With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Music reviews, gig reviews, fun trivia and extra added random stuff!

The Mayhem Monthly Top 20 Artist Chart – November 2021 (and October 2021) November 30, 2021

Filed under: Mayhem Top 20 Chart — justwilliam1959 @ 11:34 pm
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Thanks to a site called Obscurify. It claims to tell you how obscure your listening on Spotify is. Compared to the rest of the UK I am now supposedly 99% more obscure than other users in the UK, which has increased from a mere 90% in July! It also lists my most obscure artists, (the top three of which have been there since I began doing these posts) which currently are

Woke Up Dead

Promethium

Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate

Seagoth

The Notorious Lightbulbs – this lot also made it to number 7 in the top 20 for November!

So who were the top artists for October (29th) and November (20th)? Check the full lists below, but I can reveal that Delilah Bon was the chart-topper in October, her second time at the top and her fourth appearance overall. Once again it was Dame David Bowie in November for his fifth time at the top. There are a few new artists in there, notably Dea Matrona, Joy Crookes and, Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton. I was pleased to see Apollo Junction, Emily Capell and, Nightmares On Wax making an appearance too. Also plenty of the usual classic acts, including Elton John, Amy Winehouse and, the Biffy Clyro. Regular readers know that as I share this Spotify account with my wonderful wife Catherine (a.k.a. Catwoman) a few artists finished much higher than they might have done if they were only my choices 🙂 Notably the Carpenters and Rick Astley. Give Obscurify a spin and let me know what your chart looks like and how obscure your tastes are 🙂

Mayhem’s Top 20 Artists on Spotify (November 20th 2021)

David Bowie
Nightmares On Wax
Damon Albarn
Radiohead
Carpenters
Rick Astley
Notorious Lightbulbs
Avalanches
Emily Capell
Biffy Clyro
Blur
Apollo Junction
Ima Robot
Bruno Mars
Millie Manders & the Shut Up
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Bunny Wailer
Norman Connors
Joy Crookes
Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton

Mayhem’s Top 20 Artists on Spotify (October 29th 2021)

Delilah Bon
Elton John
David Bowie
Steven Wilson
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Durand Jones and the Indications
Amy Winehouse
Emily Capell
Billy Nomates
Biffy Clyro
Strange Bones
T Rex
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
Darts
Counting Crows
Nightmares On Wax
Cleopatrick
Beans On Toast
Be Bop Deluxe
Dea Matrona

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“Mad, Bad & Baggy” – Notorious Lightbulbs February 23, 2021

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 10:47 pm
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I first became acquainted with the Notorious Lightbulbs almost two years ago when I featured them in the Mayhem Virgins series. They also provided a great Christmas message for all With Just A Hint Of Mayhem readers last December. Well this funk fuelled duo made up of Diego Wilde and Crystal Miss from the North East of England have a new single out, and in keeping with their talent for great titles it’s a another winner, it is called “Mad, Bad & Baggy”. It has a strong jazz funk feel that would get me on the dance floor. The keyboards have a great Joe Sample vibe going on and the band have maintained their expert grasp of crafting a top notch pop melody. Something about it made me imagine George Michael covering it and he would have made it even more special. The Notorious Lightbulbs keep their mysterious air with their ever present steam punk style shades. Is it really that sunny in the North East. Personally I think this is their best release and they have issued some great stuff before this. If you haven’t got into this funky, punky, disco outfit yet then get started now! That’s an order!

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A Christmas Message From The Notorious Lightbulbs December 22, 2020

Filed under: Christmas,Christmas Message — justwilliam1959 @ 1:08 pm
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So many great bands and so many great Christmas messages, this one is from the Notorious Lightbulbs. This is their third appearance in these pages and there will certainly be more! Check out their fun Christmas message below. Also you need to get this band in your life, check out their socials below.

Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4WDP5gS2IkcDquvRnoatAS?si=OIFAIrecTBiJkWhsXYTxYw

Instagram
the_notorious_lightbulbs

Twitter
@Lightbulbs_Band

The Notorious Lightbulbs have a lot of plans for next year, so watch this space, and their social media obviously!

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With Just A Hint Of Mayhem – Singles Round-Up 2020 Part 12 September 5, 2020

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 5:09 pm
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Here we are with our twelfth singles round-up of 2020. This one features six great tunes, which found their way into the world over the past few weeks. These six tracks feature another great selection of bands and singers from Pickering, North East UK (via London), Middlesbrough, Switzerland, York and Norwich. Only two of these acts are new to With Just A Hint Of Mayhem and they are Andrei Poliakov and Mammal Hands and I am sure that they will all feature again sometime in the future. Get onto this batch of top tunes now!

“Turn Me Down” – Hunter Gatherer

Pickering in North Yorkshire has produced top cricketers and even a top snooker player. But now Pickering can lay claim to producing an incredible rock band, Hunter Gatherer. The boys are back with another cracking single. Full of gargantuan riffs and fine metal melodies. This lot are still on my list to see live post COVID-19.

“Dance Through This” – Notorious Lightbulbs

Those classy popsters Notorious Lightbulbs are back with a slice of pop dance perfection that will not fail to get your feet and body moving to its hooks and beats. “Dance Through This” is a magnificent feel good anthem with a golden groove that will leave you with a smile on your face.

“Say Nothing” – Swears

Coming out of Middlesbrough like a rogue steam train on speed Swears are talented grungey rockers. “Say Nothing” is the 2nd single taken from their debut EP ‘Seersucker’. It is a magnificent rock song that deals with mental health issues. At times they remind me of one of my favourite bands, Avalanche Party. Get Swears on your playlist now!

“Declaration Of Love In The Moonlight” – Andrei Poliakov

This is probably not my usual listening fare, but having it playing while sitting down to read late at night is refreshingly relaxing. It splices classical piano with jazz motifs. The feel of it suggests night time in the same way that its companion piece “Declaration Of Love In The Sunshine” suggests a warm leisurely summer day. Music to chill to, get yourself a cold drink, a comfortable chair and take a listen.

“Make It” – Jacob Clayton

Jacob’s first release “Inside Our Minds” suggested he might fit into the folk genre. But “Make It” busts right out of those genre boundaries. It is a chilled, electro styled tune that showcases the depth of talent and potential that Jacob has. He definitely deserves to be heard.

“Chaser” – Mammal Hands

Do you like electro? Do you like jazz? Can you imagine a jazz electro fusion sound? You can? Then you have just imagined what Mammal Hands sound like. As well as jazz and electro I sense an element of prog in what they do too, this is a vanguard release from their album which is due this month. It is a single that bodes well for the album in my opinion.

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Mayhem Virgins – Notorious Lightbulbs March 25, 2019

Filed under: Mayhem Virgins — justwilliam1959 @ 10:22 pm
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This is another post in the occasional Mayhem Virgins series of artists that are brand new to those of us who squat in the palatial squalor of Mayhem Towers. This time it is the turn of the wacky, punky combo known as Notorious Lightbulbs from the North East of England. The band is essentially a duo made up of Diego Wilde and Crystal Miss. They often collaborate with Danny ‘The Rain’ Allinson and he played or programmed all the drums on their new EP. It was absolute Twitter chance that I came across them after they liked and commented on a recent tweet from me about “Starz In Their Eyes” by Just Jack. I was hotly attracted by their marvellous, magical and magnificent song titles; “Sicadilly Pircus”, “Voodoo Stripper Junkie” and “Mountweazle” to name just a few. But song titles alone don’t make a great band do they? You have to be able to back it up with style, talent, pizazz and great tunes. Notorious Lightbulbs tick all the boxes on that score. Their new EP ‘Captain Mechanical’ is staggeringly good and deserves massive commercial success. Click here to check it out on Spotify.

The four track EP opens with the aforementioned “Voodoo Stripper Junkie” which slams into you like a runaway ten ton truck. This is perhaps the finest song about some kind of stripper since Mansun’s “Stripper Vicar”. It kicks off with a barrage of heavy punk style fuzzy riffs backed by some supremely tight drumming. There is a feel of early Arctic Monkeys here for me, although this has more punch and more electronica than those Sheffield lads did. The guitar solos could have stepped out of any number of 70s classic rock songs. There is an orchestral disco feel to “Far Out” somewhat akin to the Scissor Sisters and even M of “Pop Muzik” fame. The synth shapes on this stay with you long after the song is over. What can I say about “Mountweazle”? It is a splendorous mountain of a song which features a great vocal from Diego, perhaps the best on the EP, although that is a tough competition. I am ecstatically in love with the harmonies on closing track “Make Believe” especially the brief a capella moments.

Notorious Lightbulbs maintain a great air of mystery and are apparently never seen without their steampunk style glasses and hats. Rumour has it that they started life as a part of a creative group named ‘The Notorious Lightbulb Factory’ that wrote music for low-budget horror movies. As well as the new EP click here to check out some of their earlier material on SoundCloud. If you listen to this band and do not almost immediately love them then I suggest you check into hospital to have your musical taste operated on.