Hannah Robertson returns with yet another gorgeously dark single, taking her dream pop sound in a more twisted direction.
Beginning in a realm of dreamy and hypnotic guitars, the track quickly awakens you with a rush of distortion and drums, bringing a gnarly edge to Robertson’s dream pop production.
The influence of groups such as NewDad and Slowdive is evident within the dreamy shoegaze-inspired production. However, an underlying darkness brings a nasty edge to the ethereal track, making it more dream rock than dream pop.
The anticipation built up through the verse explodes in the chorus, which musically acts as a dark counter balance to the airy intro.
Throughout the track, the performances and production are exceptional, helping build a dark, dreamy atmosphere with their crispness.
If you love groups like Wolf Alice and enjoy hypnotic, dreamy production, then this track is perfect for you!
Specky Cult’s sophomore album blends rock and folk together to craft a unique voice with a truly North East perspective.
The first track, Come Back Kid, immediately sets the scene for the record with a folky feel reminiscent of groups such as Fleetwood Mac. The acoustic guitar on the track immediately establishes this, as gorgeous piano lines drive the track forward, opening the LP in fine fashion.
Love Crap then takes the LP in a different direction, embracing more of an alt-rock sound while maintaining a folk edge. Just imagine a hard rock Lindsey Buckingham, and you are along the right lines. These are joined by synths in the mix, which enrich the listener’s palette.
The LP takes another twist on the third song Seriously, which begins in a manner which echoes About A Girl by Nirvana, before opening up into an interesting melodic flow and a refrain of “seriously” which imbues the chorus.
The group channels Bob Dylan with a lovely mouth organ beginning on Alibi, continuing the folky vibe of the record. The chorus of “I’m not your alibi” sends out a defiant message, hammering home the theme of the track.
Everything Is Awesome brings back the rock guitars, along with a beautiful MOOG synth line that mirrors the vocal line. The song’s lyrics are deeply personal in tone, with the chorus sending a hopeful message to the listener.
Lovely guitar swells adorn Hell Before Breakfast, building towards a great chorus. The track is then immediately followed by Anthems and Tantrums, which takes the folk vibes up to ten with its gorgeous production.
Pull The Plug bursts to life with dominating guitars, surrounded by lyrics that tackle the challenges of living in the internet age, injecting some sharp social commentary into the album.
The track that follows, Pie and Mash, continues along these lines, commenting on the mundanity of everyday life and stating that all singer Carol Stephen needs is “pie, mash and a pint of ale”.
Pie and Mash – Specky Cult
The title track, A Different Kind Of Difficult, begins with a heavy guitar riff, leaving behind the folk vibe that dominates the album for a classic rock feel filled with nice MOOG lines and gorgeously crafted riffs.
The album then comes to an end on Big Shop, which opens with a fake shop closing announcement that I thought was a nice touch. The track’s instrumentation is warm, contradicting the lyrics that complain about the mundanity of ageing, life, and doing the shopping on a Friday.
Overall, this album showcases the band’s strengths as well as the breadth of their musical influences. If you love classic rock and folk, then the band will almost certainly be for you.
The latest single from The Avelons illustrates the band’s confidence and ability to develop catchy anthems perfect for the summer (even one as depressing as this summer).
An intricate, reverb-drenched guitar opening immediately greets you, starting the track off on an etherial note. This is immediately interrupted by a cacophony of drums, which bring energy and focus to the track.
The overall production of the track is crisp and energetic, allowing the band and the track to shine. Its anthemic nature shines through the massive chorus, which feels tailor-made for festivals and arenas. Complementing this is a gorgeous guitar solo, which ploughs through the track like a wrecking ball.
As the song continues, it only builds momentum, leading to a singalong ending reminiscent of tracks like Seventeen Going Under.
If you like the vibe of groups like Arctic Monkeys, The Wombats, and Oasis, then you’ll love this track.
Irked’s self-titled EP is a rip-roaring explosion of punk rock that combines spectacular lyricism with pure energy.
First track, Snakes, immediately greets you with feedback, acting almost as a power up screen for the EP and providing a perfect preview of what is to come when the bass hits.
In the verse, the instrumentation is controlled yet threatens to explode at any moment. This expectation is fulfilled by the time the track hits the chorus, where we are greeted with a scream and a cacophony of guitars, meeting the anticipation that the track has built up.
The lyrics use intense imagery to bring singer Helen Walkinshaw’s experience of sleep paralysis to life, with the performance matching the vivid imagery of the track’s lyrics.
This gives way to Backstreets, which hits you once again with its primal punk energy while offering a sharp critique of gender dynamics, the dismissal of male misconduct, and the effects of this.
The frustration in the lyrics is perfectly encapsulated by the instrumentation, which fizzes with aggression. At times, this cedes to allow Walkinshaw to emphasise the song’s message and powerful commentary. The track overall is a perfect encapsulation of punk at its very best, delivering pure energy and an attack on societal norms.
Single Crippling Empath explodes straight into the chorus, bringing more incredible performances with some excellent guitar work that runs throughout the EP.
Lanzarote uses personal antidotes to reflect upon recent political history, creating a foreboding atmosphere that the worst is still to come. This is all painted over a canvas of riffs, which help to build up the atmosphere, while allowing the lyrics to shine through.
The EP concludes with Move, which begins once again with drum rolls and feedback before exploding into life. There is more great guitar work, with the entire fretboard getting a workout at times, as well as an energetic performance from the rhythm section, which maintains the energy throughout the tracks on the EP.
Lyrically, the song provides a snapshot of the frustration and obstacles of everyday life and the resilience and determination it takes to keep moving forward, providing a defiant ending to the EP.
Overall, this is an amazing EP front to back and does everything a punk album should do lyrically and musically. If you’re a fan of bands like Amyl and the Sniffers or The Chats, then Irked may have just made the perfect EP for you.
Social Youth Cult deliver their most confident and assured set of singles with their new double A-side offering.
The EP begins with Black Lipstick, which introduces the running voicemail intro that connects both tracks together nicely on the double single.
Care has been taken to give the track a unique production. I particularly enjoyed the drum track, which sounded distant in the mix, giving the song a distinct feel.
Gothic guitars surround this in the mix, drenched in heavy reverb that echoes the early work of The Cure. Decorating all of this are the gorgeous vocals, which bring gravitas to the track and a haunting energy.
Overall, the track emphasises the gothic edge of the group’s music, with dark lyrics and a stark vibe reminiscent of groups like Siouxsie and the Banshees.
The second track, Different Language, buzzes with energy and an almost live style of production, bringing immediacy to the track.
It’s clear that across the two tracks, effort has been made to make the production stand out among their contemporaries. With its sparse yet raw feel, the group succeeds in crafting an intriguing sonic palette to complement their songwriting.
The strong vocal delivery continues in this track, with a touch of Nick Cave in the delivery, especially in the first verse. Lyrically, the track alludes to love turning sour, twisting this theme into a dark and moody vibe.
The guitar work on the track is incredible with a more aggressive approach which complements the overall feel well.
Overall, these latest two tracks from Social Youth Cult find the band continuing to mature and grow to excellent effect.
Northern Hospitality’s latest single Break Free, sees the group snarl their way through a punk-inspired energetic track. From minute one, you are greeted by aggressive and snarling riffs, perfect for getting the mosh pit started. This is before the drums fade in, creating a full frontal assault on your ear drums.
Frontman Gaz Price snarls over this terrific backbeat, which never lets up, venting his inner turmoils and frustration at life.
Each verse is interrupted by another expertly crafted riff, which matches well with the thunderous drum beat.
From listening to the track, it is clear why the band is starting to pick up attention, having played alongside the like of Pete Doherty, Kaiser Chiefs and Feeder, building a name for themselves within the region.
If you’re a fan of punky melodies that are as catchy as they are aggressive, then you should definitely check out the track.
The latest single from Alastair James combines the very best of Rock and Americana to produce a delightful foot stomping anthem.
Taking influence from the likes of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen, the Middlesbrough singer-songwriter blends genres and ideas on the track to excellent effect as he continues his comeback after time away from music.
James addresses his personal struggles in the lyrics, singing about the vertigo he suffered as a result of surgery on his hand and leg, and the mental strength it took to get him back to doing what he loves.
Both musically and lyrically, the track is defiant, opening with a distorted guitar intro that is guaranteed to get your foot tapping. This driving guitar line perfectly complements the lyrics about moving on, triumphantly gliding through the track.
The influence of heroes such as Springsteen and the Kinks is evident by the time the song reaches the soaring anthemic chorus.
The overall effect makes you feel as though you could be on a road trip down Route 66, with a real uplifting heartlands feel.
A beautifully played guitar solo adds to the tracks positivity and builds anticipation for an amazing climax.
Overall, this song radiates positivity and heart, with James defiantly moving on from his struggles and, with music as good as this, into a bright future.
Last Case Scenario’s latest single is an energetic ode to youth, combining pop punk riffs with singalong choruses to great effect.
The Newcastle group combines a number of different influences on the track, from the riotous energy of bands like Green Day to the pop punk delivery of groups like Sum 41.
Altogether, this leads to a song that yearns for the good times and spontaneity, something reflected in the energetic nature of the track.
Opening with a distorted guitar riff, the track immediately hits you with a party vibe, something reflected in the lyrics celebrating having a good time with friends.
This is all powered by in your face drums and a punchy bassline that propels the track forward. The singalong nature of the chorus reminded me of Green Day and very much puts the “pop” in their pop punk sound.
The give and take between those two influences is further emphasised by the gorgeous guitar solo, which is played with precision and energy, adding a touch of rock energy to the already raucous track.
New elements are regularly added to the mix to draw the audience in, with the use of repetitive guitar lines adding a different flavour.
Overall, the track is a great pop punk track, which will delight fans of bands such as Blink 182 and Paramore.
Joyland brings the summer vibes with their slick new single, Leaving Tonight. Combining a number of different influences, the track’s shiny production hides a set of yearning lovesick lyrics.
Hailing from Newcastle, the five-piece has slowly gathered momentum over a number of years, something evident in their latest single.
Over three sun-kissed minutes, the group cultivates a catchy yet sophisticated vibe, drawing from various influences in the indie and pop genres.
The piano opening of the track echoes The 1975‘s If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know), with its stark, reverberated keyboard intro. This gives away to a guitar line washed in distortion and reverb straight out of the Sam Fender playbook.
The piano leads the track front and centre of the mix, alongside the amazing vocals, which are delivered with emotion and are well integrated into the track’s aesthetic.
As the buildup to the chorus begins, you can feel the band’s songwriting ability shining through as they expertly weave their way through the song, demonstrating their knack for producing a catchy indie pop melody.
The track’s strengths lie in its ebbs and flows, with various breakdowns building tension that is effortlessly released by the time of the chorus.
This gives way to a gorgeous guitar solo that sounds effortless. This is all enhanced by the excellent production, which boosts the track’s already strong songwriting.
This all leads to a really catchy, strong single from Joyland, perfect for the hazy weekends of festival season. The group are definitely ones to watch, and this is a bandwagon worth jumping on as they continue to head in one direction.
The latest single from That Clare is a gorgeous tapestry of sound and positivity, confronting toxic attitudes while delving into the personal and emotive issues that have shaped her.
The trans singer-songwriter combines a number of different influences on the track to amazing effect, boldly confronting toxic influences within her deeply personal lyrics.
That Clare In Concert – Photo by Andi Christ – @andichrist19
The track begins with a beautifully worked synth, reminiscent of the work of artists such as Mitski. The synth bed sets a dreamy vibe of the track, further enhanced by a lovely arpeggio guitar line building on the instrumentation. Combined, the instrumentation echoes of post-nineties Radiohead with its atmospheric tone.
The musical landscape of the first half of the track is stark and ominous, reflecting the lyrics which reference feeling lost.
The production by Lisa Murphy does an excellent job of building the atmosphere and growing the momentum of the track.
This momentum pays off around the halfway point of the track, where the song goes up a gear, upping the tempo and bringing a fullness to the instrumentation that matches the defiant nature of the lyrics.
Self love is very much the message from this point on, with That Clare shutting the door on negative influence and embracing herself. “You can do it without them” is the overriding message and acts as a powerful, empowering declaration.
Consciousness does an excellent job of weaving a number of diverse influences together to create something unique and personal. The defiant message of the song will resonate with many and illustrates the Teesside singer’s bold voice, which is endlessly captivating.
Humbug North East 