EP review: COUNCIL, MARISA AND THE MOTHS

Website [Release date 23.06.20]

Council is made up of 3 brothers and they are based out of NYC now. They have gone the organic route by building up a fan base by interacting with them, playing plenty of live shows and streaming gigs, plus racking up over 4.5m streams on Apple Music alone.

Impressive stuff, but what of the music? If you like Imagine Dragons, the vocal harmonizing of Bastille and their own musical stamp of electronica, with tasty guitar riffs and percussion.

Hard to choose a favourite as all four songs have their own pluses. ‘Haunts Me’ is the heaviest, based on a simple yet effective guitar riff, lots of electronica and those vocals. That is the band’s main selling point, the vocals and the melodies as ‘Savages’ proves, a radio hit if ever there was one.

‘Born Ready’ may just steal song of the EP. From its bombastic backbeat, the vocal arrangements/effects and chorus, makes it a song to play again and again.  ‘Get Numb’ is a synth wave delight, this is the song that reminds me of M83’s ‘Midnight City’.

Four songs, all killer, no filler. More please! ****1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

MARISA AND THE MOTHS  Stripped www.marisaandthemoths.com

Is it a bird?  Is it a plane?  Is it a single, is it an EP?  No, I’m not entirely sure what Stripped, by female fronted Reading based alt rockers Marisa & The Moths is.  But I guess that’s where we’re headed in the digital world.

What it is, is 3 acoustic ‘bonus’ versions of tracks featured on the band’s self-titled debut released late last year, an album laced with a liberal grunge element that will limit its appeal to those who have at least some tolerance of the genre.

Stripped, on the other hand, is like a trip back to 1989, and bands like All About Eve.  And to this reviewer at least, it’s a positive step in the right direction and far easier on the ear with some haunting melodies and excellent vocals from singer, songwriter and guitarist Marisa Rodriguez.

The format, appended by cello, exposes a soft underbelly and a depth to the songs not immediately apparent on the album, and should significantly broaden the band’s appeal.

Available separately to the album as a single digital download on Bandcamp, Stripped is somewhat overpriced in that format for £5, but you’ll also find videos for all three tracks ‘filmed in isolation’ on YouTube.  ***1/2

Review by Pete Whalley


Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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

In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Josh Taerk Sunday Sessions 2024

Latest session: Sunday 14 April

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 7 April 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 2 April 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com


Power Plays w/c 15 April 2024

ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
KATH & THE KICKS Neptune (indie)
THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
LAUREN FREEBIRD Like A Bomb (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 15 April 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)


To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to a Twitter account



Popular (last 10 days)


This entry was posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply