With so many contemporary rock bands lining up to give the sellout gods a rimming, albums like this are a welcome fucking relief. Rat Scabies has been around far longer than the aforementioned, and throughout P.H.D. he makes it clear that he hasn’t lost his connection to the punky vitality that kick-started his career as a member of The Damned Read more…
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When you have five albums, a Grammy nomination, and sellout arena shows behind you, where do you go from there? How do you propel yourself over those final few hurdles and hit that next level? Needtobreathe now face that problem – a quality problem, sure, but a problem nonetheless Read more…
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UK: get ready for an Australian invasion. With their new album Hoops, The Rubens are patiently strutting their way toward world domination – and any blues- and soul-oriented rock fans whose ears get bent by those eleven tracks are likely to find themselves swept away.
Produced by a behind-the-board team boasting Grammy wins and collaborations with Lana Del Rey, Coldplay, and The Strokes, it’s little surprise that Hoops sounds as big, flavourful, and vital as it does. Check out my full review here, and read on for an in-depth chat with The Rubens… Read more…
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With Hoops, Australian chart-toppers The Rubens have penned an instant classic breakup album. Infusing a fuzzy rock foundation with plenty of soul and drenching the whole thing in organs galore, each song on Hoops sees The Rubens illuminate a different point on the journey from the beginning to the end of the end and beyond:
Hallelujah: A worldly and cynical “son of a gun” hopes to be saved by a heavily intellectual girl.
The Night Is On My Side: Hoops’ main protagonist struggles to keep his emotional distance while spending the night with Read more…
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Southern-fried blues rock. Deep-pocketed grooves, filthy riffs, and pitch-perfect guitar solos. Sound like your thing?
Then meet The Greasy Slicks.
Fool Me Twice is made up of four tracks rare in terms of both rawness and quality. The Greasy Slicks have managed to capture the spirit and energy of a captivating live show on record here, and the results sound and just are immense.
Eyes Wide Black starts things off, wasting no time in Read more…
Picture a hoedown in Hell. Demons dancing around fire pits, tormented souls screaming lyrics at the top of their lungs. That kind of thing.
Birds With Broken Wings is the perfect soundtrack to that kind of party.
Recorded over three weeks of ten-hour days with a gang of Ben Caplan’s dream collaborators, you can easily hear the bloody-minded love, passion, and Read more…
2015 has been a big year, soundtracked by a slew of spectacular albums. Picking an overall favourite was a pretty stressful task – and in the end, Jon Gomm’s gorgeous collection of live fan picks and what is, in my opinion, the definitive modern-day Joe Satriani album both had to go on top.
Deciding who would ultimately top the tree was made infinitely easier by putting them in alphabetical order by surname; if you put a gun to my head and demanded I choose between Jon Gomm and Joe Satriani in terms of quality, you’d just have to shoot me. They’re two sides of the same coin, Jon Gomm representing the acoustic world, Satriani the electric. Put together, these guys represent almost unparalleled guitaristic virtuosity.
In joint second place, you’ll find a whole host of alphabetised winners who would each be done a terrible injustice were they to be placed in a lower position. From legends with glittering careers spanning decades to stunning comeback albums and a fair few brand new names facing bright and hopeful futures, TMMP’s top albums of 2015 are all here.
Dive in – there’s a lot to get stuck into – and follow TMMP via Twitter for more from the world of world-class music in 2016!
1) Jon Gomm – Live In The Acoustic Asylum
1) Joe Satriani – Shockwave Supernova
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2) Read more…
Since 2007, 2000 Trees has evolved into one of the UK alternative music scene’s most treasured institutions. Combining a fiercely independent ethos with a super-positive DIY attitude and the backing of many brilliant musicians, this festival is not one to miss. For TMMP, the lineup alone is absolutely mouth-watering.
Eclectically-minded music buffs are guaranteed to find themselves satiated at 2000 Trees. Diversity is key at big events, and Read more…
I normally hate tribute acts. I’ve seen a fair few in my time, and they never fail to bring out a borderline-allergic reaction in me. After witnessing a Rage Against The Machine tribute whose guitarist looked like Alastair Campbell, I secretly swore that Read more…
I love seeing musicians progress in leaps and bounds – and Andy Ruddy has done exactly that. The last time I saw him live, Andy Ruddy seemed reserved and nervous – but both qualities have now been completely eliminated, replaced by a confident and strong yet still warm and approachable presence. With a strong stage show, great songs in the singer-songwriter vein, and an album on the way, 2015 is looking very good indeed for Andy Ruddy.
Martin Harley is a local legend, and it’s almost criminal that Read more…