The Kut have really won me over with their fresh and epic blend of assorted alt-rock stylings. When they hit their creative and original stride, the Kut look set to do some serious damage to any stuck-in-the-mud traditionalist’s sanity; but on this EP, the harsh truth is that Read more…
Jesus Henry Christmas…this is something else. The Kut mix a whole bunch of grunge and alt-rock influences, all of whom happen to be bands I love. Alekhine’s Gun mixes Deftones-esque vibes with Read more…
Opening with Tom Morello-esque volume swells and kicking into a raw and stately Karnivool-style groove, The Trap is one of my favourite scene-setters in some time. I knew Everything Is Fine would be sick, but Read more…
The “death of the album” has been declared many times in recent years – but nonetheless, musicians keep making them and are showing no signs of stopping (and thank God for that!). Almost a decade and a half into the twenty-first century, there still exist bands and artists capable of composing immersive, engaging, and fully satisfying collections of songs that stand up to repeated, unshuffled listens. Here are fifteen of them. 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…
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…
Flatline Stereo
Really cool pop punk delivered in a straight-ahead, no frills manner. Think Green Day but British, and you’re most of the way there. Read more…
Making the jump from the practice room to the stage can be a worrying proposition, more of a leap of faith than anything else. Onstage, you’re not only relying on your own skills, or even those of your bandmates; you’re also putting the success of your show in the metaphorical hands of the venue and its equipment.
Last night, technical issues came close to ruining it for everyone – but the following bands still got the job done, and deserve your time and respect simply for getting through this show with their sanity intact: Read more…
I’m going to skip any introductory stuff and just jump to…
For Astronauts And Satellites
…because fuck me, I have no idea how these guys do what they do. I’ve heard of chiptune before, but since I’m not much of a gamer I always dismissed it as being a bit too geeky for my tastes. Judging by this display, I was dead wrong. Read more…
Last night, I left this show in an ambulance. Now, given Nick Oliveri’s reputation as a hellraising rock demon, you’d be forgiven for jumping to conclusions here – but the truth is a lot less rock ‘n’ roll than whatever you’re thinking right now. More on that later. Before we get into why my exit was so dramatic, and of course how immense this show was, you need to know a little bit about the state of grassroots live music in the UK today. Read more…