‘Bones’

Their first record, ‘All Our Kings Are Dead’, was good but it wasn’t great. It sounded fantastic, but there was just something missing. On ‘Bones’, they’ve progressed hugely: it’s a great record. Their new sound is completely epic – they’ve toned down slightly from the chugging riffs of their incredible EP ‘Mirrors’ (which I always thought was a shame), but the overall sound can only be described as massive.

All 12 tracks are absolute bangers, but opening track ‘I Was Born, I Have Lived, I Will Surely Die’ will keep going around in your head constantly once you’ve heard it twice. Luckily, that’s a very good thing. The whole record just really packs a punch – the quality is perfect, frontman Gustav Wood’s voice sounds beautiful throughout, and everything is spot on. It has an incredibly atmospheric feel to it, and wouldn’t feel out of place on an epic movie soundtrack.

So, if we didn’t know already, Young Guns really are going to be huge. And if anyone deserves it, they do. The boys done good.

9/10

Standout track: ‘I Was Born, I Have Lived, I Will Surely Die’

For fans of: Lostprophets, Deaf Havana

Written by: Lais MW

‘Beautiful Things’ only has nine tracks, and it’s kind of a relief. The music is jingly-jangly-indie, with whiffs of Kasabian and every other indie/guitar rock band out there. There is nothing wildly exciting about any of it, and the songs all start to blend into one. ‘When I’m On Pills’ speaks for itself: it sounds like the result of an experimental hippie (which is not a good thing in my eyes).

By all means, it’s not a horrendous effort musically. Green’s voice is pleasant enough, and the music itself is alright if you like that kind of thing. ‘Get Yours While You Can’ is probably the highlight of the whole record, just for sounding slightly more upbeat than the rest.

So overall, ‘Beautiful Things’ just doesn’t really live up to its name. It’s mellow, experimental indie which seems to lack any kind of passion and excitement. He should probably stick with Circa Survive.

6/10

Standout track: ‘Get Yours While You Can’

For fans of: Kasabian, The Killers

Written by: Lais MW

The opening track of ‘City Awakenings’ gives us a clear indication of what we’re in for.  ‘Must You Make Eyes at Me Now’ is a soaring up tempo indie number, reminiscent of the time before indie bands made floor fillers.  MacIntyre seems to have put his energy into creating catchy choruses that feel uplifting, but at the same time suitably reserved and sensible.

‘Lights’ is a wonderfully constructed single, which conjures up images of what Snow Patrol could have been if they hadn’t gotten ahead of themselves.  It’s one of those songs that you might not instantly fall in love with but it will be stuck in your head for days, even, if you can’t remember who sang it.

‘This is Not My Heart’, the token downbeat track,  is curiously placed right before ‘Honey Pie’, who’s  electronic intro will give any listener a much needed wake up call.  This juxtaposition of the two extremes of MacIntyre’s sound is a brave and delightful move. Just as brave but not so delightful is the closing track ‘Thameslink (London’s Burning)’ , which is a boring and disappointing end to an album so full of surprises.

‘City Awakenings’ is a good album, it’s full of catchy songs and it’s uplifting without ever feeling cheesy or irritating. Most of the songs are probably going to find a home for themselves on Radio 2’s afternoon playlist, but I doubt this will bother MacIntyre. He’s not trying to be cool or contemporary; instead he’s focusing on writing catchy hooks and choruses and it’s worked perfectly.

7/10

For Fans of: Patrick Wolf, Snow Patrol

Stand Out Tracks: ‘Lights’, ‘Honey Pie’

Written by: Stephanie Chase

Nada Surf

In the mid 1990’s Nada Surf had a taste of mainstream success when ‘Popular’ received heavy rotation on MTV. Fast forward 16 years and the band are more likely to attract the praise of critics than the record buying public. But their sound hasn’t changed that much, like the band, it has just grown up and anyone who enjoyed them in their heyday will still appreciate why.

The opening track ‘Clear Eyed Clouded Minded’, with its pop punk opening riff, is a catchy sing a long track that sets up the album perfectly.  ‘Jules and Jim’ is a very modern throwback to the Californian pop sound of the sixties and is the album’s stand out track. ‘Teenaged Dreams’ is an uncynical burst of happiness and optimism which is usually vacant from modern indie music.

The only points were the album lets down is on ‘Let the Fight do the Fighting’. Matthew Caws’ vocals are not suited to more downbeat songs and without a powerful rhythm to uplift them they seem too lacklustre.

The album’s finisher, ‘The Future’ gives the record the perfect send off.  With the same energy as the opener, it ensures the listener leaves the experience smiling.

‘The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy’ will probably not gain Nada Surf any new fans or push them out of the American indie fringes. However for anyone familiar to their music it will sit nicely in their collection as another good piece of easy listening, dreamy, power pop.

7/10

For Fans of: Ash, Weezer

Stand Out Tracks: ‘Jules and Jim’, ‘The Future’

Written By: Stephanie Chase

With a fiery, melodic punk sound reminiscent of Hot Water Music and an impressive record under their belts, it’s surprising that they’ve pretty much slipped under the radar. But when you consider the massive buzz around ‘The Wave’ movement and how many punk rock/hardcore bands are breaking through (Make Do And Mend, Defeater, Touché Amoré, Polar Bear Club to name a few) they seem to be dominating the limelight and making the competition tough. Naturally they share characteristics with a number of their contemporaries and we’re not just talking about the plaid shirts and beards. Musically there’s something slightly more rough and raw around the edges about these guys that people will find appealing.

The Wisconsin four-piece (consisting of Seth, Alex, Isaiah and Jack) released their six-track EP Comfort At Any Cost over a year ago and for a debut, it’s a pretty impressive piece of punk rock. It probably won’t come as a surprise that they cite bands like Kid Dynamite, Dillinger Four, and Descendents as some of their main influences because it comes across in their style. The introductory track in which the EP takes its name shows the band at their best; bouncing pace, gravelly vocals and a melody so warm it radiates sincerity. If you’re a fan of the related artists below, we strongly recommend that you give it a listen. Relentlessly touring the States seems to be paying off as they were put on this year’s Fest bill but we think they’d go down just as well over here. Once everyone catches on, the UK is going to take them in with open arms.

Related artists: Bangers, Make Do And Mend, Red City Radio

Check out: ‘Comfort At Any Cost’, ‘Skinny Love’

Releases: Comfort At Any Cost EP (with FREE download) – http://armsaloft.bandcamp.com

Links: http://www.facebook.com/armsaloft

Written by Nadia Jenna

Attack Attack!

‘This Means War’ is a genuinely great album. The Ohio four-piece have managed to create ten tracks of catchy brilliance. They’ve struck a fantastic balance between screaming and melody, and it’s a bloody pleasure on the ears. It’s packed full of energy and passion, and as an album, it just works. There are absolutely no awkward filler tracks that you have to skip. YES.

‘The Betrayal’ is the record’s standout track, with chants of “THIS MEANS WAR”, chugging riffs and high energy throughout. The singing parts sound a lteeny bit like Panic! At The Disco, but that’s a compliment. ‘The Wretched’ is their new single, which has mellower parts combined with their usual high energy metalcore. Overall, stupidly catchy.

Attack Attack! really have outdone themselves on ‘This Means War’. They may not have the coolest reputation in rock, but if you have any sense, you’ll give this a chance and judge them on their own merits. And they really have proved themselves on this one.

8/10

Standout track: ‘The Betrayal’

For fans of: Bring Me The Horizon, Of Mice and Men

Written by: Lais MW

It may well be tongue-in-cheek glam rock, but it’s actually bloody good. Frontman Tony Gambino has a cracking voice, the riffs are brilliant and the songs themselves are so catchy you could get an STD just listening to them. Something like that anyway.

Blessed By A Broken Heart’s music would’ve fitted right in with the ‘80s glam rock scene. Luckily for them, it’s making a comeback. A LOLfest of a comeback, but a comeback nevertheless. It’s hard to pick a standout track because they’re all pretty brilliant/hilarious, but ‘Forever’ has a particularly catchy chorus.

The easiest song to pinpoint is the godawful one in the middle – ‘I’ve Got You’ – a truly bizarre interval. It sounds like an actual boyband accidentally lost one of their songs and it ended up in the middle of BBABH’s album. Strange, but true.

Despite that one blip, ‘Feel The Power’ is definitely worth a listen (and when I say listen, I mean 50 listens at least). Especially if you’re partial to jumping on the bed and having a right old headbang. Oh yeeeeah.

8/10

Standout track: ‘Forever’

For fans of: Steel Panther, Def Leppard

Written by: Lais MW

Blessed By A Broken Heart “Forever” Music Video from Robby Starbuck on Vimeo.

While fans of the band will want to pick up a copy of ‘Stem The Tide’ immediately, there is not a great deal of variety in how the tracks sound. From the opening track of ‘Dancing With Daggers’ through to the last song (‘Best Dressed In Blasphemy’), there is a lack of distinction to make any song stand out. This is not damning, as each song sounds fantastic. Peter Parks, the bands vocalist, gravely shouting voice sears over furious and melodic guitars, which chug along at unbelievable pace and then fall into spiralling riffs. Track three ‘Salt In The Shark Bite’ showcases this perfectly. A thunderous drum fill opens the track up, before the guitars launch off at breakneck speeds. The guitars and band fall into a new tempo, as clean vocals break through and respond to the brutality of Parks voice creating a truly epic sound. The breakdown around the 2.30 mark is truly bone shattering, and it really does sounds as though the song wants to actually take a chunk out of you.

We Die Tonight are obviously a major emerging talent in the UK metalcore scene, and they really have carved out a unique sound for themselves. The only fault that we can pick with the ‘Stem The Tide’ EP is that there is not enough variety in the songs. They all seem to stick to the same structure, and while each is enjoyable, you can’t help but feel that you want each track to offer you a bit more individually.

For Fans of: Rise To Remain and The Eyes Of A Traitor

Standout Track: Salt In The Shark Bite

6/10

written by: J.J. Nattrass

The first thing you have to realize is if you listen to this album all the way through then you’re going to get bored. The majority of the songs have exactly the same structure. You can pretty much pinpoint when a heavy vocal part will come in, or the guitars will start to chug, or where your standard breakdown will drop. The problem is that there is nothing defining in these songs, they’re not bad at all, the problem is they sound like every other band that’s around at the moment.

Saying that there are one or two gems hiding on “Impulse”. The first track that really sticks out is “Efflorescent” with it’s spiraling and swinging guitar intro that is intricate and crafted before falling into a truly heavy verse where Garrison Lee (heavy vocals) screams so deep that you think that maybe hell is erupting in your ear drums. These are separated and complimented by some staggering soaring guitars, and the harmonic, high-pitched clean vocals of guitarist Jesse Cash. The other stand out track is “Heart” which is completely different from the start, providing a variety of vocals from both Lee and Cash, while the guitars surge backwards and forwards, drawing you further into each verse until they erupt into a searing solo at the end that smashes you into Lee’s brutal voice.

There is definitely some talent here, but the band bring little new to the table. The album as a whole will bore you if you listen to it all the way through, as most of the tracks are more or less exactly the same. We’d recommend giving it a listen on Spotify, and downloading your favorite tracks off iTunes.

Standout Track: Heart

For Fans of: A Skylit Drive and The Word Alive

5/10

Written by: J.J. Nattrass

‘A Flash Flood of Colour’

Enter Shikari’s problem has always been that their records could never convey the sheer brilliance of their live performances. Listening to them can never be the same as watching frontman Rou Reynolds bounce around like the stage like a lunatic. And this problem relates to ‘A Flash Flood of Colour’ too: Enter Shikari are, and always will be, a live band.

Despite this, the album has some absolute bangers on it, most notably ‘Arguing With Thermometers’, which is so good it’s unreal. The mixture of catchy choruses, infectious beats and cracking little spoken parts is enough to make me to do a joy explosion. Seriously brilliant. ‘Gandhi Mate, Gandhi’ is another corker, and as always Shikari are on top political form. Their music might be a lot of fun to listen to, but they’ve got a message too.

The only place they fall down is when they attempt slow songs – ‘Stalemate’ and ‘Constellations’ (on which Rou Reynolds sounds so much like The Streets’ Mike Skinner I actually had to check he wasn’t doing guest vocals). It’s true, they do have a serious message to convey, and they do it well, but they haven’t quite nailed the slow songs yet.

Overall though, Enter Shikari have done a top job on their third album, and if they can get a UK number one, it will be an absolutely brilliant thing for UK rock. We should all be firmly behind them.

7/10

Standout track: ‘Arguing With Thermometers’

For fans of: The King Blues, Pendulum, The Streets

Written by: Lais MW