Canadian singer/songwriter Christina Martin is back with the first single from her forthcoming album. ‘Lungs Are Burning’ is inspired by a rising drug crisis in her native Canada, and lyrically the track deals with living with addiction; the search for the next high and the inevitable crash that follows. Christina’s vocals are reminiscent in places of Stevie Nicks and the lush instrumentation does a fantastic job of contrasting the dark subject matter, but without making light of it. The attention grabbing bass tones and glimmers of The War On Drugs inspired soundscapes really add to its appeal (although the irony isn’t lost on me). It’s a superb track that tells an important story, and is surely a good omen of more great songs to come.
Live Review: Arcade Fire, The Baths Hall Scunthorpe, 7th June 2017
When I first heard the rumour that Arcade Fire would be playing The Baths Hall, a charming little local venue that sadly sees few bands making an appearance, I remember saying that I thought there was more chance of me backflipping over the venue than one of the biggest bands of the 21st century playing there. After swiftly eating my words and queueing up in the rain from 4:30am to be certain of being a part of the intimate audience, I felt euphoric to the point that I might actually have been able to make that flip (after all, it seems miracles do happen). So gather round one and all, as I regale you with the legendary tale of one of the most unique and noteworthy gigs in the calendar, and the best thing to happen to Scunny since… well, ever! Continue reading
Album Review: Common Tongues – Divisions
Common Tongues – DivisionsSpotlight!: 99 Trees
This Paris based indie pop pair have given a whole new dimension to pop music with their eclectic and intelligent songwriting. With the duo’s debut EP, Multi-instrumentalist Axel Concato and Danish born singer Pia Blixen find the perfect balance between innovation and accessibility. ’21st Century’ has all the flair and positive energy of 60s surf rock, while ‘Broken‘ combines psychedelic sounds and funky bass tones with big radio-friendly hooks. ‘It’s Only Love’ brings together bright and cheerful pop with quirky hints of Yoshimi era Flaming Lips, and ‘Solid Friend’ has Bowie influences just written all over it. 99 Trees really are the best of both worlds; big addictive hooks with diverse and interesting intstrumentation. This is what pop music should sound like! Somewhere along the way we lost track of the idea that pop can be both fun and intricate, but this delightful duo have shown the ideal path. There is great potential here for them to provide just the kind of big hits that we all want and need.
Fans of MGMT, Lorde, Halsey and new Tame Impala should check out their debut EP 21st Century out 23rd June.
Interview: Ailbhe Reddy
There is a lot of new music to be excited about this year, but one of my favourite new discoveries of 2017 has been Dublin based singer/songwriter Ailbhe Reddy. Her latest release Attach To Memory has been one of the best EPs of the year thus far, shifting seamlessly between indie, folk and electropop, all interconnected by her unique and memorable vocal style. I was lucky enough to chat to her about her new EP: Continue reading
Top Tracks: Paul Thomas Saunders – Holding On For Love
Singer/songwriter Paul Thomas Saunders is back with the his first new music in three years. Following on from his acclaimed 2014 album Beautiful Desolation, his new track ‘Holding On For Love’ is a beautiful piano-driven ballad that captures the style of such great artists as Carole King and Billy Joel. Its mellow and uplifting melody is like some skyward waltz towards the heavens, carried by a gentle summer breeze. Eminently likeable, Saunders’ new track is the kind of gorgeous balladry that many songwriters can only dream of writing. If this track is anything to go by, he may well have another critically acclaimed album to his name in the near future.
Top Tracks: Louder Still – Speed Machine
Reading rockers Louder Still have made one hell of a first impression with their debut single ‘Speed Machine’. Recalling the likes of AC/DC and Deep Purple, the track is a textbook example of the classic hard rock sound. Raw and untamed, it’s a no-holds-barred adrenaline fueled thrill ride. The song is matched perfectly by its drag race music video, which is equally as intense and action packed. Perfect for fans of Airbourne and The Answer, this fired up four piece are eager to prove themselves to be Britain’s new hard rock heroes. Only time will tell if Louder Still will win over the classic rock crowd, but rest assured that one could never accuse them of giving it any less than their all.
Album Review: Alt-J – Relaxer
Alt-J – RelaxerSpotlight!: Retroject
Photo by Adapt Film Photography
Let it be said that you should always support your local music scene. Besides the fact that all great bands had to start somewhere, you simply never know when you might stumble across something great. After a chance encounter a few years back, it’s great to rediscover Doncaster band Retroject. It’s presents an opportunity to listen to their latest release, and reflect on the band with some fresh perspective. ‘Lesson Learned’ plays host to some bright and inviting indie riffs, while ‘Webster’s English’ captures the sound of the early noughties boom of bands such as Franz Ferdinand. ‘Hear You Say’ bears a few subtle hallmarks of funk influences, while tracks like ‘Leda’ can’t help but bright to mind fellow Yorkshire lads the Arctic Monkeys. Both bands rightly wear their origins like a badge of honour, which adds an honest charm to the vocals and lyrics, and creates a real sense of character and unique personality. Musically this is a band still finding their feet and discovering their sound, but when it comes to knowing who they are and performing with absolute integrity they could well show some big name acts a thing or two.
Fans of Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand and Reverend and the Makers should check out their latest release EP III.
Top Tracks: Sophia – Give Me Heart
The debut single from this budding Bath-based singer/songwriter is perfect for those lonely, introspective nights. A fragile, yet powerful message of reassurance, ‘Give Me Heart’ very much reminds me of Julien Baker with its gentle indie folk vibes and crystal clear vocals. The track is perfectly matched by its introverted video which shares in Sophia’s moments of reflection. ‘Give Me Heart’ is that tender voice of reason telling us that things are never as bad as they seem, and that the world has so much more to offer. A voice that all to often goes unheard when things are at their worst. It’s an incredibly moving and heartfelt track, and I look forward to hearing more of Sophia on her upcoming debut EP later this year.
Belwood Music 