Pet Needs
Kind Of Acoustic - via XTRA Mile Recordings
Reviewed by Andi Bridges
Album released 24th Jan 25
For a band to release an acoustic album as their fourth offering is either very brave or tremendously foolish. Having reviewed their sophomore release for this esteemed website back in 2022. I remarked at the time “that there was much to admire here and album number three should be a corker”. I must admit their third effort passed me by.
So why go with an acoustic album now?
Pet Needs frontman Johnny Marriott says: “We wanted to create something warm, raw and organic. Something acoustic. Something that felt like the most true take as opposed to the most perfect. Presenting the songs in this way has given them space to breathe. We've never recorded like this before. Mike West was amazing at the helm, guiding us through playing by feeling and having a conversation with our instruments as opposed to just hammering the tunes out. We've chosen what we thought would be best presented as acoustic songs and together have created something we're really proud of.” What you get is 12 songs, four from each release and as you would expect, consisting of reworked singles, fan favourites and band picks.
Outline kicks things off, just as it did on the debut album. Johnny still, at times, sounding like the Toy Dolls frontman, spits lyrics, almost hip-hop style over plucked acoustic guitar (which works really well) and melodic bass riff. Drums come in and the snare drum has a lovely warm sound. Short and sweet, blink and you’ll miss it.
Another debut album track follows, Scratchcard, this is a rollocking tune in this format, it rumbles along in a folk punk way with what sounds like a banjo taking the lead. The same can be said of, Lost Again I saw them perform Ibiza In Winter, along with most of these songs, at Beautiful Days festival last August. Live the songs are a frenetic whirlwind but in this format there is more attention to detail, especially true of this cut, in this arrangement.
For tunes from the last album, Fingernails, The Burning Building, Self-Restraint and my personal favourite, The Age That You Were are strong songs, and the frontman is starting to sound like himself. There are indie bands out there who would have loved to have written these songs in this set-up, and Pet Needs are re-recording them just months after the originals came out.
Elsewhere, Get On The Roof, motors along, propelled by bass and drums. It’s very pop-punk, and is very close to the original source material, despite being and acoustic rendition. Punk Isn’t Dead, not on any album but on their debut EP. This is as catchy as a cold on a crowded train. Gang vocals lead into the chorus, Punk isn’t dead, it’s just up for sale. And whisper it, is that an electric guitar solo outro? Fear For The Whole Damn World, gets the piano treatment and is lent an air of pathos which isn’t as obvious in the original.
So is Johnny right?
Yes, I think he is on the evidence presented here the songs do seem to be alive and breathing. The album is released on the 24th January and as you would expect, the band head out on a short tour starting on the 25th in support of the release.
Bilk
Essex, Drugs and Rock and Roll - via Scruff Of The Neck Records
Reviewed by James Fortune-Clubb
Album released 24th Jan 25
'Essex, Drugs & Rock N Roll' - is the new album out this week from rock trio Bilk, hailing (as the album title might suggest) from Chelmsford in Essex.
This is Bilk's second album following eponymous debut in 2023 which does and sounds pretty much what it says on the tin. Thirteen songs this time out, subject matter all pretty much encompassed by that listed in the album title.
Despite hailing more or less from the hinterland of Blur's Essex - there's far more evidence of erstwhile britpop rivals Oasis in a number of Bilk songs here. Serendipitous timing perhaps considering the allegedly biblical comeback of Oasis unfolding later this year.
The songs are mostly short and snappy, there's humour in the lyrics, but we're not talking Pulp or early Artic Monkeys level humour - still it's a good attempt.
As well as the Oasis influence, I can also hear The Kooks in and amongst (quite possibly not what Bilk were aiming for?) So, whilst 'Essex, Drugs & Rock N Roll' chugs along inoffensively throughout, it's well enough played and sung, but there's sadly little here to excite and ultimately it's rather two dimensional and derivative.
I suspect Bilk and their new collection of songs would fare better and be a lot more fun in a live setting.
Tracklisting for 'Essex Drugs & Rock N Roll':
1. RnR
2. Slag
3. On It
4. Summer Days
5. Go
6. Skidmark
7. F Up
8. Very Nice Life
9. Tommy
10. Beatriz
11. This Room Is Caving In On Me
12. Turning Pages
13. Band Life Blues
Out this week on Scruff of the Neck Records and if you're quick, it's available online on nice florid red vinyl.
blue violet
Faux Animaux
Reviewed by Stuart Clarkson
Album released 24th Jan 25
Τhe North London duo Blue Violet release their second album following on from 2022’s Late Night Calls. The beautifully crafted introspection and ethereal qualities displayed on their debut have now embraced a harder electro sound reminiscent of Goldfrapp in places and showcase their newly found love of synths.
The metamorphosis really suits the band and singer Sarah McGrigor’s voice which was always a thing of great beauty has now acquired a confident sassy quality which compliments the dreamy lush vocals she previously exhibited.
Opener Sweet Success sets the mood perfectly, a catchy slice of electronica that would provide a fitting accompaniment to a Milan catwalk show. The song describes the never ending search for achievement in a commercial cut throat world.
Imagine Me is a deliciously sensuous slice of dark electro rock which exudes decadence in its description of a clandestine hotel encounter which ends prematurely.
A solitary drum introduction to Talking to You evokes memories of Ultravox’s Vienna and is one of several nods to 80’s dark electronica on display.
The glam inspired chorus on the album’s first single Boogie Shoes provides a real highlight.
Teeth Out is a lush ballad which harks back to their love of Americana and the duo slip back effortlessly into this style. Barefoot On The Seine is a song which appears to be revisiting their first album territory although a gritty rock chorus blows away any such notion and adds a new dimension.
The band are fresh from an extensive UK tour in support of Echobelly and it would be remiss of me not to mention that they recently shared the stage with The Gaslight Anthem at the Camden Roundhouse. The duet on Here’s Looking At You Kid was made all the more poignant by the fact that there’s a 7 year old recording on You Tube of the band in a previous incarnation covering the song.
Sometimes it must be great to meet your heroes.
Overall I enjoyed the band’s new direction which adds a grittier edge to their sound whilst retaining everything that made them instantly likeable previously. The guitars and synths gel together aided by the fine production on display. The vocals are a joy throughout and the duo are proven live performers.
I look forward to following their continued progress.
vashti bunyan
Lookaftering - via FatCat records
Reviewed by Chris Morley
Album released 7th Feb 25
The term “ lost treasure” is often bandied around as a sort of lazy shorthand for that which we knew almost nothing about at the time- & indeed, Vashti Bunyan had seemingly been gone so long some of us had to double- check that she was still alive!
To find out firstly that she is, & secondly that her comeback on Lookaftering does so much to add a few more exotic touches to a British folk tradition whose absolute straightjacketing possibly contributed to her initial abandonment of her career following the release of Just Another Diamond Day to kick off the Seventies, makes this sprucing up of Lookaftering all the more timely given the emergence of so many subgenres of folk- disappointingly though, no death, nu- etc almost metal-ish pigeonholing available in this most genteel of musical diversions!
Opener Lately has our nearly 80 year old heroine finding her inner early Neil Young before a nifty diversion into some looping on Here Before- Kevin Shields might've considered himself a proud man had he thought of that. It's hard to disagree with veteran of the mixing desk Joe Boyd's contention that he never saw her as a folk purist, though Wayward does have the feel of some sort of “ Netflix go looking for rustic background music to a series involving an escape to the country”type scenario.
Hidden returns her to Neil Young's wheelhouse, just voice, sparse guitar, piano & even a whiff of recorder as she seemingly serenades/ caresses a lover from afar, unable to leave her own personal Shire no matter how far she tries to stray from ale- drinking beardie territory, not that there's much to please them here, Against The Sky almost a lullaby to send them over the wooden hill to Bedfordshire as they nurse their pints of Twazzock's Old Peculiar.
There's even a bit of flute to open Turning Backs, albeit nothing so furious as Ian Anderson's comparative blasts of rockin' woodwind for Jethro Tull before they too embraced a more English country garden- ish way of doing things across the trilogy of Songs From The Wood/ Heavy Horses/Stormwatch.
Dreamlike is possibly the overall tone here, & If I Were is it in microcosm, delicate harp adding touches of Joanna Newsom, perhaps a nod to those who've kept her cult alive even as most presumed she might've gone for an extended wander through the orchard & never come back, Same But Different possibly an extended metaphor for her long estrangement from the scene which spawned her, a delicate flower choosing to go back to her garden & find new things to do rather than be pigeon-holed, though at least by Brother it sounds as though she's happy to be back , piano to the fore for an almost- classical grand finale.
Feet Of Clay feels like it could be part of a second movement, composer Max Richter's enlistment on sleeve notes & indeed production duties here maybe not such a mis-step, & indeed if that sort of thing is where your ears take you its waiting/ begging to be discovered a la Robert Kirby's arrangements for Nick Drake, another fitting touchstone, though of course he burnt brightly but all too briefly, Vashti here rising again when least expected like a down on the farm Bowie, & long may she enjoy her own next day(s), Wayward Hum an oddly fitting showcase for a still-young voice to end the journey.
Honesty
U R Here - Via Partisan records
Reviewed by Stuart Condie
Album released 7th Feb 25
Following up on an initial EP release Where R U, Honesty give us the answer (“U R Here”) in their debut album. Stated variously to be a 4-piece and a collective, Honesty are keen to stress that they are not a conventional band but rather that the four core members provide a focus for a rotating cast of musicians and visual artists. The collaborators are Leeds-based.
Listening to this album through several times in a short period has been interesting with different aspects striking me on each occasion. We are most certainly in no fixed genre here and I’d struggle to make useful comparisons. The band themselves go with this as club music and there are certainly tracks here with sufficient kick to fill a late-night dance floor, but don’t think this is just music for those occasions when there’s loads of you out and about in pursuit of a good time.
There are tracks here which will work very well for those times when it’s just you and the headphones. We are talking electronica (not a guitar in evidence, as far as I could tell), drum patterns drawing heavily from the glory days of drum and bass and swirling waves of synths creating epic soundscapes. There is more cohesion to the visual style in the band’s videos with city and wider landscapes shot in frantic agitated motion overlaid with graphics pulling key lyrics into focus at key points. If the visual style can be unsettling, the music is less so and as well as the upbeat stuff, there is something contemplative, almost wistful on here as well.
We get going with No Right 2 Love featuring Liam Bailey. Long languorous synth chords sit behind an increasingly insistent vocal. “There’s a right to be here, There’s no right to love”. It’s more than a little unsettling but you know it’s building to something. It’s almost a relief when around 3 minutes into the track the percussion kicks in and we’re on much more familiar ground. Even so, the final lyric, “These are some dangerous times” is a reminder that we’re not at a party.
WWWWW isn’t, as it might appear, a fat-fingered attempt to type an internet address. It gets into a groove straight off with what feels like a slowed down drum and bass figure and harmonised vocals. Although the track is punctuated with single synth stabs, again the predominant feel comes from the long chords over the drums.
U&I sits over a bass drum heartbeat which gives way at the first chorus to a shuffling beat and the electronic equivalent of rim shots. It’s about longing. “Everything I do, I think about you, Ever since I left you, I think about you and I”. There’s an amazing sense of space here, clearing everything out behind the vocal, or dropping the percussion altogether for a moment’s pause.
Measure Me is all Soft Cell drums and a vocal which put me in mind of Laurie Anderson’s “O Superman” only far more danceable. Again, there are just those glorious moments where the drums drop out and the mind wanders only for the whole thing to kick off once more and build to a sudden end.
The title track, U R Here is driven by a reverb heavy piano figure over some quite unexpected chord progressions for two minutes until the vocal begins. The repeat of “Everything lopsided” kind of feels right; there’s an irregular feel to the whole track. In my opinion,
Tormentor may be the standout track of the album. The simplest of synth figures shimmers into a drum pattern soaked in reverb before a slightly Indian-influenced and frankly, slinky female vocal gets things moving. All the by-now expected Honesty specialities put in an appearance; sudden ramping up of the beat, crashing synth chords and then stripped back moments where the vocal line reigns supreme.
NORTH is urgent and insistent with an almost spoken word vocal. For me this is the least complete of the tracks here; I didn’t feel that there was the same integration of approach as is on show elsewhere, as though the music track had been developed in isolation from the vocal tacked on later. Perhaps it’s just that there is less of the internal contrast of most of the other tracks. Empty sounds initially contemplative before the mix submerges the vocal line in glorious washes of synth which then drop right back out again. This is intelligent multi-faceted stuff. The shifts between the minimal and overblown are great.
I can’t help wondering whether the band toyed with naming the whole album NIGHTWORLD as they did the next track. Pity takes us out the album assembling the best of the aspects we’ve heard so far to great effect. As elsewhere, the vocals are breathy and then soaring, prominent and then lower in the mix and there’s the very effective point where the beat falls away altogether and it’s just those glorious big reverb rich washes of synth to see us out.
This is a nighttime album without a doubt, but it’s not a one-pace party-till-you-drop affair any more than it’s a just-one-more-glass of wine job either. In very general feel there is something of Air and Massive Attack about this album. We don’t have the insistent repetition of riffs and hooks from the former or the crystal-clear aggressive production values of the latter either.
Overall I think the concoction works best where there are female vocals, but that’s probably just a matter of taste. Can I suggest there’s a progressive element to this where there’s no shame to changing direction within a track or over-layering and building to give a good idea time to mature? Yes, I think that’s where we are (or R).
1. No Right 2 Love
2. WWWWW
3. U&I
4. Measure Me
5. U R Here
6. Tormentor
7. NORTH
8. Empty
9. NIGHTWORLD
10. Pity
kyle falconer
The One I Love
Reviewed by Dave Flerin
Album released 7th Feb 25
Kyle’s had a couple of solo albums out and is also known for being the singer and songwriter with The View; a band of who I’m totally ignorant. So after a bit of research involving a foray into their back catalogue, I now feel better qualified to cast a critical eye over this release. The accompanying blurb says it’s out just before Valentine’s Day, and consists of acoustic reworkings (bar new offering, “Angelina”) of songs he’s written about different girls from his work with The View, and his solo output. This is practically all Kyle; music lyrics and nearly all the instruments; recorded at a Spanish songwriting retreat which sounds a bit like “Camp Rock” (as any 20–25-year-old female will be able to tell you about) from the press release.
“Acoustic” means it's mainly stripped back the drums, so there’s still jangly electric, acoustic, and bass guitars punctuated by the odd bit of strings. Kyle’s strong Scottish accent is front and centre throughout, so if you’re not a fan of it, well, he’s not apologising. Personally, it’s not for me, but I suspect the main demographic for Kyle’s very pretty music is predominantly females who, let’s face it, are much better with emotions than guys (a generalisation, I know). And of course, the songs are all reflections of his experiences with the ladies. There’s a style knitting it all together, and enough variety that if you like the general vibe then you’ll like it all.
There’s nothing controversial until he proclaims in “Rebecca”, “The one I love the most has turned into a junkie” which has me laughing. I like that there’s humour in this, and that’s something we all need more of. Oh, and there’s also a surprise “rap” living inside track 10, “Lucy”. He sort of gets away with it sounding a bit like Dappy, but nothing can stop it sounding suspiciously like boy-band material.
“Angelina” and “Madonna” are the album highlights for me, with the former swathed in lovely instrumentation and rather lush strings, faintly reminiscent of Eleanor Rigby. I can imagine that this will go down a treat with existing fans.
The world of Kyle feels like a happy one. I can imagine he’s a lovely soul to be around, and his music hugs and comforts; which I’m sure will resonate with a lot of people, but unfortunately I prefer a bit more angst and misery. No, it’s made for other folk who will undoubtedly lap this record up, listening to every word and guitar jangle with a wide-eyed, devoted fervour. And good on them.
It's out on the 7th of February, and if you’re struggling to find a Valentine’s present for the one who puts up with you, you could do worse than buying them this.
Happy Valentine’s everyone. 💖
lacuna coil
Sleepless Empire - Century Media Records
Reviewed by Neil Milner
Album released 14th Feb 25
Nothing I say here will alter the fact that Lacuna Coil are Italian gothic metal legends. Active since 1994, they appear to be a global phenomenon in the goth or metal world. Sleepless Empire is their 10th album and should help maintain their status.
As we all should know, Italy is home to some of the world’s great artistic treasures, some of which I’ve been privileged to see, including Michelangelo’s David, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, The Sistine Chappel, The Trevi Fountain, and my own favourite, Guiseppe Sanmartino’s the Veiled Christ. Sleepless Empire will not be joining that list.
It’s interesting they are described as gothic metal. I get the gothic bit, but less so the metal. Most of the songs are epic in scale, not always enjoyable, but definitely epic. Cristina Scabbia’s sublime vocal is their tower of strength. At times, I was blown away by her range and quality of her voice. Throughout this record, I heard gothic pop melodies and arrangements, reminiscent of melancholic era Madonna. This is largely underpinned by Scabbia’s vocals, but the band also provides necessary musical power and punch.
I am mostly ambivalent about the record, but didn’t enjoy Andrea Ferro’s guttural vocals acting as an unwelcome, (to me) counterpoint to Scabbia. I kind of get it, but I’d not heard of Lacuna Coil before this, and I’m not a fan of metal, and so to my virgin ears this quickly becomes annoying, reminding me of the Sugarcubes when Einar Örn Benediktsson often excruciatingly ranted over Bjork’s magnificent vocal.
I make a great risotto - it’s been remarked upon many times. It’s evolved over time, becoming richer in taste and texture. I also accept the viewpoint that I’ve anglicised an Italian classic. However, many years ago I made an embryonic version of it for fellow Wall of Sound writer David Flerin. I presented it to him on a bed of toast, causing him to laugh uncontrollably. I was slightly affronted by this but quickly accepted his conclusion that the toast was unnecessary. My reaction to Ferro’s vocal contribution was the same. It felt like an extreme type of rap, but emanating from the primeval swamp, adding no value to the songs. But I’m not a fan, and I guess as he’s a founding member, then to make it relatable to me, Lacuna Coil without Andrea Ferro would be like the Fall without Mark E Smith. But I’ll quickly add to anyone not a fan of the Fall, don’t dare say, ‘an improvement then’.
The album’s press release said “Sleepless Empire captures, the chaos of a generation trapped in a digital world that never stops, where social media consumes identity, and every day pushes us one step closer to becoming soulless zombies ... Throughout every song, the journey is an undercurrent of rebellion, a desperate cry to reclaim ourselves in an era that seems to have lost its sense of time and reality.”
I get the sentiment, and there’s a myriad of outcomes to it, one of which is sadly populism currently engulfing parts of the world. My response has been to harness the good that the technology revolution provides by increasing my knowledge for all sorts of positive reasons but not use it to engage with people I don’t know or care about on social media, hence why I quit Twitter as soon as Musk gained control of it.
They add that each track is a richly textured soundtrack to a specific time and place which is dark and cinematic. Despite my reservations there is some truth in that.
I was mostly indifferent to this record, but the human voyeur in me recognised that Scarecrow, In Nominee Patris, Sleepless Empire and closing track Never Dawn, (a song strongly reminiscent of The Joy Formidable), had something constructive in them which connected, like that of John Prescott’s infamous punch of 2001.
Track listing:
- The Siege
- Oxygen
- Scarecrow
- Gravity
- I Wish You Were Dead
- Hosting The Shadow feat. Randy Blythe
- In Nomine Patris
- Sleepless Empire
- Sleep Paralysis
- In The Mean Time feat. Ash Costello
- Never Dawn
Website: http://www.lacunacoil.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lacunacoil
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lacunacoilofficial/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lacunacoilofficial/?lang=jv-ID
Myrkvi
Rykfall - via Baggabotn
Reviewed by Chris Morley
Album released 21st Feb 25
If you've ever found part of the appeal of music itself to be its uncanny ability to transport you to another place entirely, with this new album from Myrkvi you could find plenty here provided you've always wanted to go to Iceland & don't mind the weather being not much better than dear old Blighty for the moment, the literal translation of the title, “gathering dust” something of a wry irony on the part of its creator.
What you'll find should you choose to go fishing in the metaphorical waters is a surprisingly personal meditation on time, the single Glerbrot by turns elegiac & uplifting in a sort of metaphor for the ups & downs of life itself, guitar, violin, keyboard & a sizeable majority of other instruments tackled by Myrkvi himself like a sort of Scandinavian Stevie Wonder as he looks to set out his vision of then, now & the future, help coming from a small supporting cast of friends.
It seems he's been given cause to ruminate on the nature of the music business during his wanderings through his own mind, as well-
‘Rykfall’ tells a story about a leap of faith to pursue a dream. It begins with such a statement, followed by the result of that freedom. In the peace afterwards, we allow ourselves to reminisce about lost love, which leads us to wonder what else might have been lost before we truly started living. As the new reality sets in with all its joy and chaos, it inevitably brings a few broken glasses and mistakes too. As time passes, you start to doubt whether the dream is getting closer, which shatters your self-image. In the end, all you are left with is a bitter taste and the question of whether to start over or walk away for good.”
Its probably to his credit that this isn't some sort of overblown concept album, the questions left hanging in the air & providing plenty of food for thought to those who may be weighing up similar big decisions, however small in the grand scheme of things.
red sky july
Misty Morning
Reviewed by Mo Longfellow
Album released 28th Feb 25
‘Misty Morning’ is the fourth studio album by Red Sky July. The band formed in 2009, are husband and wife Ally Mcerlaine (previously guitarist in Texas) and Shelly Poole (previously Alisha’s Attic), along with, most recently, the incredibly talented songwriter and vocalist Haley Glennie-Smith. The band’s sound in a nut shell is a blend of Alt-Folk, Country and Americana.
The album starts with a number called ‘Stones and Brambles’, which was previously released as a single in 2024. After a short guitar intro the utterly impeccable harmonies that we have become a custom to in their previous albums, wrap their warm arms around you and, if you’re doing anything other than sitting comfortably, you know you’re not going to be doing it for the duration of the album; you’re just going to sit back and let each song waft over you and soak it all up.
The vocals throughout are just dreamy and, for me, are the icing on the cake. Whilst they make the whole sound complete, there is so much more to the album than just that. There are layers to the tunes, they might sound quite simple on the face of it, but when you’ve had several listens (and I’m sure you will, cos it’s that good), you soon realise there is a lot more to the numbers than first meets the ears.
The acoustic guitar is intricate and rhythmical, moving the tunes along while also adding sparkle when needed and to keep you on your toes. The percussion and bass is spot on, they lift and are subtle in equal measure, they do a great job in keeping things grounded whilst creating and adding to the emotion where needed. There is a kind of instrumental glue that often hums along in the background which holds the tunes together allowing the vocals and guitars to shine.
The instrumentation is hugely atmospheric, in fact the whole sound is, the third number ‘I Found Angels’ really epitomises that, with those dreamy vocals sang in a sort of call and response style, picky acoustic and a massive guitar sound soaring in half way through.
The whole album is swathed with a hazy and, well, misty feel to it. Think warm sunrise walks through rolling hills overlooking lush vistas with low rolling fog reflecting the warm sunlight.
It feels like they were wearing their heart firmly on their sleeves when they wrote this album. There’s an honesty to it and it has a feeling of integrity to it, nothing is shroud in mystery. The lyrics are superb, there doesn’t seem to be any hidden meaning to it or sesquipedalian speeches, it’s just laid bare for us all to enjoy and probably in a lot of cases fully relate to.
The only problem I have with this collection of songs is that they’re too short, I want them to continue, just a little longer, to be able to bathe in that cinematic, expansive, sweeping soundscapes for a while longer.
This album is truly wonderful, I can’t wait to get my hands on the vinyl which as well as containing the gorgeous music is also housed in a rather sweet sleeve, illustrated by artist Ellamae Statham.
This is really a no brainer. Buy or download this album; sit back, relax and enjoy.
marie davidson
City Of Clowns - via DEEWEE
Reviewed by Andi Bridges
Album released 28th Feb 25
Canadian Producer Marie Davidson’s latest album City Of Clowns, which is her sixth, is a strange beast. There are elements of her previous efforts in the mix. The techno bass and beats from 2018’s Polaris Music Prize-nominated Working Class Woman, her fourth album, are present as is the spoken word delivery.
There are also elements from 2020’s Renegade Breakdown in which Davidson formed a band with her husband and longtime collaborator Pierre Guerineau and producer Asaël Robitaille, where the trio wrote a slate of experimental pop songs inspired by records they would play at living-room afterparties – jazz classics, French chanson, electronica.
The inspiration for this album came from a couple of sources. Firstly, Marie reading The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana Zuboff, a bold account of technology as a new form of economic oppression that has infiltrated every aspect of our lives, unprecedented in power and free from checks and balances. The book consumed her, becoming a great source of alarm as well as inspiration. Secondly, Marie started DJing in 2022. “I started to think more about the tracks in terms of like, ‘does it work? Will it make people dance?’, which I wasn’t thinking about before,” she says.
Thirdly, in 2023 she became obsessed with comedians like Bill Hicks, Wanda Sykes and George Carlin – all truth-tellers, of sorts, whose observational styles are laced with biting criticism, surrealism, and ultimately the search for meaning. Lastly, it grew into a collaborative effort as Davidson once again added her husband to the project as well in 2023 they began working with Stephen and David Dewaele of Soulwax.
Opener “Validations Weight,” begins in Davidson’s own voice, over waves of synths and thumping bass and that classic 80s handclap sound, around the 3 minute mark a second voice joins in which turns out to be Amazon’s text-to-speech tool Polly and by the end Davidson is completely overtaken by Polly. Demonstrating the erasure of humanity that runs through the album. Be afraid, be very afraid. Big Tech is coming for your sense of self.
Lyrically, the songs are quite unsettling, however Marie’s delivery brings some humour to the darker themes. On “Fun Times”, Davidson riffs on the idea that she doesn’t need to have children to be validated as a woman. Musically the track dips its toes into 80s synth pop. One of the strongest songs on the album is “Contrarian”. This is thundering techno writ large with all manner of sounds weaving in and out, initially over a straight four to the floor pulse before becoming a rave classic with the addition of syncopated snare drum.
“Demolition” sees Marie take the perspective of the machine. “Last night's pleasures, You pay off with your soul, All roads lead to hell, All ways lead to me, Ask me anything, I've got everything you need, Extraction”. Delivered in a seductive tone of voice, whilst Linn Drums lay down a solid groove and a bass synth plays a funky riff. Elsewhere Marie isn’t afraid to take risks with her words as both “Push Me Fuckhead” and “Y.A.A.M” demonstrate. The latter using the chorus to spell out fuck you.
Across the album there is a nice juxtaposition between modern dance styles and the use of a lot of throwback sounds which gives a lot of the songs the ability to make you want to get up and dance.
bradley simpson
The Panic Years
Reviewed by Dave Flerin
Album released 28th Feb 25
The Vamps’ Bradley Simpson is striking out on his own with his first solo album. And you know what? It’s rather good, but there’s a few caveats to get out of the way first. It all sounds a bit polite and lightweight; his voice is very “generic young male singer”; and it lacks that bit of edge to elevate it to the upper echelons of genius. However, once all indie-snob ideological vagaries are put to one side, there’s a lot to like here.
Most of the songs clock in at around the three-minute mark, which prevents each one outstaying its welcome. Great melodies are sprinkled all over the album, and the instrumentation and production are bang on the money for this sort of lighter indie pop.
“Cry at the Moon” has a nice fuzzy guitar riff echoing the vocal melody. And whilst Bradley’s voice isn’t for me, “Picasso” proves to be a slick and irresistible affair, which could almost be off a French easy listening album, and the chorus has echoes of prime Saint Etienne. “Carpet Burn” is modern-sounding indie with dynamics and a languid melody combining to great effect. There’s a couple of (relatively) nondescript fillers before “Getting Clear” and “Not Us Anymore” restore the quality melodies which are part and parcel of Bradley’s craft. The tracks build nicely to the back end of the album which continues to deliver the odd surprise, and fittingly, its layer of gloss still remains intact.
Final track “The Panic Years” reminds me a little of Irish indie-poppers, modernlove. It’s all very smooth and carefully curated, but it’s hard to completely resist or reject the charms within. There’s very little filler here, the songs are well-written, and the production, whilst not being my kettle of fish, is spot-on. It’s high-quality pop with a twist of indie. He’s off on his biggest UK tour to date this May, preceded by an intimate run of acoustic record store dates to celebrate the album’s release; and I bet he’s great live.
rolla
We Owe You Nothing (EP)
Reviewed by Levi Tubman
EP released 7th March 25
Usually, I might start with a little info about the band or artist, such where they might be from or influences, but 30 seconds into this EP from Rolla it’s hard to hide the 5 pieces Manchester sound.
Opening the EP is the title track We Owe You Nothing, with a fuzzy guitar intro and wide wordless backing vocals its big, the record has no intention of introducing itself quietly. Reminiscent of old school indie festival rock, there’s some dirt to the bass tone as it rumbles along under the vocals before the drums and guitars kick up a notch for the chorus powering the song along. You keep catching sections of wordless backing vocals throughout the song with a few distant sounds and layered guitars, little bits peppered throughout helping give the song, what starts off simple sounding, grow wider and more lively.
It Aint Easy comes in heavy with more dirty bass up front and that ever distinctive voice. This track comes with an electronic edge with all aspects given some level of processing, with guitars heavy on the Wah, its funkiness hinting that at least one band member has a Primal Scream CD at home, people still have CD’s right…?
Beautiful life takes a lot of the elements from the songs before and after it, wordless backing vocals, guitar into with some fuzz on the lead and grinding bass, but they pull it all back. This time its an acoustic guitar intro with the vocals given more room to shine through and take centre stage, and while the vocals are fantastic from the start its not until now we get to hear just how fantastic his tone is as the vocals rightfully lead the song. whether it be the slower pace or quieter sound it feels all too short, it’s the second longest track on the EP it leaves you really wanting more.
Finishing off with The Slide, is that maracas and tambourine at the start? The Slide feels more complex, serious and mature, I’d have it was the title track of the EP, its certainly the core of their sound. It manages to show some of the best elements of every part of the band and their writing, while feeling more dense its not one that lends itself easily to dancing you can hear this playing live, powering through the PA in front of a few thousand jumping people, it needs to be played live.
My one criticism is this should have been an album not an EP, 4 tracks simply isn’t enough! These are a band that would have dominated the 90’s/early 2000’s, they would have been right up there with their peers and bands they’ve been influenced by growing up.
I don’t mean to say they are in any way dated and wont find success now, they will, it’s a style still heavily in demand today, this is a band were going to hear a lot more of if these 4 tracks are anything to go by, and in my opinion are better than most bands they’re influenced by.
Track List:
1. We owe you nothing
2. It ain’t easy
3. Beauty lie
4. The slide
freak slug
I Blow Out Big Candles - via Future Classic
Reviewed by Stuart Condie
Album released 7th March 25
Like many people, I guess, I have a decent number of re-issued albums in my collection. Many of those are special or “limited” editions with additional tracks. Sometimes these genuinely add something; sometimes it’s really obvious why those tracks didn’t make the cut first time round. Either way, it’s typically the case that these extended versions of the original release mark the passage of some significant period of time. Tenth or twentieth anniversary editions are commonplace. Incredibly I have some albums which have chalked up 50 years and there’s still sufficient interest to make another re-packaging commercially worthwhile.
What are we to make of this release then? The original album – minus the fruit – was only released in November 2024, albeit solely in digital form. This time round it sports two additional tracks and can be acquired in physical form. It’s highly likely that fans will know all of this material already, one of the extra tracks, Liquorice, having been released as a single. There’s a North American tour running through to the start of April and a run of UK and European gigs coming up in May. The tour will see Freak Slug – real name Xenya Genovese – play a hometown gig in Manchester.
The hated pandemic and the increasing availability of good quality home recording equipment have given birth to, or at least revived, a lo-fi aesthetic. Coupling that with a healthy dose of grunge sets the backdrop for this album. I’m pretty confident though that these were no bedroom recordings; there’s just too much variation in the way the vocals come across. Actually, it’s the issue of variability which gives me some doubt about this album as a whole. I find the tone inconsistent across the piece. Taking any individual track, I think there’s enormous promise here and lots to look forward to once a core style emerges.
We kick off with Ya Ready. Initial jangly acoustic guitar and breathy sax lines give way to a trip-hop two chord shuffle. I love the super laid back and slightly sneery vocals – all disdain and couldn’t care less attitude. “I’m reckless, really, really reckless, Now I’m senseless”. Sexy Lemon, by contrast starts off with something that sounds like, but won’t be, an accordion and much poppier harmony vocals. The long chords and backbeat sustain a dreamy mood punctuated with a heavy dose of realism toward the end. “She’s a sexy lemon with her blonde long hair, but she’s out of my reach, I don’t think that she cares.”
The whole of Spells sits on top of a single bass riff I feel I should know but can’t place, which is probably just another way of saying that the track, or at least the component parts, have a familiar ring. There are some great 80s synth sounds and the odd scream to keep things interesting. Be Your Girl progressively builds from a fairly spare bass and guitar figure into something altogether more layered and complex. The repetition of “I can be yours, Can I be yours, I won’t get bored” speaks to something potentially obsessive. I liked this track a lot.
Liquorice, one of the new tracks, has been out as a single and it’s an interesting choice for that. It seems to be describing a relationship in trouble with a mood that alternates from resignation, “I’ve had enough this time” to recognition, “I still love you, Sometimes it’s hard, my love”. This is reflected in the track which goes from stripped back to heavy guitars and back again. Bet this one will be good live.
Starting with “I wish I could fly… I wish we could get away, Only lovers feel that way”, Get Away is all about longing for something you can’t have (back to Sexy Lemon again). Musically there is a strong suggestion throughout that the track is building to something, perhaps a full-on rock-out with some crazy guitar solo, but we never quite get there. Shiver has a different, cleaner production, at least initially but somehow I think this song lacks coherence. The instrumental section in the middle in particular feels as though it comes from something else. Hello has those jangly guitars high in the mix again, but gets about two minutes in before the fuzzbox is deployed and some unexpected chord sequences kick in to make the playout way more engaging than the start.
For my money, the next two tracks, Witch and Killer (the other “bonus”) are the strongest on the album taking us into darker territory musically while still showcasing the dreamy, floating vocal style. The combination makes much more sense here than in some of the other songs. Witch runs along in a relaxed 6/8 but with a drum beat which is just accented oddly enough to make you feel we’re going somewhere else and there’s a huge playout before the final chord is allowed to waste away. Killer has verses which are more intoned than sung and an overall feel which is downright unsettling.
The mood is lighter, if still a little cynical and world-weary in Piece of Cake which is a comprehensive dismantling of the importance of looks. For all his being “… a beautiful man with a nice haircut…there’s nothing behind those daydream thoughts.” This track put me strongly in mind of a couple from The Waitresses’ Wasn’t Tomorrow Wonderful? album, and since that’s a favourite, it’s no complaint. The issue, I suppose is the sheer tonal distance between this smart, cool take on the world and some of the dreamier material that has gone before.
The album concludes with Ugly Smile which brings back the opening guitar and sax pairing bookending the whole very cleverly. Although underpinned by a more or less cheery strummed acoustic guitar, the track also sees the stabs of noise and fuzz present the whole way through.
So what to make of this? Repeated plays reinforced my initial impression that there are probably a few too many uncomfortable shifts in style here for the album to hang together well as a whole. I suspect that’s no accident. This is not intended to be a comfortable listen. That said, some of the individual tracks are very strong and I’m a big fan of the layering of the often ethereal and breathy vocals over the band and the moments of drama when it all gets going.
Track listing:
1. Ya ready
2. Sexy Lemon
3. Spells
4. Be Your Girl
5. Liquorice
6. Get Away
7. Shiver
8. Hello
9. Witch
10. Killer
11. Piece of Cake
12. Ugly Smile
hannah wicklund
Live At The Troubadour - Strawberry Moon Records
Reviewed by Neil Milner
Album released 7th March 25
I’ve never understood the point of live albums, and I’m not a fan of country pop -tinged music, and so this record wasn’t an easy listen for me.
But even disregarding that, who is this record for beyond hardcore fans? It’s over 70 minutes long? Even for music I like that length is outstaying its welcome.
First, some facts from the press release. Hannah Wicklund is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Nashville. Live at the Troubadour was recorded at the LA based venue in March 2024 as part of her Hell In The Hallway world tour. The album captures the entire concert featuring songs from her two studio albums Hannah Wicklund and the Steppin Stones (2018) and The Prize (2024).
I can hear for myself that, along with her band, she’s a highly skilled musician and a noteworthy singer and performer. But a few songs into this record and it was leaving me cold, and quite frankly bored. I heard copious wailing gymnastic vocals, screeching guitars, elongated song length, all nicely finished off with forgettable tunes. It felt turgid at times, perfectly exemplified by the track ‘Intervention’.
I enjoyed the first few bars of the opening track ‘Hell in the Hallway’. Foreboding drums, bass, keyboards. That lasted about 45 seconds until the lead guitar came in, which started a long period of annoying melodrama and theatrics.
This largely lasted until ‘Mama Said’, one of the few highlights, and ironically the longest track at 8 minutes. But it had some points of interest, and moments of desperate urgency. It felt less conventional in its arrangement than her other songs. But Pearl Jam would have made it feel more vital and alive.
The tune and vocal delivery of ‘Shadowboxes’ reminded me of Adele. ‘Dark Passenger’ and ‘Bomb through the Breeze’ had something, the latter dripping in heavy blues, but it wasn’t enough to save the record for me. I think of artists such as CMAT who has a similar oeuvre, or Skin from Skunk Anansie. CMAT is infinitely more interesting, entertaining and engaging, with stronger songs. I’m indifferent to Skunk Anansie, but you can’t argue against Skin’s intense, powerful vocal. I’m afraid that I found Hannah Wickland cliched and staid, but undoubtedly a technically gifted musician and singer.
I even found some her anecdotes to the audience bizarre and irritating. At the beginning of ‘Can’t Get Enough’, Hannah said she was back at home and went out for lunch whilst writing song lyrics. Naturally, (she said), she was 21 at the time and had a beer. But she soon felt light-headed and a bit woozy. I was beginning to think how awful; some evil tosser had spiked her drink. But no, it was because her beer was 18%! I thought, how is it possible to get served an 18% beer without being warned. That’s irresponsible. And is it seriously a beer when it’s 18%?
This record is fine if live country pop records is your thing. Hannah Wickland seems comfortable in her own skin, and her audience wildly enthusiastic. But this album was not for me.
Track listing:
· Hell in the Hallway
· Hide and Seek
· Witness
· Lost Love
· Shadowboxes and Porcelain Faces
· Song Bird Sing
· The Prize
· Can't Get Enough
· Intervention
· Mama Said
· Dark Passenger
· Sun to Sun
· Jam in E Minor
· Bomb Through the Breeze
· Strawberry Moon
