative
Label: Spinefarm Records
Released: 19th August
Verdict: An album that demonstrates the potential that Black Foxxes showed from early on. Emotional, guitar driven and a must for any list.

Black Peaks // Statues

Genre: Rock

Label: Sony

Released: 8th April

Verdict: Seen by most as the most exciting rock album for years and I couldn't agree more. Anthemic and interesting - it was once described to me as "the math rock early Foals meets the heaviness of Deftones". Incidentally this album is the reason Deftones' record didn't make it on the list

Blossoms // Blossoms
Genre: Indie-Pop
Label: Virgin EMI
Released: 5th August
Verdict: Modern day indie-pop meets 80's in Blossoms' debut album. This album was a hit and made it to UK number 1 for two weeks.

Biffy Clyro // Ellipsis

Genre: Rock

Label: 14th Floor Records

Released: 8th July

Verdict: It's been a big year for Biffy and this album showed what they're still capable of. 'Wolves of Winter'' was one of the songs of the year and it's backed up by a brilliant album.

Daughter // Not To Dissapear
Genre: Indie
Label: Glassnote Records
Released: 15th January
Verdict: Delicate, quiet and thoughtful are words that spring to mind when you listen to Daughter's latest outing. It's pleasant and comfortable listening all the way.

Frightened Rabbit // Painting Of A Panic Attack

Genre: Indie

Label: Atlantic Records

Released: 8th April

Verdict: After making fans wait over 3 years for album number five, scottish indie rock powerhouses Frightened Rabbit did not disappoint. Their latest album shows a new side to the band while maintaining their distinctive style.

FULL REVIEW

The Hunna // 100
Genre: Indie Rock
Label: High Time Records
Released: 26th August
Verdict: A band that only began in October 2015, they've taken social media by storm and created a large fan base of young music fans. The release of their debut album demonstrates how they've managed it - catchy songs, meaningful lyrics and dancy riffs all carried a long with persona of rock stars.

Joyce Manor // Cody

Genre: Emo-Grunge

Label: Epitaph Records

Released: 7th October

Verdict: Joyce Manor's latest outing is that little bit less grunge and a bit more emo than their previous records. This is nothing but a good thing however - it's an album that feels much more open and inviting while maintaining the bands recognisable sound.

FULL REVIEW

The Lion & The Wolf // The Cardiac Hotel
Genre: Indie

Label: Xtra Mile

Released: 7th October

Verdict: After his beautiful debut, The Lion & The Wolf develops his sound on this new record. With more depth and more emotion this one hits right in the feelings.

Modern Baseball // Holy Ghost

Genre: Emo

Label: Run For Cover/Big Scary Monsters

Released: 13th May

Verdict: Their best record to date, on 'Holy Ghost' Mobo look at so much more than bad luck with girls and go much deeper into their own lives in a truly personal album.

FULL REVIEW

PUP // The Dream Is Over

Genre: Punk Rock

Label: Royal Mountain Records

Released: 27th May

Verdict: Listening to this album is like an angry jolt back to reality.

Panic! At The Disco // Death Of A Bachelor

Genre: Alternative

Label: Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen

Released: 15th January

Verdict: I initially described this album as 'pop punk meets Michael Buble' - this was meant as a bad thing but overtime this record has really grown on me and shown what it's really about to become one of my favourites from this year.

Radiohead // A Moon Shaped Pool

Genre: Indie

Label: XL Recordings

Released: 8th May

Verdict: Delicate and experimental. This was Radiohead at their finest. AN utterly beautiful album

Rusty Shackle // Dusk

Genre: Alt Folk

Label: Get Folked Records

Released: 25th March

Verdict: A mix of bouncy fun folk and serious musical talent comes together on the welsh bands finest record to date.

FULL REVIEW

Slaves // Take Control
Genre: Punk
Label: Virgin EMI
Released: Slaves
Verdict: Last years winners come back with a punk-ier and less apologetic follow up to Are You Satisfied?. The record screams potential and the future if Slaves' sound.
FULL REVIEW

Spring King // Tell Me If You Like To

Genre: Indie Rock

Label: Island Records

Released: 10th June

Verdict: One of the best debut records of the year and also features one of the catchiest alternative tunes of they year - 'Demons'

Tigercub // Abstract Figures In The Dark
Genre: Rock
Label: Alcopop!
Released: 11th November
Verdict: Imagine a darker and grungier Queens Of The Stoneage and you have this record. It's musically brilliant and a really great listen.

Viola Beach // Viola Beach

Genre: Indie Rock

Label: Fuller Beans Records

Released: 29th July

Verdict: A posthumous inclusion for one of the UK's most promising bands. Released shortly after their and their managers deaths to commemorate them. Coldplay even covered their song as they headlined Glastonbury.

YAK // Alas Salvation
Genre: Rock
Label: Octopus Electrical
Released: 13th May
Verdict: Loud, unapologetic and grungy. Yak burst onto the scene this year with 2 tours plus a stint supporting The Last Shadow Puppets - all in all it's been a great year for them.

Stereo Brain // 2016 Awards Lists Part 2

Tuuuuune Of The Year
Biffy Clyro - Wolves Of Winter
Black Peaks - Say You Will
blink-182 - Bored To Death
Blossoms - At Most A Kiss
Brand New - I Am A Nightmare
Chase & Status - Control (feat. Slaves)
Enter Shikari - Hoodwinker
Hacktivist - Taken (feat. Rou Reynolds)
Modern Baseball - Wedding Singer
Panic! At The Disco - Crazy = Genius
The Qemists - Run You
Slaves - Spit It Out
Spring King - Demons
twenty one pilots - Heathens
Twin Atlantic - No Sleep
VANT - Fly-by-Alien
Viola Beach - Swings And Roundabouts

CARDIFF AWARDS
Best Band
CHROMA
Estrons
The Fused
Himalayas
Upbeat Sneakers
The Broadcasts
Local Enemy

Best Promoter
Fuelled By Jealous Lovers
Orchard Entertainment
LUCKYMAN RECORDS
Young Promoters Network
Imperial Music

Best Festival
Dim Swn
Xpresstival
Hoyfest 2016
HUB Festival Cardiff
Swn
Throwfest

Stereo Brain // Fairtrade Music

Everything nowadays is instant, people want everything straight away and then quickly shuffle off to the next thing. Being part of the so-called 'iPhone generation' I'm perfectly guilty of this, hopping from craze to craze like an excitable dog in a room full of hundreds of its favourite toys. However music is not a place where I like to rush things.

The anticipation of waiting for a CD to arrive in the post or browsing a record shop not knowing what I'm going to pick up are some of the most exciting feelings for me. When I get the disc I set aside a couple of hours on the day it arrives in my life just to listen. That's how I consume my music, listening carefully and absorbing it slowly, sipping at it like an expensive glass of wine and savouring the taste.

For many these days consuming music is something instant. They open Spotify or Apple Music and it's all there in front of them, and that really means ALL of it. Someone with one of these services can listen to almost any track ever made (provided they have an Internet connection) for something like the cost of an album per month. Don't get me wrong, these services have brilliant advantages and the idea you can listen to anything you want is amazing as a music fan but it's not quite that simple.

As with anything these days the idea that you get what you pay for runs rife in music. I'm sure you've all heard of 'Fairtrade', if not it's a sticker on a piece of food or whatever that means 'if you buy this product the person who farmed/made this gets paid properly'. Seeing this sticker on the food often means it's just that little bit more expensive but you know it's for good reason. Likewise with the 'organic' or 'free range' stickers, you pay that bit more so you know that everything in the process is done properly.

Music, in reality, is no different. Sure Spotify is the cheapest way to consume music. You pay less than £10 a month to get access to all the music you could possibly want. It's a great deal for you but, like buying a cheap shirt from Primark, it's not good for the people who made it.

"Ah" I hear you say, "but it makes it so much easier for small bands to be discovered". Sure... maybe if 'discovered' means having one song picked to appear on a few people's 'Discover' playlists through an algorithm, you might have a point. Of course there are people who listen their 'Discover' playlists pick out the ones they like and put them on another playlist and continue listening but most of those couldn't tell you the name of the song let alone the artist. That's not discovered. 'Discovered' often comes along when a lot of people that know a lot about music feature you on their radio show/dj set/blog/magazine because in reality those are the things that will make or break a band.

Then there's the other obstacle Spotify throws up - it's impact on the charts. A lot people like listening to the same old stuff they always have and, with streaming being included in the charts, it means that it's so much harder for new bands to work their way up into the top 100 let alone top 10. All this while albums like 'Greatest Hits' by Queen have been sat in the top 100 for 72 weeks in 2015 & 2016 - an album which made it's first appearance in 1981 and stays there due to streaming figures.

Even if a new band fights past these barriers and does get 'discovered' Spotify doesn't even help then! It pays artists between £0.0048 - £0.0068 per play. Lets assume it's the upper edge of that and now to pay an artist the normal album price of £7.99 you have to listen to tracks over 1000 times on Spotify to pay them that money - it's crazy

So when all this is considered it leads to the current situation in the music industry where nobody except those bands that have already made it have enough money to keep going and it's become so much harder to make it to the top. This, slowly but surely, is creating a massive stagnation in the music industry. To see this you don't have to look further than Download festival's headliners last year (Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden & Rammstein) who have all been around for 20+ years!

However with music it's easy to make a change; stop paying your Spotify subscriptions head down to your nearest record shop or your favourite artists' gig and pick up a CD or a vinyl and get yourself some 'fairtrade music'. Without it musicians won't have enough money to make new music, go on tours and be able to live off of their music - something that's never been easy but also something that is now harder than ever.

Stereo Brain // 2016 Awards Lists Part 1

Album Of The Year
Andy Hull & Robert McDowell - Swiss Army Man Soundtrack
Architects - All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us
Black Foxxes - I'm Not Well
Black Peaks - Statues
Blossoms - Blossoms
Biffy Clyro - Elipsis
Daughter - Not To Dissapear
Frightened Rabbit - Painting Of A Panic Attack
The Hunna - 100
Joyce Manor - Cody
The Lion & The Wolf - The Cardiac Hotel
Modern Baseball - Holy Ghost
PUP - The Dream Is Over
Panic! At The Disco - Death Of A Bachelor
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
Rusty Shackle - Dusk
Slaves - Take Control
Spring King - Tell Me If You Like To
Tigercub - Abstract Figures In The Dark
Viola Beach - Viola Beach
Yak - Alas Salvation

Debut Album Of The Year
Black Peaks - Statues
Blossoms - Blossoms
Hacktivist - Outside The Box
The Hunna - 100
Jack Garratt - Phase
Milk Teeth - Vile Child
Spring King - Tell Me If You Like To
Tigercub - Abstract Figures In The Dark
Viola Beach - Viola Beach
Yak - Alas Salvation

EP Of The Year
Cassels - You, Us And They EP
Chroma - Chroma EP
Creeper - The Stranger
Estrons - She's Here Now EP
Heart Of Oak - E.P. | One
The King Blues - Off With Their Heads
Montreux Fires - Trying For The Sake Of Trying
October Drift - This Is Nowhere EP
Parcs - Traces
VANT - Karma Seeker EP

Stereo Brain // 2016 Awards Intro...

So in the wake of it slowly coming to the end of the year I'm going to announce the categories for the 2016 Stereo Brain awards.

GENERAL AWARDS
Album Of The Year: Goes to the stand out album of the year

Debut Album Of The Year: Goes to the most impressive debut album of the year
EP Of The Year: Goes to the best EP released this year
Disappointment Of The Year: Highlights the most disapointing album/song/moment by an established artist
Tuuuuune Of The Year: (Yes 5 u's!) The banger of the year! The song that's thee biggest ear worm

LOCAL AWARDS
Local Band Of The Year: The band local to the Cardiff area who has made the most progress and been the most impressive over the last year
Cardiff Festival Of The Year: The festival in Cardiff with the best combination of line up, local artist support and general feel.
Cardiff Venue Of The Year: The Cardiff based music venue with which has had the best shows, nicest atmosphere and been the most progressive in the Cardiff music community
Cardiff Promoter Of The Year: The Cardiff promoter that has both pulled the most impressive acts to the city as well as at the same time supporting local music

If you know of any acts/artists/venues/songs/albums that should be up for these awards that you think I may have missed, let me know! Contact me on fb: @stereobraindj, twitter: @stereo_brain

Preview: HOYfest // The Gates Art Centre, Cardiff // 18-19.11.16

Putting on a festival is hard. It's difficult enough running an established festival with a large group of people behind it let alone starting one in the middle of November and running it completely by yourself. HOYfest is such a festival and 2016 is it's first year.

Full Hoyfest lineup

Having already announced The Milk as the festivals Friday night headliner along with The Bulletproof Bomb, Judas and a load of excellent local bands they've finally released the full line up and most importantly the other headliner for the festival.

VANT will be taking that slot, adding the date to their upcoming UK tour in support of their lates EP 'Karma Seeker' and recent single 'Peace & Love'. With an album allegedly on the way next year, they're one of the UK's most exciting up & coming acts.

With The Milk, No Hot Ashes and Bandicoot confirmed already for the Friday night a further 3 acts have been added. The extremely young but promising Parish open up the festival while exciting South Wales bands Monico Blonde and The Moon Birds have also been added to the night.

Added, along with VANT, to the Saturday line up are Cardiff alternative bands The Boradcasts, Nuclear Lullaby and Wetpainttt. The young and exciting The Fused join the festival off the back of their first headline show and a single release. Mirror Gorillas, Trash and Rinse are the final acts added to the lineup.

Tickets are available from the Gates Art Centre site HERE

Stereo Brain // A Quick Note On New Vs Old Music

DJing in a nightclub can be difficult sometimes, especially in an alternative club - people don't just want a beat to dance to, they want songs they know. This can lead to stagnant sets, clubs playing the same music week in, week out because they know the reaction they get is a safe one. Very rarely in an alternative club, compared to regular clubs, will you hear a song released within the last 6 months played during the night.

I find this strange. Those of us in the alternative scene will often claim they don't listen to the same old manufactured drivel, but when it comes to a night out we'll rarely get that new song that's been making waves in the alternative community. It's a travesty, and I'm guilty of it too, I'd love to play a set of songs from 2016 - I mean I have more songs in my library from this year than any other - but people would leave. It's an issue with the community as a whole rather than exclusively in clubs. People like what they like and would rather spend £60+ on a gig to see an old band than spend £6 on a young band with a lot of promise which they may not know as well.

I find it hard to focus on finding old music, I don't see the benefit in it. I spend all my time focusing on what came out this week; I'm aware of where it came from and it's influences but at the end of the day whats coming out now is the hits of the future. So when I have people my age asking me to play songs from before they were born, my heart breaks a little inside.

Stereo Brain // Swn

Swn festival is something relatively new to me. Having only been in Cardiff a a few months it slipped me by last year. This year however I'm not missing it for the world.

I experienced the wonderful Dim Swn in April and volunteered for the day. I ended up working in Undertone where I met the great people at the Young Promoters Network. It was there that I found at how much of a community event Swn is. So many inner city music venues neglect the opinions of small local promoters, projects and venues, whereas here at Swn it was actively run by them.

Not only that it is by far and away one of the friendliest and welcoming festivals I've ever experienced. If you're passionate about music and bump into the right people you could spend all day talking to all the music fanatics floating around rather than actually seeing any bands! It was then through that talking I spoke to the folks running the YPN stage and hence became part of their great organisation.

Just over 6 months down the line its one hour until doors open on Swn Rise - the festival opening show at Tramshed - and I couldn't be more excited. I have so many bands I want to see and not only that, on Sunday I will be helping run the stage at Undertone again. Not as a volunteer but as a member of the team.

Cardiff has a wonderful music community and I urge everyone to jump at the chance to join in with it.

One day I hope there will be a Stereo Brain at this festival. Dim Swn represented a big turning point in my dream to put on shows and get involved in the music community and I want nothing more than to put everything I can back into it.

Review: Slaves // Take Control

After their debut album 'Are You Satisfied?' launched them to fame last year Slaves have taken off. Regular plays on BBC Radio 1, nominated for a Mercury Prize and winning the hearts of many fans with their budding bromance, you could have almost forgiven the duo for selling out on their second album.

However fans needn't have worried.

The album begins with the furious 'Spit It Out' and barely lets go of the frantic pace through 'Hypnotised' until the listener reaches the plodding 'Consume Or Be Consumed'. Featuring Mike D (of Beastie Boys) the song meanders safely along through the droning chorus between some excellent lyrical work from Mike D and Isaac. 'Consume Or Be Consumed', however, most encapsulates the lyrical theme of the album, a protest against everyday life.

'Rich Man' can be seen as a crude summary of modern distaste for the rich and the ongoing talk about the "1%". This is swiftly followed by 'Play Dead', chants of "Too Connected, Disconnected" and "Switch It On, Switch It Off" run through the song - a statement on the issues with social media and mobile phones. Not only something you hear on the record but also at their live shows, it is not uncommon to hear the duo tell fans to turn their phones off, stop filming the gig and enjoy whats in front of them, something applied in a wider sense in this song.

One of the main successes of the band is their ability to be not only a serious band but also a humorous one. In particular 'Where's Your Car Debbie', 'Feed The Mantaray' and 'Girl Fight' spring to mind from their back catalogue. This albums equivalent is 'Fuck The Hi-Hat' a homage to the bands early days on the touring circuit when punters would shout out "Where's your hi-hat' to the band that only have a snare and a bass drum in their arsenal. This frantically short track is one of the least important to the overall album but possibly one of the most enjoyed by fans at the bands live shows.

Slaves tour the UK this November

The second half of the album begins to highlight the duo's ability to play something that little bit slower. This is not the bands comfort zone and not necessarily the future of Slaves, however it showcases some of the bands other influences and makes the album seem that little bit more whole.

'Same Again' closes the show with the band returning to a style more familiar to them however grungier than before. This sound seems increasingly like it's going to be the future of Slaves and not many people will be upset with this.

However while this album's sound is almost complete - retaining the bands rawness while achieving a slightly mature sound - they are still a couple of (if very small) steps away from being pencilled in on the list of punks greats. They've released their distaste of wider society without getting particularly political or anarchist and for a band capturing the minds of so many disillusioned youths this is really the next step.

(8.5/10)

-Luke

Review: October Drift // This Is Nowhere EP

Softly the sound builds, delicate vocals flow over the top, the sound builds, the drumming gets louder and all of a sudden the twanging riff of the start of October Drift's new EP drops in. The Sheffield band have been crafting a name for themselves over the last year with seeminglessly endless touring and a fantastic reputation to go with it.

Their second EP 'This Is Nowhere' begins with the ambient build of 'Snow Into Dust' which is more of an intro to the next song 'Cherry Red' rather than a stand alone song. 'Cherry Red', however, is wonderfully dark and yet catchy with a strong dominant chorus. It's by far the singalong track on the EP and shows glimpses of the bands potential to be a powerful and individual rock band.

The EP then moves on to 'Cinnamon Girl' which is somewhat similar to 'Cherry Red' and continues to showcase the bands potential. However after several minutes of the same thing it begins to fade into the background and you start to ask for that little bit more.

That little bit more finally arrives with the end of the EP, 'Get With The Times' really highlights October Drift as a band that can slug it out with the big boys. This slower track shows the diversity within the band and their ability to make music at whatever speed and style while still retaining a level of distinction. 'Get With The Times' at this point seems less of a song title and more of a message to those other acts following templates of what came before to make something new.

(7.5/10)

-Luke

Review: Joyce Manor // Cody

Recently a new brand of emo has been emerging. Gone is the emo influenced by rock & metal - the kind that launched My Chemical Romance to fame - and in is a new brand fronted by American bands like Modern Baseball  and Into It. Over It in a style that reflects influences from 90's and 00's pop punk and grunge. Joyce Manor are one of the latest crop of bands that fit that template.

'Cody', their 4th LP and second on Epitaph Records, is out October 7th and with it the band have taken a slight musical turn. Their first 3 albums demonstrate the bands' ability to propuce lo-fi grungy emo with fuzzy guitars, meaningful lyrics and a lack of a serious melody. This latest outing doesn't ditch these ideas but develops them to create a much more musically diverse Joyce Manor.

'Fake I.D.' - the first song and single on the album - demonstrates this evolution at it's best; with a bouncing melody running through the song, it has the feel of a tune that could define the new side of the band. However as soon as that short 2 minutes is over, the album drops into 'Eighteen'. A song which tackles their previous sound but sounds much more mature and though out. It reflects the theme of the album - not only musically but within the lyrics - of maturing. After the song examines the thought of looking back at a foolish, young and worried eighteen year-old self lead singer Barry Johnson let's out "I feel old today" in a way that isn't jaded but instead almost triumphant.

A couple of songs later you the second single from the record - 'Last You Heard Of Me' - bursts on the scene which, at just over 3 minutes, is one of the longest tracks on the record. This song follows the grungier style template of the bands earlier work but approached with a renewed maturity. Rather than a barrage of sound, the song feels more structured and musically strong, a theme that seems to run through the whole album. As a band Joyce Manor have never spent more than 10 days in a recording studio until this release, and you can really tell. Having spent 2 months plugging away in the search of 'Cody' it appears that this new approach has really payed off.

Nothing sums this up more than the closing tune on the record. 'This Song Is A Mess' is anything but a mess, it bounces along with a renewed youthfulness which echoes of their contemporaries in Modern Baseball. This song is a refreshing and playful end to a mature and, at times, serious album about growing up not just in life but within the bands music. It is by far Joyce Manor's most accomplished and complete work to date and leaves the listener itching to hear the next chapter in this evolving bands story.

(8.5/10)

-Luke  

Review: Black Peaks & Heck // Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff // 15.09.16

There are a lot of people that would have told you earlier in the year that british hardcore and metal was dead with the scene relying on old, past their best bands to keep the genre going. However on the evidence of a sweaty night in Cardiff it may just have a future.

Black Peaks @ Clwb Ifor Bach

After This Be The Verse warmed up the crowd Black Peaks took the stage to a filling room. With an incredible energy, the band began to tear through their set of metal infused math rock which not only sounds excellent on record but translates brilliantly to a live show.

Black Peaks' debut album 'Statues' is possibly the breakout rock album of the year with the band getting great coverage across popular radio stations and magazines - something almost unheard of for a band that started life as a hardcore math rock band. 'Glass Built Castles', 'Saviour' and 'Hang Em High' are all truly epic on record, but live they go up another notch. However most impressive was the anthemic 'Say You Will' which carries a sound you can envisage blasting out of festival main stages and arenas. After such a storming set Heck had a tough act to follow.

Heck @ Clwb Ifor Bach

The first thing you will hear about Heck is the almost insane reputation of their live shows. Within the first song the lead singer was at the back of the room, guitarist in the centre of a mosh pit and mic stands strewn across the floor, and 50 minutes of similar carnage then ensued. At points there were people hanging off the ceiling and circle pits around tables in what seemed, at times, like a satanic ritual. The crowd almost seemed in awe at the energy of Heck and their manic presence with many having just stopping and staring for the first half of the set. However Heck's manic energy is infectious, drawing everyone slowly in to the experience.

Heck ended their set with their gruelling 16 minute epic 'I. See The Old Lady Decently II. Buried Although III. Amongst Those Left Are You' closing an incredibly sweaty and messy night for all involved. The venue looking like a bomb site, mic stands strewn everywhere and the satisfied crowd shuffled out in a haze of sweat and exhaustion after what had been a hectic night for all.

However this isnt the end of the story. What this tour and the critical acclaim of both bands' albums is doing is continuing a story which has been brewing for a couple of years now. Ever since Royal Blood  burst on the scene in 2014 the radio shows and magazines have been more inclined to cover heavier and heavier music. Between these 2 band, and others like Slaves and countless more, they're slowly laying the foundations of the future of punk & rock in the public eye. If you're a fan of the heavier genres - it's a very exciting time.

-Luke

Review: Butserfest 2016 // Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Petersfield // 10.09.16

A festival reaching 10 years old is a big occasion especially for a small festival, just this summer the critically acclaimed 2000Trees turned 10. Likewise Cardiff’s legendary Swn Festival turns 10 in October. However on a wet rainy Saturday in East Hampshire it was the turn of the UK’s largest alcohol and drug free music festival – Butserfest.

The One Hundred @ Butserfest

In 2006 Butserfest burst on to the scene preaching an alternative music festival for everyone - no drunk boisterousness and nutty youths with pupils so wide they don’t have an iris – but instead a community festival where everyone no matter age, gender or whatever can have a great time. It’s the festival where many 14 year olds have their first mosh pits, 10 year olds come to their first festival and now, with the festival in its 10th year, 20-somethings coming back to relive those glory days.

This year the festival, as usual, had a brilliant line up of up & coming bands in the alternative scene. Celebrating not just breakthrough acts but excellent local ones to. Flashfires – last year’s local introducing stage headliner – opened up the main stage with probably the most indie set of the whole day, bouncy and fun their sound translated brilliantly from the small stage to the large one. The other stand out local band - Our Hollow, Our Home – are almost festival regulars now having played the last 3 years on the trot, working their way further up the bill with each performance. Their hardcore style gracing the main stage for the second year running.

Creeper @ Butserfest

One of the best parts of Butserfest is that bands love it, they come back year after year to play a higher slot as their career progresses. For example last year’s headliners Don Broco first played after the release of their debut album over 3 years before they brought the festival to a close. Likewise with this year’s top two bands Mallory Knox & Young Guns. Both during their sets spoke extremely kindly of Butserfest and the impact it had on their careers. Both bands went on to play incredible sets and both hae albums on the way – certainly ones to look for in the near future.

Possibly the most interesting and anticipated set of the weekend was Creeper. In the midst of an elaborate publicity stunt with clues around the internet it is thought the band are sitting on an album. Not only that but the band are from half an hour down the road and they delivered a storming set to what seemed like a home festival crowd designed for them.

Despite a wet and cold day, the music and atmosphere of Butserfest brought a smile to everyone’s face and on it’s 10th birthday, it truly delivered as a festival.

-Luke

Mallory Knox @ Butserfest

Review: HUB Festival // Cardiff // 26-28.08.16

Fire Fences @ HUB festival

Sometimes a festival is more than just a collection of artists playing music. Occasionally they become a real experience  and the atmosphere at HUB festival caused it to become exactly that. A local showcase highlighting brilliant artists and promoters from Cardiff and South Wales, HUB festival is everything that is good about the Cardiff music scene. With variety and quality running right through the heart of the line up coupled with the atmosphere of a street party come carnival, HUB fest was really unmissable this year

Wetpainttt @ HUB festival

A great place to start looking for those brilliant local artists in the festival was the Moon Club stage. With part of the Saturday run by the local Young Promoters Network and Sunday's promoters including Luckyman Records the stage was packed with the best up and coming indie bands. At the moment this is the real highlight in the Cardiff scene. Welsh indie rock old timers like Stereophonics, Feeder and Manic Street Preachers still hold influence in this scene but with the rise of Catfish & The Bottlemen and Pretty Vicious there has been a subtle shift in welsh indie. Two brilliant examples of this over the two days were Himalayas and The Fused.

Crinkle Cuts @ HUB festival

Fresh off of their first headline show in July The Fused brought their usual energy to the festival. With catchy songs like 'Are You Ready For Dance?' and 'Buskers and Beggers' already in their arsenal they are quickly growing a reputation as one of the best local live bands in Cardiff.

Having released their EP midweek, Himalayas showed off their new material brilliantly live. Think rock and roll infused indie rock with slight punk influences and that's Himalayas. With a massive sound similar to that of Pretty Vicious the band, rightly so, carry a confidence and swagger comparable to a band that have been touring for years.

Mike Dennis @ HUB festival

However this festival isn't just about the mainstream and indie, its about the slightly obscure stuff you wouldn't otherwise see but are a pleasant surprise. One of the highlights in this area was Crinkle Cuts.

Playing late on the outside Courtyard stage, Crinkle Cuts and their blend of funk and ska had the late night crowd off their feat and jigging along, With a great energy and engaging onstage personality they had the Saturday night crowd wrapped around their fingers and baying for more. Their set finished with a cover of The White Stripes 'Seven Nation Army' in a ska style, Crinkle Cuts hit the nail on the head.


Another exercise in the diversity in the festival came on Sunday night with the City Arms stage headlined by Mike Dennis. One man, a loop machine and a violin is apparently all you need now to create a brilliant and different sound. Occasionally political hip-hop styled rapping contrasted the technical and layered violin while somehow working brilliantly.

Himalayas @ HUB festival

This was the real story of HUB fest. From the street party filled with freestyle MC's and DJ's to the venues packed with every weird and wonderful genre - HUB fest celebrates diversity and once a year creates a little blissful bubble in the heart of the capital.

Review: Cassels // You Us and They EP

"The you in this song is a real person..." Cassels second EP opens in a blunt and direct way. A style built to popularity by punk rock two-pieces like Drenge and Slaves over the last few years, the two brothers from Oxford now attack it with an apathetic yet youthful view on reality. It's refreshing to hear songs about the NHS and social media which don't dumb down or glamorise and Cassels achieve it without sounding unnecessarily crude.

'You Us and They' - the title track - attacks the political minefield of the NHS. "Why don't they gas the polling station as we line up to vote" lyricist Jim shouts at the climax to the track, a sentiment reflecting a large proportion of public opinion. At the end of the day that's what's going to make a band like Cassels, they're not easy on the ear - it's music for the angry but more importantly music with a meaning.

Once you take away the excellent lyrical part of the band you're left with something that is interesting and musically different. The jarring and jumpy punk riffs give Cassels a sound resonating with the new breed of 21st century punk that's slowly rearing it's head and yet retains an air of individuality.

In a time filled with the kind of discontent towards the establishment amongst young people not seen since the 70's, punk could be back and now that Slaves, Drenge and many more have opened the door to the wider audience, it could be Cassels time to burst right through it. Everywhere in this EP from the politics of 'You Us and Them' to the apathetic attitude of 'Ignoring All The Tunnels & Lights' and the frantic 'Well Fed Worms In A Graveyard' this EP screams potential.

(8.5/10)

-Luke

The EP is released on 12th August 2016 via Big Scary Monsters with two EP release shows before and after the date

Cassels also head out on a co-headline tour with itoldyouiwouldeatyou in September:

11th September - Green Door Store, Brighton
12th September - Whiskey Jar, Manchester
14th September - Santiagos, Leeds
15th September - The Cookie, Leicester
17th September - Birthdays, London

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