Review: Spector- Moth Boys

Spector are an indie/electronic band who formed in London in 2011. The band is made up of Fred Macpherson (vocals), Jed Cullen (guitar/synth) Thomas Shickle (bass) and Danny Blandy (drums). Since forming, the band have gathered quite a lot of media coverage. They were widely touted as the next big thing in British music and were nominated for BBC Radio 1's sound of 2012 poll.

'Moth Boys' is the bands second studio album after 2012's 'Enjoy It While It Lasts'. Their last album didn't gain as much commercial success as expected and they didn't really live up to the hype that some journalists were surrounding them with.

This album begins with the track 'All The Sad Young Men', this track starts off brooding and downbeat. It then builds into a glorious chorus with a catchy synth line and vocals. It then flows into 'Stay High' which is a smooth and well put together track. I like how the big sound of the chorus contrasts with the slower introduction and bridge sections of the track.

Searchlight: Superfood

Who are they?
Superfood are a four piece indie band from Birmingham. The band is made up of Dominic Ganderton (vocals/guitar), Ryan Malcom (guitar), Emily Baker (bass) and Carl Griffin (drums).

How can their sound be described?
Their music is full of energy and their lyrics are clever and witty. They have a lot of really catchy hooks and an uptempo rhythm. This sound can be likened to 90's Britpop in many ways, which is a genre that they have clearly taken a lot of inspiration from.  

What's their role in the B-town scene?
The band play quite a big role in the thriving music scene in Birmingham alongside Peace, Swim Deep and Jaws. This scene is really exciting at the moment, spawning a stream of fresh, new bands with a lot of potential. The core of this scene is Digbeth where there is regular events on that promote local talent. Dom, the lead singer from Superfood helped to produce early demos for both Peace and Swim Deep, showing the community aspect of the scene.

Interview: Birdskulls

I spoke to Jack Pulman, the guitarists/singer from upcoming band Birdskulls.

Where are you from?
"Jack and Rory are originally from Exeter, Devon and Sam from East Grinstead but now we all live in Brighton."

How long have you known each other and how did you meet?
"We've all known each other for 3 years and met at parties in Brighton. Coincidentally Sam met Rory at a Greg Jackson and the Hot Flushes show in Bournemouth."

How would you describe your sound?
"Its everything that we like listening to, it changes a lot, but its based in punk rock and because we use fuzz pedals, people say it sounds like grunge! Which is fine because grunge is great, but we don't really think its grunge because it doesn't have influences from the metal side as much as the punk rock side!"

Do you have any advice for someone who's looking to start a band?
"Playing Rage against the machine covers is fun, Bombtrack is a great riff. Wear earplugs for safety, but don't if you don't want to. Do what you want!"

Review: FKA Twigs- M3LL155X (EP)

FKA Twigs (real name, Tahliah Barnett) is a singer, songwriter and producer from Gloucestershire, Britain.

She came onto the music scene with the releases of 'EP1' in 2012 and 'EP2' in 2013. She then released her debut album, 'LP1' in 2014, this received good reviews in general and gained her notable commercial success.

The five track EP opens with the track, 'Figure 8', it has a very striking beat that's very fragmented. Her vocals work well with this beat, adding a softer elements. Around half way through the track there's a deeper, rather illegible voice that marks a change as it descends into a kind of organised chaos.

The second track on the album is 'I'm Your Doll', the production on this track isn't as strong as the previous but the balance is very delicate and poignant. It then goes into the track 'In Time', this has a faster pace than the previous track and has a whomping instrumental that's very hip hop inspired. The vocals are also have a much faster pace, but they still feel very gentle against the heavier beat.

Interview- Virginia Wing

I spoke to Alice, the lead singer of Virginia Wing, an upcoming band from Camberwell, South London. 

How did you meet and how long have you known each other?
"There is no interesting answer for this question I'm afraid. We knew each other through music, had been friends for a while and decided to start making music together. Other members have come and gone but it's always remained the three of us."

How would you describe your sound?

"When people ask me what kind of music I make, I say "electronic music" for ease but I suppose that's not really representative. I guess it's just weird pop music."

Describe the process behind writing one of your tracks.

"Every song starts off as some fragmented demo made by Sam or myself. Usually based around a sample or a recording or just something we've been playing around with. Then the other person has their input and shapes it a little more. Most songs properly form when we're recording in the studio and we can figure out all those last little details."

Review: Frankie & The Heartstrings- Decency

Frankie & the Heartstrings are an indie band that formed in Sunderland in 2008. The band slowly formed around Frankie Francis (vocals) and Michael McKnight (guitar) with multiple line-up changes occurring before reaching its current roster. Frankie started off as a bassist, but changed to vocals when the other members told him he was no good at playing the bass.

Decency is the bands third studio album after 2011's 'Hunger' and 2013's 'The Days Run Away'. The band have gained relative success in recent years, playing support slots for such bands as The Futureheads and The Vaccines. They have also had their own UK headline tours and played shows across Europe, New York and Tokyo.

The album opens with the 42 second long 'Peterborough Dogs'. The next track is the title track, 'Decency', this track is very upbeat and happy sounding. This is a good start to the album in my opinion, it sets the pace and tells listeners what they can hope to hear as the album carries on. 'Think Yourself Lucky' and 'Save It For Tonight' are both similarly uptempo tracks that are vocally and instrumentally very classy  and well executed. They are both riff heavy and the prior track incorporates brass into the chorus.

Searchlight: Cloud Nothings

Who are they?
Cloud Nothings are an indie rock/punk band from Cleveland, Ohio (USA). The band is made up of Dylan Baldi (singer/guitars), TJ Duke (Bass) and Jayson Gerycz (drums). Joe Boyer was the fourth member of the band but he left at a later date.

Dylan Baldi started off as a solo artist, writing and recording music in his parents basement. He created a number of different fake bands with their own Myspace accounts. Cloud Nothings were one of the bands that he created, it then got noticed by a rock promoter from New York. This promoter invited the band to play a support slot for Real Estate, prompting Baldi to gather people for the band to play his songs live. 'Here And Nowhere Else' was the first album that the band created together.

How can their sound be described?
The band have have a lo-fi, noise rock sound that focuses heavily on experimental sounds and a rough and ready style. Although Baldi doesn't have a lot of technical ability as a singer, his actual lyrics and the way he crafts his vocals with the instruments are very good.

My Top 10's- Muse Tracks

10.) Unintended (Showbiz, Track 7)

9.) Starlight (Black Holes And Revelations, Track 2)

8.) Undisclosed Desires (The Uprising, Track 3)

7.) Knights Of Cydonia (Black Holes And Revelations, Track 11)

6.) Resistance (The Resistance, Track 2)

5.) Supremacy (The 2nd Law, Track 1)

4.) Stockholm Syndrome (Absolution, Track 5)

Review: Don Broco- Automatic

Don Broco are a rock band from Bedford, England. They formed in 2008 and consist of Rob Damiani (lead vocals), Simon Delaney (guitar), Tom Doyle (bass) and Matt Donnelly (drums/vocals). Their sound can be described as pop rock or post hardcore.

The band met at school but didn't properly form until after university. They then went though a couple of name changes before going out on tour and playing some festival slots. 'Automatic' is the bands second album after 2012's 'Priorities' which did reasonably well for itself.

The album opens with 'Superlove', this track has good parts to it, such as the chord progressions and the well executed vocals. I think that the overall sound of it is quite generic though and similar to many other tracks in the genre. The second song, and title track of the album, 'Automatic' is better than the previous track as it varies more between tempos before going into the chorus. This track is also more powerful both vocally and musically.

My Top 10's- Movie Soundtracks

10.) The Great Gatsby, 2013 (Jay Z, The XX, Sia etc.)

9.) 500 Days of Summer, 2009 (The Smiths, The Temper Trap, Doves etc.)

8.) Interstellar, 2014 (Hans Zimmer)

7.) Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, 2008 (Vampire Weekend, We Are Scientists, Band of Horses etc.)

6.) A Clockwork Orange, 1972 (Composed by Wendy Carlos)

5.) Tron Legacy, 2010 (Daft Punk)

4.) Reservoir Dogs, 1992 (Stealers Wheel, Bedlam etc.)

Review: Julio Bashmore- Knockin' Boots

Julio Bashmore is a house producer/DJ from Bristol, England, however he now resides in South London. Bashmore, real name Mathew Walker, started mixing tracks when he was 14 before establishing himself as a DJ.

He released his first EP in 2009 on the Dirty Bird label. He then went on to create his own label, Broardwalk Records. On this label he has released a string of successful tracks, most notable 2012's Au Seve.

The title track of the album, 'Knockin' Boots' is a fairly standard opening track, with it's repetitive sample and fairly generic house beat. It then transitions into 'Holding On' which is the main single of the album, This track has a really groovy beat and vocals (Sam Dew) that work well together to draw you in, it then doesn't let you go until the end. I like the way that it breaks down and has a prolonged outro that carries on the chilled vibe.

'She Ain't' has a sound that's very reminiscent of Duck Sauce, and I can't decide whether this is a good or bad thing. It does kind of stray away from his house sound, but the execution is good. The album then rolls through 'Let Me Be Your Weakness' and 'Rhythm of Auld'. both have decent, catchy vocals and well thought out production.  

Interview: Best Friends

Best Friends are a garage band who formed in Sheffield. I spoke to Lewis, the singer/guitarist from the band.  

How did the band meet and how long have you known each other?
"In a pretty boring way really, we started late 2010 after meeting when we all went to uni in Sheffield. I knew Tom a little bit from Norwich as we're both from close to there, Tom lived in a flat with Ed in halls and I met Jack through skateboarding and he was on the same course as Ed. Jack left to travel the world last year so Jonny slotted in on drums nicely. Or maybe we were put together in secret on the X factor after going to Brit school. I find it hard to remember now."

What is the music scene like in Sheffield at the moment?
"From day one other bands in Sheffield helped us out with recording and helping us learn how to play shows and put things out there. We started out knowing fuck all about anything. It truly is a community of people helping each other out cause its fun. Last year Ed and our friends in other Sheffield bands built Delicious Clam studios, and now we can give back in the same way we were helped out. Delicious Clam is a collective, and its a way of being able to record each other, our friends and put them out there. Its really important when you're starting out to have that. Studio time is expensive. If we can use our little bit of success to point them in the direction of the Clam and help our friends along, its a really great thing. Listen to Long Limbs, Thee Mightees, Thumbuster, Nai Harvest, Avida Dollars, Radical Boy, Pet Rock and Fruitbomb. Toot toot!"

Review: Frank Turner: Positive Songs For Negative People

Frank Turner is a British rock/folk singer and musician from Hampshire. He started off his musical career in punk band 'Million Dead', but went solo in 2005 as the band split up. Turner has quietly become one of the most popular solo artists in the UK by playing a huge amount of shows.

Turner is now on his 6th studio album after a solo career spanning 10 years (8 years since first studio album). He has been widely praised for his ability to fuse the folk sound of a singer-songwriter with a heavier tone. This means that he's gained a wide range of fans from different music scenes.

This album starts with a track called 'The Angel Islington', this track is slow and minimalist, featuring just Frank's vocals and a guitar. This is a really sweet opening track that sets up the powerful 'Get Better' really well. This second track is an emotionally charged love song that finds the really delicate balance between heartwarming vocals and heavy guitars and drums, This track ends abruptly going into the twinkling opening riff of 'The Next Storm', then building into the full body of the song. This is what Turner does well, roaring vocals over perfectly put together instruments.

Review: KNYTE: KNYTE

KNYTE is a alternative solo artist from Edmonton, Alberta (Canada). He has had seen some success in the past from scoring and writing original songs for short films, however he has more of a desire to create things for himself. He has taken lots of inspiration from alternative, electronic and pop/r&b music to shape his sound.

According to KNYTE himself, he has attempted to create a modern art piece where image, sound and writing all fit together. He has written and produced this album himself to try and realise this vision to a greater extent.

The album starts with a track called 'The Sun', it has a cool wobbly intro that's electronic based. His vocals are well executed, and there is a catchy chorus section. This then leads into 'Neon Lights'. For me this track feels a little rushed with the vocals not quite fitting with the instrumental, this is especially the case at the start of the song.

My Top 10's- The Strokes Tracks

10.) Is This It (Is This It- track 1)

9.) One Way Trigger (Comedown Machine- track 3)

8.) Last Nite (Is This It- track 7)

7.) Juicebox (First Impressions Of Earth- track 2)

6.) Tap Out (Comedown Machine- track 1)

5.) 12:51 (Room On Fire)

4.) New York City Cops (Is This It- track 9)

Searchlight: Dune Rats

Who are they?
Dune Rats are from Brisbane, Australia. They are a rock band that were originally a duet consisting of Danny Beausa (guitar/vocals) and BC Michaels (drums). They then became a three piece as Brett Jansch (bass), from Bleeding Knees Club, joined.

How can their sound be described?
Their sound can be described as surfer rock, with loud guitars and drums. The tracks keep travelling in new directions as Beausa's vocals power through the noise. They sing songs about light hearted topics with no real emotions being touched

What other projects have they been working on?
As previously mentioned, the bassist is also a part of Australian garage rock band, Bleeding Knees Club. The band have also made a short TV show on their YouTube channel called 'DUNIES TV', this documents their tour shenanigans over four episodes.

My Top 10's- Arctic Monkeys Tracks

10.) Teddy Picker (Favourite Worst Nightmare- track 2)

9.) Dangerous Animals (Humbug- track 3)

8.) Piledrive Waltz (Suck It And See- track 9)

7.) Crying Lightning (Humbug- track 2)

6.) 505 (Favourite Worst Nightmare- track 12)

5.) When The Sun Goes Down (Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not- track 11)

4.) R U Mine? (AM- track 2)

Searchlight: Wolf Alice

Who Are They?
Wolf Alice are a four piece band consisting of Ellie Rowsell (vocals/guitar), Joff Odie (guitar/vocals), Theo Ellis (bass) and Joel Amey (drums). They formed in North London in 2010 as the acoustic duet of Rowsell and Odie. Later they changed line-ups a few times and converted to a more electric sound.

How could their sound be described?
They have quite a heavy rocky sound but they change tempo on many of their tracks, slowing down to a halt, just leaving Rowsell's haunting vocals. This changeable sound makes for interesting listening. The band beautifully craft the soft sounding vocals of both Rowsell and Odie with grungy guitars and drums in a way that keeps you guessing.

Review: Mac Demarco- Another One

Mac Demarco is a singer-songwriter from British Colombia, Canada. After being in a number of different bands growing up, he turned solo when he moved to Montreal in 2011.

He has been prolific in his relatively short solo career. 'Another One' is Demarco's fourth studio album, after 'Rock and Roll Night Club', '2' and 'Salad Days'. Mac Demarco is known for his laid back musical style, touted by some as 'slacker rock'.

The album begins with the track 'The Way You Love Her'. This track has all the elements of Mac's regular sound and is a good point to set the rest of the album up. This opening track is by no means one of his best though. The next track, 'Another One' is perhaps my favorite on the album with it's catchy guitar riffs and vocals. This sound is carried over to 'No Other Heart' which has dreamy guitars that are a joy to listen to.

Review: Dr Dre- 'Compton: A Soundtrack By Dr Dre'

Dr Dre is a American rapper and producer from Compton, California. He first came to prominence with rap group N.W.A. who are widely regarded as a seminal act in the gangsta rap genre. Dre has also been heavily involved in producing for and overseeing the careers of other rappers such as Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg.

A new album from Dr Dre has been 14 years in the making, with it being reported that he started work on the project back in 2001. It's been an additional two years since Dre's last release, the hugely successful and genre defining '2001' album. This has partly due to his business ventures, such as Beats headphones, and partly due to him not being happy with the music that he was producing for the project.

This album starts with an 1 minute 15 second introduction track that gives a brief outline of the history and problems facing Compton. This gives good context to the rest of the album. It then goes straight into 'Talk About it', very much a modern hip hop song with a trap beat to it, albeit the track isn't overspilling with originality. The next track on the album is 'Genocide', which features Kendrick Lamar, Marsha Ambrosius and Candice Pillay. This has a wonky sounding beat that works very well with flow of the featured artists, especially with Kendrick's well thought out lyrics.

Searchlight- Courtney Barnett

Who is she?
Courtney Barnett is singer-songwriter from Melbourne, Australia. She was a member of a garage grunge band ('Rapid Transit') and a psych/country band ('Immigrant Union'). She then starting her own record label, Milk! Records, to release her debut EP. The genres of her previous bands can be heard in the makeup of her solo music.

In an interview with The Guardian she revealed that she didn't start singing until she was 19 because it was too 'scary'. this anxiety coupled with bouts of depression has been mentioned in songs from Barnett in the past.

What's her style of play?
She has a very effortless sounding style of play with lyrics that seem to ramble on. This isn't actually the case though, with lyrics being carefully carved to explicitly tell a story. The stories she writes are about everyday situations, emotions and happenings that are very relatable.

Searchlight: Twin Peaks

Who are they?

Twin Peaks are a garage rock band from Chicago, Illinois (USA). Cadien Lake James (vocals/guitars), Clay Frankel (guitars), Jack Dolan (bass), Colin Croom (keyboards) and Connor Brodner (drums) formed the band in 2009 while at high school together.
The band recorded their first record, 'Sunken' in James' basement in 2012, before it was released on Autumn Tone Records in 2013. They are now on Grand Jury Music, an independent record label based in New York.

What's their style of play?
Twin Peaks have a very varied sound that takes inspiration mainly from punk, classic rock and some psychedelia. They take a lot of sounds from late 60's/early 70's but include their own contemporary twist. When playing live the band have a lot of energy as they jump around the stage, whipping the crowd into a frenzy.

Review: Albert Hammond Jr.- Momentary Masters

'Momentary Masters' is Albert Hammond Jr's third solo studio after 2006's 'Yours to Keep and 2008's 'Como Te Lama?'. The keyboard/guitar player for seminal indie band 'The Strokes' has forged a solo career for himself, while not straying too far from the sound of the aforementioned band.

Details of the 35 year old's album came about in mid May, however it has been a while coming. Hammond Jr released an EP in 2013 and gave updates of the album on social media with images of recording.

The album starts really strongly with 'Born Slippy'. This, the lead single from the album, wouldn't be out of place on a Strokes album with it's wobbly guitar sounds and happy beat/lyrics. This sound is also relatively apparent on the second track, 'Power Hungry', however Hammond Jr comes across with a darker sound in the way that he delivers his lyrics.

Review: The Maccabees- Marks To Prove It

The Maccabees are a five piece band from London, made up of Orlando Weeks, Hugo and Felix White, Rupert Jarvis and Sam Doyle. They are now on their fourth studio album, with each of their previous efforts gaining notable positive previews, thus earning them a loyal fan base.

The band have made noticeable changes to their sound with each album, and this latest offering is no different. The album was produced by the band in their Elephant and Castle studio. This allowed them to take more ownership of their sound and make their own decisions based on what was best for the album.

The album kicks off with the brilliant lead single 'Marks to Prove it'. The opening riff makes a great start to the album that just makes you want to hear more. It then goes into 'Kamakura', which has a sprawling, euphoric sound to it. This sound is similar to much of the previous album, 'Given to the Wild'