Record Store Day 2017 - IDLES

IDLES recent debut album 'Brutalism' is outstanding so we were pretty stoked when they were announced to play Record Store Day at Southsea' Pie & Vinyl. 

It would be easy to compare them to the likes of Slaves, Sleaford Mods & Bad Breeding but they really have a fresh raw edge all of their own. 

'Heel / Heal' kicked off the set with socially charged lyrics and so much energy from the outset, "I want to move into a Bovis home, and make a list of everything I own" putting consumerism squarely in it's place, "ride into the ever setting sun ... marching to the beat of someone's drum". 

Next up the angrily spitting song 'Mother' bombarded us with politically charged lyrical gems like "the best way to scare a Tory is to read and get rich" keeping the crowd enthralled. Check out our videos below.

IDLES have so many intelligently constructed songs like 'Stendhal Syndrome' with an anti-establishment sentiment highlighting the "hot air" of the art world "did you see that painting what Rothko did? Looks like it was painted by a two year old kid."

'Well Done' was also another highlight of the set, "Why don't you get a job, even Tarquin has a job ... I'd rather cut my nose off to spite my face" the lyrics are delivered with piercingly fierce vocals and so much energy from the whole band.

With a cutting sense of humour to it, this is storytelling with a passion, gravelly vocals and a beautifully bound up in furious atmospheric punk set. Fresh, infectious, confrontational songs laced with slicing social comment and cultural references twisted and made relevant with in a frantic assault on the senses, an epic adrenaline fuelled and highly entertaining experience. 

Magnificent.

Brutal.

Washed Out Fest 2017

Washed Out Fest 2017 was certainly no wash-out! A nice clear day greeted us in Brighton for the first year of this great little festival, held over 5 venues in Brighton 50 bands across the day.

First up (after stopping for the obligatory Grubbs burger) we trekked uphill to the Prince Albert for ticket exchange. A great pub with a real nice atmosphere, they even boast an awesome smoking area with Star Wars murals and a pic of John Peel in their upstairs gig space which was host to a whole range of bands throughout the day including sludgy headliners Birdskulls and psychedelic pop-punks Waco. 

We hurried downhill to The Pavillion Tavern to catch Pompey pizza-punx Misgivings who kicked off our festival to an already surprisingly busy venue for so early in the day. 

Next we headed back uphill (the only downside to the Fest but worth the walk) to the Prince Albert for Brvce Willis, and on to The Green Door Store for Austeros.

Austeros garagey melodic guitars eased us into the best set of the day so far. They couldn't hang around long as they wanted at the Fest and were straight off ... back in the van. Intelligently made songs delivered with feeling made this a really enjoyable performance. The new EP 'I've Got This' is out now. The EP charts the past 6 months for singer / guitarist, Jeremy Pitcher. Relocating to Bristol from Cheltenham (a move that was vital for his mental heath) and navigating the current political climate. Check out a little snippet here:

There were also acoustic acts all day outside the Green Door Store which was a really great idea, keeping the crowds engaged during stage turnarounds and was somewhere you could catch some really good acoustic acts including Portsmouth's Sim Williams (and maybe even a ray of sunshine) check out a clip here:

Sticky Mike's Frog Bar, hosted eight-piece math rock / emo outfit itoldyouiwouldeatyou, as well as headliners Nervus.

Hazy indie punks Gender Roles who have been touring with emo pop-punkers Broadbay and Gun Shy also played Sicky Mike's their new EP ‘The Long Dance’ is due out May 12th, check out a little teaser here:

A short walk just over the road and we caught Modern Rituals with their darker undertones, and Muskets who really ramped up the pace of the day with their energetic performance packing the Festival-goers into to the Prince Albert .

Nottingham based dreamo punks Taco Hell's EP 'Retainer' is out now, they played a great set at the Green Door Store - one of the highlights of the day for us. Check out a little of their set here:

The Latest Music Bar also hosted a good range of acts, including Brighton's own indie-punkers Harker, the dark and brooding Bloody Death.  Drawstring's brought their own brand of edgier indie and headliners His & Hers are well worth a watch for some nice techy noise-punk - their new EP 'Sass-Pool' is out now. 

London based punk rock quintet, Ghouls were over at the Green Door Store, whose new album, 'Run' is out 5th May 2017, check out the single, 'Seasonal Affective' here:

Next headliners Ducking Punches took to the stage at the Green Door Store and did not disappoint, their storytelling songs weave between love and death, friendship and mental illness - their new album 'Fizzy Brain' is out now. 

We caught Never's roaring set back down at the Pav Tav and with Rough Hands and Let It Die rounding off the evening the Pav Tav was flowing full of energy ... everyone was in high spirits and already looking forward to the next one even before the hangovers had properly kicked in! 

NEW NOISES! April 2017

London-based JOHN (timesbytwo) describe themselves as "four arms, four legs, two heads, wood, metal and plastic ... two Johns" - their single 'Cultural Trip' is out now, check it out here and catch them live at Camden Rocks on June 3rd:

Included on Sensible Record Labels: Volume II. Released on Record Store Day 2016. credits released April 16, 2016 Recorded at London School of Sound Producers: AJ Pillette, Frank Pike Engineer: Rupert Keller Assistants: Xenofon Tsantilas, Johnathan Jones Mix Engineer: AJ Pillette ©&℗ JOHN/Till Deaf Do Us Party Records 2016.

The Orielles debut Heavenly Recordings single 'Sugar Tastes Like Salt.' Produced by Marta Salogni. The Orielles are Sidonie B Hand-Halford, Esmé Dee Hand-Halford and Henry Carlyle Wade.

Halifax three-piece The Orielles have released their debut single 'Sugar Tastes Like Salt' on Heavenly Recordings and it's a fantastically retro and atmospheric starting track which blooms into fully funky indie noise, check it out and their UK tour dates below:

     May 26 -The Finsbury, London
     Jul 08 - Night and Day, Manchester
     Jul 22 - Truck Festival, Steventon
     Jul 27 - Port Eliot Festival, Kings Lynn
     Aug 17 - Green Man Festival
     Aug 25 - Sea Change Festival
     Sep 03 - Bingley Music Live, Bradford
     Sep 16 - The Good Life Experience, Hawarden
 

Austeros new EP 'I've Got This' is out now. The EP charts the past 6 months for singer / guitarist, Jeremy Pitcher. Relocating to Bristol from Cheltenham (a move that was vital for his mental heath) and navigating the current political climate. Check out a taste of their intelligently constructed beautifully garagey melodies here in the form of 'Figure Of Speech':

NEW EP OUT NOW. Stream / download here: https://FREAK.lnk.to/ILTSWISepID Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freakalt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freak.alt/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/freakalt Snapchat: freakalt Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4TbEwdTCpJqef7DcHvTjzA Music video by FREAK performing I Like To Smile When I'm Sad. (C) 2017 Polydor Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited http://vevo.ly/HllOF7

FREAK's EP 'I Like To Smile When I’m Sad' is our last pick for the best new noises this month, check out their video for the title track here, the storming 'Taste' is also well worth checking out. Tour dates for the band are below ... we have a feeling these will give a great live show from the energy they put across in the video!

26/05/2017 Dot To Dot Festival MANCHESTER
27/05/2017 Dot To Dot Festival BRISTOL
28/05/2017 Dot To Dot Festival NOTTINGHAM
27/07/2017  LOWTHER DEER PARK, PENRITH
25/08/2017  READING AND LEEDS FESTIVAL
25/08/2017  LEEDS FESTIVAL    LEEDS, UK

Vagabon

Vagabon, the band project of multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Laetitia Tamko, has released the debut album 'Infinite Worlds' via Father/Daughter Records and she is about to start a first ever tour of the UK with the following dates, check out single 'The Embers' below:

May 25 - London, UK @ Electrowerkz (SOLD OUT)
May 26 - Manchester, UK @ Dot to Dot Festival
May 27 - Bristol, UK @ Dot to Dot Festival
May 28 - Nottingham, UK @ Dot to Dot Festival

photo: Ebru Yildiz Square