NAAM, The Citrus Club, Edinburgh

By Kenny McMurtrie

June 19, 2013

NAAM hail from New York , a fact worth pointing out to highlight that Californian bands don’t have a monopoly on the organ-driven, stoner-like garage rock sound that they purvey. The Citrus Club is a black hole near Edinburgh ’s Lothian Road, host usually to ’77 era punk bands that still tour and indie club nights. It charges £5 for a pint of Peroni in a plastic glass but as a setting to witness the NAAM experience it proved to be of far better value than it’s bar prices. … Continue Reading

3OH!3 – Omens

By Richard Wink

June 19, 2013

My guilty love of the Benny Blanco-produced ‘Don’t Trust Me’, ‘My First Kiss’ and ‘Starstrukk’ (featuring Katy Perry) encouraged me to take a punt and review 3OH!3’s Omens. In terms of pop relevance, likely the duo’s time has passed – but it seems that Nathaniel Motte and Sean Foreman are happy to keep the ride going with album number – and I couldn’t actually believe this, but this is album four – and that is, quite frankly, remarkable. I’m stunned by that. I can’t really believe it. Somehow these two guys continue to convince the world that they are pop stars, a ruse that has allowed them to travel the world and, generally speaking, do alright for themselves. … Continue Reading

Various Artists – Ed Rec : Vol X

By Richard Wink

June 19, 2013

The last ten years has seen the conscious cool of the Ed Banger roster co-opted by a variety of juggernaut dance DJs that currently make millions pressing buttons in front of giant HD screens. They’ve been an influential bunch alright, but ten years is a lifetime in Dance music. Is this latest compilation thanks for the memories, or the sound of a mighty force still yet to take over? … Continue Reading

The Hot Five

By Tom Fake

June 19, 2013

The Hot Five – My views on five tracks that have attracted my interest in any given week, usually with an older track thrown in the mix for something a bit different. Tracks usually concentrate on pop/rock releases, but really focusing on anything and everything that comes my way. … Continue Reading

Beady Eye – BE

By Carris Boast

June 18, 2013

There is a growing, undeniable, difficulty to highlight any differences between any tracks of Beady Eye’s previous work, they all carry the same ability to distantly haunt your music library with their over cocky, off key, Manc accent and a rumble of various guitars. They have however tried to resolve this with the introduction of a brass section in assorted tracks in new album BE, many of  which we assume will be singles later to come. … Continue Reading

KRS One, University Union, Leeds

By Jono Coote

June 18, 2013

KRS One is an artist who has been part of hip hop’s development almost from the beginning. From being one of the first artists to meld the style with a Jamaican influence, to his part in the development of gangster rap, to the increasing social consciousness apparent in his lyrics, he has seen the movement’s ups and downs and along the way reinvented himself as its political spokesman alongside groups such as Public Enemy and The Coup. … Continue Reading

The Return Of The Stone Roses

By Rob Crozier 

June 17, 2013

“I don’t need to sell my soul, he’s already in me.”

The opening line to The Stone Roses‘ ‘I Wanna Be Adored’ has been following us around for over 20 years. At times during the intervening years, the Stone Roses must have felt like they were following in the Delta Blues tradition of musicians like Robert Johnson, who allegedly made deals with the devil. Or perhaps the lyric is a nod to the signing of their disastrous contract with manager Gareth Evans; an event which many feel led to the Roses’ untimely demise. … Continue Reading

Jagwar Ma – Howlin

By Kenny McMurtrie

June 17, 2013

Sixties leaning bands of all stripes from the Southern Hemisphere are featuring a bit more on the radar at the moment with Cloud Control finishing off album number two, The Frowning Clouds recently touring through Spain & other bits of Europe as well as making a an appearance at London’s Le Beat Bespoke weekender and of course Tame Impala’s ‘Elephant’ slowly become one of those songs you love to hate due to it being used to advertise everything from Made In Chelsea to the latest (for this week) mobile phone. … Continue Reading

The Wytches, Nation Of Shopkeepers, Leeds

By Carris Boast

June 17, 2013

Originally hailing from Peterborough but now residing in Brighton, self- proclaimed surf/doom band The Wytches are made up of Kristian Bell (vocals, guitar, organ), Dan Rumsey (bass) and Gianni Honey (drums). Sounding like the dirty, graveyard version of The Growlers mixed with a homicidal Toy, the trio descend to the bunting enthusiasts’ Nation Of Shopkeepers tonight where they are greeted by a cosy crowd, joyous and armed with alcohol, feverish and ready to witness the clamour the group build in order to caution and discourage them from leaving the room. … Continue Reading

Eisley – Currents

By Faye Ducker

June 14, 2013.

Eisley are a band that have been skirting the edges of the alternative scene for years, never really catching their big break. The recognition that they have received seems on a whole due to the who’s who of pop punk front men the sisters in the band have been linked with, including Max Bemis of Say Anything, Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory and Adam Lazzara of Taking Back Sunday. Not bad. However, in all seriousness, Eisley are a tight-knit family band with great musical talent who deserve recognition for their own achievements. Currents is an album with a very specific taste. If you like downbeat and haunting melodies, this one is for you.

… Continue Reading