rock

Citizens of Yeah – People’s Republic of YEAH Delivers Lo-Fi Complexity and Sonic Depth – ALBUM REVIEW

6th Feb 2025 — Leave a comment

With an elaborate production and intriguing lyrics, the latest album from Citizens of Yeah showcases a project pushing itself towards sonic greatness.

Citizens of Yeah is a musical project based in Ryton, nestled within the Tyne Valley, that has begun to build a reputation for their lo-fi yet complex production.

Over the course of the last few years, the project, led by Jonathan Womack, has slowly released a number of deeply intrguing singles and an album, Thermonuclear Warmth, back in 2023, combining strong songwriting with thoughtful bedroom production.

This is something which hasn’t changed with the release of the sophomore album, People’s Republic of YEAH, which once again places a strong emphasis on production – something that has been carefully considered throughout the ten track LP.

The unique production is evident from the first track, God is my right, where the listener is immediately greeted by crunchy guitars and massive-sounding drums. Lyrically, the song confronts wealth and empire, with an emphasis on taking lessons from the past – something that forms the refrain in the chorus.

The overall tone and vibe of the track reminded me of something from Blur’s 2003 album Think Tank, with a little bit of post-punk thrown in. The production comes across as both shabby and well-put together, maintaining a lo-fi mood that hides the production’s hidden complexities.

Kimberella has a touch of Radiohead to it, with pianos added to the mix. The track combines beautiful, twinkling synth bursts within the chorus before adding some crunch later on through the guitars.

These vibes continue into song 3, Lying on the tarmac, with its dark humour interwoven throughout its lyrics. The track’s long and winding melody acts as a complex path through the song, culminating in the chorus with its sharp lyrics.

Battenburg uncertainty principle switches up the vibe, bringing in huge-sounding guitars that add a lovely crunch to the track. This brings a ’70s rock feel, especially when combined with the trademark lo-fi production. Guitar lines are often left hanging and are messy in all the right ways, bringing a loose feel that gives the song a different twist.

The complex bridges see the distortion turned off in favour of twinkling, plucked guitar lines, illustrates Womack’s talent as a technical guitarist and a production master.

The bass is also a huge element of this LP, something particularly evident on the track Survival of the fittest, which pushes the bass to the forefront of the production. The result is a strong groove that runs throughout the record.

Under a lion’s head once again gave me Think Tank throwbacks, especially with the twinkly beginning, before heading down a more folk-inspired direction with intricate guitar lines that could have featured in a Bob Dylan track.

Next up is 3 Little Piggies, featuring fellow North East group Amateur Orthologist, whom we reviewed back in October. This track served as the lead single for the LP, and we previously reviewed it in detail last year. Within the context of the album, the song shines even more.

War Dogs keeps up the tempo with gorgeous guitar lines decorating the ends of each verse, whereas Theme song for episodic espionage caper brings a larger production to the table with a spy-themed twist.

The production uses brass-inspired synths to strong effect, giving the song a grand feel, and even includes a small melodic nod to James Bond at the end of the track, which I thought was a nice touch.

The epically named Orpheus and Eurydice is heavy on the acoustics but carries the same large-scale production from the previous track. It incorporates ghostly backing vocals and a fuller- bodied acoustic sound, which grinds to a halt for the chorus before building up again.

It is a fitting closer with a great feel, the emotion of the performance bleeding through. Overall, this is a strong sophomore effort with a lot of care and attention to detail. If you like your lo-fi indie, make sure to give it a try.

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.

Sam George’s New Single “Nothing Will Cure It” is A Guitar Driven Gem – Single Review

28th Nov 2024 — Leave a comment

The new single from Sam George is a treasure trove for guitar lovers, packing a variety of styles into one deeply satisfying offering.

The Tyneside artist showcases both his musical ear and talent on this track, skilfully weaving vastly different guitar parts into a cohesive whole.

From its funky beginning to the chunky chorus, there’s a lot to like. The track manages to simultaneously maintain a groovy vibe while delivering strong, memorable melodies.

Attention has been paid to creating a rich array of sounds. It’s almost as if George has decided to channel all of his influences at once and it works brilliantly.

The song builds to a climactic finale that combines two distinct solos together to finish on a brilliant high note.

If you love indie music, you’ll really enjoy this track. From The Smashing Pumpkin-esque vocals to light funky rhythm sections, it’s a gem worth checking out.

Weathership’s Splendid Beast is A Masterclass in Atmospheric Indie Rock – Album Review

24th Nov 2024 — Leave a comment

The new album from Weathership sees the group honing their sound and producing a cohesive project that is pleasing to the ear.

From the first track, Golden Age, the band immediately sets out their stall, employing a groove- based rhythm section, intriguing synth sounds, and intricate, clean guitar lines to craft a distinctive sound.

A siren immediately greets you on the track with an extended intro which reminded me of The Cure without the gothic element. The use of space in the arrangement allows the guitar lines to shine.

The Blue continues in this vein, with some lovely bass lines building a lovely groove. The vocals on this track – and indeed throughout the album – are consistently strong.

The following track, Through the Fog, boasts a huge, beautifully constructed chorus, accompanied by expertly crafted guitar parts. New Occupation continues this with twinkling guitar parts layered over a groove-driven rhythm section, beginning with a delightful drum beginning.

The highlight of the album is Just a Ghost with a magnificent melodic chorus and engaging call-and-response within it. The result is a tight, catchy slice of indie rock.

The massive sound of the album runs throughout the last four tracks. On Electrolung there is more great production with jittering synth and an interesting drum machine. The track reminded me a bit of Radiohead.

Lost at Sea had a massive chorus and beautifully echoing guitar parts to beautifully decorate it before the massive stomping drums of The Swimmer.

Album closer, For The Dark Is Beautiful is a fitting closer, encapsulating everything the album excels at in a grand atmospheric conclusion.

Overall, this album is a fantastic listen for fans of massive sounding atmospheric indie rock.

Touring, Turnips and Bart Simpson: An Interview with Morning Tourist’s Sean McKinney

7th Nov 2024 — Leave a comment

A few weeks ago, I caught up with Sean McKinney of Morning Tourist to discuss his brilliant project, his UK tour (including his Newcastle stop) and exciting future plans.

Our conversation began on a gorgeously autumnal Sunday morning with an update on that latest happenings in the world of Morning Tourist:

“I’ve just finished recording a single, which should hopefully be wrapped up by the end of the week. I’m not sure what this signals the beginning of. The last thing we did was release the LP The Endless Eve in 2023, and before that, we put out an EP that got printed on vinyl and found a home with a label. It was a big moment for the project, being able to present something to people that they could hold and listen to. I’m a huge fan of albums because I love the idea of a collection of work representing a cycle of life or mood.”

This sense of cohesion certainly shines through in Morning Tourist’s music which blends a personal tone with intricate songwriting. McKinney is proud of the personality within his music and is determined to keep it central as he moves forward with new projects under the new production guidance of Ben Andrews.

Morning Tourist Live In Newcastle

“A mate advised me against jumping into a new album too quickly, in case it overshadowed Endless Eve. I’ve been working on new material, but we had to switch producers, as my last one has become a farmer and is now occupied with turnips! It was a bit of a leap, as he helped shape the sound significantly, so parting ways was bittersweet.

However, working with Ben Andrews has been great and really exciting. I’ve brought in some of the touring band to record, which has added richness to the sound.”

Finding the balance between maintaining the DNA of the project and introducing new elements has been important to McKinney:

“It does make me nervous, as I want the music to feel like it’s from the same author, even with new producers and members. The new music we’ve recorded so far isn’t a huge departure, but it does have a slightly different tone, with new instruments in the mix.

I wrote a song on piano, which is a bit different from my previous work, though it’s still firmly within indie rock singer-songwriter territory.”

I really wanted to get to the heart of what drove McKinney to produce the music he does as Morning Tourist and it’s origins came from an interesting place.

“I always joke that my first influence was Bart Simpson. He’s rock ‘n’ roll without being a guitarist or anything like that. As I was growing up, he represented rebellion, and it made me think that rebellion was cool, which is at the heart of rock ‘n’ roll.

I first really got into music around 11 or 12. My brother’s mate had a Green Day album—I think it was Nimrod. From there, I got into groups like The Offspring. Those bands were crucial, as they taught me how to write songs using power chords and verse-chorus-verse structures, which helped me start as a songwriter.

I played bass in a couple of punk bands as a teenager, but as I was writing the songs, I started gravitating towards the guitar. That led me to more songwriter-oriented, acoustic music like Bright Eyes and Death Cab for Cutie.

I began moving away from punk rock and exploring other forms of music. I was definitely a product of the indie boom of the 2000s, with bands like The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys, but I also love Simon & Garfunkel, Michael Jackson, and James Brown—my parents’ influence.

I do get excited by the Cohens and Dylans of the world; I always gravitate towards the song.”

This is something which definitely runs through Morning Tourist’s work with a clear emphasis placed on the song which McKinney perfects before getting to the fun part of “dressing up the song”.

Morning Tourist are currently in the midst of UK Tour, which takes them to Newcastle (Tuesday 12th of November 2024) and also Carlisle. I wanted his take on touring and life as an independent DIY artist in 2024.

Morning Tourist Tour Dates: The Source Carlisle 9th November The Lost Wanderer 14th November
Morning Tourist Tour Dates

“I’m really excited about the tour. I’ll be visiting places I’ve never been, like Glasgow, and returning to spots like Manchester and Sheffield. I’ll be playing some new material live, which I’m looking forward to.

I love touring—exploring cities, meeting people at shows, everything about it is great. We played in the Netherlands recently, and each gig had a unique vibe, from bars to audiences of 300 people. It was exhilarating.”

“The music landscape is quite saturated, though I don’t think that’s entirely new. The democratisation has been good, but it’s harder than ever to get paid, and it’s become a contest of who can shout the loudest.

I understand there’s a game of self-marketing, but I won’t compromise my integrity. I wouldn’t even be on social media if I didn’t make music. I’m not a content creator; I make music, and there are certain things I simply won’t do. I want to maintain integrity and create something lasting.”

That commitment to integrity is evident when listening to Morning Tourist’s back catalogue, filled with distinct songs full of personality. That level of songwriting talent has seen him share the bill with the likes of Mel C and hit the heights of playing Glastonbury twice. I wanted to know how these experiences differed from regular gigs.

“I love festivals, and we’ve been lucky enough to play Glastonbury twice. This year, we played the Green Futures stage on Friday, which was brilliant, as people were full of energy. All my friends came, so it was amazing. The year before, we played Friday and Sunday, which was a dream moment.

We’ve also played Lake Fest and HowTheLightGetsIn in Wales, where we even met Billy Bragg. We did Left of the Dial in the Netherlands, which felt like a bootcamp for emerging musicians. There’s one big room where everyone hangs out together. I’d love to play End of the Road at some point if anyone from the festival is reading!”

Hopefully someone is! Morning Tourist is currently touring the UK and will be playing The Wandering Oak on Tuesday, 12th November with support from Newcastle via Nottingham soul pop artist Remy CB and the previously featured J.W Darwin. Find tickets here.

Amateur Ornithologist Celebrate Their Anniversary in Style with Belle Skies and May Days in Barcelona – Live at The Globe, Newcastle

22nd Oct 2024 — Leave a comment

Friday night saw art-pop outfit Amateur Ornithologist celebrate their anniversary at The Globe with a vibrant live performance.

The night began with support from Sheffield’s May Days In Barcelona, who brought a different vibe to proceedings with a shoegaze-inspired brand of folk that was truly magical to witness.

May Days In Barcelona – Live at The Globe – 18/10/24

An awful lot of effort went into their performance, featuring numerous looper pedals, a violin and a guitar. This 100% paid off, delivering a captivating and engaging performance that silenced the room.

With songs inspired by such things as birds of prey, it’s no surprise that the set felt majestic and beautiful. The set was concluded by a wonderful cover of Smile! No One Cares How You Feel!, which rounded off the musically rich show well.

They were followed by Belle Skies, who shifted the mood from shoegaze-inspired folk to full blown indie rock. I was impressed by the groups stage prescence, which was both captivating and engaging, further enhancing their very unique style of indie rock.

Clad head to toe in medieval regalia, the group took influence from the least obvious places with songs inspired by Saint Rose of Lima, the patron saint of embroidery, and Nosferatu.

This all led to fun and surreal pieces of indie rock, which seemed to draw inspiration from the 2000s with twinkling synths, strings and riotous guitars.

The whole thing came together very well leaving an impression and showcasing their crop of great indie rock songs.

Belle Skies – Live at The Globe –18/10/24

Next up were headliners Amateur Ornithlogist, who decorated the stage in beautiful autumnal leaves and even dotted a few fake crows about for added effect. The group really took full advantage of their headline slot bringing energy and costumes aplenty to bring something different to their show.

However, the focus was fully on the performance, which was executed to perfection with the stage presence matching the quality of the songwriting on show. The whole thing popped with colour and excitement.

Musically, the band falls somewhere in between musical theatre, Talking Heads, and David Bowie, crafting a unique blend of traditional pop and new wave.

The combination of violins, guitars and thumping bass worked incredibly well to create a collage of fun, colourful songs with meaningful lyrics to boot.

Frontman Daniel Clifford’s vocals were excellent, injecting something special into each tune. This was further enhanced by the amazing lyrics, which flickered between personal topics and playful whimsy.

Amateur Ornithologist – Live at The Globe – 18/10/24

Particular highlights included When They Fall, with it’s epic Bowie-esque feel, and Birds Fly Over Me, which has been stuck in my head for days since the gig.

The instrumentation was fantastic throughout the night, with the band sounding tight. I especially want to praise the guitar work, which was truly excellent, without being overly showy with its beautifully clean tones.

The night concluded with a noncore that treated the crowd to a fun cover of Boney M’s Rasputin, a fittingly enjoyable finale with the band’s Talking Heads vibe turned up to ten.

Overall, I had a thoroughly enjoyable Friday night, and I’m excited to see where the group goes next as they depart the live scene to create their next album.

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.

Daniel Maple’s Gorgeous New EP Four Walls Displays His Raw Talent At It’s Best – EP REVIEW

16th Oct 2024 — Leave a comment

Combining experimentation with stark production, Durham’s Daniel Maple leaves no place to hide with his latest release.

From the first track, I Love You And I Hate Goodbye, it is immediately evident how much talent has gone into crafting this EP. With just an electric guitar and his vocals, the Durham singer-songwriter fills all available space with his songwriting talent and terrific singing voice.

The song opens with a gorgeous guitar flourish – something that runs throughout the EP – which sees Maple flex his rhythm and lead guitar skills, crafting complex and intricate melodies which are not immediately obvious to the ear.

Throughout, his guitar skills are matched by a set of defiant lyrics, which add an extra dimension to this beautiful track.

Crying In A Different Key uses musical metaphors to craft a creative set of lyrics that encapsulate Maple’s emotions. This lies atop an intricate rhythm guitar part fitted with a clean tone with an underlying bite.

A beautiful descending opening brings you into third track, Lewis, where Maple displays the strength of his vocals to really sell a touching track. This flows nicely into Waiting In The Catapult, which features a great chorus, with the Durham songwriter getting a lot out of a little.

On this particular track, I found shades of Elliot Smith alongside the influence of Bob Dylan which runs deep throughout the EP’s sharp lyrics.

Lonely Night takes a more full-bodied approach to the guitar work, weaving a beautiful love song that is capped off by a gorgeous set of yearning lyrics. It also features a great solo that illustrates Maple’s phenomenal guitar playing. This gives way to Easier Rider, which has a rockier feel, with more bite added to the guitar.

Closer War and Freedom features yet another complex melody, which still manages to sound warm, providing a gorgeous feel. Maple really saves the best for last, with the vocals delivering an epic performance worthy of the song.

Overall, this is a phenomenal EP that showcases what can be done with just an electric guitar and vocals. I really adored listening to every twist and turn.

North Shields’ Club Paradise’s New EP “Life On TV” Combines Indie, Pop and Emo to Amazing Results – EP Review

10th Oct 2024 — Leave a comment

Combining influences that include The 1975 and The Killers, Club Paradise have found a unique formula for indie pop perfection.

The four piece group, hailing from North Shields, have been slowly working their way up throughout the year, releasing singles such as Chasing The Summer and Years, both of which we have previously covered.

Those teasers definitely whetted the appetite ahead of the release, which combines everything that works on those tracks into a grander piece.

Beginning with Let Me Lose, the group immediately establishes the tone of the EP with a set of keys which feel like they could have walked straight out of a 1975 song-think I Couldn’t Be More In Love with an indie band core.

This is further elevated by a huge bridge that gets you ready for the huge gear shift the group takes you on as they increase the tempo. The vocals are a strong mixture of North East authenticity combined with a definite influence from The 1975’s Matty Healy.

The track concludes with a glitchy guitar solo that is excellently performed and provides a sign of the guitar heaven to come.

Single Chasing The Summer is next up. We covered this in depth back in July – you can read the full review here. The song still sounds like the upbeat summer banger it was when it was released and sounds great within the context of the EP.

Third track, What If These Days, continues the indie themes, winding them around an 80s pop core. The song shimmers with chorus-imbued guitars, conjuring thoughts of the neon guitar pop of the 1980s. Imagine a pop version of The Blue Nile, complete with jangly guitars and a lot of heart.

The gorgeous guitar solos take more influence from 80s rock, bringing a very classic rock feel to the sheen of the rest of the song, which works well. The overall combination of rock and pop influences works well to produce another great song.

Runaways switches things up slightly, throwing pop-punk and emo influences into the mix. This is evident at the beginning of the track, which reminded me of groups such as Blink 182. Gone is the sheen of previous tracks, replaced by chunky guitars that reach their peak in the chorus.

The track also features a great guitar solo, which illustrates the amazing lead guitar talent on show throughout the EP. This gives way to Years another song which we have previously covered. You can read my full review here.

Finisher Interstate is the perfect pick as a closer to the EP with its grandiose production and larger-than-life nature. Once again, the group taps into their heavier sides to produce a dramatic conclusion to the album.

Overall, this EP shows Club Paradise delivering on the promise of their lead up singles. If you’re a fan of groups like The 1975, you’ll love this EP.

Ryder’s “Only The Brave” Showcases Sunderland Group at Their Anthemic Best – Album Review

6th Oct 2024 — Leave a comment

The debut album from Sunderland group Ryder is packed full of anthems from start to finish. Combining the influences of Oasis and Kasabian together leads to an album brimming with heart.

Opening with Forgotten Dream, these influences are immediately evident, with a definite hint of Liam Gallagher in the vocals. The track as a whole reminded me of some of Johnny Marr’s solo work, with the bass breakdown towards the end skilfully executed, adding to the track’s massive overall sound.

Lone Soldier has a nice synth opening which gives it a slightly different feel. This combined with a chorus of voices and heavy guitar work reminded me a lot of Kasabian, especially with its passionate delivery.

Northern Lights continues the trend of massive choruses and soaring anthems, with a very Noel Gallagher-esque solo thrown in for good measure. Whilst Inner City Violence brings some social commentary to record, with some excellent drum work going on on the track.

The bass work on the album is also exquisite, and is particularly showcased on Men in Suits, where the bassline reminded me of Paul McCartney’s work on Taxman.

The beginning of Ziggy echoes of Oasis’ Talk Tonight before the whole band kicks in for the second verse. The song has an anthemic vibe, with some touching tributes to David Bowie baked within the lyrics. It feels tailor-made for a live setting, with a soaring chorus you can easily imagine going down well at a festival.

The title track, Only The Brave, again brings heavy guitars, with a touch of The Clash in the mix while lighter guitar flourishes sit atop of them to great results.

The commentary on problematic men on Hold on Tight is seamlessly woven into this biting track, creating a sharp, aggressive edge.

Heavy guitars pierce throughout Balloons, which features a great recurring guitar line reminiscent of Arctic Monkeys. Finale Faces In The Crowd is a suitably grand ending to this massive-sounding album, finishing the LP on a high.

If you love your anthems and like groups like Oasis, then you will definitely appreciate this strong debut showing.