Pennine Suite unleashed their latest single on the world a few weeks ago. It has a full, everything including the kitchen sink 21st Century Phil Spector wall of sound production, without the bells. I love the harmony vocals from Louise, it adds depth to the sound and complements Nick’s voice perfectly. The keys are very early 80s indie pop and at times the vocals reminded me of the Human League when they took a detour away from their trademark synth sound with tunes like “The Lebanon” from 1984. harry’s guitar performance here is top-notch. Meanwhile, Moses on bass coupled with the Malfoy metronome that is Louis creates a perfect beat that is mightier than the Hadron collider. This track makes me look forward to a Pennine Suite album even more!
If you have enjoyed this article feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on;
A couple of weeks back I had the pleasure of catching up with Pennine Suite front man Nick Aldous, that was on the eve of the release of the band’s rather excellent new single “Pass On You” which reached 5,000 streams in its first week in the wider world. Nick talks about band names and gigs, spills the beans on his band mates, muses about merch, T-Shirt designs (check out a rather infamous T-Shirt sported by Hugh Cornwell back in the 70s in the picture below) and chats about some of his favourite music among other things! It was great to catch up with him, click here to listen to the interview on Buzzsprout. I hope you enjoy it!
If you have enjoyed this article feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on;
This is the 8th time the mighty Receivers have featured in the virtual pages of With Just A Hint Of Mayhem and this time it is because they have a new single out now. Well technically to those of us who purchased their “Only Human” single on striking magenta vinyl earlier this year it is not so new, as it was the flip side of that fine 7 inch release on Vinyl Eddie Records. But now “Impatience” is available on all major channels and you can still grab a copy of the vinyl single too, just click here to grab one for yourself or as a Chrimbo pressie for your Nan.
I loved “Only Human” but also felt that an even better track lurked on the B-Side and it is great to see “Impatience” begin to get the airplay and recognition that it deserves in it’s own right. It is a psyched up slab of atomically charged garage rock. The magnificent, mesmerising and magical guitar riffs and licks from lead guitarist Alex give the song a dark edge which is supported by a megaphonic Stygian, almost shouted vocal from Nick. Meanwhile the finely tuned rhythm section of Louis and Harry drive the track like a freshly serviced Rolls Royce. I think that his is a step away from the Receivers comfort zone and personally I love a band or artist that is prepared to step over the line and out of the box. This is a stunningly catchy shadowy punk-infused, apocalyptic indie anthem bodes so very well for a Receivers album when it arrives!
If you have enjoyed this article feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on;
Well Covid-19 has just about fucked up everything this year hasn’t it. Record Store Day (RSD) 2020 was postponed from April to June and then when June was cancelled it was split into three ‘drops’: August 29th, September 26th and October 24th. The first of those was last Saturday and featured most of the big releases including David Bowie, Mansun, the Cure and Gene among many others. I had the honour of helping out in my fantastic local record shop, Vinyl Eddie’s on the day. My pay for that task was the sheer pleasure of doing it and the two Bowie releases!
The pandemic meant that it was a long way from a typical RSD, with only four customers allowed into the shop at any one time and persuading those customers to focus on just the RSD releases with no browsing options. I was outside managing the queue while Vinyl Eddie himself and his Dad, John made sure all the sales went without a hitch. We were also treated to a short set by ace local band the Receivers who had released their new single, “Only Human” the day before. Having expected an acoustic set I was more than pleasantly surprised to see them bring amps and the full band. They set up on the pavement with drummer Louis setting up his kit pretty much in the road! With a few plays of the new single, some other new tracks and some Receivers classics I am counting this as my first gig since March 14th. Sadly the video that I thought I had taken on my phone, didn’t work 😦
I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who turned up and bought vinyl, to the Receivers for a great set, to Richard Saker the Guardian/ Observer photographer (check the Guardian RSD piece by clicking here, I was gutted my own picture didn’t make it) and most of all to Eddie and John Parkinson for giving me the opportunity to help them out on the day! While I am looking forward to RSD 2020 part 2 and part 3 I am hoping for big things and a degree of normality for RSD 2021. Long Live Vinyl and Keep The Faith!
If you have enjoyed this article feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on;
Those dashing, dapper, debonair, daring, discerning, dynamic, dynamite, devil-may-care dudes the Receivers are back with a bang. Well in fact they are back with a banger in the shape of their new single “Only Human”. From the opening riffage you are lifted into the world of a band that is very much at the top of their game. This song is made for freaking out and going somewhat slightly mental to in a muddy festival field.
Probably the best vocal performance yet from lead singer and guitarist Nick. Meanwhile the rhythm section formed by Harry’s thunderous bass boom and Louis’ mountainous drumming purrs like a nicely run in Rolls Royce engine. On top of that add the sublime riffs and licks performed by lead guitarist Alex. The Receivers are coming out of the other side of COVID fully fit and ready to fight their way to the top. They might be only human but this is a single with super powers! These lads eat Kryptonite for breakfast!
You only have a couple of days to wait for “Only Human” to hit the streets, it is out on 28th August. But if you want to pre order it click here for the bands website. There is a fabulous 7 inch vinyl version from Vinyl Eddie Records available and that is the one I am hoping to get!
If you have enjoyed this article feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on;
Here is the second ever With Just A Hint Of Mayhem Podcast. This time it is an interview with one of York’s finest young bands, The Receivers. I hope you enjoy it. I would love to hear your comments!
This Sunday, 5th May sees the launch of Vinyl Eddie Records at Fibbers in York. A great record store promoting excellent music in York. One of the labels first releases is from the Receivers, a northern dynamo of a band from York. Their EP, available on vinyl, is called ‘There’s More To The World’. To be pedantic though back in the day a six-track release would most probably be called a mini album, but that is splitting hairs and I have none left to split. Is this a good release from this fine band? Well, read on to find out.
The record kicks off with “Leave The Right Marks” a pulverising rock song that arrives with colossal force and doesn’t relent for its full three-minute life cycle. Nick’s vocals are particularly strong on this one and the lead guitar work from Alex is exemplary. But the engine room of Harry’s bass and some full on Bonzo Bonham style drumming from Louis is like a finely tuned formula one car. It holds everything together on this delicious hard rocking opener. The next track “Saturday” is one you may have heard before as it was a taster release from the boys back in March. It takes the indie guitar sound to greater heights and has a late 70s post punk ambience about it. For some strange reason it brings to mind the Bluetones classic “Slight Return” for me, I have no idea why. The chorus is a sticky earworm that burrows into your head and refuses to come out.
The wave of pulsating power riffs that opens and underpins “All Your Friends” is compulsive, enthralling and after two spins convinced me that this is my current favourite Receivers tune. It has a feel of early U2 with guitar work that would make Dave Evans proud. Meanwhile “That’s What They Told Me” takes Nick’s vocals into the territory of Mark E Smith and John Lydon in his PiL peak. It is a discourse on modern life for the young, well that is certainly what it feels like to me. The next song is called “Rimshot” and for those dirty minded people reading this please note that a rimshot is a percussion technique used to produce an accented snare drum back beat. Anyway the song is redolent of Oasis when they were good and would compete well with almost anything from the first two albums from the Burnage Boys. The guitars on this track are very Noel Gallagheresque. This collection signs off with the nicely chilled majestic come down of “Grand Central”. A song that might have come from my favourite BritPop era band Gene with a vocal that is as good as anything Martin Rossiter ever committed to vinyl.
This is a damned fine release which will get the boys even more recognition and exposure and deservedly so. Word is getting out about the Receivers and they have been played plenty on local radio and feted by the local press. They have even had a spin from Steve Lamacq. ‘There’s More To The World’ heralds the start of what could be a great career for Nick, Harry, Alex and Louis collectively known as the Receivers. You NEED to own a copy of this record, so I suggest you do whatever you can to make it so. Most companies really fear having to call in the receivers, but York’s Receivers would and should be welcomed everywhere to ply us with their intelligent, thoughtful and frankly bloody marvellous tunes! If you miss out on a copy of the record then click here to take a listen on Spotify.
STOP PRESS – UPDATE – the excellent video for “Saturday” is now below and click here to find this future classic on Spotify!
I have received a very tasty sneak preview of “Saturday” the new single from one of York’s finest bands the Receivers. It will be available on streaming sites from Friday 22nd March. I urge you to check it out when it is released. It is a punchy, exciting track with a harder edged indie sound and a feel of classic late 70s post punk like maybe the Motors. The soaring vocals on the chorus slide into your brain like a fish-hook after a couple of listens and believe me this is one metaphorical fish that is not going to be thrown back into the river. The musicianship is first class especially the distinctive guitar melodies, shapes and jangly riffs.In a perfect world this song would be all over the airwaves, but this is not a perfect world, but if any radio stations want to prove me wrong on that score then go ahead. Nick, Alex, Harry and Louis (a.k.a. The Receivers) are a tight band that are clearly passionate about what they do and I can see this release really helping to put them even more firmly on the map. I had the pleasure of seeing these boys live at the Fulford Arms back in January, click here to read that review. The single release will be supported by a short spring tour, get yourself a ticket now, that is an ORDER!
While you are waiting click here to check out some of their other great stuff on Spotify.
STOP PRESS – UPDATE – the excellent video for “Saturday” is now below and click here to find this future classic on Spotify!
With Just A Hint Of Mayhem 