JW Paris have just released their fourth single “Electric Candle Light” it is a supreme slab of dirty, scuzzy, fuzzed-up garage rock. There are influences here as diverse as Dr. Feelgood, Suede, early Libertines, Babyshambles, and even Ian Dury and the Blockheads. (I only learned after typing that previous comment that drummer Gemma Clarke played with Babyshambles from 2003 to 2005!) Aaron Forde bass and vocals) cites even more influences in his statement “We have drawn influence from all our favourite artists including Blur, Suede, Jack White, FOALS, Joy Division and Rolling Stones” Gemma (Drums) said of the track, “it has a mixture of dirty guitars and any analogue synth we could get our hands-on in the studio“. Danny Collins (vocals and guitar) said that “’Electric Candle Light’ is a futuristic-analogue-nostalgia fuelled track all about those nights where you seem to fall into a time-lapse and wish for those past better days” Lyrically it is pretty sharp, nostalgic, and quite funny, how can you not feel the passion and history in a line like “make a copy onto a floppy and allow me to drive” I challenge music fans to listen to this and not instantly love it as much as I do! Click here to stream it on Spotify.
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Outlaw – Sleeve Art – Credit Paul Evans, Painted Papillion Smile
Crowded House once told us “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and that should be a mantra for the good things in life. It is clear that uber talented York band followed that advice and have never given up their dream. Maybe that is helped by the experience of supporting Leeds United, but nonetheless, never lose your dreams people. Since reemerging on the scene a few years ago Skylights trajectory has been close to perpendicular. They have played some amazing support slots and for 2022 there will be the first album, homecoming shows at Acomb Working Men’s Club, A headline show at the O2 Academy in Leeds, and a support slot at Bridlington Spa with one of their heroes and influences, The Enemy.
skylights – live Leeds University – photo by Mark Tighe
Just to make things even better they release their latest single, “Outlaw” today, March 25th on 42’s Records. It is their most punk-inflected tune to date and in my opinion would make an amazing choice to open the album, although I am sure it is a bit late for this old bloke to influence that decision! It carries shades of New Order, Joy Division, and early Oasis, back in the days when the boys from Burnage were a great band. “Outlaw” is a live anthem in waiting and I can’t wait to hear the lads pump it out on stage. Click here to stream it on Spotify. I believe that this is the greatest Skylights single so far, and there have been some classics! Get this tune and this band in your life, NOW!!!
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The Dead South are a breath of fresh air. Their press release calls them an anomaly and that is a perfect description. A collision between the Carter Family and the Addams family as the press release continues. This so crazy it works version of a System Of A Down song just blew me away. Substituting the muffled rock sound of SOAD for banjos, mandolins, cellos, and guitars is a wacky idea that works so well. The stop-start nature of the original is maintained and the breathless quickfire vocals too. This then gives way to the full-throated harmony vocals on the slower section. The riff shouldn’t work but it absolutely does and these guys are very skilled in both picking and singing. This has to be one of the most refreshing off-kilter acts of inspired musical madness I’ve heard in a very long time. If you listen to other tracks by this band they are great but this particular song is on a different level. The Dead South are alive and well and hopefully coming to a venue near you very soon. Don’t miss them.
Click here to check out the parent album, ‘Easy Listening For Jerks Part 2’
Written by Paul Bamlett.
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The spanking new single from up-and-coming York band Pennine Suite hits the world on 25th March. I love its rather wonderful and almost eerie “ooh ooh” hook which stays with you long after you have listened to the song. Pennine Suite carries more depth of sound and are slightly less punky than the Receivers (who included three of the five members of Pennine Suite). “Pass On You” is reminiscent of some of the best early 80s post-punk and it epitomises pop-rock at its best. If I have any criticism it is simply that I think the track could be slightly longer than 2 minutes and 19 seconds. But as the band’s singer, Nick Aldous pointed out to me, you just need to play it twice, or more! I also think that someone with great remix skills could make a fantastic dance remix of this cracking song. I have heard the band play the song live and it comes across as a future classic. I recently interviewed Nick from the band, so look out for that appearing here sometime soon! Meanwhile, stream the hell out of “Pass On You”, don’t pass it by, pass it on! Click here to pre-save, pre-add, or pre-order and repeat play it as soon as it hits the streets!
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This was my first Northern Radar gig for a while, but would it be fair to say that Head Honcho Simon P put on a good show, after all, he has never let me down yet. You’ll need to read on to find out how he did with this one though. Unfortunately, original headliners, Sick Joy had to pull out owing to illness, and on top of that only two-thirds of Please Remain Calm were able to make it for similar reasons, their drummer and bass player were missing This meant that Please Remain Calm took the stage first for an acoustic set. But this was no subdued, quiet acoustic set, it was a stunning tour de force. Chloe’s voice has become a towering force of nature with hints of both Amy Lee and Bjork. The guitarist was spectacular while maintaining the cool, calmness, and style of Bernard Butler in his Suede prime. “Smoke And Mirrors” has the makings of a classic future anthem, as does “Fall Apart”. Their cover of the Howl and the Hum’s “Hostages” was sublime, emotional, soulful, and made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, truly a beautiful take on a fantastic tune. I am so looking forward to experiencing a fully amped-up electric set from Please Remain Calm soon!
Please Remain Calm
A new band to me, Sweet May was up next. This is another great band with a resurgent 70s rock style. The lead singer/ guitarist made me think of Paul Kossoff, both visually and through his splendiferous guitar licks. His voice was more Paul Rodgers than Paul Kossoff though. There is hard rock, blues, and a sprinkling of funk in Sweet May‘s sweet sounds. The funk element is courtesy of the superlative drum and bass partnership. On some of the more extended wig-outs, I sensed maybe a Uriah Heep vibe going on. Set closer “Insane” was truly insane, but in an astonishingly good way! I definitely want to see this band again.
Adrian – Vaquelin
Finally, it was time for headliners Vaquelin to storm the stage. After a few feedback issues during their opening number the band moved into a solid heavy rock groove playing songs from their stunningly good debut album, ‘Where Dreams Hurt‘. The band were headlining tonight as Sick Joy had to pull out. But one of the many things that I love about Vaquelin is that they seem to play every set like a headliner, personally, I would hate to be in a band that has to follow them! Callum told me later that he couldn’t hear his guitar for the whole show, presumably fall-out from the earlier feedback issues. But frankly, his playing was up to his usual Jimmy Pagesque best. Adrian was on fire in the vocals department and we need new song, “Broken Windows” to be recorded and released as soon as possible, that was a set highlight for me. Once again the bands showed that Led Zeppelin ‘Hammer Of The Gods’ power with a rhythm section forged in the depths of Asgard! I could watch this band again and again and so could their passionate fans who I previously named Vaquelinians. Well, I suppose I am a proud Vaquelinian too! Did I hear a rumour that they have another album in the pipeline? I hope so!
All pictures, except the gig poster, were taken by me using my very cheap Chinese Android phone. The videos were found on YouTube. If the video is yours and you would like a credit or for it to be removed please let me know.
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Back when I was a teenager I couldn’t bring myself to listen to country music because that is the music that my parents loved. My Mum and Dad were great people but liking the music that they liked just wasn’t cool, or at least that is how my teenage brain saw it. But over the years I have grown to love really good country music. People like Roseanne Cash, Tammy Wynette, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and albums like ‘Sweetheart Of The Rodeo’ by the Byrds. I have also grown to appreciate artists like Elvis Costello and the Rolling Stone’s forays into country. In fact the classic Stones country pastiche from 1978, “Far Away Eyes” is one of my favourite Rolling Stones songs. Anyway having listened to Katy Hurt quite a few times recently, particularly her 2017 album ‘Pieces Of Me’, I thought I would check out her live show at one of York’s great venues, the Fulford Arms.
But before I tell you more of what Katy did, there is the little matter of the support act, Luke Saxton, a rather talented singer-songwriter from York. Luke is a storytelling troubadour with an immaculately downplayed sense of humour. This bloke knows how to entertain and has a wonderfully warm interaction with the audience. His songs remind me of an George Harrison, Harry Nilsson and sometimes lyrically of a young Mark Knopfler. His John Martyn cover was pretty ace, but his own songs are his real strength.
There was a positive hum of expectation as Katy Hurt and her band took to the stage. Katy is recognised as one of the British County music scene’s rising stars, but her authenticity in the genre is enhanced by the fact that she actually grew up in the USA, in Long Island New York. Still in her mid twenties Katy has been singing since she was four years old. The band kicked off like a Saturn V rocket off the launch pad with two proper thumping country rock tunes. Katy really knows how to work her crowd, and to be fair there were some real hard core Katy fans at stage front, apparently this was the third time that Nigel had seen the band this week! New song “Over And Done” sounded good when it was given a beautifully played airing early in the set. The band are hugely talented and help Katy show that she is more than “just” a country singer. There are blues elements, country rock like the Eagles and I suspect that this band could play any genre, particularly the guitarist who really makes his instrument sing. Katy’s song’s are what really makes the show though. Last year’s “Sounds Good In A Bar” single is clearly a fabulous song but also a brilliantly crafted crowd singalong fest. If pushed I would have to say that “Ride Home” was my personal highlight and is my current favourite Katy Hurt tune, although the first encore song,”Unfinished Business” was a close second. Both of these tunes are built on a kind of sad lament but build into fiery crescendos. The bluesy set closer totally showcased the depth of style that Katy and her band have. It was on this song that I thought Katy evoked her inner Dolly Parton so well. Check the tour poster at the head of this post, you might still be able to get tickets to see Katy play live!
Speaking of Dolly, she turned down her nomination to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame this week which lead to a lot of on line chat about who might play on and produce the “hopefully great rock ’n’ roll album at some point in the future, which I have always wanted to do!” (extracted from Dolly’s Twitter statement). Well I reckon Katy and her band should be involved in that record somehow. Let’s get this message to Dollyworld as soon as possible!
All photos, apart from the tour poster, were taken by me (not on my cheap Chinese Android phone) on a proper camera! Videos were all found on YouTube.
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Following her sublimely beautiful “St Philomena” single from last year the divinely talented Ruby Addy has given us another truly gorgeous tune. It was written and performed by Ruby and it is a song that will haunt you for a long while after you have listened to it. Vocally she combines the clarity of Karen Carpenter and the soul of Adele’s most heart-wrenching tunes. Lyrically “Roadkill” is gorgeously constructed and very deep. I suspect it is one of those lyrics that could be interpreted in many different ways by different listeners. Can lyrics get any darker than “Quiet as a whisper? Soft as a prayer. I’ll tear my brain from my skull and you won’t even care” or “Paper skin and chalk-slick bones. My perfect tragedy. Please don’t forget me“. This is a tune that is more stunning because of the sparse piano sound overlaid with Ruby’s, almost ethereal voice which oozes, pain and emotion. “Roadkill” belies Ruby’s youth and is the kind of tune I can imagine Nick Cave covering. Based on her two singles to date, Ruby deserves huge success both as a performer and a songwriter. How could anyone not love this tune? When the Ruby Addy album arrives I will be first in line to buy it!
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This was the third Fully Live Showcase and I think the first that I have been able to make it to. It was originally scheduled to showcase four bands, but unfortunately New Age Vinyl had to pull out, hopefully, I will get to see them sometime soon. But that still left three bands on the bill, one of which I have seen before, so more of them later. A huge thank you to the Fully Arms team for pulling together such a great showcase! First on stage was Anthea Drive, a great band whose style brings some of the best 70s rock vibes into the 21st Century. Even before the arrival of new vocalist Michelle earlier this year Anthea Drive were very good but now they are stunningly good. Michelle took to the stage around three songs in after the lads had warmed up the crowd nicely. She adds an amazing new dimension and depth to the sound with her soaring voice and powerful stage presence. Michelle confided in me before she took to the stage that she was a little nervous, but that didn’t show at all, she and the band smashed it. The band is very tight and well-rehearsed and Michelle’s voice at times took me back to 70s rock a la Girlschool, Fanny, and even Suzi Quatro. Standouts for me were “Yes, I Want To Be A Ballerina” and the mountainous “Prisoner Of War”. I recommend you catch this band live as soon as you can, you will not be disappointed.
Anthea Drive
Next up was Doghouse Derelicts, I already liked them simply for the name. To be fair they were never going to be in the doghouse and they are most certainly not derelict. With at least three great singers in the band, their vocal harmonies were supremely well put together. At times I was reminded of Little Feat, Ronnie Lane, Free, and maybe the Eagles and I think that eclectic list of bands shows just how talented and versatile Doghouse Derelicts are. They know how to rock, they have soul and are simply a bloody brilliant rock band, I will definitely be looking out for more live shows from them. On top of that, they really seemed to be enjoying themselves too. Dave Budgen and Tim Hutton brought the band together some years ago while playing as part of the magnificent Dub Pistols. On stage, Tim Hutton was referred to as rock royalty and if you check out his cv that is probably true he has worked with so many music legends. Those legends include Afrika Bambaataa, Amy Winehouse, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Dub Pistols, Fela Kuti, Groove Armada, Lee Perry, Liam Howlett, Mike Skinner, Paul Oakenfold, Professor Green, and Tony Allen to name just a few!
Doghouse Derelicts
The last band on tonight was the rather wonderful City Snakes who I saw for the first time just last month, also at the Fulford Arms. If you could store the energy that these lads (and their hardcore fans) produce I reckon you could light up the city of York for a month. Are City Snakes the solution to the current energy crisis? Possibly! They have shades of the best of British punk and new wave in their sound from the Clash and the Undertones with an extra dollop of US class via the Strokes. They also have a similar approach and swagger to early Arctic Monkeys. I previously described them as having that dirty glam sound that the New York Dolls were so good at, and they have it in buckets! But don’t take the mention of all these bands to mean that I think these boys are copyists, they most definitely are a spectacularly good fuzzed up, punked-up garage band in their own right. The whole band was on form but I want to give a particular shout-out to the rhythm section, they were on fire to an erupting Vesuvius level tonight. City Snakes know how to rock and they know how to party, if seeing them live isn’t on your bucket list then there is something wrong with you! I should mention their fans too, who shorn of t-shirts and with snakes drawn on their backs moshed like their lives depended on it! I don’t want to reduce their street cred, but I met one of the band’s Dads tonight and he is a top bloke and obviously a huge City Snakes fan!
All the photos, apart from the gig poster, were taken using my cheap Chinese Android phone, hence the shady as shit quality! The videos were all found via YouTube. If any of the videos are yours and you would like me to credit you or remove them please let me know.
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Until last week I had never heard of Manchester-based Caulbearers – hard to believe that I have missed out on their infectious and totally engaging music for the last 10 years. That, I’m happy to say, has now all changed, and I can’t get enough of them! Released by Single Cell Recordings on the 25 February 2022 their new upbeat 2-track single, comprised of “Twisted Cord”, an impressive funk-rock track, and a completely different B-side “Synching (Bubbling Spring Remix)”. The title track is a masterful mix of guitars, drums, bass, and synths producing a rich and layered sound. I have been binge-listening to this awesome track (and all of their previous releases) and each time I listen I hear a multitude of genres; electronica, jazz, pop, funk, world, and folk. That’s no surprise when the tracks have been mixed and mastered courtesy of Seadna Mcphail (Badly Drawn Boy, Jah Wobble, Everything Everything, I Am Kloot, Happy Mondays) and Jim Spencer (New Order, Johnny Marr, Charlatans, Factory Floor). The track kicks off with a catchy and gritty guitar hook, which stays throughout, and is also my earworm at the moment! This song explores different musical areas and often hearing nuances of Flamenco and sometimes Arabic sounds, all enhanced by renowned violinist, Olivia Moore, whose own work fuses jazz with Indian classical music.
This track also features a myriad of Manchester-based musicians such as pianist John Ellis (The Cinematic Orchestra, Stone Roses’ John Squire, Corinne BaileyRae, Tom Jones, Lily Allen) and bassist Alex Berry (The Earlies, King Creosote, Daniel Johnston, Thea Gilmore, Micah P Hinson). The band is fronted by Damien Mahoney, the driving force behind Caulbearers. He was a co-founder of Single Cell Collective, a group of artists, activists, and musicians from a housing estate in Hulme, Manchester, from where it all began. Together with guitarist Anton Hunter, cellist Stefan Skrimshire and drummer Phil Bennett they create a perfect musical delight. Ruth Blake also contributes background vocals in her ongoing collaboration with the band, bringing an unexpected folky feel to the track. “The songs are rarely stories specifically, but more like moods, deep emotional states or parallel worlds that we enter into, where scenarios, perspectives, and protagonists can shift and morph with a dream-like quality,” says Damien Mahoney.
The B-side, “Synching (Bubbling Spring Remix)”, is a complete contrast to the main track. It first appeared on their ‘More Lie Deep’ EP back in 2011, but don’t let that put you off. It meanders gently through some melodic glockenspiels, muted electronic drums, and cello strings producing an ethereal dreamy listening sensation. The song features Rob Turner (GoGo Penguin) on drums and Julie E Gordon (Happy Mondays) on backing vocals alongside Damien Mahoney. I was taken back to 1984 when I first heard this track, reminding me of Paddy McAloon from Prefab Sprout. That sophisticated musical style, breathless verses, and crisp rhythms. Emotional and melodic, Mahoney’s lyrics describe some of the profound experiences and teachings he received at Buddhist retreats many years ago, which have helped to lift long-term depression. It’s a B-side, but not one to be overlooked. Hurry up with the album and can’t wait to see you guys live!
Written by Juan Brooks.
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A great listen for March is the debut solo release from Manchester-based artist Richard Evans. On his album, ‘Sentinel’, he says: “It is an electro-pop concept album. It’s important that art has something to say about the world we live in and there is no bigger issue than climate change. The album is my take on the different facets of the subject – from the impact of micro-plastics to the paranoia of COVID, all in a pop package.” The project was recorded during various COVID lockdowns and developed from his acclaimed multimedia 60-minute live show. It has been performed at festivals across the country including Manchester Science Festival, Art Futura in London, EnableUS in Sheffield, and Light Night Leeds. It will have massive appeal to those who love electro-pop and 80’s synth music. Using a Roland System 8 and a Korg Wavestate, Richard Evans achieves a well-crafted futuristic sound, its roots planted firmly in German techno but transporting us to the present. His synthpop / vocoder-based creations paired with his mellow timbre, explore modern-day problems.
Even though his voice has a remarkable similarity to Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys, Sentinel, a true concept album, demonstrates clearer parallels to the work of Canadian duo Rational Youth, Kraftwerk, New Order, and Jean-Michel Jarre. There are 8 vocoder-loaded tracks on the album. Having listened to it non-stop all morning, I’m taken back to the New Wave sound of the ’70s and ’80s, and everything that was great about the music back then. And then I’m transported at warp speed back to the present with the sound of modern synth pads. The opening track “Made Of Stars” seems to suggest that our substance of life comes from space and that in fact we are made of stars. The lyrics are simple, vocoder vocals and sequenced synths create a very easy to listen to opener and sets the scene for what’s to come. “Brave New World” describes a chilling world not too dissimilar to Aldous Huxley’s novel, where children are created outside the womb and cloned in order to increase the population. Although we are living through different technology to Huxley’s time, we are now using CRISPR to edit genomes, alter DNA sequences and modify gene functions. To accompany this dystopian vision Evans creates a layered sound of haunting synths and a perfect drum accompaniment. Every now and then I swear I could hear some Duran Duran-inspired choruses. And why not, their name was inspired by a science fiction movie after all!
The stripped-back and uncomplicated track “2084” tackles the global issue of climate change. ‘2084’, is also the title of a book by John Lennox: ‘2084 Artificial Intelligence, The Future Of Humanity And The God Question’. Covid has now been with us for over 2 years now and in “Trick Machine” Evans looks at the idea of how we are now living through what’s been called the ‘anthropause’. The chance to examine the impact of our own absence. During lockdowns, we all experienced the great ‘human pause’, and wildlife scientists are now examining what this has meant to our environment and to us as humans. The clean sound and danceability of this track would not be out of place in a nightclub or a late-night bar, a lovely chilled-out piece of music. Similarly, the next track, “The Last Of Us”, projects a strong electro beat and is coupled with some short and to-the-point lyrics. “5,4,3,2,1,0 – Feel the new vibration, Feel the new vibration, Feel the new vibration. Are we the last of us?”
His single “Black Rain”, released January 2022, is about the atmospheric nuclear tests that were carried out in the ’50s and ’60s and the impact on today’s climate change issues. ‘On the streets of Hiroshima, Little Boy falls, still wants to play…On the shores of Fukushima, Little Boy smiles, still wants to play.’ Evans shows us here that nuclear disasters, intentional or otherwise, continue to take place and nothing happens, we don’t learn. OMD tackled the same issues when they wrote about “Enola Gay” (the aircraft that carried the nuclear bomb, Little Boy, killing more than 100,000 civilians in Hiroshima). Their version was a very 80’s dance song, this one is more sombre, perhaps a bit more fitting. “All Fall Down”, looks at Evan’s view of COVID paranoia. He sings about masks, visors, isolation, etc, but I think more interestingly, are his references to the FSB (the Russian Federal Security Service) and CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) ‘watching us’. It would suggest a much more sinister agenda from both superpowers, which aligns with some of the Covid conspiracy theories out there. The track hosts Evans’ melodic vocal timbre and is tastefully accompanied by infectious downbeat keyboards and drums. Jean-Michel Jarre clearly influencing this particular track. This masterpiece of an album/project/social comment closes with the track “Constellation”. Is Evans predicting the impending doom of the planet? Or is it more a plea for hope? ‘Kassandra’s plight, Her sacrifice’ is not a reference to the video game Assassin’s Creed but to a Trojan priestess of Apollo in Greek mythology. In modern usage, we use it to indicate someone whose accurate prophecies are not believed.
Richard Evans’ ‘Sentinel’ is a well-crafted piece of music. It’s sometimes has a chillout feel and sometimes a dance feel, but first and foremost it’s a social commentary on many issues facing us today. Enjoy listening to it and even better, get to one of his performances where he brings this to life…a powerful audio-visual experience. The album fell to earth on the 25th of February, courtesy of Cold Star Media, and is available through the usual streaming channels. There is also a limited vinyl edition, 180gsm on white vinyl is available to order exclusively through Digger’s Factory. Just 300 copies are available. The vinyl edition is scheduled to ship in April 2022. Watch Richard Evans perform Sentinel live on, the 11th of March at the Arts, The Old Fire Station, Oxford.
Written by Juan Brooks.
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With Just A Hint Of Mayhem 