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I always try very very hard not to reference other bands in reviews, but there is one so blindingly obvious reference point in V//Formations' sound that I have to use it. The Pixies, I'm not even sure that this will mean anything to the band, but there's the same caterwauling vocals, the same rolling bass lines and the same discordant guitars. However V//Formation are like the aforementioned band in (what I imagine they sounded like) their early days, darker, rougher, full of more spit and venom...

Who's a Terrorist now? is one of the best tracks I heard this year, raucous, scathing, and teeming with aggression and hard-edged passion, everything a track should have in my opinion. The B-Side In Good Time isn't quite as raucous, and some of the lyrics are a little cheesy and cliched, but it's still an excellent track with an awesome guitar line and a glorious sing-a-long chorus. Definately a band to watch for, they will be big. <a href='https://www.scullyofficial.com' target='_blank'>www.sc...

Balls is the BFB's third release, and usually by the third album bands are starting to mellow, The BFB seem to be going completely in reverse getting rockier as they release more, not that their going to be donning Leathers and playing the Download festival any time soon. Balls is more direct than previous releases, the tracks are shorter, they kick in quicker and are more danceable. However fear not, the same Alt-country roots are still there, the same Jet black dark and arrogant lyrics still s...

Sol Seppy holds the stage like an entranced group of Children intrigued and delighted by their toys, their playmates and the noises they are making. The predominant lack of percussion in the intertwining melodies produces a cathartic dream like feeling, the crowed are invited and captivated, drawn into the bands' private world for half an hour, sharing the beautiful soundscapes produced. The band finish, the crowd cries for more, but we're back in the real world now and the night must carry on....

I'm not sure quite why I like this, the lyrics are very repetitive, in fact even the same lyrics repeated over and over again, but it's simple and catchy, it sticks in your head in a nice mellow if slightly eccentric kind of way. What more could you want from a song? <a href='https://www.jimnoir.com' target='_blank'>www.jimnoir.com</a> Published in Maps Magazine

This is The Playwrights first proper release, plagued by bad luck and misfortune, it's been a long time coming and the sense of dissatisfaction and listlessness is evident. Songs like Why We've become invisible, Fear of open spaces, Dislocated and Where the stress falls are full of lyrics brimming with frustration of provincial and everyday living, the draw and darkness of big towns. The music is incredibly frantic, complementing the lyrics perfectly, the drums rattle about, somehow holding it a...

The hoodie wearing kids are dancing and shouting, arms in the air as their self appointed spokesman for the night simultaneously castrates and celebrates the US pop and sub-pop cultures they embrace. The hecklers at the back are drowned out by his tight and hard rocking band and his witty hip-hop rhymes, we leave with a smile on our faces and sweat on our backs. In the words of the man himself, That's Fresh! <a href='https://www.mclars.com' target='_blank'>www.mclars.com</a> Published in Fly M...

Awwblot (for short) are an extremely competent and confident 5 piece from Worcester, who take the increasingly popular dual boy/girl vocals trick and fortunately aren't irritating. This 4 track EP has its ups and downs, the lead track, Dance, Damn you, dance is an anthem in the making showing off all the bands lyrical and musical talent in one convenient package. The problem with an outstanding track on a CD is that it makes the others, whilst perfectly fine in their own right, not seem so stron...

I can't quite figure out if Betty Curse is the next (Glam Metal) Avril Lavigne or if she's doing this seriously, and with collaborations from 80's Matchbox B-Line Disaster and Little Hell I'm still not sure. Either way the album promises to be a great head banger of an album, loud powerful guitars, and lyrics about blood, relationships, being young and religion. All the Goth Kids in Camden Town now have a new figure head, I foresee a London Astoria all ages show within 6 months and Charing Cross...

She's had a strange life, and as would be expected has produced a strange album. Having worked with artists from diverse musical backgrounds from Country to Hip Hop and classical composers and a long term recovery from Illness has helped produce a dark and twisted but equally beautiful album. Sandy's voice is one of the strangest I've ever heard, it is almost childlike, the only comparison I can draw is to the female psychic investigator in Poltergeist(!), high pitched, but gravely and full of e...

Whilst I raved about The Bishops for some time, I've always written them off as being fairly light hearted and their lyrics straightforward. After listening to their forthcoming single my opinion has changed, their lyrics may be simple but are extremely dark, it's a very misleading combination of upbeat music and downbeat lyrics. The Bishops sound and style is unmistakably 60's influenced, but with a very modern twist, I'm not entirely sure what that twist is, but it makes the sound theirs, the...

The Angular Recording corporation built it's reputation on doing what it felt like doing, and putting out bands who had a similar attitude, so it's a shame that this single from The Lodger is a little generic. The a-side is pleasant enough, a catchy tune and quite danceable, the b-side, sweet with some nice harmonies, but it doesn't grab me. Though admittedly the more I listen to the single, the more I like it, a grower. <a href='https://www.thelodger.net' target='_blank'>www.thelodger.net</a>

The Boyfriends have never been know as the cheeriest of bands, and with their newly confirmed Morrissey support, they're not putting and end to that reputation. Adult Acne is in a similar vein to previous material, Martin Wallace's vocals floating above a wall of sometimes jangling, sometime crashing guitars, a slightly funkier than normal bass line and fairly unobtrusive drums. I couldn't quite catch all the lyrics, but I gather the songs probably about being ignored and overlooked, a good old...

I have a rule, I always give bands 3 songs before I decide whether to stay or not, I have been to a lot of the gigs, and this was the first time I have ever walked out before the 3 song limit. I didn't get it, was I missing something? The band took ages to set up, then sounded like a 6th form Punk band learning to play with each other. As I left I heard people asking for their money back and others telling them 'Oh, give him (Dan Treacy) a chance, he's had a hard time… That may be true, but if y...

'Hustle' Describes Jeff's voice very accurately, it gently ambles about, not looking like it's up to much, but generally seedy, occasionally sneaking up on you and taking you by surprise. The music fluctuates somewhere between laid back acoustic strumming to mellow soundscapes and even venturing into cool electronica at times, in another twist of synchronicity the album artwork of paisley patterns, cigarettes and out of focus women sums up the whole sound well, appealing, but leaves you feeling...

Ludes sound messy and ear splittingly loud tonight, but with upbeat music comprising equal parts ska, strut, swing and old style dirty rock & roll, a full barfly is pulsating with sweaty bodies and beats. The singer's in the crowd, the guitarists are all over the place, the drummer's wild and the crowd are spilling pints on each other, any band who can get most of a London venue dancing on a Tuesday night deserves respect. Published in Fly magazine, May 2006

Ladyfuzz's press releases don't say much, they let the music tell you everything you need to know. Kerfuffle sounds like the band listened to all the hip and cool music from the past year, rolled it all into one and made something that sounded a thousand times better than any of the sub standard, carbon copy angular guitars, pseudo disco beat claptrap rip off bands doing the rounds. Their beats are original and boom and throb, the guitars are sharp, the bass heavy and rumbling, the vocals in the...

3 skinny boys in black and a girl who resembles their teacher bash, screech and holler through a noisy bass led set. What a bass sound, (like an extreme Stranglers ?ƒÚBarracuda Bass?ƒÙ), blooping keyboards that occasionally emerge through the racket adding a perfect accompaniment to the chaos, bound by a tight but messy drummer and capped with inaudible vocals and guitar. It?ƒÙs rough, they need another 6 months of rehearsals, but at the heart is genius waiting to be realised. <a href='ht...

Why are so many recent bands from America so gangly? And why do they all seem to wear the same T-shirt's and shoes? And why do the drummers always have masses of curly hair? Anyway, after conjuring up images of generic American bands, Low vs. Diamond's sound is far from generic. A strangely enigmatic singer despite his odd dancing and slightly comedic sunglasses, big sweeping keyboards and guitars and a bass player who some how manages to stay in time whilst waving his bass about all over the pl...

Wow! 28 Costumes are awesome! Catchy songs, with choruses that leave you singing until you're tucked up in bed. So tight, I don't think there was a single note out of place, and full of humour, a song breakdown that involves snoring noises is a new one on me. Bursting to the seams with character and good songs, 28 Costumes are a kick in the face to the pussy footing of lots of bands in the current music scene, definitely one to watch if the scene has any sense.<br><br><a href='https://www.28cos...

I love Milkkan. They're wonderfully rough, ramshackle at times, but write such catchy, upbeat and lyrically impressive songs that you can forgive them, in the same way that the Libertines used to, but with less pretension. Milkkan have a similar root to their music to, not in style but in attitude. That sort of lovable Londoner, knees up, rough diamond with a heart of gold kind of manner. Their songs vary from hatred of A&R men (a common theme in songs at the moment...) to childish love songs an...

Yo Zushi takes to the stage in a suit resembling a cross between an old school comedian and a golfer, producing a charming set of beautiful love songs and stories, Yo Zushi?ƒÙs smooth voice floating above the finely crafted bed of music. The set is pleasant if a little samey, in fact all a bit too nice, no grit, no balls, like a middle class Leonard Cohen. More ?ƒÚJolly Good?ƒÙ than soul searching stories of suffering. <a href='https://www.yozushi.net' target='_blank'>www.yozushi.net</a>...

The Fades return after a 6-month hiatus, refreshed and rewritten, their Modish riffage doesn't fit into the modern scene but I doubt they care. They are also at a distinct advantage that their new material is as good if not better than their older material, leaving some of the old favourites sounding a little tired and getting better crowd reactions. The Fades are back, long live the Fades. Published in Unpublished

I started Aberfeldy's set in a grumpy mood, intentionally not wanting to enjoy their Scottish tinged Americana. Predominately because at their worst Aberfeldy are twee and twodlesome with songs about 70's fashions and late night TV presenters, which grates with me, but after three songs I was drawn into their happy go lucky world. Because at their best Aberfeldy pen pure slabs of sugar soaked pop, catchy, full of hooks, superb musicianship and loveably lyrics that are just too damn sweet to resi...

First piece of advice to Bearsuit, Buy at least one Tuner between you, second, Play in time. Work on that and your shouty girl, whiny boy vocals, bloopy keyboards, fuzzy guitars, fun lyrics and cute look will show of your catchy melodies 1000 times better. There are plenty of bands in the pop-punk genre (most 5 years ago) so stand out from the rest by buying gear that works and stop being so damn cute. Published in Fly Magazine, December 2005

Tonight was going to be strange from the outset, attending a gig staged by kids because they were influenced to do so by my (ex) band. The minute I entered I felt awkward and proud simultaneously as I heard the excellent 'Criminal Housewives' and their Sham69 fused cover of 'My Little Brother'. Following them were 'LeboviciAB84', 'The Sam Assortment' and 'Space Peacocks' with their Glam fashions, bouncy tunes and intriguing fusion of 'Formed a Band' and 'Modern Art' resulting in a motley stage i...

Nestled amongst the headliners gear Simon Breed (and the Birthmarks) makes a 3-piece sound like anything from a 5 piece with full brass section to a lone voice. Captivating songs including obscenities aimed at problem bosses to beautiful ditties about Brotherly Love, Simon Breed takes the image of a man with an acoustic guitar and fucks it right up. Published in Fly Magazine, November 2005

Despite only existing as a band (defacto line up) for 3 years The Specials remain one of the most important and influential acts of their period.Forming in 1977 as the 'Coventry Automatics' it took until late 1978 for the band to finally settle on a name, a musical direction, a line up (consisting : Roddy Byers - guitar, John Bradbury - drums, Terry Hall - vocals, Lynval Golding - guitar, Horace Panter - bass, Jerry Dammers - keyboards, Neville Staples - vocals) and most importantly an attitude...

Louis Eliot started his love affair with music at an early age, his influences spanning from the Wild Cornish countryside to the bohemia of Ladbroke grove with pretty much everything you could think of in-between. His career started in the early 90's with 'Kinky Machine', who's two albums achieved a reasonable degree of success before (Ironically) the band were overtaken by the likes of the very bands who'd supported them in the past, coupled with problems from their new label MCA, the core of...

Rwanda is one of the many modern tragedies to have occurred in Africa, 1994 is a year that will permanently be etched into the memory of Rwandans, a year when within 3 moths over a million people were killed and the survivors left to fend for themselves despite their suffering and despair. Whilst I appreciate that this is one horror amongst a horror-filled world, this event has been widely overlooked by the worlds powers and the Rwanda Fund (<a href='https://www.rwandafund.org' target='_blank'>w_...