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

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: 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: 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: 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

Review: The Broadcasts // The Broadcasts

If you've spent enough time going to gigs in Cardiff you'll have inevitably stumbled across The Broadcasts. In only the last few months they've supported the likes of October Drift, The People The Poet and more, and if you were lucky enough to catch them, you'll know their first album could be a force to be reckoned with.

Their self-titled debut opens with the energetic and catchy blues rock of Down The Line and The Future. Both songs get the blood pumping before the album takes a breather on Western Lands; the first 3 songs on the album demonstrating The Broadcasts ability to write songs at any pace not only with a common sound but with an infectious one too. The simple but interesting style to their music will have you singing along by the second or third listen.

The fourth song on the LP - 'This Is Life' - is the lead single of the album and it carries a more country feel and demonstrates further the bands ability to write an infectious and yet a musically sound song. With the kind of chorus' that you would happily shout along to throughout the album, almost any song could have taken the lead single slot.

However The Broadcasts are not a one dimensional band and are not just about those sing a long catchy tunes. In 'The Road Goes On', 'What It Meant To Me' and the closing song 'What We've Become', the band shows a more delicate and polished touch to their music. 'What We've Become', in particular, shows a more sombre sound to the band - a sound you here in glimpses throughout the rest of the album - and is really developed in the closing song. It's by no means a stretch to call the closing to the album an epic, with delicate piano parts building into an anthemic chorus it brings the bands sounds together and ties up the album brilliantly.

An exciting and well-rounded debut from the Cardiff band; catchy, thoughtful and epic all at once. (8.5/10)

- Luke

You can catch The Broadcasts at their album release show at Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff on 17th June

Review: Modern Baseball // Holy Ghost

Modern Baseball are affectionately called MoBo by fans

A lot of people treat pop punk as blanket term for generic songs about hating your home town and missing your girl/boyfriend. It's the term people associate with 'Teenage Dirtbag', Blink-182, 'In Too Deep' and scrawny guys wearing tank tops and snap-backs. It's even a phrase which has become synonymous with pizza....

"He's been haunting my dreams at night....."; Modern Baseball's new record 'Holy Ghost' opens with a slow, sombre title track which band member Jake Ewald wrote about the death of his grandfather - not your typical 'Pop Punk' song. That's what initially strikes you about this record, it's pop punk but not as we know it, the sound and style is there but gone is the generic lyrics and strong themes designed to help the listener connect. Instead this is a very personal album from the boys from across the pond, not dealing in the vague and relatable but instead in the specifics.

With the LP split in two with the first half written by Jake Ewalds and the second half by Brendan Lukens each portion has its own unique qualities and personal touches and yet comes together brilliantly as a whole.

In songs 1 to 6, Jake takes the reigns steering the album through the style synonymous with the bands first 2 albums but a lyrical style that comes across as more personal than reflected on previous outings. The song 'Holy Ghost' feeds into 'Wedding Singer' which is what one would call a 'classic' MoBo song. The subject of the first music video of the album, the song (and video) reflects one part of the theme for Ewalds half of the album - finding someone. The rest of Ewalds half follows suit with building on a sound which the band had previously cemented as their own.

On the B-side Lukens takes over and introduces a slightly 'thrashier' sound to the band which has only been seen in glimpses on the previous albums. Each song is a short burst of a dark room, lonely night shout along. Last year MoBo cancelled a series of dates so that Brendan could go to rehab having being diagnosed with bipolar disorder - a subject which is covered in their documentary 'Tripping In The Dark' - and the struggles he has faced are covered in the second half of this album. This comes through clearly in the last song 'Just Another Face' which attacks the subject in a refreshingly honest and frank way - opening with "I'm a waste of time and space / Drifting through my selfish ways" - the song reflects how difficult it was for Lukens to open up about the subject and how facing his problems effected him and the band.

Despite Lukens and Ewalds attacking different themes in each side of the record, it somehow comes together as a whole and becomes a musical biography for the band since the release of 'You're Gonna Miss It All'. Each personal touch on this record dispels the theory that something must be generic to be relatable and will, without a doubt, grow Modern Baseball's already substantial following.  - (9/10)

-Luke

Review: Heart Of Oak // E.P. | One

At times, there's nothing more comforting than a quiet, thoughtful acoustic album and that's exactly what 'E.P. | One' from Heart Of Oak delivers.

Heart Of Oak is a Southampton based artist solely made up of Jimmy Broomfield and 'E.P. | One' is his first release and was released on 1st May 2016.

The first song on the album, 'Faded Flags', highlights Jimmy's natural talent for song and lyric writing. His smooth tone is what keeps this album ticking; a somewhat familiar sound but with a personal edge.

Heart Of Oak is currently touring Europe with The Lion & The Wolf

At points this album seriously tugs at the heart strings; 'Skin and Bones' and 'Somewhere, Another Life Is Waiting' particularly are two very emotional songs. 'Skin and Bones' talks about being flawed but fighting and struggling through it, this almost reflects Heart Of Oak's struggle in releasing the record.

Well documented on the Heart Of Oak Facebook, Jimmy talks about the difficulties he faced gaining the confidence to release 'E.P | One' but boy are we glad he did. This album is a delicate and emotional ride and at points is truly beautiful - 8.5/10

-Luke

Review: Max Raptor // Max Raptor

Quiet, thoughtful, delicate - all words you wouldn't use to describe Max Raptor's new album. This, the bands 3rd full length, is just as raucous and grumpy as the previous two.

'Max Raptor' opens with 'Keep The Peace' and from the start, aggressive drums and punk rock riffs kick in.  Tuneful is another word you wouldn't associate with Max Raptor with lead vocalists Wil Ray fluctuating between a football chant and post-hardcore growls through each song..

From the start to the album closer 'Last Words', this album is nothing but in your face and aggressive. Boisterous in the extreme, listening to the album at times feels as if you're being serenaded by an angry drunk man on a cold wet Midlands night. This certainly gives it its own unique charm but one that echoes some of the UK's best punk. Vocally it reflects that of the fast spitting style of Million Dead while musically it brings forward flashes of Drenge and glimpses of The Blackout.

The highlights of the album have to be the songs released before the album release - 'Old Romantics', 'Big Divide' and 'Damage Appreciation'. 'Damage Appreciation', especially, is the ear-worm of the album with a danceable bassline and a chanting chorus. This is surely Max Raptor's most complete sounding material so far, fitting nicely into the progression of their work by becoming more aggressive but musically more polished than previous outings.

'Max Raptor' is UK punk rock at its finest - loud, unapologetic and in your face.

7.5/10

-Luke

10 Years On: Frightened Rabbit // Sings the Greys

In 2004 two brothers started a band. Scott and Grant Hutchison had no idea at the time the success this band would achieve. The name of the band originated from a pet name given to Scott by his mother due to his shyness and they first performed under Frightened Rabbit for a show at Scott’s former art college. The band now have a large fan base and are going on to release their 5th LP ‘Painting of a Panic Attack’.

This journey had to start somewhere and that somewhere is 'Sings The Greys': first released on May 1st 2006 on independent label 'Hit The Fan Records' the LP was initially limited to 1000 copies. The album itself feels musically stripped down, raw and unpolished but with mature and thoughtful lyrics.

The first song on the LP 'The Greys', which was one of the singles, tackles depression and reflects on how it affects a person and is very much different from just feeling sad - "What's the blues when you've got the greys". You find throughout the LP Scott, who is the primary song writer of the band, covers a range of topics – most of which personal. ‘Snake’ talks about missing or longing for a partner, whereas ‘Yawns’ and ‘Square 9’ talk about the breakdown of a relationship. There are also some songs with wider views, for example ‘Music Now’ covers Scott’s opinion on popular music. The overall feeling you get from 'Sings the Greys' is a dark one; grumpy and miserable. The thudding drums and slowly building layered tracks are atmospheric and occasionally feel like a live recording which adds to raw sound of the LP.

However this is an album that has to be looked at as a whole rather than a sum of individual parts; with three little 1-minute instrumentals breaking up the album into four bite-size chunks; linking from one part to the next using similar melodies to those in the songs. These linking-style songs become a common place in the bands future albums and help build this feeling of the LP being a whole.

‘Sings the Greys’ is important in the back catalogue of the band as it is often seen as the foundations for their later work. In the following album ‘The Midnight Organ Fight’ the band develop this stripped down sound by adding depth and a more polished feel. After this they began to develop a bigger sound in their subsequent 2 albums with the acoustic guitar becoming less prominent. Despite this evolution of musical style, the lyrical style and themes displayed in ‘Sings the Greys’ are carried through each album and can be seen as the escence of Frightened Rabbit.

Their 5th studio album 'Painting of a Panic Attack' is to be released on 8th April 2016 and was produced by The National's Aaron Dessner. The release will be followed by a short series of in-store and venue shows in the UK before and extensive tour of the US.

Review: The Algorithm // Brute Force

There are a lot of bands and artists out there that completely disregard genre boundaries but none quite in the same way as The Algotithm. A brilliant and frantic blend of math rock, metal, trance, electronica with the occasional flurry of chip music and on the odd occasion, a bit of reggae is what awaits any listener of the new record 'Brute Force'.

'Brute Force' is a somewhat apt name for this LP; it reflects the aggressive way this album, from the first beat, is just completely in your face, The frantic drums wouldn't be out of place on a metal record and the frenzied electronic sounds are, on first listen, difficult to keep up with but with each play through the LP becomes more intricate and interesting.

To a lax observer each song on 'Brute Force' would sound identical to the next, however under every song and it's hectic sounds are subtleties, intricate basslines and interesting layering that build a picture of each song. The first single from the album - 'floating point' - for example has a thumping main sound with bass and drums dominating but underneath the cacophony of noise is a subtle guitar riff mixed with intricate high pitched electronica patterns which adds so much depth to the song. The other single from the album 'pointers' may seem quite similar to 'floating point' but despite also being quite drum & bass focused, this song has a lot more subtle electronic elements.

Most tracks from Remi Gallego - the man behind The Algorithm - consist quite heavily, at times, of metal elements, however for fans of The Algorithm's previous work this album will seem much more electronic based and less reliant on those metal elements.

The band are currently on tour promoting the album and start the UK leg of the tour on 16th April.

Overall this LP is an extension of The Algorithm's already excellent discography. It's an interesting and exciting listen from an artist combining math core and electronic to great and intriguing effect.

7.5/10

Review: Rusty Shackle // Dusk

Almost 3 years after the release of their second studio album, Rusty Shackle are back with 'Dusk'. From the hard-hitting and powerful 'When The Morning Comes' to the subtle and heartfelt 'Ellidaey Island' the LP covers every angle of musical style within the band.

Rusty Shackle have been floating around in the alternative folk scene for a good while and have an enthusiastic and loyal following with the first single from the album - incidently the first song on the new LP - reaching as high as #3 in the iTunes singer/songwriter charts and #80 in the iTunes singles chart. A fantastic achievement for an independent band releasing under their own label.

'Dusk' is by no means an album which can be viewed as a whole; listening to it is like a roller-coaster ride of musical styles  with songs varying between exquisite and intricate to the simple and catchy, The variance in sound means there is no doubt a song for everyone to enjoy on the album. Each song can be viewed on it's own as a very different part of the same whole. However the band maintains a theme flowing through the album that ties it all together.

'When The Morning Comes' is a brilliant example, it opens the album hard hitting and in your face. It's the sort of song that finds a little nook inside your mind and stays there; an earworm. In complete contrast is 'Moving On', a duet between between lead singer Liam and Remy Beasley (a talented young welsh singer/songwriter) which, due to the sound of the pairs voices, could be a folked-up Of Monsters & Men song. This continues throughout the LP from the pop-folk and almost 'Disney' sounding ''Lion In Winter' to the quietly plucked 'Lonely Lighthouse Life' and the stunning hook-driven 'Lucinda Returned', Rusty Shackle take you on a journey through the variety that can be achieved within alternative folk.

With each listen this album becomes stronger and stronger and after the 3rd or 4th listen you'll be belting out the lyrics and jigging around your kitchen with it on full blast. A lot of people can be put off by an artist being labelled as alternative folk thinking it's just a Mumford & Sons rip-off, Rusty Shackle are far from that, their sound is much deeper and more musically interesting. They might not reach the heady heights of number one albums but the lads from Monmouth have produced an interesting and engrossing album.

The LP is released on the 25th March under Get Folked Records - the bands own label. Rusty Shackle have a series of headline dates in April/May to promote the release of 'Dusk':

7.5/10

-Luke

Tour dates for Rusty Shackle

Review: Hacktivist // Outside The Box

Formed just over 4 years a go, Hacktivist have been slowly working their way into popularity in the metal scene. Their debut album seems like it couldnt be better timed for release for the rap-metal band from Milton Keynes. With punk and grime both in the public eye a band like Hacktivist is exactly what is needed to bring the two genres together.

That's exactly what they've done with the release of their debut LP. With tracks varying in style from post - hardcore to what could be a track from a grime album, it's hard to put a definitive stamp on it. However, there's no doubt that this is a quality album.

One of the best tracks on the record, released just before the album 'Taken', which features Rou Reynolds of Enter Shikari, covers the difficulty of letting someone into your life It is fantastic musically and lyrically with a classic Hacktivist and hard hitting lyrics.

The rest of the album has less emotional lyrics but musically is just as stunning while incorporating a more politic punk lyric. With parts which could be off an Architects record and other parts which could be from Stormy or Jme,  it's a mix which sounds odd, but works fantastically.

This is a great debut from the band from Milton Keynes, this coupled with a formidable live reputation could see them rocket up in 2016. A great modernisation of the nu-metal of previous decades but something better described as grime-punk.

8/10

-Luke

Review: The Qemists // Warrior Sound

The Qemists blend of drum & bass and metal is not something unheard of, but something other bands rarely pull off with the creativity of the group from Brighton. With bands like The Prodigy  and Pendulum floating in the same genre it's difficult to create a sound that doesn't sound like a recreation or rip-off of those bands, but it's something The Qemists don't seem to struggle with.

'Warrior Sound', the follow up to their 2010 record 'Spirit In The System', is a great continuation of their previous work, with some fantastic collaborations and a great blend between synthesized sound and real instruments.

The LP opens with 'Our World' a track which can be seen as an introduction to the album, Ambient yet aggressive it gives you a taste of what's to come. The record then launches into 'Jungle', a collaboration with rap-metal band Hacktivist. 'Jungle' further sets the tone for the album, losing a bit of the ambience and heading in the direction of mixing metal with drum & bass in an aggressive and expressive way.

The Qemists // Warrior Sound

With further collabarations on the album with Kenta Koie of Crossfaith, Charlie Rhymes and Ghetts. The album contains some incredible tunes which dip into mainstream drum & bass while still retaining The Qemists artistic integrity and metal roots.

However, the stand-out song on 'Warrior Sound' is 'Run You'. Sounding as if Enter Shikari had been heavily remixed, it's a song that would bring fans of electronic and post-hardcore metal together. Dance-able but with aggressive vocals and a semi-political lyric: it sums up everything The Qemists stand for in their music.

With a tour of Europe in March supporting Enter Shikari - a show not to miss - swiftly followed by a tour supporting Crossfaith, it's going to be a big few months for the band considering the strength of this latest LP.

The Qemists tour with Enter Shikari around Europe in March

Overall this is a stunning album; exciting and danceable music created by those in a metal background - what's not love.

8/10

-Luke

Frightened Rabbit Album Announcement - Painting Of A Panic Attack

It's been a long long wait for fans of Scottish band Frightened Rabbit. Their last album being released in February of 2013. 3 year wait only eased slightly by lead singer Scott Hutchison solo project Owl John in 2014. However this album promises to be a great addition to an already fantastic collection of music.

'Painting Of A Panic Attack' will be arriving on 8th April this year and it's about time. Produced by The National's Aaron Dessner the album was promised by the band to be "sparser" and "less guitar driven" and the new song does not disappoint. In addition to th interesting producer choice, with this being the first album since Scott moved to America, it will be interesting to see the lyrical development in his and Frightened Rabbit's story.

Traditionally a new album from the definitive melancholy Scottish indie band means a new window into the life of Scott. A big contributor to how the band amassed it's fan base is how the songs mean something, they're not mindless drivel. They are something to sit and mull late at night with the lights turned down, and the new song is no different. 

Painting Of A Panic Attack is due to be released on April 8th

Named 'Death Dream' the song is as sombre as the title, organ led and haunting, it sounds like a faint echo, a whisper on the wind. Even for those who favour classic Frightened Rabbit from their early albums will not be disappointed - retaining the sullen lyrics and melancholy vibes. From the first song, this album sounds like it would be a brilliant furthering to the Frightened Rabbit discography while developing their sound yet further.  If the rest of the album follows in this irk, many many fans will be happy.

Review: The King Blues // Off With Their Heads - "Guess Who's Back and Pissed Off Again"

After disappearing for almost 4 years there's nothing quiet about The King Blues return. The album was initially blocked for release by iTunes and Facebook blocked them promoting their music video due to the political nature of the caption, the world has missed the kings of political punk. With an album titled 'Off With Their Heads' and with artwork appearing to depict a decapitated David Cameron, that gives you a good idea of the main theme of the record and it doesn't disappoint.

The first track, sharing it's name with the title of the album, opens with muffled sounds of someone talking before launching into "Guess who's back and pissed off again", and my goodness are they pissed off. After a politically raucous opening to the album the record proceeds to dip in and out of political messages in songs like 'Starting Fires' and 'Opposable Thumbs' but also flirts with personal issues in 'Words' and 'Pure Fucking Love'. This generally a theme in all The King Blues previous records and it just works on so many levels.

Despite these forays into personal relationships, the important message from this album is political. Messages expressing unhappiness with David Cameron's government are ever present. Also a deep dislike towards the attitude of people is clear in 'Opposable Thumbs': "Look how far we've come with our opposable thumbs" is an almost satirical or sarcastic lyric, reflecting on the fact we take everything we have now for granted and dont appreciate where we've come from.

The overall feel of this album is that they are back with a bang, sick and fed up of what's going on in the world, and particularly fed up with the government. For many people in the older generation it'll feel like a modern version of the punk generated in the early 70's and for the modern generation The King Blues offer a message and music to believe in.

Over the last few years I have witnessed a slow revival of punk rock, starting with bands like Slaves and Sleaford Mods contributing to bringing the style of music and the lyrical meanings to the public eye. The King Blues tie this together brilliantly and the new album is another step in the right direction.

A politically charged masterpiece, revival of punk is on it's way - 8.5/10

-Luke

i've seen this pig fucking government dropping bombs for peace, slashing benefits, turning venues and clubs into coffee...
Posted by The King Blues on Friday, 12 February 2016

#tbt - Positive Review From Negative People

After the success of ‘Tape Deck Heart’, album number 6 from Frank Turner had a lot to live up to. Dubbed as the album which launched Frank Turner into the public eye along with his appearance at the Olympic opening ceremony three years ago, it was going to be a hard act to follow, however ‘Positive Songs For Negative People’ has lived up to every expectation.

With sing along anthems like ‘Get Better’ and ‘The Next Storm’, the album highlights a new direction in Frank’s music, reflecting his feelings and a turn for the better in his personal life. These songs are extremely difficult to not dance down the street to, or at least mouth along to while looking like an idiot to everyone else.

What I love about Frank Turner is he can write anthems but also craft songs like ‘Mittens’, ‘Demons’ and ‘Josephine’ which to an untrained ear sound very upbeat but listening to the lyrics it still reflects Franks emotional intensity which you can hear a lot more obviously in his previous albums. Despite this being less obvious, his way with words is still present and is rivalled by very few songwriters (a close second to Scott Hutchison in my book but that’s just me (still waiting for a collaboration guys)).

More importantly he revisits his old stripped down style in this album, not seen as much in ‘Tape Deck Heart’, and there are a few more intimate songs such as ‘The Angel Islington’ and especially ‘A Song For Josh’ which certainly brings a tear to the eye in a touching tribute for his friend who committed suicide in 2013. These songs recognise the journey Frank’s been on and despite this album being titled as ‘Positive’, there are still bad times in anyone’s life. Songs like these show that you have to move through the bad times to make the good times better, a theme present throughout the album.

Overall this is a stunning album, reflective of Frank’s usual skilful lyricism but with a positive twist: 9/10

-Luke

Review: Nevermen // Nevermen

A project devised by TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe, Faith No More's Mike Patton and Doseone A.K.A Nevermen have just released their debut album, a very long awaited album at that. Having started recording in 2008 when Adebimpe and Doseone met in a Brooklyn warehouse with Patton then getting involved in the project later down the line, the self-tited LP was finally released on 20th January 2016 on Lex Records.

'Nevermen' wouldn’t be described as fitting into any particular genre, almost conceptual and alien at points, this album with its strange faded vocals, strong beats and bizarre samples floats across many genres and is an absolute feast for the ears. Dabbling in experimental hip-hop and smooth sounds with hints of indie and acoustic; at points it feels as if Elbow and Young Fathers had done a collaboration; throw a mish-mash of wind-chime and drum samples into the mix with a few eastern sounds and odd synths and then you have Nevermen. A somewhat strange mix to say the least but a mix that grabs your attention and ears with both hands and gives them a good shake.

It's one of those LP's you don't know how to actually feel about, inventive and different but distracted and seemingly random at points. That being said 'Mr Mistake', 'Tough Towns' (the two singles from the album) and 'Dark Ear' are the highlights of the LP; strong beats, catchy and different. Despite this, the rest of the album is still worth a listen because with each listen it begins to make more and more sense, songs which on first listen are seemingly random slowly piece together to reveal an underlying musical understanding.

Album Cover for 'Nevermen'

The important thing is seeing the musical influence of all 3 members on the album; the beats and hip-hop from Doseone with faded hints of TV on the Radio and in some songs like ‘Mr Mistake’ the strong sound of Faith No More comes through as well. Only once you appreciate this and the album has had time to run through your ears a few times, can you appreciate the quality of Nevermen and their debut LP.

Rating - 7.5/10

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Review: Slaves // Are You Satisfied

For many years my dad has plonked CD’s and Vinyls down on my desk of old punk bands. “You’ll like this” he’d say and I did. I’ve always enjoyed kicking back and listening to some Clash and the Sex Pistols.

You see my dad grew up with the punk movement, the politically motivated, hard hitting movement that dominated the rock sub culture in the 70′s. Something remembered by everyone, and loved by many,it brought rebellion and angst to the forefront of music and allowed people to protest in a new and popular way.

But as with many great era’s of music it died away long before I was born in 1996 and to me, and I’m sure to many others, modern popular music is drab, dreary and meaningless. With the exception of a few bands, angry meaningful music was dead.

FInally, however there may be hope.

Halfway through April, my sat me down and said “We need to see this band Slaves”, I didnt think too much about it, it was a cheap gig so I decided to go.

The night before the gig was the first time I listened to any of their music, I switched on soundcloud and listened to their song ‘The Hunter’. From the first note to the very last note I felt as if I had my brain smashed out with a punk rock sized brick. It was incredible. A fantastic riff, a brilliant tune and a thumping beat matched with brilliant lyrics that meant something. A protest song.

The next 24 hours went so slowly, I hadn’t been this excited for a gig in a long time. We trundled down to Portsmouth to a fantastic venue called The Wedgewood Rooms. The two support bands were brilliant and everyone was fired up and ready for the show. While we waited they had reggae music playing over the system, not the normal choice for a punk band, all of a sudden the lights dimmed.

An explosion of noise erupted around the venue, the first notes of ‘The Hunter’ twanged out and the whole crowd appeared to stop still before becoming a frenzied mass of bodies moshing and dancing to the rebirth of punk.

During the gig and after I had never felt such a buzz of an excitement, such an atmosphere around a band whose first album went unnoticed by most of the world. Within weeks they appeared on Radio 1′s live lounge. Bringing this brilliant sound to the country again.


They have received the first Kerrang Spirit of Punk award, and I’m sure many more are to follow after a magnificent first album. The very same album which I plonked down on my dads desk and said “You’ll like this”.

(10/10)

-Luke