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…
Sofar Sounds are the most fascinating live music promoters you’ve never heard of. A global collective of music fans, Sofar tap into humanity’s need for community, connection, and intimacy by hosting secret small-scale shows showcasing the talents of a diverse range of artists. This evening’s event took place in an endearingly arty Brighton basement – an appropriate location for what was to come. Read more…
Biffy vibes, buckets of energy, raging outro riffs, and one of the most random videos I’ve seen this side of Baby Godzilla’s YouTube channel. All of my yes is being given to Fish Tank right now. Definitely a band to watch out for in 2015. Read more…
Things have been pretty heavy on TMMP of late, and the weekend’s just around the corner. Enter Australian exports Sticky Fingers and their soaring, gritty party-rock anthem, Just For You. Sod winter’s freezing creep – close your eyes and be transported straight back to your favourite sun-drenched festival field. Read more…
In Guildford, Monday night is student night – and normally, it’s not pretty. Last night, though, the streets were almost deserted, the freezing air probably prompting the town’s partygoers to settle for a night in front of the fire instead. Those in the know, however, headed Star-ward to check out one of the local scene’s favourite live acts, and give a chance to whoever might be supporting them. Read more…
As a born and bred Rock Guy, I’ll admit to feeling a tad dubious about this show. After all, mod culture is historically defined in opposition to more or less everything I stand for – but still, this evening proved to be worth the trip. Woking-based gravy bass purveyors Birdsworth got things off to a fitting start with gritty tunes that wouldn’t be out of place in a British gangster flick; The Tapestry‘s quirky rock’n’roll took things up a level with offbeat melodicism and sharp-edged riffs; and New Street Adventure blew me away with expensive-sounding chords, powerful soul songs, and a virtuosic showing from lead guitarist Billy Farr. Read more…
Variety is the spice of life – and Demob Happy are living, breathing proof of that fact. Press-ganging almost every grunge-related rock subgenre into a wickedly unpredictable set, Demob Happy spread buckets of good cheer and solid rock riffs around the Boileroom’s main room. If you fancy the musical equivalent of an early Christmas, look no further than the links below. Read more…
Now 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…
Their 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…
Belladonnas
Given how inexperienced and nervous Belladonnas were, critically deconstructing this set and expecting it to meet professional-grade standards wouldn’t be fair. Although Belladonnas have some decent songs and got a good crowd response, more practice and gigging experience is definitely needed. Effective grunge sets always seem as if they’re on the verge of falling apart – but beneath it all is a solid core of highly experienced musicianship that enables the performers to find the right balance between rags and riches.
With time, I’m sure Belladonnas will find that balance too.
Happy Accidents
Melodic garage punk that could fit easily onto the Scott Pilgrim soundtrack. Rough edged pop songs with cool grooves and a decent if patchy vocal performance. Nothing massively original and more work needed, but well done and entertaining. Read more…