Jamie Lenman [Interview]

jamie lenman press shot

UPDATE: TMMP has been reborn! This video has the full story:

Click here to subscribe for free on YouTube!

Of all the shows I caught during Independent Venue Week, Jamie Lenman’s Saturday night acoustic set at the Boileroom in Guildford most effectively captured the community spirit celebrated by IVW. Intimate, emotional, and packed with Lenman fans old and new, it was a genuine experience made truly special by Read more…

Posted on 03 February 2015

TMMP’s EPs & Tracks Of 2014

I have a very strong emotional attachment to many of the releases listed below. Choosing this list was exceptionally tough; I’ve been fortunate to discover some incredible bands and artists over the past year, and it’s safe to say that outside this list lie a great many immense tunes that can be found via a quick browse through TMMP’s archives when you’re done with this lot. However, the following choices are the cream of the crop. Read more…

Posted on 27 December 2014

The Subways / Bleech / In Dynamics [Live Review – The Boileroom, Guildford, 4/10/14]

Screen shot 2014-10-05 at 15.24.27Now this was a real rock show. TMMP favourites In Dynamics got things off to a wicked start, performing flawlessly to an already-rammed Boileroom and running through epic tunes old and new. Immense alt-rock crackers like Waking Life and personal favourite The House sound extra fierce live, while In Dynamics’ freshest songs hint at a slightly heavier djent-influenced direction spiced up with even more delicate clean sections. In Dynamics are slowly carving out their own niche somewhere between Biffy Clyro and Arcane Roots, showing promise, progress, and some real reasons to get excited about their future. Read more…

Posted on 05 October 2014

Dragons That Make Love To Pandas – ‘Roundabouts EP’ [Review]

dragons that make love to pandasTheir name might evoke images of seedy backstreet Chinatown massage parlours, but Dragons That Make Love To Pandas offer much more than just happy endings. Every moment on Roundabouts is masterfully tuned to elicit maximum pleasure of a different sort – the kind of excitement that comes from having one’s auditory cortex stimulated by a unique combination of stylistic elements. DTMLTP drop ska, math, guitar-pop and more into the musical equivalent of CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, and what emerges is appropriately awe-inspiring. Read more…

Posted on 24 September 2014

In Dynamics Discuss: The Boileroom & UK Live Music

in dynamics press shotWith Guildford venue the Boileroom facing the possibility of closure, TMMP caught up with Jack Wrench of Sussex math-rockers In Dynamics to discuss the Boileroom and the state of the UK’s live music scene.

This interview is part of a larger TMMP feature which can be read in full here.

What is your general opinion of the Boileroom?

The Boileroom is our favourite live music venue, and they’ve always been good to us there. It’s not only ground zero for up and coming Guildford bands, but also an essential part of the touring circuit – as well as the local community.  

How did you feel when you heard about the Boileroom’s current problems?

It was a horrifying prospect for us. The possible closure of such a great venue is a very sad thought indeed.

The Boileroom have always been incredibly vigilant when it comes to Read more…

Posted on 10 September 2014

Artists & Industry Discuss: The Boileroom & UK Live Music

boileroom bannerSometimes the old ways are the best.

Over the past fifteen years, the music world has been revolutionised by digital technology. There have been many positive developments facilitated by the Internet, from social media sites to digital music stores and crowdfunding platforms. Smart and savvy musicians now have access to a wealth of tools that previous generations could only dream of – but the physical world still holds the key to a thriving, successful career.

The ease with which a band can break through barriers previously manned by a handful of power-hungry gatekeepers represents the bright side of digital music – but there is also a widely recognised and heavily debated Read more…

Posted on 10 September 2014

In Dynamics – ‘Questions’ [Review]

in dynamics questionsHaving heard In Dynamics live before checking them out on record, this isn’t what I expected. During Questions, there’s a lot less of the Biffy Clyro sound I noted during their live show, and many more beams of uniqueness poking through the dark thundery clouds of rock. Read more…

Posted on 03 June 2014

A Plastic Rose / In Dynamics / The Cottonettes [Live Review – The Boileroom, Guildford, 1/6/14]

a plasticrose boileroomThe Cottonettes

After a long, very tiring day, I needed a proper full-on rock pick-me-up with a little bit of complexity. The Cottonettes delivered on that first count with a ton of punk rock energy. A little too straight ahead for my liking, but you have to admire their passion; not to mention a knack for some really solid punk songwriting. If punk is your thing, The Cottonettes will tick all your boxes, and you must click their social media link ( provided in the list below) immediately.

In Dynamics

These guys really did it for me. As a longtime Biffy Clyro fan, it’s really heartwarming to hear their influence coming through via the music of a new generation of musicians. The world needs more music that lies a little to the left of centre, and Biffy and their devotees deliver precisely that.

When a band’s first notes gently lull you into a false sense of security before brutally punching you full on in the ear-guts, you know a stellar set is going to follow. If I’m being totally honest, when In Dynamics really got going my inner Cynical Critic Copycat Alarm was triggered for a song or two, but it wasn’t long before the sheet weight of their sound, passion, and confidence – not to mention their tunes – won me over.

It’s official – I am now a fan of In Dynamics. Nicely done, guys!

A Plastic Rose

This set was great fun to witness. A Plastic Rose really know how to relax in front of a crowd and work around the silliest technical difficulties (too-high mic stands, for instance) without getting flustered. A Plastic Rose just seem at home onstage – the mark of a well-experienced band who are going to be doing very big things in the future.

Musically, there’s plenty of grungy riffage with hints of Feeder, Biffy Clyro, and the kind of pissed-off punk energy that harkens back to the roots of modern rock as we presently know it. A Plastic Rose know their history, taking influence from a range of eras – but there’s something about the way they mix it all together that marks them out as something just different enough to really pique our interest.

Although I’d heard of A Plastic Rose prior to this show, I’d never heard them on record. This set was more than enough to make me kick myself for my complacence and rectify that sacrilege ASAP. All the self-kicking meant I had to hop home, but hey – learning from your mistakes is the best kind of learning.

Read more…

Posted on 02 June 2014

%d bloggers like this: