No one else tears us down half as much as that little voice in the back of our own minds. The one that tries to convince you that you’ll fall flat on your face every time you step out of your comfort zone, the one that belittles and trivializes your every accomplishment, the one that says you’re perpetually two steps behind everyone else. It’s something we all hear nattering away on the side-lines now and then, but it becomes all the louder when working in a creative industry like music. Imposter syndrome works overtime to undermine everything you’ve built. With ‘Right To Be Here’ Aberdeen indie outfit The Little Kicks offer a firm and defiant stand against that debilitating fear and doubt. Taken from their forthcoming album People Need Love, out 30th September, the Scottish rockers’ latest single boasts warm soulful vibes, an understated funky groove, and a sense of elegance and grandeur to its immaculately produced arrangement that all comes to a head in its uplifting climax. In an age of doubt and self-deprecation, taking pride in yourself becomes a radical act, and never before has that particular sin sounded quite so heavenly.
Author: James Fenney
Top Tracks: Lizzie Reid – Love Of Her Life
When you first have your heart broken, it feels like a fierce storm is raging all through your body. A force of nature, wild and unpredictable, let loose: from the grey fog that clouds your mind, the dropping pressure in the empty pit in your stomach, to the stabs of pain in your tender heart like flashes of lightning. There’s so much disruption and upheaval that even the parts of your life you thought most enduring may form cracks down to their very foundations. ‘Love Of Her Life’, the new single from Scottish singer/songwriter Lizzie Reid, isn’t about the fury of the tempest. Instead this track from her upcoming EP Mooching, out August 31st, deals with the eerie stillness that follows. That period after the initial heartbreak where you can survey the damage with a fresh, wiser perspective now the dust has settled. Picking up the pieces and doing your best to move forward. Lizzie’s tender, wistful vocals take centre stage, with the soft and subtle arrangement punctuated with sublime bluesy riffs that pierce the calm like the rumble of distant thunder.
Top Tracks: Samuel James Taylor – Wild Tales and Broken Hearts
We’re all the author of our own story, so long as we can muster the strength to tell the tale our hearts long to tell. It’s easier said than done though, admittedly. When you’re a young idealist it’s almost second nature to find joy in little things and believe that anything is possible, but as the years pass and life throws up more and more unexpected obstacles and setbacks, it’s only natural to be discouraged and feel that the days of adventure and ambition are behind you. ‘Wild Tales and Broken Hearts’ offers a reminder that beyond every barricade lies a road less travelled. You’ve made it this far, so you owe it to yourself to remember what drove your idealistic self down that road to begin with, and to see the journey to its end. Tyke troubadour Samuel James Taylor turns his own story into one of resilience and passions reignited with this latest single. The title track from his forthcoming album, out 21st October, its spirited folk arrangement and heartening message to keep striving for the life you wanna live make it the ideal anthem to help you push through hardship and hold on to the dream of better days.
Album Review: Maggie Rogers – Surrender
Album Review: Paolo Nutini – Last Night In The Bittersweet
Album Review: Soccer Mommy – Sometimes, Forever
Spotlight!: Ber
A big part of what draws me to support up-and-coming artists is the chance to see a work in progress. In a way it feels like reading the first draft of a story and having your future favourite character leap off the page for the first time, or getting a glimpse behind the scenes of a film in production before it hits the big screen and seeing how all the pieces come together. There’s an inherent joy in seeing the spark of an idea begin to take shape and form into something great. As far as music is concerned, hearing those first singles, those explorative early EPs, the build-up to a debut album where an artist finds both their sound and their confidence, is endlessly endearing. Often hearing a record that’s rough around the edges, but has heaps of promise and personality, feels far more rewarding than a fully polished product. A notepad full of scribbles says a lot more about a person than some aloof CV. And I’m Still Thinking About That, the debut EP from Minnesotan singer/songwriter Ber, is the most heart-melting example of this that I’ve heard in a good while. Continue reading
Top Tracks: Lily Agnes – Messy As My Mind
Whether it’s being stuck staring at the same four walls in lockdown, struggling to pull yourself out of a depressive hollow, or just another one of those sleepless nights, there are few things as demoralising as being left alone with your thoughts. It’s amazing all the unspoken fears, repressed insecurities, and memories best left forgotten that worm their way to the surface when you’ve no one but your own subconscious for company. Hard to be productive when your train of thought is bouncing around like a Roomba from one anxious worry to another; and it’s in these moments that we become our own worst critics, questioning every decision we’ve ever made. It’s a familiar situation for us all, but rarely has overthinking ever sounded this good. With ‘Messy As My Mind’ singer/songwriter Lily Agnes puts her own soulful stamp on those listless nights. Between the elegant jazz arrangement, intricate and expressive percussion, and Lily’s intoxicating vocals hitting your system like a shot of whisky, there’s no better track to help drown out those inner demons.
Album Review: The Dear Hunter – Antimai
Live Review: Barn on the Farm Festival 2022
After two years away from my favourite place on Earth, to say that I was excited to return to Barn on the Farm this summer would be a massive understatement. Over the years it’s become such an integral part of the calendar, like Christmas, that having summers without it due to Covid felt like missing a limb. Still clutching on to my original 2020 ticket, stepping back onto Over Farm at long last felt like coming home. But after struggling through two years of pandemic upheaval, and with the dizzying highs of their stellar ten-year anniversary being a tough act to follow, expectations were high. Continue reading
Belwood Music 