TRACK OF THE DAY : Weavers Wave - Sweet

Sweet is the debut single by Rossendale psych-folk-dreampop trio that combine the vocal talents of Mary-Joanna Coogan and Megan Thomas with the guitar of Tim Page to create a wonderfully evocative first release.

Stereolab - Glasgow SWG3 - 22nd June 2019

We've been looking forward to the return of Stereolab for some time now. Back in 2009, they announced a hiatus; it was never a split. Tonight sees the first Glasgow show in a long time and it exceeded our expectations. Long term admirer Stuart Ralston heads home for the weekend and reports back.

Cabbage / Afghan Sand Gang / Thomas Haywood (The Blinders) - Manchester Night And Day - 24th June 2019

Three of the most exciting bands on the Manchester scene came together on a hot sweltering night to raise funds for the family of Liam Smith who passed away recently in Australia. Cabbage and Afghan Sand Gang both paid heartfelt tributes to their friend during the course of the night.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Duck - R*ck St*r

R*ck St*r is the first product of Sheffield-based trio Duck's recording sessions for their second album due out in the summer. The song takes aim at and calls out men in the industry who proclaim to have a sensitive side as a mask of their true intentions.

Egyptian Blue - Collateral Damage EP

Egyptian Blue, the Brighton-based quartet, have been making a name for themselves the past few months touring with The Murder Capital and releasing three singles - Contain It, Collateral and To Be Felt. They've now released their four-track debut EP featuring those three singles and one new track so we check out if they can convert the intensity of those live shows to record.

EXCLUSIVE - TRACK OF THE DAY - Valetta - My Life is Better Than Your Life

Ever looked at social media and laughed at those desperate for a bit of attention with a post that draws attention to them, but rather than the intended outcome, you just end up feeling sorry for them. Valetta's track My Life Is Better Than Your Life takes a look at that new phenomenon of people looking for digital validation from people they may have never met.

Blossoms / The Coral / Cabbage / The Blinders / Fuzzy Sun - Stockport Edgeley Park - 22nd June 2019

To play the football stadium in your hometown has to be one of the crowning achievements for any band growing up. Blossoms achieved that on Saturday night with a 15,000 gig at Stockport County's Edgeley Park, which sold out in hours, testament to the rise of a band who got their name from a pub just the other side of the railway lines from the proud imposing over a century old ground.

Ist Ist / Sylvette / Fears - Manchester Yes - 20th June 2019

In the middle of writing and recording their debut album, Ist Ist took time out to play a low-key show in the Pink Room of Manchester’s Yes, revealing five as-yet-unreleased songs alongside old favourites from their two EPs and a couple of early singles. Support came from Sheffield’s Fears and Manchester’s own Sylvette.

VIDEO EXCLUSIVE : Cold Water Swimmers - Burn Your Idols

Cold Water Swimmers return with their second single Burn Your Idols, the follow-up to their debut Summer Breeze / I'll Be Your Witness and we're delighted to be able to exclusively reveal the video that accompanies the single.

Coby Fletcher / Anya - Manchester Rose And Monkey - 14th May 2019

Whatever happened to The Gramotones, Cupids and Darling Club? Well, one of them, Coby Fletcher is striking out on his own, having recently revealed a vitriol-laced commentary on the state of modern politics called Power Never Changes. Julia Grantham caught up with him at an intimate solo set at Manchester's newest music venue The Rose And Monkey Hotel.

Red Light Effect / The Any Numbers / Dan Cere - Manchester Peer Hat - 14th June 2019

Red Light Effect headlined The Peer Hat on Friday night supported by The Any Numbers and Dan Cere, giving us a night three very different acts that approach their art from different directions yet each delivering it with sincerity and belief.

TRACK OF THE DAY : High Hazels - Slow Dancers

Sheffield's High Hazels return with Slow Dancers taken from their forthcoming album Days Of No One, the long-awaited follow-up to their 2014 self-titled debut.

Courteeners / James - Manchester Heaton Park - 15th June 2019

"50,000 people in our back yard" was how Liam Fray described Courteeners' homecoming of sorts at Heaton Park on Saturday night. As the clouds that had threatened a mudbath dissipated and the air filled with the choking smell of a thousand or more flares, they cemented their place amongst the giants of the city's rich musical history, as the band of this generation.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Edits - Burn

Edits return with Burn, their first single of the year, after Liv and Chris decamped back to their hometown of Northwich from Manchester. Self-produced like their previous releases, it shows the duo adding an heavier edge to their sound from last year's Re-Surface EP and standalone single Cold.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Narcissus - Burning Candles

Narcissus were a band tipped for big things in the mid-noughties however the collapse of their publishing deal during the recording of the debut album led to a parting of ways. But as a wise man once said, time is a great healer and 2019 see the release of double A side single Burning Candles / Flashing Blue Lights on new Manchester label 42’s Records. Ste Ackley has a listen to see if the wait has been worth the while.

The Twilight Sad - Belfast Empire Music Hall - 7th June 2019

Belfast was the location for an emotionally charged Friday night which saw The Twilight Sad playing the Belfast Empire ahead of their support slot with The Cure the following day at Malahide Castle in Dublin. Jason Wynne made the short trip across the Irish Sea to witness another cathartic evening.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Hey Bulldog - California

Hey Bulldog return with their first single of the year California ahead of a double A-side 7" single release later in the summer and their long-awaited debut album sometime in the winter.

Dave Haslam - Interview

As part of the Manchester International Festival celebrations in July, Dave Haslam has been asked to curate four nights of free live music at the festival hub outside the Town Hall in Albert Square. He's chosen Horace Andy, The Orielles, Working Men's Club, The Blinders, Witch Fever, The Pagans SOH, LIINES, and Sink Ya Teeth as part of an exciting diverse line-up. We caught up with Dave for a chat about how he curated the line up and why he's so excited about the acts he's picked.

Little Sparrow - Interview / Corner Of The Room Video Exclusive

Corner Of The Room is the new single from Little Sparrow and we're delighted to be able to give an exclusive sneak peek at the video for the single which was premiered by 6 Music's Chris Hawkins last week ahead of its release this Friday. We caught up with Katie (aka Little Sparrow) for a quick chat about the single, the spooky video, the follow-up to her debut album Wishing Tree and live plans.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Venus - Sour

Sour is the second single from Leeds-based quintet Venus, the follow-up to their debut Deranged and one that is sure to enhance their already growing reputation as a band with something to say and that are unafraid to ruffle feathers and create a commotion in doing so.

Richard Hawley - Manchester HMV - 10th June 2019

To coincide with the release of his Top 3 album Further, Richard Hawley has been playing a series of acoustic in-stores to promote the album. Monday night saw Manchester's turn and the surreal sight of an artist who sold out the Albert Hall almost immediately play in a brightly lit room surrounded by CD shelves.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Celestial North - Olympic Skies

Olympic Skies is the fourth song to be released by the mysterious Celestial North. The single follows on from the previous three - Winter Circle, Illuminate Yourself and The Land The Sea The Human Race - in creating an intoxicating soundscape that draws the listener in and takes them on a journey through a song rich in ideas and changes in direction.

David Ford - Darwen Library Theatre - 7th June 2019

The last night of David Ford's solo stripped-back tour took him to Darwen's Library Theatre for a two-part set that both acted as a retrospective on his career to date as well as a fascinating insight into the stories behind the songs, his songwriting processes and events that shaped him both as a musician and a person.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Bri - Low Supply

Low Supply is the debut single from Dublin-based Bri, a revelatory journey of escaping from a toxic relationship. It's an intriguing and intoxicating crossover between a number of musical styles with Bri's stunning voice taking centre stage as she comes to terms with the decisions she's made.

TRACK OF THE DAY 2 : Barratt - Into Your Arms

Into Your Arms is the second single from Stockport singer-songwriter Barratt, who recently signed to Seven Miles Out Records, the label that was set-up by the owners of the now sadly departed venue in the town. Rich in the promise shown by his debut single Home, Into Your Arms showcases again his ability to craft songs with both emotional depth and lift.

TRACK OF THE DAY 1 : Possible Humans - Aspiring To Be A Bloke

Aspiring To Be A Bloke is the lead single from Possible Humans' debut album Everybody Split which sees a worldwide release on August 2 via Chicago's Trouble In Mind.

Lewis Fieldhouse / LYZA - Manchester Gullivers - 5th June 2019

In the process of writing his second album, Lewis Fieldhouse made the journey up from his adopted London home to the lounge of Gullivers to roadtest new material as well as play tracks from his 2016 debut album Theodor Washington And The Central Valley ably supported by Manchester's own LYZA who is preparing the release of her new single Regret.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Diving Station - Film

Film is the new single from Manchester four-piece Diving Station, their first new material of the year following last year's second EP Feather Mouth. Standing out by use of the harp, played by lead singer Anna, the band have been making waves in the city over the past couple of years, yet this release seems set to step things up a notch further.

Second Still - Manchester Peer Hat - 2nd June 2019

Sunday night saw the latest installment (number 43) of long-running Manchester live music night Astral Elevator headlined by Los Angeles trio Second Still, in Europe to promote the release of their second album Violet Phase.

LIINES / Blanketman / Pet Crow - Manchester Yes - 1st June 2019

LIINES finished off their triumphant first half of the year in style following their tour with Sleaford Mods, the release of new single On And On and their biggest shows to date with a hometown show at Manchester's Yes that both celebrated the end of the Stop - Start album promotion cycle and heralded a set of new songs that will form the basis of their follow-up. Support came from Reckless Yes label mates Pet Crow and Blanketman.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Liam Frost - Pomona

Liam Frost releases Pomona today from the forthcoming full release of his album The Latchkey Kid out in September. One of the best-received live favourites of the songs that formed his third album, the radio edit of the single showcases one of the most enduring and yet under-rated talents to come out of Manchester in the last fifteen years.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Nev Cottee - Roses

Roses is the second single to be taken from Nev Cottee's forthcoming River's Edge album following the release of Hello Stranger earlier in the year. It's a duet with a mysterious chanteuse Veronica who Nev met when she was singing on the backstreets of Madrid

LIINES - Interview

LIINES play three headline shows this week in London, Nottingham and Manchester in support of their new single On And On, their first release since their debut album Stop - Start, as they finish a thirty-two date tour across the UK with Sleaford Mods. We caught up with Zoe, Leila and Tamsin to talk about the tour, the response to the new single and their future plans.

Woman You Stole / Rews / Phoebe Green / Narrow Margin / Matter Of Mind / Lynchs - Manchester Dot To Dot - 24th May 2019

Friday night saw Dot To Dot Festival hit Manchester.  With venues across the city from the Ritz and Albert Hall to old-school favourites like The Castle and Gullivers in the Northern Quarter, the festival showcases up-and-coming bands both nationally and locally. We stayed around the smaller venues to catch Lynchs, Matter Of Mind, Narrow Margin, Phoebe Green, Rews and Woman You Stole.

The Longcut / Purple Heart Parade - Manchester Soup Kitchen - 18th May 2019

Two of Manchester's most adored and respected joined forces at Soup Kitchen on Saturday night, creating some gloriously uplifting sounds. Stuart Ralston was there.

The Slow Readers Club / Aggressive Swans - Munich Milla - 20th May 2019

The Slow Readers Club played the penultimate night of their debut European tour to a packed room in the intimate Milla venue in Munich supported by local band Aggressive Swans. A set that covered all three albums as well as a potential future single was very well-received by a receptive crowd that reacted more as the night went on to the energy coming from the stage.

The Twilight Sad / Kathryn Joseph - Brooklyn Elsewhere Hall - 11th May 2019

Travelling half-way across the world to watch your favourite band is a sign of being a hardcore fan. Jason Wynne reports back from the second of his two nights on the East Coast of the USA watching The Twilight Sad.

TRACK OF THE DAY : LIINES - On And On

On And On is already a live favourite for LIINES and regularly opens their set. This Friday they release it as the first new material since their debut album Stop / Start that came out just over a year ago. It keeps the same targeted anger and rawness as the album, but feels like they're moving their sound forward with their revised line-up and the confidence that comes with the big shows they've just done supporting Sleaford Mods.

Us - Interview

A singer from a late 90s band that got lumped in with the Britpop phenomenon and a Swedish producer and director may not seem like the most obvious musical companions, but Us's debut album First Contact shows that we shouldn't jump to such hasty conclusions. We caught up with the singer, Geneva's Andrew Montgomery, for a chat about how Us came into being, their writing processes and the way in which they present their art.

The Twilight Sad / Kathryn Joseph - Philadelphia The Foundry - 10th May 2019

The Twilight Sad kicked off their US & Canadian tour at the Foundry in Philadelphia in fine style with a spellbinding, emotional performance that will remain long in the head and heart of those present. Coupled with a stunning, haunting support from the beautiful, inside and out, Kathryn Joseph we experienced a rollercoaster of a ride on the first night.

Red Rum Club / October Drift / Cleargreen - Manchester Bread Shed - 11th May 2019

Red Rum Club's huge UK tour in support of their debut album Matador rumbled into Manchester on Saturday night at The Bread Shed for a celebratory show accompanied by tour supports October Drift and closer to home Cleargreen.

The Mysterines / Tinfoils / Velvet Shakes - Manchester Night People - 8th May 2019

The Mysterines brought their tour in support of latest single Gasoline to Night People on Wednesday night for a hot and sweaty nine-song thirty-minute adrenaline rush of some of the most thrilling rock music being made by anyone today, supported by the blissful tones of Velvet Shakes and the angry post-punk of Tinfoils.

Booth And The Bad Angel - Booth And The Bad Angel

Back in 1996, Tim Booth of James and celebrated composer Angelo Badalamenti released a collaborative album called Booth And The Bad Angel with Bernard Butler playing guitar and producing much of the record. Twenty-three years on, the album is released on vinyl for the first time on Friday via Demon Music. We take a look back at a record that got lost in the mire of record label politics and overshadowed by James' late-1990s resurgence.

Wildwood Kin / Ferris & Sylvester - Manchester Academy 3 - 6th May 2019

The Bob Harris-curated Under The Apple Tree tour rolled into Manchester Academy 3 for its penultimate leg on Monday night. Headlined by Wildwood Kin, revealing new material from their forthcoming second album as well as crowd favourites from their 2017 debut Turning Tides. Tour support came from the intriguing duo Ferris & Sylvester.

The Murder Capital / Egyptian Blue - Manchester Soup Kitchen - 3rd May 2019

The Murder Capital headlined Soup Kitchen in Manchester on Friday night, one of the most intense forty-five minutes we've had the fortune to experience, a band that lives their songs and who connect through words and performance to emotionally compelling effect. Support came from Egyptian Blue.

SPINN - Manchester HMV - 3rd May 2019

SPINN launched their self-titled debut album with an early evening six-song in-store set at Manchester's HMV.

TRACK OF THE DAY : Joanna Sternberg - This Is Not Who I Want To Be

Joanna Sternberg's debut single This Is Not Who I Want To Be is an exciting introduction to her forthcoming debut album Then I Try Some More. Found via a random tweet extolling its virtues, the rare sort that make you have to listen to the song, it more than lived up to the excitement in those two hundred and eighty characters.

MarthaGunn / Cosmo Calling - Manchester Soup Kitchen - 1st May 2019

MarthaGunn's first headline tour rolled into Manchester on Wednesday night. A ten-song set of psychedelic-tinged rock including recent single Saint Cecilia and a surprise stripped-down Ohio as highlights delighted an enthusiastic Manchester crowd. Support came from Cosmo Calling.