Rising to prominence as Bob Dylan’s backing band and key collaborators, The Band soon became a hugely influential act in their own right. With their string of hugely acclaimed albums in the late 60s and early 70s, as well a performance at the legendary Woodstock festival, they inspired such contemporary acts as Eric Clapton, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Elton John. On November 25th 1976 The Band performed their farewell concert at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco which featured such special guests as Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris and Van Morrison. The concert was immortalised as ‘The Last Waltz’ by famed director Martin Scorsese and is often hailed as one of the greatest concert films ever made.
music
Top Tracks: Magic Magic Roses – Dusk
The latest song from San Francisco band Magic Magic Roses surrounds itself with a kind of mystical air of beauty, like a fine veil of mist clinging on in the early morning haze. ‘Dusk’, the title (and closing) track from their upcoming third album out 2nd December, will be sure to appeal to fans of such equally gorgeous and ethereal folk acts as The Staves and First Aid Kit. The sparse and wistful arrangement and the warm layered harmonies create a soothing lullaby to lure you away into a peaceful, dreamlike trance. The song’s aesthetic whispers to you pastoral tales of strolling through golden fields under amber sunsets, and of crackling fires on cold autumn nights. It’s the kind of music that you can get lost in and simply disappear for a while in some better place.
T in the Park 2017 cancelled
Scottish festival T in the Park has announced that it will be taking a fallow year in 2017, marking the first year that the event has failed to take place since it’s inception in 1994. A statement from the festival organisers cited problems “logistically and financially” with moving sites and with the new site affecting a nesting pair of rare Ospreys. This seems the latest installment of bad publicity for the event, as recent years have included high crime rates and antisocial behaviour, several deaths, major traffic delays and poor organisation. Hopefully with an extra year with which to plan, some of these issues will be resolved before the 2018 festival.
Top Tracks: Apherium – Resolve
Taken from their latest EP Embrace The Fall That Brought Us Here, the new single from Apherium really leaves a lasting impression. With ‘Resolve’ this Yeovil based band create the perfect balance between aggression and melody, like the hair-raising calm at the eye of a storm whilst chaos whirls all around you. The impassioned vocals and thrilling guitar interplay really get your heart racing and leaves you desperate for more. In the band’s own words the song is about “finding your inner strength, letting go of your past mistakes and doubts and moving forward with your life. It’s about learning to feel love instead of hate or fear and reigniting the flame in your heart” which I think is something we can all get behind. This is an undeniably slick and refined example of some of the best alternative rock that the nation has to offer.
Album Review: Metallica – Hardwired…To Self-Destruct
Metallica – Hardwired…To Self-DestructSpotlight!: SEASONS
Sometimes the energy of a song can hinder the song itself, things can get too wild and simply ruin the musicality. This problem that plagues far too many alternative acts is no problem at all for Bedfordshire band SEASONS. Operating like a well oiled machine they showcase intricate musicianship and crystal clear melodic vocals while still maintaining a hard grasp on that heavy vibe to get your blood pumping. The dynamic ‘Last Words’ has a great interplay between bright and harsh guitar tones, overlain with engaging vocal harmonies. ‘Fire’ leads a full throttle rhythmic charge, the menacing riff of ‘Empire’ simply seethes with purpose and the anthemic balladry of ‘When We Were Young’ flirts with the band’s more accessible side but still contains enough complex instrumentation to make your head spin. There are plenty of bands on the scene with this level of technical skill, there are plenty that know how to make great song; but there are few bands that have such entrancing vocals at their disposal, and can put all these elements together in the way that SEASONS can. A debut album from this talented quintet simply can’t come around fast enough!
Fans of Young Guns, Mallory Knox, and Lower Than Atlantis should check out their latest EP What Goes Around.
Top Tracks: King Washington – My Reflection
With bold and cinematic tracks such as ‘My Reflection’ at their disposal it’s no surprise that LA natives King Washington are quickly becoming one of the hottest indie bands around. This latest single from their aptly named upcoming album Potential, out 27th January, puts a new twist on their signature sun-drenched 60s/70s musical aesthetic. With hints of psychedelica and layered electronic beats it bears some of the hallmarks of bands such as The Stone Roses and Primal Scream, albeit combined with the band’s own soaring harmonies and artful blues-tinged guitar tones. This combination of styles makes for a fresh and invigorating sound that will see the band populating people’s playlists in no time. King Washington are constantly evolving and it would be worth your while to try and keep pace with them, as one day soon they could well be at the forefront of the indie scene.
Album Review: Ender & Valentine – Siofra
Ender & Valentine – SiofraTop Tracks: The Urban Renewal Project (feat. Gavin Turek) – Armor Love
When it comes to music, bigger is usually better. This 13 piece musical collective, led by multi-instrumental songwriter R.W. Enoch, have created a grand and exhilarating sound with the wealth of musical talent at their disposal. This latest release with soulful pop powerhouse Gavin Turek on vocals boasts some hints of classic jazz from the brass section, an R&B rhythm that wouldn’t sound amiss coming from Booker T. & the M.G.’s, and the kind of infectious fun you would expect from disco legends Earth, Wind & Fire. It’s now wonder that their fanbase is constantly on the rise as this gold standard slice of vintage funk and soul is guaranteed to brighten your day and fill every available dance floor within earshot. Fusing together a range of dynamic and attention grabbing styles this new song from The Urban Renewal Project is the perfect way to banish the winter blues.
Top Tracks: Maggie McClure & Shane Henry – Christmastime Again
I know there are plenty of cynics out there that don’t want to admit it, but Christmas is just around the corner! No matter how much some people may complain, the truth is that we all love Christmas; the people, the lights, the presents, the food, and of course the music. This dynamic duo have put together an addictively catchy hit that celebrates the best Christmas music in a fabulously slick throwback 50s style. Shane Henry started out his career opening for blues legend BB King and Maggie McClure has shown off her songwriting skills by having her music appear in countless US TV shows. Their voices are a perfect match and together this brilliant singer/songwriter team have put their skills to good use to make the most wonderful time of the year just a bit more wonderful.
Belwood Music 