'We Just Want To Be Bigger Than Oasis': Heavy Lungs Talk Self-Worth And New EP 'Measure'
Thanks to their explosive live set, storming singles and kinship with Idles, things are as exciting for Bristol-based band Heavy Lungs as they are for the noise-driven post-punk scene that’s thriving across the UK at the moment: very.
Written by: Helen Payne | Date: Wednesday, 09 October 2019
'It's What You Do Going Forward': Everclear's Art Alexakis is Singing in the Sun on His Solo Debut
In many ways, Everclear frontman Art Alexakis is the walking, talking, rock ‘n’ roll-loving embodiment of the American Dream. The idea that success and prosperity can be attained by anyone, regardless of their background, is certainly a wonderful ideal. But it can only be achieved through serious hard graft, a fierce sense of determination and the ability to get back up and keep fighting.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 09 October 2019
Days of Misfortune: We Lost The Sea Discuss The Pressure and Depression Behind 'Triumph & Disaster'
On their new album, ‘Triumph & Disaster’, Sydney post-rockers We Lost The Sea tell the story of a world past the brink of collapse. The six-piece use their emotive, ever-building and ultimately climactic compositions to illustrate dystopian landscapes, where climate change and depleting natural resources have finally caught up with us, rendering humanity’s days numbered.
Written by: Matt Mills | Date: Friday, 27 September 2019
Risk and Reward: Laurence Jones Talks Musical Evolution and Defying the Blues Police
Photo: Rob Blackham It’s well known that if certain sharks stop moving they’ll swiftly meet their maker. Laurence Jones’s desire to continually improve and expand his musical game suggests he feels much the same way about his career. Now 27, and with over a decade’s experience under his belt, the calibre of the guitar prodigy’s material has grown stronger, and stylistically more bold, with each record he’s released. His excellent new album hasn’t bucked that particular trend.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Thursday, 26 September 2019
Rock 'n' Roll is Philosophy and This is Ours: Introducing Dreamers
Let’s say you’re in the market for a new favourite band and have your checklist at the ready. You want to hear a group who effortlessly incorporate classic rock ‘n’ roll, grunge, electronica, psychedelia, hip hop and power-pop into a shimmering skyline of modern delights. A collective that boast hooks the size of asteroids, indie dancefloor grooves and lyrics that offer a little more intellectual depth than your average pop clone. If that’s the case, Dreamers may be the band you’re looking for.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Tuesday, 24 September 2019
Wet Plate Portraits: Camp Cope At Clwb Ifor Bach
td#right {display:none !important;} Photo: Gareth Jarvis As Camp Cope rattle towards the end of The Opener, the capper to their set at a packed Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff, vocalist and guitarist Georgia “Maq” McDonald yells into the mic: “Yeah, tell me again how there just aren’t that many girls in the music scene!”
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Friday, 20 September 2019
A Very British Sort of Americana: Introducing Ferris & Sylvester
Home-grown, organic. Find something stamped with words as wholesome as these and watch as it quickly leaves the shelves. By British standards, blues-folk duo Ferris & Sylvester could wear this label very comfortably.
Written by: Anna Ghislena | Date: Thursday, 19 September 2019
Rock 'n' Roll Star: Liam Gallagher's Commitment To Being Liam Gallagher
There’s a line in the film version of High Fidelity, delivered by John Cusack’s sad sack music nerd/primo arsehole Rob Gordon about one of his many exes: “Some people never got over Vietnam or the night their band opened for Nirvana. I guess I never got over Charlie.”
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Thursday, 19 September 2019
This Is Just The Start: Spielbergs Talk 'Running All The Way Home' And Life On The Road
Regrets, like inches around your gut or degrees of despair behind your eyes, tend to stack up as you get older. That Frank Sinatra’s full of shit, man.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Tuesday, 17 September 2019
Less Than Jake: Ska-Punk Greats Still Fired Up After All These Years
Take it from Garth Algar: we fear change. We all do. It’s something that makes the longevity of a band like Less Than Jake deeply comforting. For almost 30 years the Gainesville outfit have been racking up the miles playing ska-punk tunes that have ricocheted from the heart of the zeitgeist to the outer rim of cultural relevance—and they don’t give a shit how anyone sees them.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Tuesday, 03 September 2019
Politely Taking Over The World: Gender Roles Talk Debut Album 'Prang' And Living For Live Shows
Most bands don’t set out with a grand plan in mind, and Brighton’s Gender Roles were no different. “We’ve never had a mission,” guitarist and vocalist Tom Bennett says. “We just wanted to start playing music, and we really wanted to play shows because all our mates were doing it.
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Thursday, 29 August 2019
What's Your First Line Going To Be? The Futureheads Discuss Their Long-Awaited Return With 'Powers'
The stars of mid-2000s indie discos are frozen in time in the memories of a lot of people—their music might as well be an advert for sticky floors and test tube shots. And that’s where the Futureheads, who had a couple of songs that were students’ union staples, might still reside in the eyes of some.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Tuesday, 27 August 2019
If You Know, You Know: ArcTanGent Festival Proves Bigger Isn't Always Better
Photo: Coheed and Cambria by Sam Lees We’ve all had one of those chats over a beer, where we put the world to rights and share plans for our latest pipe dream. The difference between us and Goc O’Callaghan? She actually went out and did it, creating one of the world’s best small festivals for fans of math-rock, post-rock, noise-rock, and all you find in between.
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Thursday, 22 August 2019
Everything Considered: The Murder Capital Talk Debut Album 'When I Have Fears'
“It’s about a fear of life and an acceptance of maybe not being able to finish everything you wanted to do. We thought that was a really beautiful statement. It worked with our mentality. So we thought we’d move forward with that and we put that as the pillar for writing songs.”
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Wednesday, 14 August 2019
Foo Fighters: How 'There is Nothing Left to Lose' Changed Dave Grohl's Fortunes
The end of any decade is, essentially, meaningless. We attach poignancy to it because we’re all narcissists in some way—we want this decade, our decade, to stand for something. Musically, the ‘90s did a better job than some of its peers in allowing us to think that: young people were swept up by grunge, or the gloss of modern R&B, or punk’s chart explosion, or the battle between the east and west coasts.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Tuesday, 13 August 2019
How To Make A Sadcore Hit: A Lana Del Rey Recipe
Lana Del Rey really has nailed her hazy, retro vibe and a nostalgic sense of sadness. Far from the usual feel-good factor of pop hits, the New York vocalist and songwriter has carved a niche for herself in the shimmery, summery genre of luxurious, melancholic songs that we like to call sadcore.
Written by: Helen Payne | Date: Friday, 09 August 2019
Lego House Or Penthouse? What Global Domination Means For Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran makes his own rules. After a decade of working his way up from busking in small towns and playing local pub gigs to now dizzying, chart-topping heights, life for Teddy has reached the point where he’s in the enviable position of creatively being able to do whatever he wants.
Written by: Helen Payne | Date: Tuesday, 06 August 2019
An Ocean of Hours: Bear's Den Delve Into 'So That You Might Hear Me'
“I wanted to make an album that talked openly about issues that I have and am still working through,” Bear’s Den vocalist Andrew Davie says. “The whole theme of ‘So That You Might Hear Me’ is about looking for a sense of connection and often a conversation is where that starts.”
Written by: Milly McMahon | Date: Monday, 05 August 2019
Love Letter To Their Youth: Dude York Talk New Album 'Falling'
Exposure to early 2000s emo, nu-metal and pop-punk usually results in one of two reactions: a disgusted sneer, often accompanied by an exasperated sigh, or a knowing smile followed by overly enthusiastic headbanging. Dude York’s members would choose the latter.
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Wednesday, 24 July 2019
So Emotional: Seven Standout Christina Aguilera Moments
You know as well as us that Christina Aguilera needs no introduction, but we’re going to give her one anyway. Eight albums. Over 100 awards. A soundtrack. A Spanish-language LP. A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Bangers aplenty.
Written by: Helen Payne | Date: Thursday, 18 July 2019
Always Knowingly NSFW: Rammstein's History in Video Nasties
Photo: © Jens Koch They aren't for everyone, apparently, but honestly what’s not to love about German industrial metal giants Rammstein?
Written by: Jon Stickler | Date: Thursday, 11 July 2019
Melting Into Lunacy: Inside the Mad, Mad World of Phoxjaw
“I had an ice-cream a minute ago. It was, like, a tiramisu. It was nice. I like choc-ices, too. I find them very silly. They remind me of my grandad.”
Written by: Matt Mills | Date: Wednesday, 10 July 2019
Crystal Tumblers and Beer Pong: KISS, the Music and the Merch
Few rock bands have ascended to the iconic heights that KISS currently occupy, but their legacy is a complicated one. On one hand they are a huge arena draw, famed for fire, blood and good times, and on the other they are largely critically derided and dismissed as gimmicky, sleazy, over-the-top t-shirt salesmen.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Tuesday, 09 July 2019
Nothing Lasts Forever: Prince Daddy and the Hyena Talk 'Cosmic Thrill Seekers'
Sometimes you just have to drop everything and do what you have to do. And right now, Kory Gregory is going to pet the dog that’s just walked by. Once he’s back on the phone, the guitarist and lead singer of Albany punk band Prince Daddy and the Hyena returns to describing the pop impulses that underpin their spectacular new record, ‘Cosmic Thrill Seekers’.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Monday, 08 July 2019
Spinning Around: Kylie's Iconic Pop Journey
Fresh from leading the Sunday afternoon crowd at Glastonbury through a pastel-hued, witty, celebratory set in the now traditional legends slot, Kylie Minogue is about to turn her attention to a series of summer shows in the UK that promise plenty of pop sunshine (even if the real thing is yet to RSVP). Here we take a look back at some of the biggest hits and most important turning points in a storied career. Hot pants optional.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Tuesday, 02 July 2019
Wet Plate Portraits: Taking Back Sunday At O2 Academy Bristol
td#right {display:none !important;} Photograph: Gareth Jarvis It’s been 20 years since Taking Back Sunday formed on Long Island, New York. From where we stand right now, we can look back over two decades of thrills, spills, emo classics, mosh pits, long hair, short hair, loud guitars and unadulterated singalongs that helped define the listening habits of a generation. Such a milestone is worth celebrating, and these guys know the perfect way to do so.
Written by: Helen Payne | Date: Wednesday, 26 June 2019
Don't Stop: Fleetwood Mac's Ongoing Evolution
Nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes, and members of Fleetwood Mac falling out with one another.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Friday, 14 June 2019
The Accessible Festival Revolution
Photos: Educational Life Accessibility is a word that has been bubbling under in music for years but now, hand in hand with equality, independence and inclusivity, major measures are being embraced by increasing numbers of forward-thinking festival organisers after years of ground-level work. In fact, the move to improve accessibility for deaf and disabled music fans is becoming something of a revolution.
Written by: Anna Ghislena | Date: Wednesday, 12 June 2019
House Parties To Headliners: Foals' Guitar Riffs Through The Ages
In the 10 years since Foals released their debut album, ‘Antidotes’, Yannis Philippakis, Jack Bevan, Jimmy Smith and Edwin Congreave have naturally evolved.
Written by: Helen Payne | Date: Monday, 10 June 2019
Rocket Man: Elton John's Long Farewell Only Cements His Legend Further
You know the scene: the Sweetwater tour bus towards the end of Almost Famous; Penny Lane telling Patrick Fugit’s Cameron Crowe proxy that he’s home while the broken ensemble sings Elton John’s Tiny Dancer.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Thursday, 06 June 2019
Gimme Five: The Jonas Brothers' Best Moments
Rejoice, pop lover: the Jonas Brothers are heading to the UK in 2020! It’s been six long distraught-filled years since their split in 2013, but finally the boys are back with a new album, ‘Happiness Begins’, a memoir and even an Amazon documentary called Chasing Happiness (which FYI is all we’ve been trying to do since their breakup).
Written by: Helen Payne | Date: Wednesday, 05 June 2019
"Keep It Hydrated, Keep It Fresh, Keep It Real": All Points East Misses The Mark In 2019
Photo: PM Legrand “Keep it hydrated, keep it fresh, keep it real.”
The First Time Around: What Muse Got Right On 'Showbiz'
Look at the name ‘Newport Centre’ from any angle and you won’t find a lie. It’s a leisure centre in Newport. You’ll smell the chlorine from the swimming pool on your way in, and see glimpses of badminton court markings between rows of Converse once the crowd assembles in front of the stage. It’s an honest venue: no frills, no pretence, no attendant sense of theatre. It’s a blank canvas.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Friday, 31 May 2019
Pass The Baton: Five Seminal Festival Moments
Every festival season brings with it the same hopes and fears. Most of them are toilet-related, naturally, but the optimists among us are always chasing that era-defining high. A great set in perfect surroundings with the correct lubricants (or none at all) can be transcendental, fuelling years of pub reminiscing and I-was-there-whens.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Thursday, 30 May 2019
The Sound of the Underground: Tourmates Ithaca and Leeched on Forging Their Path in UK Metal
Ithaca “It’s difficult to be objective about something that was happening while you were at a young age,” ponders Djamila Azzouz, the lead singer of London-based hardcore upstarts Ithaca.
Written by: Matt Mills | Date: Friday, 24 May 2019
Wet Plate Portraits: Alex Lahey At Clwb Ifor Bach
td#right {display:none !important;} Photograph: Gareth Jarvis As Gareth Jarvis sets up for the fourth edition of Stereoboard’s wet plate portrait series in the green room of Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff, Alex Lahey eyes his vintage camera with curiosity. “How old is it?” she asks, before getting excited that the antique brass lens has Melbourne engraved on it. “That’s where I’m from!” she exclaims, before listening intently as it’s explained that we’ll be taking her picture with equipment from the 1800s.
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Thursday, 23 May 2019
The Best Of The Fests: Stereoboard's Summer Festival Guide
td#right {display:none !important;} SUMMER. IS. FINALLY. HERE. Festival season is now upon us: the bumbags have been fished from the back of the wardrobe, the wellies have been scrubbed clean of two year’s worth of forgotten Glastonbury mud and you’ve stocked up on various colours of glitter from the craft shop. You discerning music fanatics now have an important choice to make: “Which festivals should you go to?” Stereoboard know your pain. Every year we’re faced with the same dilemma, and with the UK festival scene growing faster than you can count your ever-growing collection of wristbands, it’s never been harder to decide. If only there were some sort of guide to help you through… Here we are then. The best of the fests, organised by where you might be in the country. Because you’re never too far from a weekend of music and merriment. Let’s get started then, shall we?
Written by: Helen Payne | Date: Thursday, 23 May 2019
Less Matrix, More Truman Show: Inside the Sci-Fi Hardcore of We Never Learned to Live
It’s two hours until We Never Learned to Live are set to take the stage for the release show of their second album, ‘The Sleepwalk Transmissions’. The doors to the Black Heart—one of London’s most iconic metal venues—are about to open. A small group of fans have already amassed outside, braving the elements on a harsh, drizzly evening in order to rush in and headbang the cold away.
Written by: Matt Mills | Date: Wednesday, 22 May 2019
Time Ticks By: Madonna's Iconic Career From Holiday to 'Madame X'
In case you hadn’t heard, or if Eurovision isn’t your bag, Madonna is back. The Queen of Pop’s new album, ‘Madame X’, is set to land on June 14 and bring with it the latest in a long line of live extravaganzas, including a huge run at the London Palladium. As we prepare for what’s doubtless going to be a quiet, reserved affair, we thought it wise to wind back the clock and take a look at some of the songs that helped make her one of the most iconic pop artists of them all. Spanning a teetering stack of hits, this is Madonna’s legendary career in 10 foundational moves.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Monday, 20 May 2019
The Importance Of Being Honest: Alex Lahey Talks 'The Best Of Luck Club'
Photo: Callum Preston “My problems are so miniscule in terms of the big picture,” sings Alex Lahey on Interior Demeanour, the third track from her second album, ‘The Best Of Luck Club’. It’s this modest outlook that makes the Melbourne native so relatable, but she’s possibly more shrewd and sharp-witted than even she realises.
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Thursday, 16 May 2019
Friendship, Los Angeles and Turkey Dinners: Introducing Pinky Pinky
Our childhood friends occupy a special place in our hearts for a whole host of reasons, but perhaps chief among them is the fact that they knew us when we were alternately useless, directionless, and maybe even fun in a carefree sort of way.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Thursday, 09 May 2019
Harsh Truth: Employed to Serve Voice the Millennial Condition on 'Eternal Forward Motion'
“In 2017, 5,821 suicides were registered in the UK. This makes it the second-leading cause of death among 15-to-29-year-olds.”
Written by: Matt Mills | Date: Thursday, 02 May 2019
Your Legend Gathers Around You: John Darnielle Talks The Mountain Goats' 'In League With Dragons'
Photo: Jeremy Lange You don’t just walk up to the mound with a baseball in your hand and throw a good pitch. First there’s the matter of a technique honed through years of graft, then some tactical decisions in the moment, and then the resulting mechanical adjustments—by the time you’ve nodded to the catcher and drawn back your arm you’re firmly in the realm of physics.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Thursday, 25 April 2019
We All Suffer, We're All In This Together: Craig Finn Talks 'I Need A New War'
Photo: Shervin Lainez Back in the day, if you pulled up a chair at the kitchen table with the punk kids and hoodrats who ran riot in Craig Finn’s songs then your elbows had to settle for the gaps between empty beer cans and little bags of powder. To your left and right everyone was tired and wired—perpetual motion, with hearts set on the top but heads sweating rock bottom and the latest killer party. That was the way of things in the bloody, ugly, triumphant tales that defined the early years of the Hold Steady.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 17 April 2019
Crazy For K-Pop: A Snapshot Look At The Phenomenon Taking Over The World
In case you hadn’t heard, there’s a craze going on. A global frenzy for Korean pop music, or, as the kids are calling it these days, K-Pop. There’s a seemingly infinite number of K-Pop groups around at the moment, with millions of loyal fans all over the globe — the most obsessive of which are called Sasaengs. They're known for their extreme behaviour, with some breaking into group member’s houses, carrying secret recording devices, crashing weddings, that sort of thing.
Written by: Helen Payne | Date: Monday, 15 April 2019
Wet Plate Portraits: Idles At The Tramshed Cardiff
td#right {display:none !important;} Photograph: Gareth Jarvis Sweat is dripping from the ceiling, and there’s nowhere for it to fall except on the sea of bodies packed shoulder to shoulder at the Tramshed in Cardiff. Everyone is saturated, and it’s all Idles’ fault. The Bristol post-punks sold out the venue in under an hour when tickets went on sale back in November, and it seems the audience’s enthusiasm hasn’t waned since then.
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Thursday, 04 April 2019
There Is Fun Stuff and Cool Stuff and There Can Be Resistance: Martha Talk 'Love Keeps Kicking'
One of life’s dirtiest tricks is the way it slowly erodes the time we have to do the things we love. In response we have nights spent on either side of a low stage, sweat flying and words being wrenched from hoarse throats. “When we’re on tour and playing shows I’m like: ‘This is me’. And then I quickly get back into normal, boring work,” Martha bassist Naomi Griffin says.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Tuesday, 02 April 2019
'Life is Chaos, But I Won't Give Up if You Don't': Devin Townsend on the Life-Affirming 'Empath'
Photo: Tanya Ghosh Murphy, the patterdale terrier, just barked inside. He’s a good dog, but he knows he shouldn’t bark inside.
Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Monday, 25 March 2019
Dual Lead Action: Ex Hex Discuss The Mighty Retro-Rock Power of 'It's Real'
Photo: Michael Lavine Millions of words are spilled every year in the hope of capturing something profound or true, or profoundly true, about music, or movies, or books. But, at least part of the time, it’s all a ruse designed to dress up the most basic tenets of fandom: I hate this or this rules so fucking hard.
Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 20 March 2019
That Feeling: Meet The International Women of The Franklys
Photo: Derek Bremner The Franklys are a Swedish-British garage-rock quartet you should be paying attention to. The band, singer and guitarist Jen Ahlkvist, guitarist Fanny Broberg, bassist Zoe Biggs and drummer Lexi Clark, are on the road showcasing their fizzing new EP, ‘Framed’.
Written by: Anna Ghislena | Date: Monday, 18 March 2019
