Saturday 30 June 2018

TRACK OF THE DAY : Gardenback - Health And Wellbeing


Gardenback's new single Health And Wellbeing is released today to coincide with their biggest headline show to date at Manchester's Soup Kitchen.

Friday 29 June 2018

TRACK OF THE DAY : The Maitlands - Kisses For The Masses


The Maitlands return with a new single Kisses For The Masses and more line-up changes. Often described as being influenced by The Fall, it seems that only applies to movements in members of the band as Kisses For The Masses recalls the heady romanticism of pre-success Pulp, but couched in the here and now in North Manchester.  It's their finest moment to date.

Thursday 28 June 2018

The Happy Soul - Interview


Manchester four-piece The Happy Soul recently released their second album Big Wow and launch it with a headline show at Salford's Kings Arms on Saturday. We caught up with them for a chat about the making of the album, their use of a string quartet and vocal harmonies and their plans for the rest of the year.

TRACK OF THE DAY : The Lucid Dream - Alone In Fear


The Lucid Dream have revealed Alone In Fear, the second track to be taken from their forthcoming fourth album Actualisation that will be released on October 19th.

Wednesday 27 June 2018

TRACK OF THE DAY : James - Coming Home Pt 2


James have revealed the video for Coming Home Pt 2, the latest single to be taken from their forthcoming 15th studio album Living In Extraordinary Times, due for release on August 3rd. The video was filmed “on zero budget” in California by Tim’s long-time friend, director Leif Tilden.

Tuesday 26 June 2018

Kristin Hersh - Halifax Square Chapel Arts Centre - 25th June 2018


Kristin Hersh is on a short UK tour ahead of the release of a new solo album as well as an in-progress Throwing Muses record. Without a North West date we made the short trip across to Halifax’s impressive Square Chapel Arts Centre for an intimate one hour set of both solo and band tracks performed with just an acoustic guitar on a solitary stage.

Monday 25 June 2018

The Happy Soul - Big Wow - Track By Track


Manchester four-piece The Happy Soul recently released their second album Big Wow. Ahead of their album launch show this Saturday (June 30) with a string quartet at Salford Kings Arms Theatre, they walked us through the twelve tracks that make up the record.

Sunday 17 June 2018

Belly - Glasgow The Garage - 16th June 2018


The devastating fire that destroyed the Glasgow School Of Art and the O2 ABC on Friday night had put this show in doubt. But the never-say-die spirit of the Glasgow music community saw The Garage step up and offer the use of their venue for Belly's show on Saturday night where they took the crowd's mind off the devastation a few hundred metres away with a two-set joyous combination of songs from their two 1990s albums Star and King and a heavy lean towards their wonderful comeback album Dove.

SKIES - Interview


SKIES recently released their third EP X following their support slots with The Slow Readers Club. We met up with Alie and Jericho before the Nottingham date of the tour to discuss the songs on the EP.

Saturday 16 June 2018

Afghan Sand Gang - Machine Music EP


Afghan Sand Gang are another of the emerging new bands coming out of Manchester. Rather than adopting the full-on guitar approach of many of their contemporaries, they instead focus on the machine music that has given this debut EP their name. It's a record that doesn't seek to blow you away with volume or power, but instead adopts a more seductive mysterious manner in order to draw you in and win you over.

Tuesday 12 June 2018

Belly - Manchester Ritz - 12th June 2018


Belly made a triumphant return to Manchester after their comeback show in 2016 armed with their new album Dove and a set of old favourites from their two 1990s albums Star and King. A two-hour set split over two sections mixed old and new together with a real continuity of sound between songs written nearly twenty five years apart.

Monday 11 June 2018

King Of The Slums - Artgod Dogs


Hailing from mid 80s Hulme in Manchester, King of the Slums have a long and chequered history.  New album Artdog Gods is their sixth studio album. Stuart Ralston has a listen.

Saturday 9 June 2018

John Bramwell - Bury Met - 8th June 2018


John Bramwell continued his never-ending touring cycle with a return to the splendid setting of Bury Met's newly-refurbished Derby Hall to play to an attentive respectful audience with a set of songs that spanned his career from early I Am Kloot records to his debut solo album Leave Alone The Empty Spaces and an as yet unreleased new song, accompanied by Alan Lowles on keyboards, accordion and bass.

Déjà Vega - Manchester Band On The Wall - 7th June 2018


Déjà Vega brought their unique brand of noise to Band On The Wall on Thursday night as part of Shell Zenner's Amazing Radio Free Vibes night. A seven-song set confirmed their status as one of the most exhilarating live bands in town with their growing band of admirers joining in with the "DEJA""VEGA" call and response chant and them winning over a new set of curious onlookers with their at times vicious onslaught.

Wednesday 6 June 2018

Patti Smith - Manchester Apollo - 5th June 2018


Patti Smith returned to Manchester Apollo as part of a short UK and Ireland tour to coincide with festival slots. In front of a reverential Manchester crowd, who chose this legend over the Stones down the road at Old Trafford, she held them spellbound in her oft outstretched arms as she mixed most of her best known work with an intriguing selection of covers and a series of natural witty and humorous between song anecdotes.

Matter Of Mind - Manchester Jimmy's - 1st June 2018


Matter Of Mind headlined the latest instalment of This Feeling club night in the intimate surroundings of Jimmy’s basement. A blistering half hour set that barely paused for breath got a rapturous reception that confirmed the growing belief that their breakthrough is just around the corner.

Monday 4 June 2018

The Pastels - Glasgow McIntosh Church - 1st June 2018


A rare outing for one of Scotland's most important, influential bands in the beautiful surroundings of McIntosh Church sees Stuart Ralston and a packed audience enthralled.