Wednesday 29 November 2017

TRACK OF THE DAY : Kula Bay - 7 Hours


7 Hours is the debut single from Warrington four-piece Kula Bay. The band only formed in June so 7 Hours is a very impressive opening gambit from a band that's already attracted the attention of BBC Introducing Manchester who have played them two weeks running with deserved rave reviews of the song.

Tuesday 28 November 2017

James To Reissue Five Albums On Vinyl




James have announced the reissue of five of their albums on vinyl, two for the first time and the other three for the first time in over twenty years. Following on from 2015's Laid / Wah Wah deluxe, super deluxe and vinyl packages, Gold Mother, Seven, Whiplash, Millionaires and Pleased To Meet You all get the double heavy 180g vinyl plus download card treatment for a December 15th release.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Pip Blom - School


School is the latest single from Dutch teenager Pip Blom and her band, released ahead of their show at the Peer Hat in Manchester on Wednesday night as part of a short UK tour.

Monday 27 November 2017

Nelson Can / LIINES - Manchester Peer Hat - 26th November 2017


Sunday night down in the bowels after the longest weekend known to man isn’t the sort of place you’d expect to have your flagging spirits lifted, your feet compelled to once last (dad) dance and performances as intense as they are fun. But that’s exactly what Nelson Can and LIINES achieved.

Saturday 25 November 2017

The Slow Readers Club - Manchester Albert Hall - 24th November 2017


Two thousand plus people have come to pay homage to The Slow Readers Club, a band that's come from the streets of this town to the grand surroundings of this resurrected Wesleyan chapel through their own hard work and perseverance, the never-say-die spirit that makes Manchester so special and a belief in a set of songs, old and new, that somehow sum up feelings that sit deep down within us all and wrest them out and into the world for all to see.

Sunday 19 November 2017

Kula Bay - Manchester Academy 3 - 18th November 2017


Having heard Kula Bay's new single 7 Hours on BBC Introducing an hour before, the notification they were playing Academy 3 the same night on Facebook was too much of a coincidence to turn down, to see whether the good impression that song gave on first listen would be replicated by their live show.

The Slow Readers Club / Desperate Journalist - Bristol Thekla - 17th November 2017


The unstoppable momentum of The Slow Readers Club's UK tour rolled into Bristol on Friday night for another sold out show at The Thekla. In a hot and sweaty basement of a boat they thrilled a packed out crowd with tracks from their first two albums and four new songs from their forthcoming third. Support came from the thrilling evocative and dark Desperate Journalist.

Friday 17 November 2017

TRACK OF THE DAY : Jordan Allen - R.O.S.I.E.


When Jordan Allen released his Livin' La Vida Bolton EP earlier this year, it was clear from the reaction both to the release and at live shows, that R.O.S.I.E. was the fan favourite. Rebooted and with a video that perfectly matches the message of the song, it's now being given the single treatment it richly deserves ahead of Jordan's huge UK headline tour.

Finola - Manchester Jimmy's - 15th November 2017


Jimmy's hosted the launch of Finola's Waterworks EP on Wednesday night, the debut release of a songwriter who's kept a low profile for the past couple of years, but who is hopefully now about to blossom and make her mark on the Manchester scene and beyond.

Puppet Rebellion - Manchester Night People - 11th November 2017


Launching debut album Chemical Friends to a packed Manchester crowd, Puppet Rebellion celebrate their past, their present and look forward to the future.

Thursday 16 November 2017

TRACK OF THE DAY : The Latchkey Kids - The Slow Knife


The Slow Knife is the first official single from The Latchkey Kids, the band behind Liam Frost's latest musical project. Their album is due early next year although the Pledge Music campaign for it has already launched and they play their debut gig at the Deaf Institute in Manchester on November 30th.

Wednesday 15 November 2017

Finola - Waterworks EP


Waterworks is the debut EP from singer-songwriter Finola launched this week with a show at Jimmy's in Manchester. Over the four tracks she demonstrates an ability to express feelings and intentions with a clarity of purpose and with a voice that emphasises both the emotions and the intent of the words she's singing.

Happy Mondays - Dundee Caird Hall - 10th November 2017


Opening their marathon two month 30th anniversary tour with a career spanning set, Happy Mondays roll back the years in style at the historic Caird Hall.

Sunday 12 November 2017

Nicole Atkins - London Rough Trade East - 10th November 2017


In support of her new album Goodnight Rhonda Lee and ahead of her only UK show at London's Sebright Arms on Monday, Nicole Atkins performed an intimate eight song set of songs from the album at Rough Trade's Brick Lane store on Friday lunchtime. In the absence of a Manchester show, we caught her deliver a set that confirms her as one of the most stunning vocalists operating today.

Thursday 9 November 2017

John Bramwell - Leave Alone The Empty Spaces


Leave Alone The Empty Spaces is the debut solo album from I Am Kloot's John Bramwell. Stripping back all the production gloss of the last two I Am Kloot studio albums, it's a real back to basics record, inspired by both John's incessant solo touring of the last four years and the home-based recording studio where most of this was written and recorded. What remains is an intimate, heartfelt album that lays bare why many of his peers cite him as an inspiration and one of the leading songwriters of his generation.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Salvation Jayne - Juno


Juno is the new single from Kent four-piece Salvation Jayne, following on from their well-received Moves That Make The Record Skip EP that was released earlier this year. Accompanied by a predominantly live performance video, the song is a big, bold rock song with a hint of glam to it.

Wednesday 8 November 2017

False Advertising - Interview


False Advertising have just released an EP entitled I Would Be So Much Happier If I Just Stopped Caring, a compilation of the singles they've released through 2017. We caught up with Jen, Chris and Josh for a chat about the EP, becoming an advert for Mobike and their plans for 2018 and new songs.

Puppet Rebellion - Chemical Friends


On many a "next big thing" list, the mighty Puppet Rebellion deliver their stunning debut album and Stuart Ralston loves it. You should too.

Tuesday 7 November 2017

TRACK OF THE DAY : The Seamonsters - Max And Archie


Max And Archie is the third single from Sheffield six-piece The Seamonsters. It captures an infectious energy that has run through their previous two singles, but hides more than a hint of menace and attitude behind its sweet catchy hook-laden tune.

Monday 6 November 2017

Black Doldrums / Purple Merlin / Liberal Violence - Todmorden Golden Lion - 3rd November 2017



On a wet and windy Friday night in November Ste Ackley took a drive over the moors to Todmorden to witness London’s Black Doldrums roll into town on the penultimate date of their UK tour with support from Purple Merlin and Liberal Violence.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Edits - Don't Speak


Edits return with their new single Don't Speak, a song that encapsulates their "electronic other world-ness" description of their music perfectly. The follow-up to two well-received EPs is their first new music in over a year and signifies a subtle but noticeable change in direction for the Manchester-based two piece.

Sunday 5 November 2017

SKIES - We Fear Change EP


SKIES return with their new EP We Fear Change, four tracks that they've revealed across the course of a very successful 2017 for them that saw them do their own UK tour and then support The Slow Readers Club on their breakthrough tour. We Fear Change is the sound of a fresh, exciting band, ready to win over the hearts and minds of the nation.

The Slow Readers Club / Victories At Sea - Birmingham O2 Academy 2 - 4th November 2017


The UK leg of The Slow Readers Club's first tour since signing to Modern Sky kicked off at Birmingham's O2 Academy 2 on Saturday night with a set full of fan favourites from their first two albums and four tracks that should appear on their third album early next year. Support came from the impressive Victories At Sea.

Saturday 4 November 2017

Liam Fray / Carnival Club - Manchester Albert Hall - 3rd November 2017


As he came to the end of his three-week acoustic tour of the UK, Liam Fray played the first of three shows to an ecstatic response in the electric atmosphere of Manchester's becoming legendary Albert Hall venue. With a set comprising of songs from across the whole of The Courteeners' back catalogue, he often struggled to be heard over the deafening singing back from two thousand devotees crammed into every nook and cranny of this stunning building. Support came from one of the most exciting new bands in Manchester, Carnival Club, who looked perfectly at home up on the big stage.