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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jun 3, 2020 12:04:47 GMT 1
There are a few album tracks well worth checking out "Then Because She Goes", " Roadkill", "Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy)" and "Playing on My Mind" but I doubt I will give it another listen, I will just add a few of them to my playlist
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jun 6, 2020 13:21:41 GMT 1
THE REFLECTORS - First ImpressionRelease date: May 29, 2020
The Reflectors are a 4-piece Power Pop band from Los Angeles California clearly inspired by Undertones & Buzzcocks tinged teenage frustration rock n roll and 70's Power Pop bands like The Records/The Raspberries and The Nerves. Citing the Nerves and Buzzcocks specifically as influences, the band's crunchy guitars and wistful chord progressions hark back to the '70s, while lovelorn lyrics prove to be deceptively timeless. 1. Act a Fool 8.5 2. Teenage Hearts 8 3. Attraction 7.5 4. Situation Critical 7.5 5. Champagne 9 6. Storm and Thunder 7 7. Baby It's You 7.5 8. Break Me Down 8 9. It's Alright 7.5 10. U Should Be My Girl 8 11. Caught Me off Guard 8
SummaryIf you like 3 minute power pop heavily influenced by 1970's bands like The Records, The Nerves or Buzzcocks then this is an album you have to check out. Their debut album is full of some great power pop songs, not a genre you come across that often these days, they mix it up too with punkier entries like "Situation Critical" and the sad melodicism of "Break Me Down". 7.86/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jun 7, 2020 21:22:07 GMT 1
SPORTS TEAM - Deep Down HappyRelease date: June 5, 2020Having caused a stir up and down the country with their chaotic live shows, speaking their mind in interviews and having semi ironic jollies to the seaside Sports Team certainly have the character to make it in the music industry but do they have the songs? Well we are about to find out because the Cambridge based band have just released their debut album. 1. Lander 8 2. Here It Comes Again 7 3. Going Soft 9.5 4. Camel Crew 9 5. Long Hot Summer 7.5 6. Feels Like Fun 7.5 7. Here's the Thing 10 8. The Races 8.5 9. Born Sugar 7.5 10. Fishing 9 11. Kutcher 7.5 12. Stations of the Cross 7.5
SummaryWell Sports Team are certainly a lively bunch, the first thing that stands out here is their witty and sometimes wacky lyrics, the Cambridge-formed six-piece have poured all of that zest into their debut, Deep Down Happy. It took me a while to warm to them but they are one of the more interesting new bands around at the moment. Going Soft, Here’s The Thing and Fishing are excellent songs 8.20/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jun 8, 2020 18:03:52 GMT 1
ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER – Sideways To New Italy
Release date: June 5, 2020Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, also sometimes known as Rolling Blackouts C.F are an Australian indie rock band formed in Melbourne in 2013, they released their debut full-length album, Hope Downs in June 2018 and have been steadily creating a buzz. Two years later see’s them release their follow up album Sideways to New Italy which has been met with universal acclaim from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 84, based on 11 reviews. 1. The Second Of The First 8 2. Falling Thunder 8 3. She's There 9 4. Beautiful Steven 7 5. The Only One 7.5 6. Cars In Space 7.5 7. Cameo 8.5 8. Not Tonight 8 9. Sunglasses At The Wedding 6 10. The Cool Change 9
Summary Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever delivers a slice of summer with “Sideways To Italy”, at times they sound like a cross between The Delgados and Nada Surf, they have that same wistful melancholy. I have always found them a bit hit and miss with their singles, not quite rock, not quite pop, so their singles sometimes get lost in my chart but as an album I can see the appeal, single "She's There" and closing track "The Cool Change" are my favourite tracks amongst a very good bunch 7.85/10
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TheThorne
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*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
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Post by TheThorne on Jun 9, 2020 16:13:32 GMT 1
Yep love it another solid album from one of my favourite bands. The walking the line between rock and pop I thought woudl be familiar ground for you. As for me they come straight out of the 80s college rock scene sounding like bands like REM, Replacements and Lemonheads. Of course their biggest influence is the 80s Australian indie band Go Betweens.
They do that release 4 or 5 songs of an EP thing so often some tracks are much stronger than others and you kind of lose track. 'Shes There' for example should have been even bigger in my chart but they still got 3 top 10s of this.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jun 9, 2020 16:48:15 GMT 1
I have charted 3 songs from their latest album and 1 from their debut so they do feature but maybe lower than they should, same with Fontaine DC, I have a blind spot for 80s/90s college radio sounding bands, its all a bit Catfish and the Bottlemen's second album, them kind of bands usually need more time to grow on you, whereas a rock or pop song are more instantaneous, I struggled with Sea Girls early releases too but the last few songs I have loved
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TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,395
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Post by TheThorne on Jun 9, 2020 16:58:02 GMT 1
I have charted 3 songs from their latest album and 1 from their debut so they do feature but maybe lower than they should, same with Fontaine DC, I have a blind spot for 80s/90s college radio sounding bands, its all a bit Catfish and the Bottlemen's second album, them kind of bands usually need more time to grow on you, whereas a rock or pop song are more instantaneous, I struggled with Sea Girls early releases too but the last few songs I have loved yeh I kinda agree, they are an album band and they really have only had one total banger so far which is 'Talking Straight' was that their single hit of their debut?
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jun 9, 2020 17:18:40 GMT 1
Pretty sure it was Mainland I charted, I was meant to see Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever in may, before the virus hit so that didn't help! sometimes I hear the songs live and it all clicks, It has been re-arranged for next year but them, Cast and Fontaine DC had to pull out but the lineup is still banging
The Mysterines The Snuts The Reytons Love Fame Tragedy The Big Moon The K's The Sherlocks The Magic Gang The Coral Reverand and the Makers Easy Life Pale Waves Shed Seven Ian Brown Sam Fender
Lauren Hibberd The Lathums Red Rum Club Sports Team Inhaler BLOXX Pigeon Detectives Lightning Seeds Sea Girls Sundara Karma Tom Walker Miles Kane The Wombats Paul Heaton & Jaqui Abbott Catfish and the Bottlemen
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jun 10, 2020 12:05:11 GMT 1
HINDS - The Prettiest Curse
Release date: June 5, 2020The third Hinds studio album, The Prettiest Curse was released on 5 June 2020 on Mom + Pop Music. It was originally scheduled for 3 April 2020, but was delayed because of the 2019-20 coronavirus pandemic. It is expected to include more diverse instrumentation than previous albums, as well as singing in Spanish. In an interview with The Forty-Five, the band explained their decision to change their management for this album. "We were under a lot of pressure from our team, part of our management. They started blaming us for venues not selling out. Everyone was frustrated and it made us really sad." 1. Good Bad Times 9 2. Just Like Kids (Miau) 8 3. Riding Solo 8.5 4. Boy 7.5 5. Come Back And Love Me <3 6.5 6. Burn 7.5 7. Take Me Back 7.5 8. The Play 7 9. Waiting For You 8 10. This Moment Forever 6.5
SummaryI have always liked Hinds but their previous albums were maybe a bit too low-fi to really grab my attention but with “The Prettiest Curse” they have upped the production and focused more on big hooks, chunky chord changes and sing-a-long melodies, whilst still retaining the rawness and charm that made them stand out, the result is the best album they have released to date 7.60/10
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TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,395
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Post by TheThorne on Jun 11, 2020 15:24:58 GMT 1
Totally agree, they were a hard band to love before and I think they had their first big hit in my chart from This album.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jun 12, 2020 13:51:02 GMT 1
PALAYE ROYALE - The b*st*rds
Release date: May 29, 2020
The Canadian/American emo band are back with their third album “The b*st*rds”, their art style can best described as influenced by Tim Burton, musically the band cite influences such as The Animals, The Faces, Small Faces, The Rolling Stones, The Doors, David Bowie, T. Rex and The Velvet Underground. Classic Rock Magazine described their style as "crash[ing] from My Chemical Romance-influenced rock to New York Dolls-ish punk via dashes of Stones-y blues". 1. Little b*st*rds 8 2. Massacre, The New American Dream 9.5 3. Anxiety 7.5 4. Tonight Is The Night I Die 8 5. Lonely 9 6. Hang on to Yourself 8.5 7. f***ing With My Head 9 8. Nervous Breakdown 9.5 9. Nightmares 8 10. Masochist 8 11. Doom (Empty) 6 12. Black Sheep 8.5 13. Stay 7.5 14. Redeemer 8
SummaryThis album is heavier than their earlier material both sonically and lyrically, we have themes of drugs (prescription and otherwise), loss, mental health problems, guns, death and destruction runny throughout the album. My personal highlight is “Massacre, The New American Dream” which is an impassioned protest song about spiralling gun violence in the USA. In many ways Palaye Royale are the My Chemical Romance offspring for today’s emo kids – the stage makeup, costumes, youth driven aggression and the heartache in the lyrics. Vocalist Remington Leith has been quite open about his own struggles with mental health and issues from his father abandoning them, I went into this album knowing I would enjoy it but didn't expect to like it so much, one for fans of Badflower / YUNGBLUD / My Chemical Romance 8.21/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jun 16, 2020 11:33:31 GMT 1
BALLYHOO! - Message To The World
Release date: June 5, 2020Ballyhoo! are a rock, pop, punk, ska, reggae band from Aberdeen, Maryland that have been going since the mid 90’s regularly touring with the likes of Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake. Message To The World is their eighth studio album. 1. Forward N/A 2. Message to the World 9 3. Social Drinker 7.5 4. Scarlet Blue 8 5. Dead by Tomorrow 7 6. Fighter 7.5 7. Dark Sunglasses 8 8. California King 7 9. Renegade 8.5
SummaryMessage To The World is a fun album from start to finish, each song is oozes with their distinctive ska pop style infused with summer vibes, hard to pick a favourite track because they are all so Ballyhoo! But the title track Message to the World is a bop and closing track Renegade featuring Ted Browne are my highlights 7.81/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jun 17, 2020 11:20:16 GMT 1
MUZZ - Muzz
Release date: June 5, 2020Muzz are an American supergroup based in New York City. The band consists of Paul Banks (Interpol), Matt Barrick (The Walkmen), and multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, composer, arranger and engineer Josh Kaufman who has played on albums by The National, The Hold Steady and his own group Bonny Light Horseman. 1. Bad Feeling 8.5 2. Evergreen 7 3. Red Western Sky 9 4. Patchouli 7.5 5. Everything Like It Used To Be 7.5 6. Broken Tambourine 6.5 7. Knuckleduster 8 8. Chubby Checker 7 9. How Many Days 6.5 10. Summer Love 6.5 11. All Is Dead To Me 7.5 12. Trinidad 7
SummaryThis is good stuff at times, Paul Banks has such distinctive vocals, I think I might even like this better than the last Interpol album! both albums have their moments but overall are pretty inconsistent though, Bad Feeling and Red Western Sky stand out here along with their latest single Knuckleduster 7.37/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jun 19, 2020 15:19:08 GMT 1
VISTAS - Everything Changes In The End Release date: May 29, 2020
Everything Changes In The End is the debut album from Edinburgh indie pop trio Vistas, it charted at #21 in UK and #2 in their native Scotland, they have released so many singles over the years dating right back to 2016 so it is nice to finally have a debut album released. 1. Intro N/A 2. Everything Changes in the End 9.5 3. Teenage Blues 8.5 4. 15 Years 8.5 5. Sucker 7.5 6. Summer 7.5 7. Tigerblood 7.5 8. The Love You Give 9 9. Shout 7 10. You and Me 8 11. Sentimental 7 12. Retrospect 7.5 13. November 7
Summary Everything Changes In The End is a great debut album, their feel good brand of synth heavy jangly indie pop is the perfect soundtrack to the summer, my only criticism is that it maybe runs out of steam towards the end, if you like Circa Waves I recommend checking this album out 7.87/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jul 2, 2020 15:08:44 GMT 1
LARKIN POE - Self Made Man Released date: June 12, 2020 Self Made Man is the fifth studio album by blues rock group Larkin Poe consisting of sisters Rebecca Lovell and Megan Lovell, they are known for their strong southern harmonies, heavy electric guitar riffs, slide guitar and are often touted as "the little sisters of the Allman Brothers". Both sisters have also toured as backing musicians for a variety of other bands, most notably Elvis Costello and Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes 1. She’s A Self Made Man 8 2. Holy Ghost Fire 9.5 3. Keep Diggin’ 7.5 4. Back Down South 7 5. Tears Of Blue To Gold 8.5 6. God Moves On The Water 7 7. Every Bird That Flies 7 8. Scorpion 8 9. Danger Angel 7 10. Ex-Con 8 11. Easy Street 8SummaryRebecca Lovell’s booming, bluesy voice is the highlight here, she reminds me of a deep south KT Tunstall, musically they have a similar bluesy sound to the Black Keys but it is Holy Ghost Fire that stands out here, heavily inspired by Godzilla by Blue Oyster Cult but even though it borrows heavily from that sound I love it. This is a great little album to put on from start to finish 7.77/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jul 9, 2020 18:09:26 GMT 1
THE CHAIN GANG OF 1974 - Honey Moon Drip
Release Date: May 29, 2020Kamtin Mohager, the musician single-handedly powering The Chain Gang of 1974 returns with new album "Honey Moon Drip", this is the fifth album from American musicians synth heavy indietronica project 1. Honey Moon Drips N/A 2. Do You Mind? 8.5 3. Giving It Up 8 4. YDLMA 9 5. The Hurt Is Good 6 6. Fervor N/A 7. Times We Had 7 8. I Think We Need To Sleep 7 9. Philosophy Of Love 7 10. Bends 7.5 11. Champagne Saturday 6 12. 4AM, Still Lonely 7 13. Such A Shame 7Summary"Honey Moon Drip" is dripping with 80's nostalgia, the synth heavy dream pop here is brilliant at times especially on YDLMA and Do You Mind? it plays like a moody electronic rock soundtrack punctuated with brilliant use of ambient sounds but it does get a bit samey by the end of the record, still a solid record with a few stand out tracks but I preferred their previous album FELT, it had a bit more of a CHVRCHES feel to it, the synths had more punch, this record is all a bit one speed 7.27/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jul 12, 2020 12:54:00 GMT 1
BUZZARD BUZZARD BUZZARD - The Non-Stop EP
Release Date: July 10, 2020I came across opening track and new single "Double Denim Hop" on Pro Evo Soccer soundtrack last year and instantly liked it, what I know is Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard are a 4 piece rock band from Cardiff that like a bit of glam rock, according to NME "Across the EP, the band dip their toe into the classic rock of AC/DC and the weirder, more frenetic edges of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, as well as clearly taking cues from their countrymen Super Furry Animals." Which sounds promising so lets give this one a listen. 1. Double Denim Hop 9 2. Late Night City 8 3. Stockholm City Rock 7.5 4. Hollywood Actors 7.5 5. Theme From Early Morning City N/A 6. Long Day / Free Day 7 7. What Is Hate? 8 8. John Lennon Is My Jesus Christ 8 9. Theme From Late Night City N/A 10. Sugarloaf Mountain Crucify Me 7
SummaryThis album length EP is brimming with rock and roll split in the middle by a 48 second instrumental followed by a semi-acoustic ballad of ‘Long Day / Free Day’ so this album isn't all one pace and there is a nice break from the rock in the middle before quickly going all T Rex with "What Is Hate?" but it is the shameless hard rocking opening track "Double Denim Hop" that is the highlight here. 7.75/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jul 20, 2020 13:10:56 GMT 1
THE SPITFIRES - Life Worth Living
Release Date: June 19,2020The Spitfires first emerged on the scene in 2012 and released their debut album "Response" in 2015, since then they have been pretty prolific with "Life Worth Living" being their fourth album release. The 3 piece band from Watford are best known for their reggae/ska infused post britpop, they recently changed labels and for this record worked with producer Simon Dine, who has previously worked with Paul Weller, which seems like a good match. 1. Start All Over Again 9 2. It Can't Be Done 7.5 3. Life Worth Living 8 4. Tear This Place Right Down! 9.5 5. How Could I Lie To You? 7 6. Kings & Queens 7 7. (Just Won't) Keep Me Down 9.5 8. Tower Above Me 8 9. Have It Your Way 7.5 10. Make It Through Each Day 6.5
SummaryThis new album from the excellent indie-rock meets ska-punkers The Spitfires meets all my expectations, the sound on this record is much better with a full brass section it captures the energy they have live especially on "Tear This Place Right Down!" its almost disco infused, there is a lot of genre mashing here which I love, they are one of them bands that sound so familiar but sound so different to anything else released in 2020, at times they sound a bit like a less cheesy Ordinary Boys 7.95/10
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Post by Earl Purple on Jul 23, 2020 15:51:44 GMT 1
The Spitfires had 8 hits in my chart between 2013 and 2018, and appeared in the last ever chart at #58, with what was their biggest hit single in my chart "The New Age", a #2 hit. 3 of their others reached my top 10 and they appeared many times on my video shows.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jul 27, 2020 13:31:55 GMT 1
The Spitfires had 8 hits in my chart between 2013 and 2018, and appeared in the last ever chart at #58, with what was their biggest hit single in my chart "The New Age", a #2 hit. 3 of their others reached my top 10 and they appeared many times on my video shows. Yeah I remember and that might have been where I picked them up from your chart, they are 100% your thing with the ska element, everything is better when you add a bit of ska, this was one of my favourite songs from 2019
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