music

Live Review: Porcupine Tree, Wembley Arena, 11th Nov 2022

/ James Fenney
Photo by Joe del Tufo

I’m not usually the kind of music fan that thinks “if only I’d been around to see them live”. I’d much rather spend my energy being thankful for the amazing gigs I’ve been lucky enough to attend over the years, than fretting about the multitude of acts that passed me by. But one notable exception has always been Porcupine Tree. The rich textured atmospheres, the juggernaut riffs, the memorable and melodious hooks, that haunting balance between bleak and beautiful – the band was a perfect storm of intriguing ingredients that all combined to form a sound completely their own. They were one of the formative bands of my teenage years, and yet sadly had already called it a day as a band by the time I discovered them. Though I’ve dabbled in various side projects and solo work over the years, none of those records ever truly scratched that PT itch. But after twelve long years finally came the announcement of a new album, and with it an accompanying tour – a chance I never thought I’d get to see one of my favourite bands, can’t say no to that, can you? Continue reading →

Top Tracks: Tommy Ashby – Not That Far To Go

/ James Fenney

Anyone prone to overthinking, that often finds themselves gripped by worries in the small hours, will have been told at many different points over the years “don’t sweat the small stuff”. Don’t let trivial things weigh on your mind when they’re nothing more than fleeting moments in time. The trouble is, fleeting moments are all we have. Life is nothing but a constant stream of the small stuff, tiny mosaic pieces of our time spent on this Earth. With his new single ‘Not That Far To Go’, Scottish singer/songwriter Tommy Ashby offers a fresh perspective on those fleeting fragments that occupy our thoughts. Against a serene haze akin to a misty morning, with a driving rhythm and lush comforting melodies, the track implores you to dedicate as much of your attention to the ephemeral flashes of joy that make life worth living as you do those anxious thoughts that dwell on things that can’t be changed. The small stuff is all we have, so we owe it to ourselves to experience all aspects of it. Being lost and afraid is part of being human, allow yourself to feel it, just don’t let it get in the way of the bigger picture.

Live Review: Maggie Rogers, O2 Academy Leeds, 31st Oct 2022

/ James Fenney

Halloween, All Hallow’s Eve, Samhain – believed to be the day when we’re at our closest to the other side, when the spirits of the departed rise and walk the Earth. What a fitting gig then for such a momentous part of the calendar, as there are few artists I know better at raising your spirits than Maggie Rogers. Last I saw her, going in blind and uninitiated to her headline slot at Barn on the Farm 2019, was hands down one of the best sets I’ve ever seen. Gracing the stage with such energy and enthusiasm that she felt like a force of nature, I was left completely bewitched and couldn’t wait to see her again. But wait I did, and one pandemic later the stars aligned for the first date of The Feral Joy Tour to fall on my favourite holiday… spooky! Continue reading →

Interview: Jenny Kern

/ James Fenney

A silver lining of heartbreak is that it provides an opportunity to know ourselves better. To understand the mistakes we made and where we went wrong, to recognise our needs and desires and how best to fulfil them, to realise which parts of the relationship most left their mark on us and which moments were taken for granted. In essence it’s a chance to reminisce on the memories shared and a chance to learn and grow as a person moving forward. That’s the message at the heart of Your Heart Knows – the bittersweet new EP from Canadian-born Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Jenny Kern, and her most enchanting collection of songs to date. Having followed her career from the introspective folk of her debut single, to the stunning cinematic synthpop of this latest release, it feels like high time we got to know this Belwood favourite a little better too. Continue reading →

Live Review: Bon Iver, Leeds Arena, 19th Nov 2022

/ James Fenney

When I was younger I definitely went to a lot more gigs completely on a whim. Heading off to see a band just because I could, just because they were there! Cramming concerts into already busy schedules without a thought for repercussions. Picking up tickets for gigs without it ever entering into my head how I plan on getting there and back. I’d like to think I’m older and wiser… but I’m still terribly forgetful when it comes to the logistics of getting to gigs. I’ll admit however that these days my gig going schedule has a lot more purpose – ticking off the list of acts I wanna see before I die, prioritising certain tours to better the chances of hearing my favourite tracks etc. But you need to do something in a spur of the moment every now and then, right? And seeing Bon Iver was one of my best “heat of the moment” gig experiences. Continue reading →

Top Tracks: Cristina Hart – Never Be Her

/ James Fenney

If the measure of an emotion is in how hard it is to keep contained, then jealousy is surely one of the strongest. Raw and seething, like a broiling cauldron set to overflow, drawing on all your fears and deepest insecurities for ammunition, it can all too easily overcome you if you let it. Belwood favourite Cristina Hart instead manages to channel all that fire and venom into forging her best single to date. ‘Never Be Her’ takes the relatable self-aware lyricism and irresistible hooks we’ve come to know and love, and just turns the passion and drive up a few notches with a snappy, volatile pop punk arrangement reminiscent of Olivia Rodrigo at her very best. Offering a cathartic release for that awful toxic feeling that burns in your veins upon seeing your ex with someone new, it also serves as a welcome reminder not to put others on a pedestal, especially when you find yourself putting your own flaws under the microscope. A toxin as potent as jealousy needs to be cleared out before we can find room to grow, and there’s no better release that comes to mind than this electrifying indie pop anthem.

Top Tracks: Natalie Shay – Heaven

/ James Fenney

I think most people, when asked what they’d wish for if they had one wish, would tend to fall back on the same few answers: wealth, love, fame etc. In close contention however, is the option of a second chance. Seemingly more so now than ever, we all find ourselves longing to be able to share with our younger selves all that we’ve come to know and learn. The answers to the questions we struggled with, the lessons that we learned through hardship, the mistakes we now look back on older and wiser. To be able to know those things you stress about won’t matter in the end, to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you’re in a dark place, to be able to see yourself reaching heights you thought you’d never reach or carrying a weight you thought you could never bear. That’s priceless. With ‘Heaven’ Belwood favourite Natalie Shay shares with her younger self all the growth and self-discovery that recent years have brought. Taken from her new EP MILK, her words share the personal journey of how she’s grown as a person, and in the exemplary pop songwriting all can hear plain as day just how much she’s grown as an artist these past few years.