Middlesbrough

Josh Atkinson Delivers Anthemic Indie Brilliance with “If I Can Be With You” – Single Review

26th May 2025 — Leave a comment

Middlesbrough’s Josh Atikinson’s anthemic single “If I Can Be With You” demonstrates his songwriting talent, bringing gorgeous melodies to the table.

Taking influences from the likes of Willie J Healey, you can really hear the craft that has gone into the songwriting on this track.

Weaving a beautiful melody into a tightly produced arrangement, you can feel the ambitious vision for the track, which is fully realised.

At its heart is a solid acoustic melody on which the rest of the track is built, leading to a massive chorus that feels made for arenas.

The influence of groups such as The Last Shadow Puppets can be felt in the sweeping and grand operatic production, complete with choral backing vocals.

This is all completed by a set of lyrics which look to Atkinson’s past, delivering weight that the instrumentation demands.

Overall, if you love melodic and dramatic indie rock, then this is definitely one to give a try.

Televised Mind Deliver a High-Energy Indie Anthem with Their Latest Single “National Hero” – Single Review

13th Mar 2025 — Leave a comment

The new single from Televised Mind is a feel-good piece of indie pop which feels both fresh and nostalgic with its intense and infectious riffs.

Racing at breakneck speed, the track combines spoken-word vocals with incredibly quick guitar riffs to excellent effect.

As seen by the attention, the track has been receiving from such outlets as Radio X and 6 Music the result is an amazing bit of indie rock.

Combining the likes of Arctic Monkeys with groups such as The Drums the result is something which feels both fresh and nostalgic nodding to the past whilst carving out a unique sound.

Daniel Maple Delivers a Bittersweet Christmas Folk Gem – Single Review

23rd Dec 2024 — Leave a comment

Daniel Maple has taken his brand of folk balladry and filtered it through a beautifully bittersweet Christmas lens.

This folky Christmas tune shows Maple at his best, demonstrating his talent with a guitar in his hand.

He weaves a beautiful finger-plucked melody throughout this song, providing a strong backing to the complex narrative.

Using Christmas imagery to tell an emotional story, Maple truly displays his songwriting chops on the tune, which reminded me a lot of Jeff Buckley.

If you’re looking for something fresh this Christmas, why not give it a listen!

Alistair James Hits New Heights with the Anthemic “Queen of Big Livin” – Single Review

8th Dec 2024 — Leave a comment

Alistair James’ latest single sees him stretching his musical horizons with a hearty piece of country rock.

Drawing on influences such as Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and David Bowie, James combines beautifully woven lyrics with classic rock riffs on the Queen of Big Livin’.

The riffs, in particular, reminded me of The Rolling Stones, with their bluesy, in-your-face energy that strikes you from the very first notes.

This perfectly suits the lyrics, which James crafts around these riffs, using characters to build a compelling narrative that hooks into the momentum created by the excellent guitar and drum work.

Things switch up nicely when the bridge hits, bringing in a warmer melody that breaks from the punchy style of the verse and chorus.

Overall, the track comes together seamlessly, weaving the influences of The Stones and Ryan Adams to produce a wonderful track.

Middlesbrough’s Boy Found Sound Delivers Haunting Emotion and Atmosphere in New Single “Monochrome” – Single Review

17th Oct 2024 — Leave a comment

Boy Found Sound’s latest single is a heartbreakingly beautiful track, which further showcases the Teesside artist’s incredible songwriting talent.

The ethereal-sounding track has a chilled production, beginning with a great guitar line that shines above a well-crafted drum machine beat.

Lyrically, the track confronts loss, with Boy Found Sound laying everything bare throughout, producing an amazing set of deeply personal lyrics.

When the chorus comes along, it really pops, backed by an ethereal-sounding synth that adds to the track’s cold production.

As the song progresses, the drum machine is replaced by a slow, pounding drum beat, bringing a new energy to the track.

Overall, this is another really strong song from Boy Found Sound, combining a range of influences together to produce something both beautiful and original.

J.W. Darwin Delivers a Gorgeous Indie Pop Anthem with ‘Jenny Moves Slow’ – SINGLE REVIEW

7th Aug 2024 — 1 Comment

J.W. Darwin’s first solo release sees the Middlesbrough singer combine catchy melodies with a gorgeous sonic palette to produce a stunning indie pop single.

Beginning with a gorgeously rich textured synth line that fills the sonic canvas, Darwin builds an atmosphere that showcases his heart-on-sleeve approach to songwriting.

The result is a hearty dose of indie pop reminiscent of singer songwriters such as Hozier. The big pop chorus feels earned by the careful preparation that Darwin takes to build the tension within the verses, fulfilling the melodic potential of the track.

Attention has been paid to ensure the songwriting keeps you on your toes, with a tempo shift in the second verse accompanied by a bright guitar line dancing throughout.

Overall, the catchy melodies and smart production make this a great track to check out.