Monday 29 October 2018

EXCLUSIVE : One-Way Song - Billy Fisher Fitzgerald


Billy Fisher Fitzgerald is the lead track from One Way Song's forthcoming EP Passionate Leave which we're delighted to be asked to preview. We described their last release as "a potent mix of theatre and music" as the band's origins are in a theatre group and they've brought some of that into their musical project. This song features guest vocals from Jay Stansfield of All Hail Hyena.

Sunday 28 October 2018

Mano McLaughlin - Salford Eagle Inn - 26th October 2018


To celebrate the launch of his new single and title track from his forthcoming second album Then Lightning, Mano McLaughlin played an intimate eleven-song set in the Eagle Inn in Salford, a stone's throw from Blueprint Studios where the album was recorded.

Friday 26 October 2018

TRACK OF THE DAY : Kaze - Conversation


Conversation is the new single from Manchester five-piece Kaze. Released recently to coincide with World Mental Health Day, the lyrics are an honest reflection on feelings that people often leave below the surface and don't discuss openly. Like their previous work, the RNCM-trained duo at the centre of Kaze, Amy and Graham, have crafted a song that grabs your attention throughout as it packs so many musical ideas into its three minutes.

TRACK BY TRACK : Gypsyfingers - Stranger Things


Stranger Things is the second album from Gypsyfingers, the follow-up to their debut Circus Life. As they prepared for the release, Victoria and Luke took time out to walk us through each of the tracks on the record to provide us with some insight into how the song was written and what they're about.

Thursday 25 October 2018

TRACK OF THE DAY 2 : James Holt - Alone Again


Alone Again is the new single from Bolton singer-songwriter James Holt. With a video shot in the basement club Night People in Manchester, the single confirms his place as one of the city's most promising singer-songwriters.

TRACK OF THE DAY 1 : Mano McLaughlin - Then Lightning


Then Lightning is the first track to be revealed from Mano McLaughlin's forthcoming album of the same name. Its release coincides with a launch gig at Salford's Eagle Inn from one of the North West's best kept secrets, a songwriter who should be lauded up there with the city's favourite sons.

Wednesday 24 October 2018

TRACK OF THE DAY 2 : James - Backwards Glances (Acoustic)


James today released the latest in the series of acoustic versions of tracks taken from their top ten album Living In Extraordinary Times. Backwards Glances featured on the deluxe version of the album only, but has been rerecorded in even more stripped down format for this release.

Ash - Manchester Ritz - 23rd October 2018


With the release of their eighth studio album Islands, Ash are back on the road and we caught the penultimate show of their UK tour at The Ritz in Manchester as they delighted a crowd with a mix of their biggest hits and a healthy selection of songs from Islands that show that their spark still burns bright in the third decade of their existence as a band.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Bugeye - Disco Dancer


Bugeye return with a new single Disco Dancer out on December 7th. The London band have expanded to a four-piece and this is the first release with the new line up, recorded with celebrated producer Paul Tipler.

Sunday 21 October 2018

She Makes War - Manchester Castle Hotel - 20th October 2018


Fresh from the various chart successes of her independently released fourth album Brace For Impact, She Makes War made her way to Manchester with her five-piece band to The Castle Hotel for a sold-out sweatbox of a show that focused heavily on the new album with a liberal sprinkling of tracks from her impressive back catalogue.

Saturday 20 October 2018

OLA - Manchester Soup Kitchen - 19th October 2018


OLA returned to Soup Kitchen on Friday night to launch their new single Orenda with an hour-long set of old and new material full of experimental sounds mixing electronic trickery and live vocals and instruments in an enthralling collection of songs.

Friday 19 October 2018

LIINES - Manchester Night And Day - 18th October 2018


LIINES opened Dave Haslam's WAM (Words And Music) Festival at the Night And Day in Manchester with a fourteen-song set featuring all ten tracks from their Stop - Start album and four new tracks.

OLA - Interview


OLA (One Little Atlas) headline Soup Kitchen in Manchester tonight. We caught up with Kevan for a chat about the gig and their new single Orenda.

Lights On Moscow - Aorta Songs Part 1


Aorta Songs Part 1 is the first fruit of the Lights On Moscow collaboration between Hazel Wilde of Lanterns On The Lake and Justin Lockey of Editors. Dark, claustrophobic and haunting in the most part, it feels like a soundtrack from an imaginary black and white silent film.

Thursday 18 October 2018

The Lucid Dream - Actualisation


Carlisle’s favourite sons return with their magnificent fourth album, the progressive, acid house inspired Actualisation. Stuart Ralston has a listen (and a dance).

Sunday 14 October 2018

Puppet Rebellion / Room D - Manchester Band On The Wall - 13th October 2018


Even The Stars favourites Puppet Rebellion announced earlier this week that tonight’s Band On The Wall gig was to be their last. Playing their hometown to a packed crowd at their biggest headline show is as good a way as any to bow out. Playing with as much passion and enthusiasm as they always have, it didn’t have the air of a final show but a celebration. Support came from one of the most promising local bands Room D.

Thursday 11 October 2018

The Beths - Future Me Hates Me


Future Me Hates Me is the debut album from New Zealand’s The Beths. It’s a brilliantly observed record about the battle to find love both internally and externally with songs set to the sort of jangling guitars that are impossible to resist if that’s what turns you on.

Tuesday 9 October 2018

TRACK OF THE DAY : The Mysterines - Hormone


There's an element of mystery about The Mysterines. With very little social media presence they're already starting to make a buzz around the North West with a number of support slots and low-key mid-afternoon festival slots and no music floating around on social media. However that's changed with their debut single Hormone.

Fuzzy Sun - Interview


Fuzzy Sun released their second EP Warm Evening / Cold Morning last week via Blossoms' Very Clever Records label. We caught up with Kyle for a chat about the tracks on the EP and their rollercoaster ride of a first year as a band.

Monday 8 October 2018

John Bramwell / Dave Fidler - Manchester Albert Square - 7th October 2018


The final night of this year's Manchester Food And Drink Festival was billed as John Bramwell's Greatest Hits and he didn't disappoint a busy crowd as he ran through a selection of favourite I Am Kloot songs as well as a couple of tracks from his solo debut Leave Alone The Empty Spaces and a new song from its follow-up. Support came from Dave Fidler who also previewed a raft of new songs from his forthcoming second album.

Lights On Moscow - Interview


Lights On Moscow is a long-running secret collaboration between Hazel Wilde of Lanterns On The Lake and Justin Lockey of Editors that is about to finally see the light of day with the release of an EP entitled Aorta Songs - Part 1 this Friday. We caught up with the pair of them for a chat about how the project came together, their writing process and their plans for future releases.

Friday 5 October 2018

The Slow Readers Club - Manchester Albert Square - 4th October 2018


Three years ago The Slow Readers Club played Manchester Food And Drink Festival in Albert Square as one of the attractions to draw a few people into a beer tent. Now, with a top 20 album under their belt, they've got people queuing for hours to catch a very rare full band acoustic set in the tent in front of Albert Hall ahead of their already sold out Apollo show in December.

Fuzzy Sun - Warm Evening Cold Morning EP


Warm Evening / Cold Morning is Fuzzy Sun’s second EP of the year, following up on their debut Want Love.

Thursday 4 October 2018

TRACK OF THE DAY : Berries - Discreetly


Berries return with a new track Discreetly, premiered by John Kennedy on Radio X earlier this week and one of the stand out tracks from their festival sets across the summer.

Wednesday 3 October 2018

TRACK OF THE DAY : Lexytron - Blackmail


Taken from her forthcoming album Something Blue, Blackmail is the lead track from Lexytron, who describes herself as "Half Greek, half Persian and half English", and features a video set to the 1903 film The Cake-Walk Infernal by Georges Méliès.

Tuesday 2 October 2018

TRACK OF THE DAY : Sit Down - Take A Seat


Take A Seat is half of the new double A-side single from Brighton's duo Sit Down, the follow-up to their sold out debut EP Cheap Luxe.

Monday 1 October 2018

She Makes War - Brace For Impact


Brace For Impact is She Makes War's fourth album and finds Laura Kidd rocking out like she's never done before without losing her innovative approach to making her music and in the process making her most accessible and intriguing record to date.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Déjà Vega - Chasing


Déjà Vega are back with Chasing, the latest in their series of limited edition vinyl singles due for release on October 8th, and have preceded it with the reveal of a very surreal new video for the single which features them playing in a field surrounded and circled by people dressed as crows.