The Vaccines - All In White (Single Review)

Formed but a year ago in London, indie band The Vaccines have been hyped into consciousness and now release their fourth single, ‘All In White’, from their debut album ‘What did you expect from the Vaccines?’.

Written by: Tom Bevan | Date: Monday, 20 June 2011

I Set My Friends on Fire ‘Astral Rejection’ (Album Review)

Upon hearing the name of these Floridian experimental hardcore rockers for the first time, you’ve probably already been given a vague idea of what I Set My Friends on Fire have to offer in their music. Look back to their 2008 debut ‘You Can’t Spell Slaughter Without Laughter’, which features song titles such as ‘Beauty is in the Eye of the Beer Holder’ and ‘Reese’s Pieces, I Don’t Know Who John Cleese Is’, and this early impression is likely to be reinforced somewhat. Much like their bizarrely-named songs and their even more bizarre band name, I Set My Friends on Fire’s modestly-titled second album ‘Astral Rejection’ displays the kind of music that would make most people look on in a mixed state of horror, puzzlement and a certain level of perverse curiosity. It blends a number of diverse musical genres that are clearly close to the group’s collective heart, despite being as compatible as cheese and chalk. Pop, R&B and dubstep are among the various influences that I Set My Friends on Fire have chosen to throw into their experimental melting pot of noise. However, anyone drawn in by this brief introduction should beware as you may be in for a shock.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Monday, 20 June 2011

Vetiver ‘The Errant Charm’ (Album Review)

If you are able to imagine a much mellower and ever-so-slightly more cheerful Eels, then you are partway towards understanding what ‘The Errant Charm’, the latest album from US folk band Vetiver, may sound like. It is in fact the fifth offering from Vetiver – a project fronted by Devendra Banhart collaborator Andy Cabic, who was once a member of indie band The Raymond Brake before moving to San Francisco to form Vetiver.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Thursday, 16 June 2011

CocknBullKid - Asthma Attack (Single Review)

Asthma Attacks, from someone who has witnessed a fair few, are potentially deadly, frightening and far too frequent for comforts sake. Therefore, this song is the exact opposite of one, which is good. I’d hate to be struggling for breath as a result of listening to a song about someone who seems to have Stockholm Syndrome for good old London Town.

Written by: James Ball | Date: Thursday, 16 June 2011

The Apartments - Drift (Album Review)

So I guess we need a little background on the Apartments. First up, this Australian group don’t exist anymore, and haven’t done since 2007, and even that was for a series of gigs rather than a release or anything new. In fact, since the late 1970s, this group have formed and split no less than three times, and have had 22 different members. Some of their work is critically acclaimed, and some of it is guff. This one, sadly, is guff.

Written by: James Ball | Date: Thursday, 16 June 2011

The Sounds - Something To Die For (Album Review)

I remember reviewing an album a few weeks ago where I was harping on about how no-one knows how to write an album anymore. There are loads of collections of “songs” but little flow between them. The Sounds ignore this completely and start this one off with a beautiful little slow burner that pricks under your skin just a little bit, wiggling around almost unnoticed as the thumping bass drum gets a little more forceful. You’re locked in now. You can’t escape. The hi-hat trills gently as the trance synth fades in, followed by the repetitive, but needfully so lyrics. “It’s so easy when you know how it’s done. You’ve got to seize the moment before it’s gone” This “moment”, or “album” as most should call it, is 41 minutes long, and it’s not far from being the longest, and greatest moment ever.

Written by: James Ball | Date: Thursday, 16 June 2011

The Travelling Band ‘Screaming is Something’ (Album Review)

Coming from Manchester, The Travelling Band have got a lot to live up to and you may be forgiven for anticipating another mouthy bunch of swaggering, parka-wearing gentlemen again on this occasion. However, The Travelling Band are not the usual group of indie-rock upstarts that we’ve come to expect from that particular part of the country. But on the other hand, they may certainly fit in with the standard of music that England’s fountain of “all things pop” has kindly given us over the years. Sidestepping the city’s usual brand of brash guitar rock, The Travelling Band end up in a place much more rewarding in terms of its musical progression. ‘Screaming is Something’ is an album of such awe-inspiring diversity and ability, that it at first seems difficult to imagine them amongst the ranks of other English indie bands at all.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Thursday, 16 June 2011

Antlered Man - Outrages 1 Ta 3 (Single Review)

It’s a little bit hard to understand why there seems to be a growing media buzz about Antlered Man. They are, generally speaking, the sort of band that hip music journalists (or even less hip ones like me) tend to steer clear of. They don’t fit neatly into any particular genre so they can’t be easily categorised. They don’t write songs that are three minutes long and have hooks the size of Wales. They don’t even have clearly audible lyrics. I mean, for Christ’s sakes guys, get a bloody grip. Do you really expect Radio 1 to go anywhere near you?

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Wednesday, 15 June 2011

Cher Lloyd - Swagger Jagger (Single Review)

Normally a review will give a brief introduction about an act, but let’s face it: there’s not much point with Cher Lloyd. You know who she is, I know who she is - even the 1% of the British population who weren’t unwillingly drawn into the bright lights of 2010’s ‘X Factor’ couldn’t help notice Lloyd in passing. You know the one - the girl who constantly looked scorned like she had just been forced to eat a kilo of gravel.

Written by: James Conlon | Date: Wednesday, 15 June 2011

Bleech - Nude (Album Review)

How I miss the days when female-fronted indie bands littered the lower-echelons of the top 40. In those heady years of the mid-to-late-90s, you couldn’t open a copy of Vox, Melody Maker, Select or NME without stumbling across an interview with a super-hot, female singer with her music-playing wallpaper (aka ‘the band’). Echobelly, Republica, Lush, Salad, Sleeper… there was the good: Skunk Anansie. The very good: Black Box Recorder. The bad: Kenickie (Lauren Laverne, we’ve not forgotten. Or forgiven.) The god awful: Bis. And the god-forsaken: Hole.

Written by: Alex Mead | Date: Wednesday, 15 June 2011

The Plea - I Am The Miracle (Single Review)

The sleepily humble village of Ballyliffin isn’t exactly known for the birthplace of Indie-Rock bands. A view that is fairly much agreed upon for most of its history, that was until local foursome The Plea’s tightly thumping Indie tune, ‘I Am The Miracle’, hit the shelves.

Written by: Ryan Tinslay | Date: Wednesday, 15 June 2011

The Paper Scissors - In Loving Memory (Album Review)

In some ways, despite being only 40 minutes long, 'In Loving Memory' is a truly exhausting record. The Aussie trio have packed so many ideas into the cauldron; it is a real surprise that the mix does not simply bubble up into ruin.

Written by: Jonny Rimmer | Date: Wednesday, 15 June 2011

Scarlette Fever - Medication Time (Album Review)

Already hotly-tipped by teen magazines and with a single that’s been b-listed on Radio 2, Scarlette Fever has arrived with her debut album ‘Medication Time’.

Written by: V O'Hagan | Date: Tuesday, 14 June 2011

Black Country Communion - 2 (Album Review)

Let us not get carried away here. For all that Black Country Communion’s first album was hailed as proof that ‘super-groups’ can work, it was definitely not groundbreaking. Bringing together the collective talents of Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham (son of John of Led Zeppelin), Bloodline blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa and ex-Dream Theater keyboardist Derek Sherinian does not lead to gold stirring material; as expected, we instead received an accomplished hard rock record.

Written by: Jonny Rimmer | Date: Monday, 13 June 2011

Arctic Monkeys - Suck It And See (Album Review)

After embracing the dark side with their third album 'Humbug', opinion on the Arctic Monkeys was clearly divided. Whilst some fans followed the Monkeys’ down their new dark and dangerous path, many bemoaned the band’s decision to grow their hair long and stop singing songs about fights outside of the taxi rank. However, 'Suck It and See' shows a band letting the sunshine in by embracing conventional pop formula and recapturing the humour that characterised their earlier work.

Written by: Joe Kinnaird | Date: Monday, 13 June 2011

Cosmo Jarvis - Sure As Hell Not Jesus (EP Review)

Following in the success of single 'Gay Pirates', Cosmo Jarvis returns with his latest EP in support of his forthcoming second album. Not one to rest his laurels, the EP further demonstrates the talent and charm of a songwriter with the potential to achieve mainstream success.

Written by: Joe Kinnaird | Date: Monday, 13 June 2011

The Blue Aeroplanes - Anti-Gravity (Album Review)

The Blue Aeroplanes could easily be considered forgotten veterans of the British guitar pop scene, with no success of note since 'Swagger' was well-received around 21 years ago. In spite of that, 'Anti-Gravity' sounds surprisingly contemporary, partly due to the indie revival fronted by bands like The Hold Steady, who’ve made half-spoken, half-sung vocals rather fashionable again. 

Written by: Jonny Rimmer | Date: Monday, 13 June 2011

Toploader - Only Human (Album Review)

It may not be a massive surprise to hear that Toploader's comeback album sounds quite a lot like Coldplay. What might be a bit of a surprise is that it sounds quite a lot like Coldplay in 2005. 'Only Human', the first album by Joseph Washbourn and co. for almost nine years, sounds like an 'X&Y' throwback in many ways, with echoey lead guitar and lingering falsetto vocals cropping up throughout.

Written by: Chris Jefferies | Date: Monday, 13 June 2011

Coldplay - Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall (Single Review)

The extent to which you appreciate the vibrant new Coldplay single can perhaps be gauged by objectivity. The band’s latest tunes, showcased at Rock AM Ring this week, have been received in ‘rapturous’ fashion according to one of their roadies. Meanwhile, you won’t have to search too hard on social networks to find the naysayers: “this one is ripping off so-and-so...”; “they want to be U2...” so on, so forth. 

Written by: Jonny Rimmer | Date: Monday, 13 June 2011

The Overtones - Gambling Man (Single Review)

Gambling is a potent theme that developed through blues and folk music of the former half of the 20th century, a theme associated with the unwanted and ne’er do wells of society. And yet once confronted with The Overtones and their sugary continuation of this theme, these terms take on a whole new meaning.

Written by: Chris Norman | Date: Monday, 13 June 2011