SAY Award 2018

September still seems like a long way off but it’s time for us to look at this year's SAY Award eligible nominations and pick our favourites.

Albums We Cannot Wait For #3

Six weeks, three tours and three albums we cannot wait for.

Finally, the wait is over. Tonight on Radio One, The Magic Gang announced their debut album.

Wrapped up in the celebratory playing of The Magic Gang's previous releases and waiting for midnight so we could play their latest track, Get Along, over and over again, we realised a lot of new music is heading its way over the next few weeks.

The Wombat's new album. The return of The Vaccines and of course the newly announced breakout record from the Magic Gang.

The Amazons UK Autumn Tour

Tomorrow night we are back with the boys in The Amazons for their last live dates of 2017.

 

New Music : 28/05/17

For the next few weeks, we’re focusing on UK acts. Not to ignore the rest of the great new music out there, but we hope you understand our reasoning.

 

The heartbreaking Manchester attacks six days ago left us speechless. The event came as a huge shock to us all, and as frequent gig goers, we questioned our own gig habits. Then we decided to stop.

 

We decided not to live in fear. We chose to go to Slam Dunk yesterday and we are still writing about music today. No one can stop us from doing what we love. No one should be made to feel unsafe anywhere, especially not at gigs and live music events, which are supposed to be celebrations of artists, musicians, new albums, band break-ups and a time to share your love for music with other people. You shouldn’t be made to feel scared. (If you want to know our thoughts on the horrendous event you can read our full post here.)

 

Now more than ever do we need to celebrate and fall in love with our music.

Debuts We Cannot Wait For

Within the next three months, three debut albums will be released from bands we cannot get enough of. Blaenavon, The Amazons and The Lapelles.

 

Interviewing MISS

Every time I create a playlist, there's always a stand out track. It's always a track that I love or a track which grabs a lot of your attention. This time it came curtsey of MISS and their latest track 'Can I Spend Christmas With You?'

 

 

I caught up with the band prior to the track's release to talk about inspirations, their plans for 2017 and what led them to self-produce all of their music.

Younger, Louder And On The Rise

In a small crowded room in Glasgow, I watched my favourite band take to the stage. The same band who I had spoken to earlier in the day, were about to play in one of the most historic music venues in the UK.

 

01/09/2016 Explained : Viola Beach

"What is your opinion on Viola Beach and their debut album? Do you think the right thing to do was release it to the public?"

The bands Maida Vale Session for BBC Introducing was my only time to hear them play live. Before I had watched their Sofar Session, days after it was published, and I love it but Madia Vale was broadcasted live, in real time. In all honesty, I didn't realise how good they were until that night. Up until that point, I had heard of them and knew the track 'Boys That Sing'. It was an 'earworm track', a song I couldn't get out of my head. Hearing that song live at Maida Vale proved to me how good they were. The session itself won me over. Once again, it made me remember why I love small bands, like Viola Beach. The bands who need to work their way up through tiny venues and are nowhere near sold out gigs. People who take music seriously but don't take themselves as seriously. The bands who have something to prove. The people who are content with a small gig and a tiny audience, as long as the audience enjoys it.

Narrow Plains Debut Album Review

Last time I spoke to Narrow Plains the band where in the waiting period, between recording the album and its release scheduled for this year. I have waited along time for this album, and now its finally here.

 

Nothing But Thieves Debut Album Is Only Hours Away

  Its been a long year since I first heard Nothing But Thieves. Purely by chance I stumbled across them. I liked them. They seemed anthemic but with an acoustic quality. Ready for huge world tours yet no one had really heard of them. 

Broken Hands : The New Old Kasabian ?

 Broken Hands are the next 'going-to-be-huge' BBC Introducing band. 

 

 

Sunday Soundcloud ft. Bring Me The Horizon & Catfish and the Bottlemen

September is usually a good month for music, whether its past releases or new albums and this September is no difference. Last year saw the release of two albums I still love and earlier this month Bring Me The Horizon released their incredible fourth studio album 'Thats The Spirit'.

The album itself is different from the bands previous work but it is absolutely incredible. Yes it isn't typical Bring Me The Horizon but it is incredible sounding. Its a new sound, more electronic and less screaming but Sykes vocals are still impeccable. It isn't like Sempiternal, its different which seems to have divided their fans as some people have embraced the new sound, preferring it to the old style, whilst others adored the old style and don't like the newer sound.

Personally I like both. Sempiternal was a pretty special album at the time, however now it is also a turning point in the bands style. I don't hate the new or older songs, its all just part of the band growing up, whether it be for the better or for the worst.

Bring Me The Horizon Official Site

Last year two debut albums were released which to this day I am still in love with.
The first was Lonely The Brave's debut album 'The Days War' which is a beautiful sounding album. Their a band who's different in a good way. Lead singer David Jakes shys away from the attention of the crowd, which in itself is something pretty special. If he is happier to be out of the spotlight whilst having incredible vocals for the bands music, why should he be thrown into a place where he doesn't want to be ? After seeing the band twice since the albums release, it still sounding utterly incredible. With soaring vocals and a pretty unique sound, Lonely The Brave still have so much more to come.

Lonely The Brave Official Site

My second debut album I still adore is pretty obvious one if you've ever came across this blog before.

Catfish and the Bottlemens debut album 'The Balcony.'

If you follow Catfish and the Bottlemen on any social media, you've probably saw 'The Balcony's' first birthday posts, where as usual lead singer Van McCann is hugely thankful to the bands fans who have put them where they are in the world today, as one of 2015 biggest indie bands.

 My favourites from Soundcloud this week are a band from Chicago called Twin Peaks. A few months ago I came acorss them but never really posted about them, and then they reappear once again on Soundcloud, and I just have to write about them because their just incredible.


 

Twin Peaks Soundcloud

They make good music. Theres no simpler way to say it. They make good music. Their definitely a band to watch out for because I think they will definitely be big.

Sunday Soundcloud feat. Eliza and the Bear and Young Mammoth

Soundcloud is heaven for me. Its genuinely the best platform online to discover new or unsigned musicians who are just incredible sounding. Most bands, regardless of how famous they are will have a soundcloud account, or their music will be uploaded atleast.

I adore finding incredible sounding music. The less people who have heard it the better because for a small time you feel as if your part of a secret, you've heard something special and most of the world might never hear it.

This week my soundcloud has been dominated by two bands. Eliza and the Bear and Young Mammoth. Both sound incredible with varying levels of public attention from being support to bands in arena tours to having 400 twitter followers.

Eliza And The Bear.

Only good things can come from a band with a perplexing band name. In the last few years the Arctic Monkeys and Catfish and the Bottlemen have gone from strength to strength, and their band names are questionable, so why should Eliza and the Bear be any different ? Already signed to Universal Records this band are beginning to take off. With incredible sets at Reading and Leeds, a UK tour which is beginning to sell out and on the lead up to their debut album, nothing could be going better for this band.

Earlier this year the band supported Twin Atlantic on tour, alongside the incredible Lonely The Brave, which was something pretty special to witness. I've loved all three bands from near the start of each of their careers, and to watch them play on the same stage one after another was just something else. My favourite song from Eliza and the Bear is 'Lions Heart' the first single off the bands upcoming self-title debut album.

I'm looking forwards to this album for sure and September releases tend to become my albums of the year coincidently. Last years offerings of Catfish and the Bottlmens debut album 'The Balcony' and Lonely The Braves debut album 'The Days War' continue to be two of my favourite albums a year after their release. Hopefully this time next year I will be saying the same about 'Eliza and the Bear.'

Eliza and the Bear Official Site

My other absolute obsession this week has been Young Mammoth. I don't really want to write too much about this band because tomorrow I'll be posting an introducing type post about them and I guess I'd just be repeating it all. So for now I'll say very little.

Their an incredible sounding band who deserve all the support and publicity they can get.  Their one of the most promising bands I've heard this year and I cannot wait to see what they go on to do.

Their self titled EP came out in January of this year and available on Bandcamp (below). Its definitely worth a listen.

'Don't Wait 'Til Tomorrow'

Three years since their first release, and after many months spent supporting huge bands, Young Kato finally release their incredible, highly anticipated debut album 'Don't Wait 'Til Tomorrow.'

 

 

The Golden Debut Album

 Welsh indie-rock quartet Catfish and the Bottlemen are going from strength to strength. After two sold out UK tours and a debut album in the UK's top 10.

However, in the last six months this band have become one of the biggest upcoming bands in the world, touring with the Kooks in Australia, going on a tour in the US with over 20 shows, appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman and now they've levelled up again.

Their debut album 'The Balcony' has gone gold.

Catfish and the Bottlemen Live at the Classic Grand, Glasgow

Opened in 1915 the Classic Grand was one of Glasgow city's newest cinemas. Its closure as a cinema in 1992 saw a new start for the building as an intimate space for incredible live music.

Last night, the Classic Grand bared witness to one of the worlds best live bands of the moment, Catfish and the Bottlemen.

Introducing Sivu ...

James Page is a Finnish songwriter and singer, now living in London. His music is just beautiful. It's unique ethereal sound is a joy to listen to. His debut album 'Something On High' is a showcase of this artists talent and what a talent it is. 

Sivu's incredible single Miracle (human error) is iTunes single of the week (uk). 

Catfish and the Bottlemen The Balcony a week on...

Last week I was ecstatic because Catfish and the Bottlemen's incredible debut album 'The Balcony' was released.

It seems I wasn't the only one who was desperate for the album. The official charts company released that 'The Balcony' entered the chart at number 10. It was number one on the Itunes Alternative chart and also was the number one record bought physically in stores this week.


All of this and the albums been out only 7 days.

This band seem to have some addictive quality no other band has. The minuet you hear them, you love them and your hooked.

Catfish and the Bottlemen - The Balcony Album Trailer

This album already has to be my album of the year. It came out on Monday and already so many people adore it. Album trailers don't always do justice for the album or they make them look better than what they are. This video manages to promote the album beautifully, it promotes the band incredibly, even 'Little Comets' - another incredible band- get a bit of promotion along with the band at festivals like Reading and Leeds and even some of the bands weird intimate social networking site videos.

This video will persuade those who aren't sure about buying this album to buy it. It is beyond incredible, the guys are lovely and deserve all the support they get.

Possibly the album of the year .. The Balcony by Catfish and the Bottlemen

The date the 15th of September has been in my mind constantly this full year.

Only a week ago Lonely the Brave released 'The Days War' and I have been in love with it ever since. Monday is a new week, and this particular week is pretty important to me.
 

 

On Monday, my most anticipated album of the year is released...

Catfish and the Bottlemen's debut album 'The Balcony'.

This album isn't just a debut album where a band collates some early work and releases it. This debut album is a statement. This debut album changes everything.