Lawrence Taylor

At the end of 2015 Lawrence Taylor released his debut E.P. entitled ‘Bang Bang’. Hailing out of Birmingham; the 22-year-old received great praise for his Soulful and mature writing style leading to many calling him a “male version of Adele”.

The E.P. included the opener ‘Chains’ followed by his single ‘Bang Bang’ and finished with the songs ‘Waiting for Your Love’ and ‘Robyn’. Each track fully embraces his Blues Rock/Pop sound that is successfully moving him through the ranks.

The single ‘Bang Bang’ is proving a winner for all Taylor’s fans and its strength lies in Taylor’s simplistic but effective guitar melody, pulsing tempo, and elegantly captivating voice. His voice is almost reminiscent of fellow UK singer/songwriter Paola Nutini, there’s the same deep tones and poignancy, with a twang in the accent that’s hard to place. ‘Chains’ proves to be a slow-burning long before bursting out into cacophony of harmonies and heavier guitar riffs.

The calmer ‘Waiting for Your Love’ takes it down a notch but still showcases Taylor’s passion for the music he writes and he builds a brilliant platform for his touching lyrics which in full form could break anyone’s heart.

The final song on the E.P. is ‘Robyn’ which slows the tempo even more with the backing of a heavily echo effected guitar once again serenading Taylor’s hovering warbles.

While his calendar looks fairly desolate, this will come as no worry to the young Brummie. I’m sure his telephone will soon be faced with a huge amount of traffic as the momentum around him really begins to build up. Lawrence Taylor is already so close to the complete package and the future looks very bright for him.

Have a listen to his debut E.P. on Soundcloud:

Xockha

In years gone by the Isle of Wight has never been very prestigious for its musical talents, although it hosts two of the most well-known festivals in the world. However, a new band has begun to show great promise following the recent release of their E.P. ‘Sleeper’ which is unquestionably synonymous to the infamous Indie Rock Band – Peace.

Xockha have sprouted out of the small island and are making big leaps in the Industry, which comes as surprise to a band that only formed in the end of 2014. The highlights of 2015 included playing at Bestival and gaining radio airplay on both BBC 6 Music and Radio X.

Their single ‘Slow//Fast’ cradles floating guitar melodies and develops a rapturous ambience, backed by skin-tight drum beats in a slow-burner of a track that subsequently opens up to a brighter and elongated desistance.

Adjoining secondly into the E.P. is the song ‘Residence’ which would sleekly fit into Coldplay’s album Spies. As is a constant theme throughout their songs, the turbulently delay-effected guitars wrap around constant miasmic bass riffs that deceive the listener to as how many instruments are actually played in the four-piece.

‘Awake//Asleep’ depicts a slightly more focused sound, moving further away from the Psychedelia elements showcased in the previous tracks, with a slight rise in tempo to contribute.

‘Indecision’ is the final track that rounds up this incipient E.P. for Xockha and epitomises the Dream-Pop sound that they have been building since 2014. The guitars swirl around a punchy Bass line that ultimately dictates the dynamic range within the song.

According to Lead Singer – Benjamin Jones, the band have a tour of the south coast on the cards following the news they’ll be playing the Isle of Wight Festival in June.  Could this be the next big stepping stone in Xockha’s path to success.

Alex Hooton

Check them out on the links below:

https://www.facebook.com/XOCKHA/?fref=ts

https://soundcloud.com/xockha

Selfish Son

In 2013 the mixed martial arts entertainment company UFC or Ultimate Fighting Championship’s popularity began booming around the world. The reason behind this; Connor McGregor. The Irishman went over to America shouting and screaming like a wild and frenzied warrior, impatient to make his mark, ultimately contrasting his newly, graceful persona ‘Mystic Mac’. This nickname was gifted to McGregor following his predictions all coming true. Not only was he correct about winning each fight, but he was able to pinpoint when it would happen. For example, in his most recent title-fight, Connor explained he would knockout his opponent Jose Aldo in the first 20 seconds, which is exactly what he did.

Connor McGregor oozes confidence that helps him to become ‘Mystic Mac’ and preach his great success. Upon this inspiration I’ve decided to take a leaf out McGregor’s’ book and investigate artists that I have the upmost confidence in, which has led me to Falmouth/Exeter-based band Selfish Son; who recently released a self-titled 5 track E.P.

The line-up begins with guitarist and vocalist Samuel Bedford acting as front man for the band. Secondly, we have bassist and vocalist Lande Yo and finally completing the trio on Drums we have Ben Cottam. Together they combine to create a signature, driving sound that transitions easily from Pop to Indie Rock and then to Grunge. The opener of the E.P is ‘Shade’ which begins with a sombre guitar riff prior to erupting into a Jam, or should I say Pearl Jam, of organised chaos.  Crashing cymbals bestow a washing sensation over the ears as the guitars produce a pleasing uncanny drone that would be very at home on an Alice in Chains record. However, what separates Selfish Son above the rest is quickly showcased… The combination of Bedford’s harsh but bellowing vocals with Lande Yo’s truistic and clean harmonies help to bestow their profoundly emotive lyrics from the bands material. This rich texture contributes in emanating the story Bedford attempts to tell through the rest of the songs.

‘Unqualified Beliefs’ follows suit with a warmth brought about by the husky tones of Bedford which dubiously bounce off the frantic pop-punk lead guitar. Once again, we hear Lande’s backing vocals that bring balance and remove a slightly uneasy feeling throughout her absence. ‘Blood in My Mouth’ the third track on the E.P. presents a softer side to Selfish Son. The drums are toned down to what seems the calmest they’ll be on a Selfish Son song, but despite this change of pace this could become a fond affliction for many fans. Very reminiscent of The White Stripes song ‘We’re Going to Be Friends’ with the vocals sharing a similar echoing coalescence of Jack and Meg White’s in their track. The fourth track ‘Pikelet’ embraces a pulsating and compassionate kinetic energy that acts as a fitting template for one of Bedford’s maudlin stories. Both Bedford and Lande continuously bounce off each other, whilst Cottam yields hard-hitting beats alike the drums found in the Melvins’ album Houdini. ‘Daughters’ is the final track on this stimulating E.P and is a very suiting closing song. A very abrasive sound is created which epitomises the distinct pop-grunge sound that the group are slowly perfecting.

The raw and unpolished production of the E.P underlines Bedford’s DIY attitude which he has gained great acclaim for. Prior to this separate project, it seems there have been several record labels hounding around him, seeking his musical talents through one media or the other. As a posed to ‘Mystic Mac’ himself, Bedford’s approach implies the interest for money and wealth is absent in his mind, Connor McGregor has developed a persona thirsty for financial reward in complete contrast. However, there is a factor that unites the two charismatic characters that is in no doubt. The hard-work and effort put in by both, acts as an exceptional grasp of motivation. McGregor began as an unemployed plumber in Dublin, living off 180 euros a week, before devoting his life to training week in week out. Likewise, Sam has spent hours upon hours touring, rehearsing and writing new material alongside a time-consuming degree, which makes his development all the more impressive.

While it remains to be seen just how successful Bedford will be, Selfish Son show great promise for the future as they continue to make waves along the coast. Bedford is sure to test artist’ dependence on record labels in his journey to find musical equanimity.

Hit them up below:

https://www.facebook.com/selfishsonuk/

https://soundcloud.com/selfishsonuk

Alex Hooton

 

 

 

 

Lewis Del Mar

A living room studio is proving its worth after the recent Debut E.P. release from Lewis Del Mar. The band has hit the Industry like a missile and they look set to explode to huge proportions.

Following this Duo’s signing with Columbia Records, the band’s single – ‘Loudy’ is intensely gripping the Music Industry and is best described by Lead singer Danny Miller; “Like if Jack Johnson called up Kanye and asked him to produce his next album. They go off to Hawaii and trip on mushrooms and come back with this crazy record.”

You see this vivid imagination throughout ‘Loudy’ with so many different layers collectively put together so carefully to produce a great magnetism to the song, with acoustic guitar playing a pivotal part in providing the tracks main rhythm. In fact, it is the basis to whole E.P. with Miller imploring simplistic hooks in combination with erratic percussion beats that profusely scramble your brain.

The rest of the E.P. includes the songs ‘Waves’, ’Malt Liquor’ and ‘Memories’ that all demonstrate the intricate method behind the band’s songwriting process. They come packed with various subtle elements from timely vocal samples to some rather stately synths.

The duo from Queens are developing a proclivity for vicious and passionate live performances and it is of no surprise to see them named in SXSW’S 2016: 10 Artists to Watch list. Following their transformation into a six-piece live band their sound has become all the more incredible in each show.

There is no doubt in my mind the group are set to break out as one of the best acts in 2016, with their fan base already booming and gigs coming thick and fast, it’s going to be a rollercoaster ride for Lewis Del Mar.

Find them here:

https://www.facebook.com/lewisdelmar/?fref=ts

https://soundcloud.com/lewis-del-mar

 

 

Kit Trigg

A new face for Blues Rock is developing in London in the form of Kit Trigg. The two piece have shaken up the genre and given it a much darker side; in doing so have slid right into the public eye.

As soon as I listened to the band, both Blues Rock connoisseurs’ Jack White and Queens of the Stone Age entered my mind. It wasn’t the heavy guitar riffs or the Booming and Splashy Drums, but the ability to smoothly transition from one part of a song to the next in total unanimity.

Shaped by the likes of Ry Cooder and Royal Blood, Kit Trigg have brought the old and the new together in a very impelling style. The rasp, bellowing vocals produced by lead singer Kit ruggedly harmonise with his guitar as drummer Nic Sleight lays down punchy and piercing drum beats.

The track ‘I feel so much better’ shares a similar bouncy rhythm found in the Royal Blood song ‘Ten Tonne Skeleton’ and it seems the band are following the same footsteps as the Brighton duo having recently performed for the BBC Introducing at Maida Vale studios. During the session they also played several other songs including another single ‘Lucky Smile’ which conjointly helped to draw some rubbernecking from the BBC.

The band are currently restrained by their lack of material which prevents them from playing longer sets on much bigger stages. However, as long as they keep writing material just like their singles, I predict there will be a long and fruitful career for Kit Trigg.

Alex Hooton

 

 

 

 

 

Johnny Lloyd’s New Single

Following up from my recent review on Johnny Lloyd here is his new single.

Johnny Lloyd

Johnny Lloyd – Proof is in the Pudding

So I was sitting in my lounge, blankly staring out onto the dark and rainy abyss of Cornwall, when my friend asks me if I’ve heard Johnny Lloyd’s solo material. Although released a year ago, I hadn’t paid much attention to the former lead singer of the Tribes’ own work, but was now intrigued to dabble in his musical creations (I have good faith in my friend’s musical taste).

As I wacked out Lloyd’s first E.P. ‘Pilgrims’, a flood of disparity engaged my brain into a battle of musical comparisons with the Tribes two albums ‘Baby’ and ‘Wish to Scream’.

My prognosis of a Pop Rock/Grunge output from this project was somewhat unsuccessful, on the other hand Lloyd’s move down a more semi-acoustic path, peeks into very prosperous territory for the man born in Newcastle.

For the E.P. Lloyd ended up collaborating with the Mystery Jets’ lead singer Blaine Harrison, for which he laid down the bass guitar and “polished them up a bit” in his studio, according to Lloyd following an interview with www.louderthanwar.com

Decidedly, the raw and untouched sound created in the single ‘Pilgrims’ subtlety adumbrates an 80s sound that demonstrates a fondness for the likes of Bowie, Springsteen and perhaps even U2. The fusion of luminous, hovering synths and flange-effected guitar licks, create an enchanted tropical vibe to the song, as if a band of Steel-Pan drums were standing behind Lloyd as he warbles out very astute vocals.

The rest of the E.P. contains the tracks ‘Nowhere To Go’, ‘Deadbeat’ and ‘Tomorrow’ that are all coeval with the gleaming timbre established in ‘Pilgrims’. Since its release, Lloyd has written several songs that bring back into existence the Tribes side of Johnny Lloyd’s creation process, questioning where his next step will take him.

Recently, Lloyd opened up about working with Jamie T on his newest E.P. which is set to be released May this year. With the help of a world wide star, maybe Johnny Lloyd will reach the heights that Tribes never got to or will the phrase “A Leopard can’t change its spots” rue the day for Lloyd.

Find him on Facebook and Soundcloud:

https://www.facebook.com/johnnylloydmusic/?fref=ts

https://soundcloud.com/johnnylloydmusic

 

Birdsworth

Birdsworth – Smooth as Gravy

 

They call their self-made genre Gravy Bass, and in no way does it lie. Considered to be a hybrid of Northern Soul, Motown and Psychedelic Rock; the bass really does sound like it was dipped in gravy. It’s as if a warm blanket wraps your head when the thick and heavy bass begins a canorous melody that flows smoothly from verse to chorus. Much like the groups genre, so too is their popularity slowly elevating having recently supported The Rifles at The Boileroom twice in past months.

The band from Woking began generating a buzz following the release of their ‘Gravy Bass Mixtape’ which included the track ‘Most Things Haven’t Worked Out’ that epitomises the concept of Gravy Bass. The combination of heavily reverberant vocals and and some vivaciously played chords, fleeting constantly from major to minor, help to showcase the silky groove produced from the band throughout their material.

My favourite track ‘What You Can’t Have’ is lit up by glistening cymbals and ecstatic snare licks showering down on a sensuous, tremolo-fixed lead guitar riff during the first and second chorus. Then engaging in an electrifying solo to help bring the track to a euphoric ending.  ‘Feed the Hungry Keys’ took the band down a slightly different route into the territory of Psychedelic Pop. Softly played shakers and tambourine support lead rhythms together from both the keys and some deftly controlled vocals. With the additional contribution of synths, the track embraces a sound evocative of The Dandy Warhols.

As the band continue to mould their new genre, they are also filling the calendar rapidly as a constant stream of gigs has now arrived for them, upon radio airplay earlier in 2015 on Kane FM. It seems that the band will soon be travelling much further outside the South London circuit as they become a more in demand act.

The easy-listening gravy bass, in my opinion, is going to be a big hit once this four-piece get really going. Talent in abundance and vibrant musical ideas in tow members Josh Reeves, Loyd Wheeler, Joe Gislingham and Jack Coffey should prepare for an interesting next few years with the band’s future.

Find them on Spotify, Soundcloud and Facebook respectively:

https://open.spotify.com/track/0zKkejzqrbbG1o7cEqDTiY

https://soundcloud.com/birdsworth

https://www.facebook.com/thebirdsworth/?fref=ts

 

Alex Hooton

 

 

Queer Jane

Queer Jane -Pop Trio Making Waves

Slovakian band Queer Jane have been turning heads after the recent release of their album ‘Flowerville’. As their fan base continues to grow the band are currently being compared inevitably to artists such as Beach Boys, The Dandy Warhols and The Beatles. With such high comparisons being made there is an exciting feeling developing around the group.

I went to watch Queer Jane play a short gig at a small venue quite recently. I was not fully aware of the band as I had not seen them before. After a humorous introduction by lead singer Vladimir Nosal, the band started playing and all of a sudden the audience was sucked in. As if the group were holding a huge vacuum in front of them, the whole contingency of the room was in silent awe. The band’s uniformity and tightness was most president in the set opener, gifting Nosal’s “Bittersweet” vocals a great canvas to paint his stories.

As the gig drew further into the set, so did the band grow in their confidence. This enabled the group to really exhibit the poppy melodies that has become their biggest show piece. Yet, the Lo-fi feeling to the band suggests comparisons to Velvet Underground, specifically their album ‘Loaded’. When you take a closer look, the simplistic approach of the band unwinds to reveal a thoughtful and intelligent process behind writing their material. With Adam Jánoš’s Drums and Lukas Valter’s Bass guitar smoothly syncopating into rhythms of easy listening, as crisp and light piano riffs come and go, allowing Vladimir to use a variety of different vocal melodies.

Throughout ‘Flowerville’ there is the odd use of synths and drum machines, this may have been inspired by Vladimir having previously collaborated with Brian Jones Town Massacre. In comparison to Brian Jones Town Massacre’s Material; Queer Jane’s first album is far less swamped in reverb and delay, but the use of analogue synths still reflects the neo-psychedelic elements similarly used. This type of genre is very much in affiliation with The Dandy Warhols, whom originated from Oregon, America in 1994. They are a band who specialise in Psychedelic/Alternative rock but in August 2000 they released a single named ‘Bohemian Like You’ which took them down the road of Power Pop. The track, also derivative of Indie Pop, shares commonalities such as fresh vocal harmonies and lots of effortless guitar licks and riffs found in Queer Jane’s song ‘All Is Lost & Everything Is Broken’.

Comparisons aside, Queer Jane look like they could head in several different directions for their second album. They recently toured the UK and found themselves on several different radio stations including BBC Introducing Cornwall. It is still early days for their debut album ‘Flowerville’ but there is lots of promise showing for this dynamic pop trio.

Find them on the links below:

https://www.facebook.com/Queer-Jane-370110429754072/

http://queerjane.bandcamp.com/

https://soundcloud.com/queerjane

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dutch Criminal Record

Dutch Criminal Record – Dark Horse of the South

Dutch Criminal Record, released their first self-titled EP last summer. The EP gained the attention of the now renowned BBC Introducing. The past year has seen a great elevation of the band’s career, with their schedule all but combusting with gigs, in which their reputation has blossomed, seeing them emerge as the musical icons in their hometown of Chichester, West Sussex. The band who consist of Joe Delaney-Stone on Lead guitar, Riordan Hanan on Bass guitar, Sam Thrussell on Rhythm guitar and Alex Whibley-Conway completing the line-up on Drums. Likened to artists such as Foals, The Maccabees, The Beach Boys and Peace, this Indie-Surf four-piece have now released their second EP in an attempt to more clearly define their atmospheric and immersive sound.

The new EP, named Mirage, contains the tracks; Intro, Cold Water, Corona, Socks and Sandals, B Side and Southsea, all filled with entrancing melodies and contrapuntal vocals. The first on the EP is ‘Intro’, a solely instrumental track that greets us by showcasing the groups’ musical talent and a taste of what proceeds it. ‘Cold Water’ follows the EP opener and seems to have taken a step further from some of the heavier elements demonstrated in ‘Painted Gold’ on their first EP. Some incredibly archaic vocals, reminiscent of early 1960’s John Lennon, sung by bassist Riordan and hair-raising guitar riffs help to orchestrate a hidden weapon hiding in the band’s locker. I am interested to see the evolution of this vicious vibe and where DCR will take it. ‘Corona’, the third track, is positive and buoyant with a very contagious bass line that keeps your foot tapping throughout each chorus. To describe ‘Corona’ as a mood changer is an understatement as it excels in creating a cheerful stance which dramatically envelops the bands ‘likeable’ factor.

Proceeding onto the next track, ‘Socks and Sandals’ seems to be identified as the new single and anthem for the group. The song is fitting for the summer, and a general census is produced that the band are prevalent beach goers in their spare time. Aforementioned, you get a sense of the entrancing melodies that Guitarists Joe and Sam are beginning to perfect throughout, which definitely “don’t waste away” in the song. ‘B-Side’ begins with a silky-smooth guitar riff that supports some light-hearted lyrics sung by guitarist Sam, until erupting further with an enigmatic guitar solo that, while appearing to come out of nowhere, retains its fluidity but is more harum-scarum than the rest of the song. Last, but not least, we have ‘Southsea’ in which Joe Delaney-Stone’s colourful vocals take centre stage, in the process given a great canvas by Alex’s thick and shimmering drum beats.  Much slower than the other songs, a delicate yet lethargic feeling is developed until expanding into an emphatic and graceful, emotional ending. This ballad-like song contributes to highlighting the diversity of DCR’s ability to write reflective and intimate songs as well as festival classics.

The band have grown hugely since their last EP and in turn the effort they have put in is finally starting to pay off. Their music can be found on iTunes, Spotify and YouTube if you wish to track them down. Hopefully in time they will find themselves on bigger stages and in doing so gaining the acclaim they deserve.

From previous experience in watching and gigging with the band myself, I can confirm that their live performances are consistently exciting (every time I would walk away with goose bumps and continue to bliss out). In truth, for my own personal enjoyment and the band’s own sake, I hope they continue to write music like their latest EP.

Alex Hooton