Tag Archives: indie pop

Album review: LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS – How To Make Friends By Telephone

Posted on November 8, 2024 by jason
LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS - How To Make Friends By Telephone

Big Stir Records/Bandcamp [Release date 08.11.24] Librarians With Hickeys are an indie pop rock duo consisting of Ray Carmen (vocals, guitars, drums) and Mike Crooker (vocals, bass, organ, piano, keys). They released their debut album in 2020 and this is … Continue reading →

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EP review: CLUB PARADISE – Life On TV

Posted on October 6, 2024 by jason
club paradise

Facebook [Release date 11.10.24] Club Paradise is made up of school friends Ryan Young (vocals/guitar), Jackson Vert (lead guitar), Harry Webb (bass) and Nathan Hogg (drums). They have been together for over a decade and it shows in that they have a tight sound/decent production values. The EP features … Continue reading →

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Book review: On track…THE DIVINE COMEDY by Alan Draper

Posted on May 11, 2024 by jason
On Track...THE DIVINE COMEDY by ALAN DRAPER

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 29.02.24] At end of the 1980s Neil Hannon formed his first line-up of The Divine Comedy. In 1989, he signed a deal with independent label, Setanta Records, which led to The Divine Comedy becoming the label’s … Continue reading →

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Album review: A TREEHOUSE WAIT – Kaleidoscope

Posted on April 12, 2024 by GRTR! HQ
A TREEHOUSE WAIT - Kaleidoscope

Volkoren [Release date 25.05.24] Singer songwriter Jenny Gajicki and producer Emil Sydhage have come together again for this latest piece of Scandi Noir (their debut ‘Interlude’ was in 2016). Jenny has a vocal delivery not dissimilar to the late Dolores … Continue reading →

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Rising Stars: WYNONA BLEACH

Posted on March 19, 2024 by jason
Wyona Beach

Mixing alternative rock, shoegaze and power pop, Wynona Bleach are a 5-piece from Belfast, NI. 2021 saw them sign to legendary indie label Fierce Panda (Coldplay, Placebo, Death Cab For Cutie); in early 2022 the band’s debut album Moonsoake was … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: RYAN HAMILTON, RURA, RACHEL BAIMAN

Posted on March 9, 2023 by jason
RYAN HAMILTON Haunted By The Holy Ghost

RYAN HAMILTON Haunted By The Holy Ghost Wicked Cool [Release date 10.03.23] Texan singer-songwriter Ryan Hamilton is back with his third album and he has been hailed by Spin magazine as one of the ‘35 Best Lesser Known Artists of The … Continue reading →

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Album review: HAMISH HAWK – Angel Numbers

Posted on January 3, 2023 by jason
HAMISH HAWK - Angel Numbers

Post Electric [Release date 03.02.23] Hamish Hawk’s 2021 album ‘Heavy Elevator’ turned this reviewer into a firm fan and expectations are high for this new album. Hamish Hawk again works with Rod Jones of Idlewind on the album. The title … Continue reading →

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Album review: IAN McNABB – Ascending

Posted on October 19, 2021 by jason
IAN McNABB – Ascending

Website In 1981 the Icicle Works released a cassette of their earliest demos., which went to John Peel and the like and was sold at gigs. As the band developed, songs would get left behind and replaced with newer ones. … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE HONEYRUNNERS – Everything Is On Fire

Posted on October 12, 2021 by jason
THE HONEYRUNNERS – Everything Is On Fire

Gypsy Soul Records [Release date 22.10.21] This is the debut albums from The Honeyrunners, a four-piece Toronto group (expanding to eleven members for larger shows) consisting of singer/songwriter Dan Dwoskin (keys, lead vocals), audio-engineer/producer, Guillermo Subauste (bass, vocals), Conor Gains … Continue reading →

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Album review: MAXIMO PARK – Nature Always Wins

Posted on February 20, 2021 by jason
MAXIMO PARK – Nature Always Wins

PIAS, Prolifica [Release date 26.02.21] Maximo Park have been around since 2001, now releasing their seventh album ‘Nature Always Wins’. Although I had heard of Maximo Park I had not heard much by them and that I have swiftly rectified … Continue reading →

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EP review: THE LICKERISH QUARTET – Threesome Vol. 2

Posted on January 10, 2021 by jason
THE LICKERISH QUARTET – Threesome Vol. 2

Stranger Danger [Release date 15.01.21] The Lickerish Quartet return with their second four song EP. The band comprise ex-Jellyfish members Roger Joseph Manning Jr, Tim Smith and Eric Dover and like the much missed Jellyfish, they carry on that band’s … Continue reading →

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Album review: PICTUREHOUSE – 1999 Live in Dublin

Posted on November 28, 2020 by jason
PICTUREHOUSE – 1999 Live in Dublin

Website [Release date 27.11.20] Ahhh live music we miss you so and even someone like me who isn’t normally a big fan of live albums has been playing a lot of live tracks this year. So when of the many … Continue reading →

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EP review: SEMISONIC – You’re Not Alone

Posted on August 1, 2020 by jason
SEMISONIC – You’re Not Alone

Order link [Release date 18.09.20] Back in 2001 Semisonic went on hiatus before returning in 2017 with a series of shows. In between times singer and main songwriter Dan Wilson enjoyed a successful career as a songwriter and producer for … Continue reading →

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EP review: YAKIMA – Go Virtually

Posted on March 27, 2020 by jason
YAKIMA - Go Virtually

[Release date 03.04.20] Yakima are a four piece consisting of John Houston (guitar & vocals), Neil McArthur (bass & vocals), Paul Bradley (guitar) and Kay McLaren (drums & percussion). The words lo-fi and dreamy pop get mentioned in articles about … Continue reading →

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Album review: JOCASTA – Ideas Are Bulletproof

Posted on March 19, 2020 by jason
JOCASTA - Ideas Are Bulletproof

TA Music [Release date 20.03.20] Tim Arnold now has multiple roles as singer, songwriter, showman, composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer. But Arnold’s first musical incarnation was as lead singer and songwriter of the 90’s indie rock band Jocasta. ‘Ideas Are Bulletproof’ … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: KIWI JR, OF MONTREAL

Posted on January 22, 2020 by jason
KIWI JR. – Football Money

KIWI JR. – Football Money Persona Non Grata [Release date 17.01.20] Kiwi Jr. hail from Canada and feature Alvvays’ guitarist Brian Murphy amongst their ranks, with the group’s main songwriter being Jeremy Gaudet. They pack it in with ten songs … Continue reading →

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Gig review: SNOW PATROL – Regent Theatre, Ipswich, 21 November 2019

Posted on November 27, 2019 by jason

Sometimes, just sometimes, true magic happens and a band clearly demonstrate the incredible power of music to change the world. With a song or even a phrase or small collection of notes or possibly just a word they can break … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: D’ERCOLE, THE WAY, SPEARMINT

Posted on October 29, 2019 by jason
D

D’ERCOLE The Ballad Of C.L. Rock Company [Release date 11.10.19] It’s that man again, Phil Vincent, on another release following hot on the heels of the Forest Field album. D’Ercole is a band affair with Damian D’Ercole (guitar) and B.F. … Continue reading →

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Gig review: THE DIVINE COMEDY – O2 Academy, Oxford, 13 October 2019

Posted on October 13, 2019 by jason
The Best of 2019

Seeing the Divine Comedy live has been top of my bands to see list and I was very happy to be able to finally see them at a sold out show at the Academy (or the Zodiac as it was … Continue reading →

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Album review: SWIM DEEP – Emerald Classics

Posted on September 9, 2019 by jason
SWIM DEEP - Emerald Classics

[Release date 04.10.19] Swim Deep formed in 2011 and their first two albums made the UK album charts. However, last year they were sat at a crossroads in their local pub – The Emerald, from which the album takes its … Continue reading →

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Album review: MY LIFE STORY – World Citizen

Posted on August 8, 2019 by jason
MY LIFE STORY - World Citizen

Exilophone [Release date 06.09.19] To my musical shame My Life Story have completely passed me by until this album arrived for review, which means a lot of catching up for me as they are masters of lush pop and are … Continue reading →

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Album review: EMPIRE CIRCUS – Ti

Posted on February 1, 2019 by jason

Paper Scissors Rock [Release date 01.02.19] Empire Circus formed in 2012 and released their self-titled debut album the following year. The line-up remains that of Alan Doyle (vocals, guitar), Neil Eurelle (bass, vocals), David Walsh (guitar, keyboards) and Brian Ellis … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: TALITHA RISE, GIULIA MILLANTA

Posted on May 28, 2018 by GRTR! HQ
TALITHA RISE An Abandoned Orchid House

TALITHA RISE An Abandoned Orchid House Sonicbond [Release date 01.06.18] This full length debut from Sussex based indie folk singer songwriter Talitha Rise is an ambitious, ethereal, set that at times bears the hallmarks of Robert Plant’s Zeppelin and solo … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: SNAFU, BELL XI, ADRENALINE MOB

Posted on July 10, 2017 by jason
SNAFU Live Nottingham 1976

SNAFU Live Nottingham 1976 Angel Air www.angelair.co.uk [Release date 04.08.17] Snafu featured vocalist Bobby Harrison and guitarist Micky Moody amongst their ranks, although Micky Moody left the band shortly after the tour this gig was recorded from and joined Whitesnake. … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: D’ERCOLE, JIM JIDHED, BEACHEADS

Posted on January 3, 2017 by jason
D

D’ERCOLE No Place Like Home This is the fourth album from melodic hard rock band D’Ercole and they have released it themselves having left Z Records. The album features Phil Vincent as the main songwriter and producer (does this man never … Continue reading →

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