Various Artists - Music From Across The Nations
November 11, 2008 by Simon Catling · Leave a Comment
The latest batch of artists showcased by Manchester College’s student run Raw Fish Records throws up a mixed batch indeed, at the very least proving that the label keeps a broad eye on musical developments across all genres and just sometimes throwing up a band that’ll make you sit up and take notice. Indeed one of those said bands are the very first on the sleeve notes here. Read more
Le Corps Mince De Francoise - Bitch of The Bitches
November 8, 2008 by Stacy Reeve · Leave a Comment
Staring at the press release its confusing where to even begin when faced with a band who nationality is as messed up as their songs; fear not there will be no patriotism here, in fact it’s gone out the window when you realise this band’s a French named, Scandinavian based trio of all girl ravers. Read more
David Gibb - A Footpath of Hope for a Town in Despair
October 23, 2008 by Mark Rowden · Leave a Comment
I’ll be honest, I was never a big Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly fan. Same goes for Bright Eyes, really. Sure, I can understand why people went mad over I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning, especially at a time when Death Cab for Cutie’s O.C endorsement meant that becoming a sensitive poster-boy was what the indie-community (or music community at large) wanted. But as far as millennial acoustic/folk pop’s concerned, the whole thing leaves me a bit cold. Read more
Micron Sixty Three - Death is Colder Than Love
October 21, 2008 by Stacy Reeve · Leave a Comment
It grabs you, thrashes you, rotates you and throws you to the floor. And that’s only the opening. Micron Sixty Three provide an electrifying, head pounding slice of 80’s dance music with a darker filling of vocals that leave you as confused and disorientated as the flashing neon lights blaring in your face. Intensifying every emotion you are almost able to smell the enthusiasm as the first track ‘Death is Colder Than Love’ conjures up images of quirky underground clubs with the lingering smell of cigarette smoke wafting through the air as the walls thud in unison with the beat.
At times the track can be indeed headache inducing; a cacophony of sounds bundled together and smothered to, well, make noise. But what is dance music without noise? What is a beat without rhythm? Perhaps Micron Sixty Three’s sound should more aptly be described as structured noise, with lead singer Russell McNally’s somewhat sinister voice providing an aesthetic sound of pounding and hammering machinery; McNally’s voice reminiscent of a robot stuck on a monotone setting, incapable of hitting the high notes.
Seemingly taking tips from Bloc Party’s new album, Intimacy, track ‘Anatomy of No Escape’ is rather Flux inspired as well being combined with a rather Faithless sound - perhaps compared to the strikingly similar vocals of the lead singers– the result being Bloc Party with a bit of hardcore rave thrown in. Overall the second track confirms the setting of an underground club, hidden and unknown to all but those who are desire to seek it out. To those who cannot be bothered to go exploring then simply their single ‘Death is Colder Than Love’ is out on 15th December.
Nephu Huzzband - Should Have Used An Abacus
September 21, 2008 by Stacy Reeve · Leave a Comment
Fusing elements of the past with the quirkiness of life in the noughtie’s Nephu Huzzband’s third single release leaves you experiencing the sultry epitome of Robert Smith and the saturated sound of indie that is often found penetrating our ear canals, all combined in one neat little package comprising of two pint-sized songs. Read more
Pendulum - The Other Side
September 13, 2008 by Stacy Reeve · Leave a Comment
Hyped up band of the moment, Pendulum, release their single ‘Other Side’ after a summer of continual success playing to a mass flurry of fans at the likes of Reading and Leeds Festival; which drew in crowds bigger than the tents could withstand. Read more
The Inspector Cluzo - EP
September 11, 2008 by Stacy Reeve · Leave a Comment
Opening track ‘Mad’ gives a clear definition of what The Inspector Cluzo entails: a mish mash of genres from a French duo who put the ooh la la into a fusion of rock and funk - creating a sound that is truly in a league of its own. This blend of toe tapping funk and guitar laden fury leave you intrigued to the inspiration behind this band whose name sounds like a character in the popular board game Cluedo. Read more
Olympus Mons - Nothing’s gonna spoil my day today
September 2, 2008 by Mark Gibbs · 1 Comment
With a name like “Olympus Mons”, you’d be forgiven for expecting some sort of epic, spaced out rock; or maybe some form of titanic metal with squealing guitars a plenty… but if you did, you’d be mightily disappointed by what you find inside their debut album. Read more
Royal Vendetta - Royal Vendetta EP (Demo)
August 17, 2008 by Mark Rowden · 1 Comment
Royal Vendetta fit vaguely comfortably into the established pub-rock aesthetic of recent years; like Kasabian and The Enemy before them the Leeds foursome bring immediate guitar bangers with everyman every-bloody-day lyrics to the table, even if vocalist Jonathan Banks occasionally approaches a northern Erasure-like yelp that threatens to effeminise the whole sound. Read more
Why?: Alopecia
August 7, 2008 by Mark Gibbs · 4 Comments
Oakland California’s “Why?” describe themselves as a band attempting to observe, understand and describe the world around them, and adapt as such into something ranging from both the truly bizarre; to the utterly accessible - quite an achievement considering the premise by which the band approach their music. Read more
