Lay Siege – Obolus

(S-a-N PR )

When does an EP become a mini album ? Answers on a postcard please. This debut release from Northampton based Lay Siege is billed as a 6 track mini album and it is a heavy affair. Over the course of the six tracks featured you are treated to heavy riffs pounding bass and vocals provided by Konrad Barrick are straight from the Max Cavalera school of rock.

Sepultura are quite a good reference point for the band’ s sound with a touch of Machine Head thrown into the mix. However, the thing the band appears to lack is the ability to write a memorable tune, after listening to all tracks I was hard pressed to recall anything of note, nothing jumps out to grab the listener. The closest you get is on the last track ‘Solitary Confinement’ which does have its moments, but again they don’t stick with you.

A fair album then, but not a great one that would encourage repeated plays.

**1/2

David Wilson

My Favourite Runner Up – Thoughts,Feelings, Actions

(S-a-N PR)

Pop punksters, My Favourite Runner Up, have been doing the rounds now for the last six years. Their melodic punk sound has seen them touring extensively and picking up various support slots including one for Cerys Matthews which seems like a strange pairing.

This is the band’s latest EP and contains 4 tracks which are quality pop punk in the style of New Found Glory and Lost Prophets, or for those a bit older, Hundred Reasons. The tracks are well written, short, sharp melodic ditties, nothing deep and meaningful here, but fun none the less.

The best of the tracks on offer are opener ‘Let It Ride’ which has a catchy underlying riff throughout and ‘Our Time Now’ which jogs along nicely.

If you are looking for 20 minutes of music to make you smile then ‘Thoughts, Feelings, Actions’ fits the bill, just don’t expect it to change the world.

***

David Wilson

Louise Quinn and Kid Loco – Oh Jackie

(Tromolo Records)

This release by Glaswegian singer/ songwriter Louise Quinn is part of a year of projects by Creative Scotland and she has teamed up with Parisian DJ and producer Kid Loco for this EP. As well as the collaborative title track, there is also a remix by indie jazz legend Bill Wells and a cover version of ‘Exactly Like You’, a 1930’s Broadway number.

Unfortunately, as with most art projects of this nature, it comes across as very self-indulgent, recorded for the artists and to hell with everyone else. Laid back and lo-fi are the best way to describe the results, the best the EP has to offer is the title track ‘Oh Jackie’ that features a dual vocal delivery by Louise and ‘Kid’ which is of slight interest, but my mind wandered very quickly after that.

One for the diehards I think.

*1/2

David Wilson

The Spins – Never Let It Go

(Manilla PR)

If I was a betting man, I would have said that The Spins were from Liverpool direction and were influenced by Cast or Ocean Colour Scene on the strength of this one track single, but how wrong could I be. The band are actually Italian, led by drummer Alessia Mattalia who has worked with Jeff Beck, most noticeably on his Grammy award winning track ‘Hammerhead’.

This new release is an excellent slice of sunny, guitar led indie rock and as I said Cast were the first reference point that popped into my head. The info that came with this release doesn’t state if this is a stand-alone single or a taster for further releases, but either way it’s well worth a spin.

***1/2

David Wilson

Autopsy Boys – Rich Kids Playground

( Crackhouse Recordings)

This is a new single lifted from Autopsy Boys’ latest album ‘Def Elements’. The band fuse punk with 80’s style electronica, strange bedfellows, and the results are not totally convincing.

There are two tracks featured here, the title track ‘Rich Kids Playground’ which leans more in the straight forward punk direction, whilst the other ‘ Negative 8’ contains the afore mentioned 80’s keyboards, which to me are unnecessary and out of place.

They have been described in the past as ‘ disco for psychopaths’, maybe if you’re a bit mad it all makes sense ?

David Wilson

Black Page Turns – Riot Graves

(UNOB Records)

This is the second single release from Black Page Turns in 2012. The band’s aim is to release 12 tracks in 2012 with the first two featured on’ Things That Make Us Hate EP’ which received critical acclaim, including three and a half stars from myself.

This second release is more Foo’s inspired rock with the two tracks ‘Riot Graves’ and ‘The Beginning’ being worth a listen. For me ‘ Things ….’ was a better release though and it will be interesting to see if they can raise the quality again on the next two tracks.

**1/2

David Wilson

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)