The debut album from the UK indie-ish duo of brothers is arriving with a lot of hype to it, as the band have been gradually building steam for a few years now. I’ve heard the name everywhere but have somehow never really heard their music… until now! I thought they were definitely worth a full deep dive review, so without further ado, let’s dive right in!
‘Magic Box’ opens up the album perfectly, a great indie-rock guitar and vocal melody with more instrumentation building in over and over. It gives Drew Holcomb vibes, or even Jack Johnson. It sounds awesome, and is immediately catchy as hell! The backing vocals with the ‘ooo’s, harmonies and gang vocals add even more depth to it, too. The track is crafted to perfection, with every sound fitting excellently and it all forming something truly magical. It sets the tone of the album amazingly and is honestly one of my favourite tracks of the year. Immediately a huge highlight!
More quirky instrumentation comes in as a steal drum opens ‘Killer Spell’. Then we get more of the great Americana-indie stuff, building into a truly massive, arena-filling chorus. This one is much more James Bay, in the best possible way! The lead guitar bits throughout are awesome too, having so much feel to them and fitting the vibe of the track well. It’s another amazing track, and one that I feel is gonna be stuck in my head for days to come!
‘I’m on Fire’ strips things back and slows things down in a beautiful piano ballad. It’s maybe a touch early for a track like this on the album, but honestly, it felt completely natural here and fit the pace of the album perfectly. It builds incredibly to yet another HUGE chorus, the backing vocals and drums adding so much to the epicness of the track. It dropping back down for the bridge before exploding back in for a final chorus was masterful; powerful as it was beautiful. The band so far are three for three on excellent tracks!
The only track I’d heard before this, ‘Walk Away’, changes the pace again into a blues banger. The riff is amazing, and it building with the drum and bass and harmonies more and more into an infectiously catchy chorus! It drops out perfectly for a bridge before we get a double time, almost bluegrass-tinged guitar solo, which was sick! Still, it has that same indie feel to it at the same time, feeling very much like the same band. And I kinda liked it dropping back for the outro chorus, it almost bringing the track full circle. Banger after banger so far!
As if my mind hadn’t been blown enough already, ‘Evel Kinevel’ starts with a gospel chorus, god clap and everything, and was awesome! Then we get a great indie riff with Adams amazing vocals over the top. Once again, it builds perfectly to the now expectedly huge chorus, just made to be played to massive festival crowds around the world! It’s yet another song that I can expect to be stuck in my head for the next few days, and is yet another fantastic track!
Single ‘The Last Dance’ brings the blues riffing back, much like ‘Move Your Body’. Both are great, up-tempo tracks that definitely get you… well… moving your body! They definitely sound distinctly like Foreign Affairs while having a more indie-rock edge to them. And they break up the album pretty perfectly, keeping the energy up around the mid-point.
The next few tracks slow things down again with some great ballad writing. Whether it’s the Bay-like acousticness of ‘Baby Blue’ or ‘Adam’s Song’ or the piano-led nature of ‘Flowers in the Window’, it’s all so beautiful and powerful. I do have to say it does grind the pace of the album down to a crawl a touch, and is a lot of slower stuff all at once. I don’t know if it’s just my tiny attention span, but I think I’d struggle to listen to all four tracks one-after-another on many listens. All are incredible songs on their own, but when together it’s a touch much for me, and highlights how insanely stacked the first half of the album is. Still, if you like more of an easy-listening vibe, check out every single one of these. ‘Hummingbird and Me’ in particular is another massive highlight track.
The album concludes with a two parter; ‘One Minute’. Part 1 is amazing, the vocal delivery honestly giving me goosebumps at times. It’s the perfect nearly-two-minutes of folk-rock. Meanwhile part 2 is a full-length track packed full or a similar brilliant, beautiful, vulnerable level of emotion. They very much fit together like two pieces of the same puzzle, and while are incredible separate, are perfect together. How is it not one of the biggest tracks of the year already? If you check out anything off this album, let it be this; it’s truly phenomenal. The lyrics are incredible, and the instrumentation and delivery fit the gravitas of them perfectly. What a way to close out this release!
Overall: This is an incredible release! I went into it not really knowing what to expect and was utterly blown away by the whole thing. There are so many killer tracks on this, and practically no filler. The band blend genres seamlessly, and have put out something truly heartfelt and personal with this release. I am a new, huge fan of the band, and already cannot wait to hear what they do next. However, for now, I’ll be spinning this a bunch moving forward!
A stacked week of EPs for us to check out, from metal to indie to rock. Lets check it all out!
PRESIDENT: King of Terrors
The new mystery masked band (definitely not fronted by Charlie Simpson) have dropped their debut EP this weekend. Does it live up to the insane hype around them? Personally, no, but I’m certainly not the target audience for this sort of music. It’s very Sleep Token, and y’all know how I feel about them. It’s a touch more interesting and heavy than them, but still incorporates a lot of the same pop and electronic elements around the big riffs and occasional screams. It’s not bad, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think it’s quite worth all the hype. ‘Fearless’ was a fun, almost Skillet-esque track, while the riffing in ‘Dionysus’ was good too. However, the good moments were few and far between, and there are only so many trap and hip-hop beats I can hear in metal before I immediately get bored of them. If you are into this sort of thing awesome, you’ll surely get a lot out of it, but it wasn’t for me at all. I can’t give it any more than 5/10, sorry lads!
Wells Ferrari: Wasted Time
The sophomore EP from the indie-Americana duo is just as good as their last, drawing together their last string of single releases into the perfect 23-minute release. The band’s sound is excellent, being a slightly more chilled out version of the likes of Mumford & Sons or even Evan Honer. The lyrics throughout are fantastic and packed full of emotion, while the pairs vocal harmonies are a solid highlight time and time again. From the excellent title track to ‘Bending’ to the epic ‘Cloud of Rain’, there are so many fantastic songs. However, there really isn’t a bad song on here; all of them are excellent. It’s the perfect release to throw on and sit back and chill-out to. The band are on track to become massive in the scene sooner rather than later, and this release will surely push them closer to that. If you are at all into the genres I’ve mentioned check this out as soon as you can! 8.5/10
Delilah Bon: PRINCELESS PRINCESS
Delilah follows up her phenomenal 2024 albumwith this four-track collection released between all her heavy touring schedule. It honestly feels like it acts as an extention of EHFF, bridging the gap between that and whatever is next. I do have to say it’s not quite as memorable as the album, but is still a damn good release! The opener/title track is awesome and been stuck in my head since I first checked it out. ‘CINDERELLA’ is a fantastic track too that I’m sure will go down a storm live. Meanwhile ‘BUSH’ is tongue in cheek and got a chuckle out of me, though I’m sure she makes some good points for women.
It’s impossible for Delilah to put out something I don’t love though, as her vocal ability is so insanely underrated. From her rapping to screaming, it’s all so good, and she’s very much kept it all turned up to 11. And she is PISSED throughout this, it making the delivery of her fantastic lyric writing even better. The instrumentation is great too, the electronic and heavy punk guitars fitting together perfectly, making an amazing backdrop for the vocals.
It’s a short release that has immediately made me come away wanting more, but for now I am more than glad to settle with this. A great addition to her already stellar discography! 8.5/10
Last Hyena: Suspect Your Elders
The first live gig we covered here at Overtone, this band have a special place in my heart for that. Add to that the fact that they are insane instrumentalists and songwriters, and I was damn hyped for this release. They didn’t disappoint at all, this is awesome! The mainly instrumental 16 minutes is a solidly awesome listen of proggy, mathy stoner rock, and blew my mind in multiple places. We even got some gang vocals on the opening track, a big highlight and made the track somehow even better. There isn’t a bad one on here, though. It certainly won’t be for everyone, but if you are at all curious I cannot recommend checking it out enough! The riffing throughout is top notch, and everyone is working their asses off from start to finish. A very easy 8/10!
House of Hosts: Reckoning
The debut EP from the hard rock/alt metallers is a home run right out of the gate! This is a fantastic release from start to finish, packed full of a big riffs, arena-filling melodies and some great screams here and there. I love this new generation of bands that are inspired by the likes of Godsmack, Nonpoint and Breaking Benjamin, and I would argue this release is up there with a lot of what those bands have put out! There’s even a slight hint of Tool at times, which I love! All four tracks are amazing and highlights in their own right, picking just one or two is impossible. If you are at all into hard rock or metal, stop reading this right now and check this release out immediately, it really is that good! I’m going to be spinning this a lot in the coming weeks and months, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10. If it was a full release, it may have even gotten top marks!
Eirra: Instructions Unclear
The indie-pop songwriter put out her debut EP this weekend, and it makes for a fun, chilled-out release! It’s not typically the sort of thing I listen to, but I honestly had a blast listening to this! From the quirky electro-pop of ‘Mona Lisa’ to the more acoustic indie-folk of ‘Soho’ and ‘Somehow, Someday’, there’s a hell of a lot to love. It’s easy to see why she’s a rising star pegged for big things in the future, and as a first non-single release, this is a fantastic start! If you are into the lighter stuff, check this out, you won’t be disappointed! Throw it on and just sit back and relax and get lost in it, I know I did! A surprisingly (for me) solid 8/10 from us!
We had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with the amazing Americana-indie duo Crowe Boys at The Long Road the other weekend. Check it out below!
So firstly, you just played London, right?
Yeah, we just played the Lexington. It was sick! Then back in a couple of weeks to play the Electric Brixton.
Is it your first time coming out here?
Yes sir!
Are there any comparisons you can make out here compared to back home?
A lot of it is just culture differences. The roads. Driving. The food. But it’s all like 1° different, you know? Not like so different but it’s like, close but not quite the same.
I imagine it’s a little weird being in an environment like this that tries to encapsulate the vibe of the South so well?
Yeah, they’ve smashed it, it’s really close!
Have you got a busy rest of the year planned?
Yeah, we’ll be on the road for a couple more months, and then we’re done around mid-December!
How would you describe your sound?
Indie folk, I guess!
I saw on your website you used to be in a punkier band, right?
Alt-punk, yeah!
Would you say it influences your sound still today?
I don’t know. I’d imagine given how long we played it it probably still does in some way.
Would you have any interest in going back to that?
I don’t think so. We’re both really loving what we’re doing at the minute!
Are you writing still?
Oh yeah!
Is it a way down the pipeline yet?
Hopefully not too far away, as we like to get people music when we can. We’re pretty deep into trying to get through some songs for the next record.
I think it’s quite hard to keep up with putting stuff out these days, too!
What’s the writing process like for you two?
Recently it’s just us starting ideas off on our own and then bringing it to the table. Hash out like what this is saying and feeling. Then try to find a way of putting the music around it that also feels the same way as when you hear the words.
Is it just the two of you here this weekend?
Yes, just a duo!
Do you tour with a band back home?
Yeah! They’re kinda a part. It’s kinda friends that we’ve gotten to know from the music scene in New Orleans. They’ll swap out if they need to, but there’s like a couple that are our guys!
You have two sets this weekend, what can we expect from them?
They’ll pretty much be the same!
It’s always a little hard with the time slots. It’s the same stage too, right?
I have no idea! I currently have an AirTag on me and they’re just going to cart me around! But also, it’s fun to just kinda immerse yourself in it!
Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d wanna be a part of?
Personally, I think it would be sick to do a show at Red Rocks with, like, Mumford and Sons/Gregory Allan Ascoff.
It seems like Red Rocks has really embraced country recently!
Yeah, I mean Colorado and Montana, those are like, country to the max!
If you could have written one song from history, and spring to mind?
Good question! Probably, since we were talking about them earlier, ‘Mr Brightside’ by The Killers.
That’s cool, it feels like such a British song…
Oh heck no, it’s a huge song! Love The Killers in the US!
We had the absolute pleasure of chatting to Long Road organiser Baylen ahead of this year’s edition of the festival. Check out as we chat about the highs and lows of it below!
We’re just a couple of days out [at the time of recording] from Long Road, are you more excited or nervous?
What’s really exciting about it is when you see everybody who’s coming start posting about it online and start excited about packing and doing a trial run of setting their tent up in their garden. The crew is already on-site now building it so I’ve been getting loads of pictures and videos all week of the stages going up and everything going. It becomes a big machine at this point, it’s like a train you can’t stop! I’m really excited to get there and see it with my eyes!
Have they been there since Monday, then?
There’s been some people on site since last week. Most of the crew have been there since the weekend. I will get down there tomorrow, and not freak out at all. I’ve learned by now that every year I get there and so much is done, I think ‘oh my god, what about that?’ and I’ve learnt that it always comes together. There’s always a lot of running about and mayhem right before the gates open, but then it’s all perfect!
How do you find the time to do all of this alongside your radio work as well?
I don’t do it alone, there’s no way! There’s a big team and we work on it year round. Then as we get closer to the event the teams within the teams start adding people to their teams so it becomes quite a big operation by the time we get here.
I always kinda see it as one thing, doing radio and all the other stuff I do in country music. It almost just feels like it’s one thing. If I’m playing someone on the radio that I really love I’ll think about trying to get them on the festival. Or if I’m seeing someone in a live setting that I’m considering for the festival, I might think they’d sound great for the radio. I kinda get to do all the things I do all at the same time!
What inspired you to start the festival? C2C has been going a while but it feels like you guys were the next ones to do the country thing over here!
I’m originally from Tennessee. I’ve lived in the UK for a really long time, and country music has been my thing for a really long time, so for years I was always wanting to do something like this and had lots of different ideas about it. I met up with somebody else who also wanted to do this. She’s Irish so she grew up going to Irish music festivals and wanted to bring that. So between her and that background and me, we thought what could we do that’s authentic and brings the best of both of those worlds together, but makes it very much a UK festival. So we started it! Our first was in 2018 and it seems crazy that it was that long ago! It’s really nice that we seem to have found out spot within what is a really exciting time for country music.
People have really taken The Long Road under their wing and those who come to it feel a sense of ownership over it as well which is exactly what we want! We want it to feel like home for everyone who’s into country, Americana and Roots. Even people who don’t like country, maybe there’s something in there for them! Then they come along and find some country that they actually love. It really comes from a love of the genre and wanting to bring this authentic country experience to the UK, and to help it grow too!
It’s our fourth year now and just the atmosphere is amazing, it’s really become a favourite of ours. Seeing familiar faces there every year is great!
That’s really something we wanted to bake into it from the beginning, to be a friendly, warm festival where everyone felt welcome! And as we grow to try and retain those things. We’re bigger this year than we’ve ever been, but I hope it still feels like the same festival!
You’ve added the Hitching Post this year, right?
Oh, I’m so excited about the Hitching Post! I named it after a venue from back home when I was growing up. A lot of towns in the South, The Hitching Post is quite a popular name for a honkytonk. This venue back home was a real stop for artists that were touring and coming up so like Darius Rucker and Garth Brooks played it before anyone knew them. I found all this out after I moved away, of course!
The point of the Hitching Post at the Long Road is that it’s a hardwood floor. We really wanted somewhere where people could dance. We’ll have dance classes and the music in there really lends itself to people doing line dances or swing dances. We’ll have people there to teach you how to do that. We’re also using it for sit-down conversations with people like Drake Milligan. It’s just another venue where people can hang out, make their own, meet their friends. I think it’s gonna be a really good vibe! I can’t wait to get there and see it!
I imagine it’s a bit of a logistical nightmare to get so many international bands to play. Do you approach a band and they arrange a tour after, or do you see who’s touring first?
It’s both of those things! Some artists we approach and say “we’d love to have you at The Long Road”. Sometimes we’ll book them and they book a tour around it, sometimes they’ll just come and do it UK exclusive, like Drake Milligan this year. Some will come and do TLR and then go to Europe and do some shows. Some of them will already will be planning to come so will approach us, or will be planning on doing something nearby. Sometimes we’ll talk to people and they’ll go “it’s not going to work this year but let’s talk next year”. It really is just a case of all of those things!
Is it sometimes a struggle to decide what artists to book? There’s been a little backlash online from the James Bay booking.
I think that one of the goals of TLR was to get as many people into country music as we could and to celebrate all types of country, Americana and roots. If you look at our lineups from year one we’ve always had artists sit a little bit outside of those core genres but that aren’t completely different. James Bay is a great example. I know a lot of people don’t think of him as fitting in, but he really does. He’s made music in all of those genres. He’s recorded in Nashville and just made his Grand Ole Opry debut, the absolutely approval stamp for any artist in country music. I think because he’s so big and so well known, it’s actually easy to forget he’s actually in these genres. If it means James Bay fans who don’t count themselves as country fans but find some country artists that they do love, I think that’s a great thing! I actually think a lot of country fans are going to have a really great time watching him!
Also, with a festival like TLR, as big as it is and with as many artists as it has, there’s always going to be artists that you love and those you don’t, or that you haven’t heard of. We have six stages, there’s always something going on somewhere that you’re gonna love! He’s a great get for us and a fantastic live artist! But it goes back to what I said about people feeling ownership of the festival; it’s so much better they have an opinion about it than no opinion at all!
You’ve got a couple of new stage takeovers at Buddy’s this year, right?
Yeah! We have Loose Music which is a UK label that we’ve worked with since the beginning, and then Spinefarm, a really big UK label. The thing about doing that is we want those people to bring their sensibilities to the festival. Colour me Country, we want Rissi to bring artists that maybe we don’t know or artists that wouldn’t be able to come to the UK at this stage in their careers. The same thing with all the other takeovers we have, it’s people I’ve known from the industry for years and years, I’ve always liked their taste and what they do. It’s great to give them the freedom to show their side of country.
Do you have any hand in booking for them, or do you let them get whoever they think will fit?
We work together. We kinda go “hey, here’s your takeover, these are the slots, what are you thinking?”. They come to us with a list, we go to the, with a list, sometimes we have people we can’t fit in elsewhere. It works both ways, but for the most part they’re people we trust, we don’t get in their way too much!
Have you got some stuff in the pipeline for next year already?
Oh, we work so far ahead it’s unbelievable. Even before the lineup is complete each year we’re already having conversations about the next year and even the year after that! Conversations about next year are already happening!
Do you have a dream get for The Long Road? Anyone you’re really wanting to book over the next few years?
Yeah, absolutely. There’s always a dream list. And that list changes every week, at least! But I couldn’t tell you, because we might just get ‘em!
I imagine you’re happy to keep the festival growing, there’s more room on site for it to expand?
Yeah, part of the reason we picked the sight… it just felt right. It reminded me of the geography of back home so it looked really great. It’s easy to get to. And also because there’s room there for there to grow. We’re happy for it to grow but we want to maintain the vibe of the festival, so that’s why we’ve been doing it little by little! We really think about how it’s going to impact everything, how it fits in with what we’re doing already, how it will affect the layout and the capacity. Make sure that it all makes sense for the people who come to the festival!
A typically stacked week of New Music Mondays for us to dive into, with everything from metal to country. Let’s dive right in!
Glenn Hughes: Chosen
The former Deep Purple frontman (amongst plenty else) released his first studio solo album in nearly a decade last week. I’m always a little hit and miss when it comes to Glenn’s music, but I actually rather enjoyed this! I went in with no expectations and came out liking the album! ‘Voice in my Head’ is a great opener, while tracks like ‘Heal’, the Sabbath-y ‘The Lost Parade’ and ‘Black Cat Moon’. The riffing is the real highlight of the album but Glenn’s vocals fit perfectly over the top of it, making me not even mind them for once. It’s a really solid heavy blues album by a real legend in the genre. If you are at all into his previous stuff, or more sludgy rock in general, this is well worth checking out! I probably won’t listen to the album in full much, but the odd track will definitely be in heavy rotation moving forward! 8/10
Blessthefall: GALLOWS
Returning after a four year hiatus, the US metalcore quartet are taking no prisoners with their seventh album. It goes HARD and heavy, but also has plenty of big, melodic choruses and moments. The opener sets the pace for the album perfectly, but tracks like ‘Wake the Dead’ and ‘Y.S.A.B.’ that perfect the formula. Then there’s the three awesome guest-feature tracks. Caskets, Alpha Wolf and Story of the Year all bring different sounds to their collabs, and really help break up the album perfectly. My favourite is the insanely aggressive Alpha Wolf one, but that’s not a surprise given how much Iliked their last album! Then there’s the metalcore ballad ‘Light the Flame’ that somehow fits exceptionally well around the rest of the heavier stuff. And for once we don’t have a modern US metalcore album close on a slow soppy track, ‘This Ends with Us’ going just as hard as everything else!
The whole album is just sick, honestly! I have to admit I was familiar with the bands name and style, but not particularly with their music. With their last release coming seven years ago, it was before I majorly got into the modern metal sound. So, as a first real jumping off point, this is incredible, and definitely makes me want to check out more of their older stuff! Whether you’re a newb like me or a long-time fan, this album is worth checking out if you are at all into the heavier end of metal! 8.5/10
Lanie Gardner: Faded Polaroids
The sophomore EP from the pop country/Americana singer-songwriter has been a rather anticipated release for us here at Overtone! We checked out her debut album less than a year ago and had a great time with it. She also put out an EP back in only June that somehow topped it again. While said EP is integrated into this release, they are far from the only highlights of the release. Don’t get me wrong, ‘Takin’ The Slow Ride’ is still my favourite track she’s put out, but there are tonnes of highlights on this. Whether it’s other EP highlights like ‘Boys like You’ or ‘Buzzkill’ to new songs like ‘Boot Down’ or ‘Rattle and the Devil’s Whip’, there’s plenty to fall in love with here! It’s a modern sound, drawing comparisons to everything from Megan Moroney to Alana Springsteen to Lindsay Ell. Hell, the girls in country are killing it right now, and Lanie is quickly working her way up to join those other names! Her vocals are fantastic, and it’s clear she has a big hand in writing it as you can heat her emotion throughout!
Shockingly, the length barely bothered me here, too. Every song is excellent, and there wasn’t one I’d think of cutting, damn impressive on an 18-track album! It does loose a bit of momentum somewhere in the middle, but is broken up rather well with a couple of higher energy tracks. In yet another year jam-packed with awesome country releases, this is a definite standout. She is somehow getting better and better with each release, and I can’t give this any less than 9/10!
Tallah: Primeval: Obsession // Detatchment
The third studio album from the new-nu-metalers has a lot of hype to live up to! I loved their last release, as well as their debut, and feel they are one of the most underrated bands in metal today.
It’s certainly another interesting release! They seem to have gone even more quirky and proggy than their previous stuff, lean more into Mr Bungle Tool or (unsurprisingly) Dream Theater at times. Heck, there’s even just a touch of Alien Ant Farm at times, though that may be more Justin’s vocal delivery. Speaking of Justin, another INCREDIBLE vocal performance from front to back, being easily one of the best vocalists in the business today. However, that shouldn’t take away from the rest of the band, as they are working their asses off throughout. From some awesome riffing to expectedly excellent drumming to some awesome extra bits in record scratching and strings, it’s all incredible and fits so well.
As for the songs themselves, they’re fucking awesome. Whether it’s the opener, the Tooly ‘A primeval obsession’ into the perfect double-up of ‘_la|cuna_’ into ‘A primeval detatchment’, and then the final three full tracks being amazing heaviness, there is so much to love. And heck, any of the tracks I haven’t mentioned are also fantastic. 42 minutes goes by in a flash, and the release is a surprisingly easy listen throughout. I honestly thought at the start this would be a bit of a grower, and it still may be, but by the end of the first listen I already love it. None do it quite like Tallah, blending together so many different late 90s/early 2000s sounds but making them wholly unique to them, and it’s an album I’d recommend any metalhead out there listen to! Another 9/10
Fury: Interceptor
The fifth studio album from the hard rock/heavy metal Brits finally dropped to much hype on Friday, and honestly it deserved every bit of it! It feels a little lighter and blusier overall than their other stuff, but I think it may work in their favour. The band are all such talented musicians and their songwriting prowess is on full display throughout this release to match it. It’s also almost impossible to pick highlights, as the whole thing is awesome! It’s like the perfect combination of Metallica, Iron Maiden, H.E.A.T. and even a healthy hint of Battle Beast. Heck, then you have the almost country/Southern metal ‘Walk Away’, and there is plenty of variety throughout! The band have been building momentum for years now, yet still remain somehow one of the most underrated acts around. I have already spun this a couple of times through this weekend, and have no intention of slowing down any time soon! If you are at all into rock or metal, I cannot recommend this enough! 9.5/10
La Dispute: No One Was Driving the Car
The first album from the emo/post-hardcore band in six years, it’s clear they haven’t lost that special something that brought them to the dance. From the fantastic lyrics to Jordan Dreyer’s emotion-filled delivery to some awesome guitar work and proggy arrangements, this is definitely a La Dispute album. And hell, it’s a good one, at that! Anyone who’s checked them out prior knows that they are an acquired taste and certainly not for everyone, but their fans will surely love this just like I do. Don’t get me wrong, it’s long, even I was tapping out at times during its 75-minute runtime, especially when a lot of it is similar. However, the poetry of the lyrics and the constant shift in focus between the different vocal styles and big riffs kept me hooked over and over again. Tracks like the opener, ‘The Field’, the title track to the wonderfully prog epic ‘Environmental Catastrophe Film’, there are plenty of highlights. However, there isn’t a bad track on this thing! Don’t get me wrong, I do sometimes get the odd hint of a Kyle Gordon vibe at times, but if anything it just adds to the enjoyment!
If you are at all curious, check this out, you may like it as much as I did! While I wouldn’t recommend maybe if you’re full-on depressed/struggling, just turning this on in a dark room with some headphones on and really getting lost in it and feel it is quite the experience. A very solid 8.5/10 from us!
Liam St. John: Man of the North
The debut studio album from the blues-rock/Americana man and his band dropped last Friday, and is utterly fantastic! I somehow wasn’t familiar with him until I checked him out ahead of Long Road this year, and after seeing him I was pretty hyped for this album. It lives up to said hype in a great way, being a bourbon-and-sex drenched nearly-hour of blues-Americana. It’s a style that is already right up my street, and St. John performs it to near perfection! Taking clear inspiration from the modern titans in the genre like Gary Clark Jr, Jack White or even early Highly Suspect, while giving it his own twist and sound thanks to his Nashville roots. From the likes of ‘forefathers’ and ‘Off the Rails’ to ‘Everything I Had’ and ‘Landslide Over the Highway’, there are so many massive highlights. But, once again, there really isn’t a bad track on here! It’s a big collection, but definitely worth a full listen at least once if you get the chance!
My only ever so slight note is that ‘If I Were my Father’ was a rather subdued opener and a bit of an odd choice; something more up-beat may have made it even better! Still, hardly a big complaint, as the album is still incredible! If you’re into any of the styles or bands mentioned above, I cannot recommend this alvum enough! I’ll definitely be spinning this a fair bit in the weeks and months to come, and it gets a very easy 9/10 from us!
Leonie Jakobi: What Are the People Gonna Say?
The debut album from the German singer-songwriter rocker is honestly a fantastic release! It’s got a great up-beat, old-school punk-pop vibe that is sure to get you up and dancing! From the opener to the beautiful ‘What Happened to Us’, the rockin’ ‘Don’t Mind Me’ and ‘I Deserve to Shine’, there are plenty of massive highlights throughout. However, there isn’t bad track throughout! It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to this, and it went by in a flash. She’s building a solid hype around her with her touring the last couple of years, and this album will surely help that to push her to new heights! Her vocals are incredible, emphasised perfectly by the great mix throughout, and it all adds even more weight to the already fantastic lyric writing. If you like the lighter side of rock, this is definitely one for you! 8/10
FM: Brotherhood
The British hard/AOR rockers returned with their fifteenth album this last Friday. Honestly, I’ve never been hugely into the band in the past, but I did enjoy listening to them! Maybe it’s more live that I’m not hugely into them, because I had a blast with this from front to back! How I missed their last two albums is beyond me too, will definitely have to revisit Old Habits and Thirteen if they sound close to this. The first four tracks are AOR perfection, while songs like ‘Don’t Call it Love’ and ‘Because of You’ are also massive highlights. Yes, it is all a little samey, so 52-minutes is maybe a little overkill, but it’d be hard to cut any of the tracks as they’re all damn good! I’ve definitely become more of a fan of the band, and will be listening to this again pretty regularly for the rest of the year. It’s another feel-good release, and if you’re into more softer rock, check this out ASAP. Another very solid 9/10 in a great week!
Syncolima: Move Mountains
The third album from the British stoner metal band is maybe the best they’ve ever released! The band’s talent was never in question, but is once again on full display throughout this whole 40-minutes. They feel like they’ve really come into their own here, confidently blasting out amazing riffs and some great vocal hooks over and over. Tracks like ‘Mistakes Were Made’, the title track and the perfectly titled ‘Kill All the Billionares’ are all personal highlights, but the whole album is awesome! Plus, the production is top notch, definitely a step up from their other stuff. It’s not wonder the band are gathering some serious momentum, and this release will surely only add to that! 8/10
Swollen Teeth: Ask Nothing
The debut album from the masked metal collective is dark, heavy and quirky, all in equal measure. It’s definitely got the nu metal and brutality of early Slipknot, but a bit more of hardcore punk edge to it too, almost Turnstille-esque. Tracks like ‘Money and Greed’, the ‘Purity’-like ‘Foster’ and the hardcore ‘Ask’ are all personal highlights, but every track on here is a bit of a banger! They’re just so interesting, fitting right in alongside Tallah above as an exciting new twist on nu-ish metal. It’s an incredible release from a band that are already making waves, and it immediately makes me want to hear more of what is to come. Check this out if you are at all into this side of metal. 8.5/10, good stuff!
Jonah Kagen: Sunflowers and Leather
Somehow a massive name in country/folk that I hadn’t heard of until this weekend, Jonah has instantly made me a new fan of his work! Straight off the bat, yes, it’s another nearly hour-long, 16-track release, and it certainly has times where it drags. However, his vocals are captivating, especially when the harmonies come in behind, and his lyric writing is truly phenomenal. It’s like a combination of Evan Honer, James Bay and Mumford and Sons, it’s awesome! The one-two-punch of the opener into the title track is incredible, as are tracks like ‘Black Lung’, ‘The Reeper’ and ‘Burn Me’. He’s done a fantastic job of picking the albums singles and, while there are some slight lulls, these six tracks and others more than make up for that.
He fits in rather perfectly in with the currently indie-Americana rising scene alongside the likes of Wyatt Flores or Crowe Boys, but also very much does things his own way. This is fucking amazing, and well worth checking out regardless of what you are into. He has a huge new fan in me, and it’s yet another big 9/10! Heck, it may even get higher with more listens, too!
The rise of Zach Top has been nothing short of incredible. Touted as the ‘next big thing in country’ by just about every big source, the anticipation and pressure on this sophomore album couldn’t be much higher. His debut album was just last year and was massive, already netting him 8.5 million monthlys on Spotify alone. So, when we got sent this through, I just had to see what it was like, even if we did sadly miss Cold Beer & Country Music. So, without further ado, let’s dive in!
Opener ‘Guitar’ sets the tone perfectly; being an upbeat boot-stomper. It also feels so very old-school in the best possible way, immediately giving off a modernised Brooks & Dunn vibe. The guitaring is great, and Zach’s vocals fit it perfectly, a real traditional twang to them! The chorus is at the same sort of level as the rest of the track yet still felt not only distinct, but catchy and easy to sing along to. The lyrics, while pretty standard country fair, are written very well and are incredibly believably delivered. We even get an awesome, very fitting duel guitar solo tucked away in the middle. Yeah, this whole song is amazing. It’s probably exactly what a lot of the general publics go-to sound is when they think of country, but I mean that in the best way possible! The perfect way to open, and an easy early highlight!
The great vibes continue through ‘Good Times and Tan Lines’, this time it including some fantastic fiddle for good measure! It also gives off some Buffett for sure, but that may be because of the topic. It’s another excellent chorus too, one that’s going to be stuck in my head for days to come! And another incredible guitar solo bridges the gap between said choruses perfectly. It’s a simple arrangement and a short track, but another damn good one!
‘When You See Me’ slows things down a lot, giving off more of a Willie or Williams feel to it. It’s honestly incredible that someone so young has such a tight grasp of the traditional country sound! The chorus is yet again excellent, with the harmonies in it being flawless. It suddenly gives off a lot of Midland vibes too, which I can’t complain about at all! It’s a smooth, beautifully chilled-out song and another that it’s impossible not to love!
Much like with ‘Good Times…’, ‘Splitsville’ continues a similar vibe to the previous track. However, I have to say I somehow enjoy the chorus even more than the other slower track; it’s catchy as anything and incredibly well written. In fact, it’s fantastically written throughout, and is another massive personal highlight, and a track that easily makes it onto our playlist!
Songs like ‘Between the Ditches’, ‘Livin’ a Lie’, ‘I Know a Place’ and ‘She Makes’ are all slower, old-school tracks, again very much like Hank Williams Jr or Waylon Jennings or Don McLean. None are bad by any stretch, in fact ‘Livin’’ may be one of my favourite tracks on the album. However, all have a pretty similar feel and, with this being a pretty long album, I didn’t want to drone on and repeat myself over and over and make for an uninteresting read. If this sort of slower side of country is your style, I cannot recommend checking them out enough!
‘Flip Flop’ once again gives that beachy Buffett feeling in the best way possible. Also, the lyrics are absolutely fantastic, immediately reminding me of Blake Shelton. It’s a breakup/heartbreak song, but is so lighthearted and silly that it’s incredibly fun to listen to! It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but it’s a masterfully written track that somehow bridges the gap between old-school and modern perfectly. And yes, it is yet another huge highlight!
‘Tightrope’ is another bouncy, faster neo-traditional track, much like ‘Like I Want You’ and the closer. Again, all are excellent, with ‘Honky Tonk Till it Hurts’ being one of my favourite tracks on the album. But, like the slower songs, there’s a lot of music on this thing and it’s easier to clump up similar songs. All are right up my street in terms of country music, and I’d recommend them to absolutely anyone!
Single ‘South of Sanity’ is a real epic affair. It almost feels like Zach’s answer to ‘Country Boy Can Survive’, the piano and guitar working so well together, and all building towards an amazing, bigger, arena-filling chorus! The lyrics throughout the track are also the best on the album, so full of emotion in the words and delivery. It’s another traditional sounding song, but is so well put together that I’m sure almost every country fan out there will agree that this is an amazing song!
‘Country Boy Blues’ is surprisingly the most modern-sounding track, in this writers humble opinion. It reminds me a little of the likes of Randall King, which certainly isn’t a bad thing! It’s another great song that feels like a combination of a lot of the rest of the album, all of it rolled into this one three minute track. The same could kinda be said for ‘Lovin’ the Wrong Things’, even if it is again on the slower end. Both are excellent tracks that are so easy to listen to, this whole thing barely feeling like it really even has album tracks on it, wild given its length!
Overall: This is an awesome album! Right off the bat it won’t be everyone’s bag; it’s very traditional in sound and nature. However, if you are into the older style of country music, I cannot recommend checking this out enough! The modern pop sound is stripped away, as really is much of the semblance of southern rock, it’s just straight-up, working man country, and it’s awesome! It’s a damn fun listen packed full of awesome vocals, solos and writing, and went by in a flash. I’m eager for him to play over here so I can see him live, as a big country band playing a lot of this would be phenomenal.
The final day of the festival opened as equally chilled as the others with The Wranglers and Steady Habits. The former was somehow about our only trip over to the Showground of the weekend, but were a fantastic acoustic duo that could easily make it onto the Front Porch or beyond in a year or two. The latter was on said Front Porch stage, and gave similar vibes to Ferrari in that kinda acoustic indie-Americana thang. However, they brought a full band, which was great for so early on in the day on a smaller stage. They made some great music, whether it was more stripped-back, slower acoustics numbers or full-band rock tracks. Arguably, they’d have done even better with a better slot! Another band that I’d checked out a bit of beforehand but have come away loving and can’t wait for the new album!
Evan Bartels absolutely blew me away on the Interstate stage. I loved his EP when I checked it out so knew I had to head to one of his sets on the Sunday, but wasn’t expecting it to be quite that good! For one man and one guitar, the sheer sound and emotion he portrayed was insane. The man sings like he’s had 200 years of hard life experiences, and is one of the best storytellers I’ve ever seen live. Even as he just spoke between songs, and during our interview (stay tuned soon), I got lost in his words; he’s a captivating man. His set went by in a flash and he played to a pretty packed out tent, everyone being locked onto him throughout. He’s another one that got a tear or two out of me, just like the other Evan. From his incredible vocals to insane lyrics and the guitar that fits it perfectly, it was honestly phenomenal. If anyone reading this is at all into old-school, true country music, you have to check him out immediately. Another massive weekend highlight.
Our good friends These Wicked Rivers tore the roof off of Buddy’s, next. Heavy for the festival, for sure, but playing to a pretty packed out crowd non the less, Rivers owned their time on the stage. Whether it was heavier numbers like ‘Testify’ or ‘Shine On’ or more ballad-tracks like ‘When the War is Won’, the crowd ate up everything the band lay down. I’ve loved them for years, so seeing them on a bit more of an out-of-the-box stage like this and killing it is really amazing to see. The band played their asses off for the whole set, with John’s vocals sounding as great as ever and the rest of the band putting on a fantastic show. Hopefully this is the start of something awesome for the band in the country sphere, as it will help two worlds that we cover quite a lot get closer!
Alyssa Bonagura was on Buddy’s after, continuing on the Snakefarm takeover of the stage. It was another slightly heavier British artist, but slightly more on the country-pop end of things. She was another excellent set, somehow sounding exactly like she does on track live, which is an incredible feat in this sort of music. She’s another artist that could have done with a bigger platform, but also perfectly fit for the smaller, packed out crowd at Buddy’s. We’ve spent a lot of time there this year and it’s quickly becoming one of my favourite stages; from the setting to the sound to the general setup, it’s all awesome. Alyssa will surely follow Kezia in becoming a massive name in the UK country scene sooner rather than later!
Erin Kinsey blew the metaphorical roof off the place on the joint at the Rhinstone stage. Flying in pretty last minute by the sounds of things, you wouldn’t have told she was in Germany earlier that day, as she sounded fantastic and had all the energy in the world. And plus, she was HEAVY, dude. And even if this wasn’t coming from a guy who’s big into rock and metal, I’d say in a good way! It helped that the stage was perfectly loud on the Sunday, but yeah, the guitars were distorted, the bass thumping and her drummer was smacking the shit out of his skins. It really set her apart from the other women around her in the scene who she could be compared to. She goes rockier on her latest album, but I wasn’t expecting it to translate this well live! ‘Matchmaker’ was a personal highlight of mine, but the set was jam packed full of awesome tracks that the crowd ate up! Hopefully she’s over here more regularly as I’d love to see her again, hopefully at her own show, soon!
I went into The White Buffalo not quite knowing what to expect, outside of a more slower, Americana-style thing similar to Uncle Lucius. What I got was not that, but was even better! There were certainly tracks like that, but there band also got dark and heavy in the best ways. It almost boarded on the heavier end of grunge, which was sick! And, on top of that, the band were full of energy, and put on one hell of a show considering it was just them and their instruments. I love how heavy the Sunday ended up, almost feeling more like a Southern rock festival than anything else, and Buffalo were definitely a highlight in amongst that. They’re another band that I would LOVE to see again, and need to ASAP.
Kim Churchill rocked the hell out of his solo performance on the Front Porch stage. Up against some steep competition on other stages, the Aussie native still drew a pretty great crowd for what again felt like a closer, more intimate gig. His voice was amazing, and the sheer amount of other stuff he had going on at the same time really filled out the sound (I’m a sucker for a harmonica). I’d be curious to see if he plays with a full band back home, and how that would sound, but for now the acoustic solo stuff was awesome, and a fitting change of pace for us on a pretty high energy day!
It was at this point that, as we got a drink, we quickly headed to check out a bit of the dog show. Watching them all getting distracted by toys instead of running to their owners was very cute!
The UK country legend Kezia Gill played to a packed out Buddy’s, completing her mission to play every stage at the festival (well, aside from the Hitching Post now). The stage was, of course, packed out, as she was definitely ‘too big’ for the setting. However, it made it even more rowdy, and almost everyone knew so much of what she was playing, and loving every minute. We were no different. Somehow this is the first time we’ve had the chance to see Kezia and it’s very easy to see why she has such a fantastic reputation: she was really great live! Rattling through some of her biggest and best songs to an adoring crowd that have watched her grow alongside the scene over the last few years. She’s a fantastic front woman and her voice more than hold up live. If I had any complaint at all, and it’s a super minor one, is that she’s very straight-forward in terms of her sound, and on a day where everything is a little out there and different, it felt almost safe. Still, that’s hardly Kezia’s fault, and she still put on a blinder of a set.
The controversial James Bay closed out the main show on the Sunday. The amount of arguments I’ve seen that he doesn’t fit the festival, that he isn’t country so he shouldn’t be there… I think he proved a lot of the haters wrong on Sunday night. Despite being sick, he still put on an utterly fantastic show, rattling through so many of his incredible hits and doing so in style. Despite not playing my favourite song of his (‘Give me the Reason’), he still hit so many amazing songs, from his hits ‘Let It Go’ and ‘Hold Back the River’ to deeper cuts like ‘Scars’ and ‘Wanderlust’. And we got an absolutely incredible extended version of ‘Best Fake Smile’, complete with an amazing extended blues solo that really blew me away, and clearly James and the band were having a blast playing it. He’s such a professional, putting on a flawless show and coming across as such a genuine, likeable guy in the process. It was an incredible headline set fitting of the festival, and if it wasn’t for the fact that Drake was also present, he would have been headliner of the year. Anyone who’s still on the fence, I cannot recommend enough seeing him live, he puts on a fantastic show and you’d definitely be won over!
Alana Springsteen was the aftershow party artist of the Sunday, and closed out the whole weekend pretty fantastically. We caught her a couple of years ago and, much like FTF, it feels like she’s grown even more as a performer in the time since she’s been away. She put on a great, all too short set of some of her best hits, and performed them all perfectly, also sounding so close to her track stuff! I hated that I missed her full set earlier on, but at least I managed to check her out here. She brought just enough energy to the proceedings this late on, getting everyone who was exhausted still dancing and partying and singing along and having fun to close out a truly fantastic evening. That’s how it’s done!
And there we have it folks, three excellent days of country, roots, blues and Americana music. It really is one of the best festivals around currently, is family friendly and still has plenty of energy and room to grow. Again, a huge thanks and congrats to Baylen the whole team for putting on such an excellent weekend. Until next year!
The country-pop sensation himself is back with his fourth studio album and follow-up to last year’s Bones. Coming in at the tail end of the bro-country era, he quickly established himself and has become a household name, and not just back home! We even had the privilege of seeing him at The Long Road last year, and had a blast. So, of course we wanted to give this release a full review and really sink our teeth into it!
‘Dust’ is a beautiful, chilled-out way to open the album. It perfectly sets up Russel’s sound and what he’s all about; the perfect country-pop song! A simple acoustic guitar and electric drums verse builds to an expectedly massive, catchy chorus, like Dickerson does so perfectly. The lyrics are a little cheese-country, but so well written that it’s easy to look past. It’s a simple radio-friendly pop song, but an awesome Russel Dickerson song and the perfect way to open the album!
Next up is one of the handful of singles, ‘Sippin on Top of the World’. It’s got ever so slightly more of a rock edge to it, with the acoustic drums and a great guitar lead opening things up. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still about as rock as the Jonas Brothers, but it definitely has slightly more of an edge to it than the opener. The stripped-back verses lead to another huge, stadium-filling chorus. It’s easy to see why it’s such a big single already too, and was one hell a choice as one! It’s an excellent country song overall, and a very easy early highlight!
‘Happen to Me’ slows things down a little again, the guitar sound honestly giving a touch of a y’allternative vibe to it, especially with the pop-punk pre. It’s a nice change of pace for the album already that I honestly wasn’t expecting. It once again builds to another awesome, massive chorus, and immediately it’s another track that easily makes it onto our playlist.
‘Worth Your Wild’ is the most Russel Dickerson song I think I’ve ever heard, and I love it! It’s that perfect blend of country, pop and rock that he does so well, and is one of the best choruses he’s maybe ever done. It’s another that was an incredibly good choice to be a single, and has clearly done very well for him already! The lyrics here are pretty great too, and we even get a cheeky little guitar solo tucked away in the middle! It’s a strong contender for a ‘song for the rest of summer’ and is up there with one of my favourite he’s ever done, honestly.
The pace and energy chills back out massively for ‘Heard it in a Country Song’. It’s incrediblely simple in its arrangment of just some Spanish guitaring, basic electric drums and Russel’s amazing vocals. Honestly, it gives off slight Buffet vibes, but of course more modernised. Somewhere between that and Latin pop, and makes for a really interesting listen. There’s a surprising amount going on in the track too, with some piano and organ chiming in at times throughout, but it’s all so chilled it’s easy to miss. I love it as a change of pace as much as a track on its own!
Tracks like ‘Sunrise in my Silverado’, ‘For a Truck’ and ‘Love that I Love You’ are all more typical Russel songs and exactly what you’d expect from the pop-country legend at this point. All three are excellent tracks, with the latter specifically being another huge high point on the album, but there isn’t much variety through them. Still, they’re easy to listen to for sure, fit the album perfectly and are of course more beautiful love songs to his wife.
‘Never Leave’ is the ballad of the album, a stripped-back, simple, slower track that mainly focuses on Russel’s vocals, minimal instrumentation behind it. It’s a beautiful track, with the lyrics being a real focal point and being solid. And, while we’ve had slower tracks already, this again has a different feel and is another great change of pace. It’s Russel’s best vocal performance on the album, and if you like the slower stuff this is definitely one to check out!
‘Bones’ feels like a slightly cheek addition to the album, as it was the main track from his EP last year. It’s a good song and still fits onto the album pretty perfectly, but has obviously been out over a year in multiple different incarnations now. It might have been cool to have had it reworked for the album somehow, but then it may not have fit on the release so well.
’16 Me’ is another slower ballad-like song, but has a little more going on on it than ‘Never Leave’. Then, the albums title track and latest single takes us home in style, somehow feeling like a combination/culmination of most that came before. It’s on the slower end again, but that chorus is incredible, and it feels like the track builds towards it and around it perfectly. It’s another fantastic choice for a single and a really great way to close out the album, even if the last handful of songs have been on the slower side, now!
Overall: This is another really great addition to his growing discography. It feels like the man can’t put out anything bad at this point, and I’d put this up there alongside any of his other releases in terms of quality. He’s certainly not for everyone, but you know exactly what to expect heading into the album with him and he delivers every time, including here. It’s packed full of fun, catchy, emotional moments, and I’d recommend it to any country fan out there!
Another pretty big week of great rock, country and metal releases for us to check out. Let’s dive right in!
Rise Against: Ricochet
Between being one of my favourite bands of my youth, and one of the first reviews we did here at Overtone with their last album, it’s safe to say anticipation was pretty high on my end for this release. Especially when I saw them at Download earlier this year and they still sounded as great and as pissed off as ever. So, when I say that not only was a little disappointed by this, but it actively didn’t make me feel anything, know it sadly comes from a genuine place. Like, is it bad? No. But it is hardly up there with their previous albums. And a lot of that can actually be put on the shoulders of the production. The mix and effect on Tim’s vocals are horrible, and the main reason for the sour taste left in my mouth from this album. It feels like an MJK ‘my voice is another instrument’ type idea as it’s so far back in the mix, but it really just makes it hard to hear and focus on the lyrics properly, a real highlight of their music, usually. Honestly, it makes it sound like a demo, not a final recording, making the album feel rushed despite there being a four year gap between releases. Songs like ‘I Want it All’, ‘Us Against the World’ and ‘State of Emergency’ are all still good, but don’t quite hold a candle to a lot of their back catalogue.
I’d love to hear them live to see if I ‘get’ it a little more. I’m hoping that after a few more listens the style will grow on me, as it’s clearly a conscious decision to go in this direction. It gives off slight Genesis vibes, but that isn’t what I really want from my punk. It’s worth checking out, but for those who are fans of the band already, brace yourselves, it’s different. As I said, not bad, but certainly not up there with their previous release or their best. I don’t want this to be fully negative though, as it’s still asolid 7.5/10! There are plenty of elements of classic Rise Against in here, just wrapped up in a weird-ass bow.
Chevelle: Bright as Blasphemy
YES. It’s no secretthat I’ve been impatiently waiting for this album, and now that it’s finally here it is everything I wanted it to be. It very much fondles my eardrums in all the best ways. I absolutely loved NIRATIAS and this feels like the perfect follow-up to that album. This would normally be the point in the review where I talk about which tracks are highlights, but this whole 40-minutes is fucking incredible and one big highlight of rock in of itself. From the awesome opener to the incredible, proggy two-part ‘Cowards’, followed up by a slower, Tooly reflective song, only to slap you in the face with all the riffs in ‘Wolves’… and that’s just the first half of the album! The final half of the album is just as spectacular, with ‘Blood Out in the Fields’ being so simple yet effective, giving me goosebumps. I could gush about this album all day, but it really needs to be heard to fully appreciate it, so stop reading this and check it out immediately! They’re like a more alt, consistent Tool and I love every second of it. Their last album, as fantastic as it was, grew on me a little after that first listen, but I don’t even need that with this. A very easy 10/10. They are maybe the most underrated band on the face of the planet, and it’ll certainly end up very high on our top albums list come December!
Jordan Davis: Learn the Hard Way
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read the full review here.
Black Honey: Soak
The fourth album from the British indie rockers is a solid release in their genre. While it’s not wholly my sort of thing, I completely get the appeal, and it’s incredibly unique and well written. I remember checking out their sophomore album way back in the day and enjoying it, but missed their last one. Despite that, it’s easy to hear their progression to here, and this is a clearly good addition to their growing discography. Tracks like ‘Dead’, the dark, gothic ‘Carroll Avenue’ and ‘To the Grave’ are all big highlights, but the whole album is good and had a great flow, the nearly 40-minutes going by in a flash. It gives off big Mother Mother vibes, and y’all know how much I love that band. If you’re into chilled out, fun indie rock, this is definitely the album for you, and I enjoyed it more than I expected to! It’s a solid 7/10, and this won’t be the last time I listen to some of these tracks!
Heartkiller: Üdv A Világomban
The much anticipated debut album from the Hungarian melodeath band finally dropped this last Friday, and it’s pretty good! It’s packed full of technical riffing and drumming, heavy screams and some massive, melodic clean choruses. I have no idea what they’re singing about, but they’re passionate in their delivery, too! Tracks like ‘Életre Ítélve’, ‘F.e.a.r.’ and the title track are all personal highlights, but there isn’t a bad track on here! I completely get the thrash comparisons too, as it feels as much like Testament as it does In Flames, which is awesome. Honestly, there isn’t a great deal to say about the album, other than if you like melodic death metal, thrash or a more European metal sound, this is well worth checking out! A solid 7.5/10 from us!
Cass McCombs: Interior Live Oak
The psychedelic folk singer-songwriter is back with his 13th studio album. I remember checking out his previous album last year but sadly ran out of time to review it, so it’s nice to have a quieter week to sit and really jam with this. It’s an incredibly chilled-out release, very much fitting that relaxed Americana-folk mould, but certainly doing it in his own way. It’s again not fully my sort of thing, but I fully see the appeal of this. I had it on in the background while I cooked and it was great! As such, I don’t really have any tracks that stand out over others; it was all a similar sort of vibe and energy. However, as a whole it’s a great release and experience to listen to, and I’d recommend to anyone into the more chilled side of music! There is no denying his talent, as some of his riffs, arrangements and lyrics are incredible. It did get a little samey for me, especially at the insane 75-minute runtime, but I still enjoyed it and know a lot will love it. 6.5/10
Baest: Colossal
This things combines hard/classic rock and stoner/doom riffing with straight up death metal, to pretty fantastic results! And while I certainly wouldn’t say it ‘took some getting into’, by the time ‘In Loathe and Love’ came on I was hooked and jammed the whole rest of the thing in one sitting, loving every track. The band are so hugely talented; the instrumentation being phenomenal throughout while the screams are somehow both brutal and catchy in equal measure. Heck, whether it was Simon Olsen’s vocals or the generally not-depressing guitar and drum work, it made the screams feel less heavy at times, definitely lending itself towards an almost death’n’roll sound on occasion. It’s another album that’s impossible to pick highlights from as every song is as good as the last. It’s insane to me that it’s taken me four albums to finally hear about them to check them out, but they have a huge new fan in me! If you are at all into the heavy side of metal, check this out ASAP. I’m already desperate to see it live, too! An incredibly easy 9/10 from us!
Luke Marzec: Something Good Out of Nothing
Another debut album, this time from the Devon-based jazz/blues/soul rising star. It’s easy to see why he’s a fast-rising star too, as this is an incredible release. The opener is an amazing track, and it’s easy to see why it’s blown up as a single, as well as setting the tone for the album well. Then you have the (old-school) Randy Neuman-esque ‘Red Boletes’, the fantastically jazz-pop ‘Broken Promises’ and ‘Enough of Single Measures” that are all also awesome. However, if you’re into this sort of thing, you’ll enjoy the whole album! It reminds me of a less rocky Cardinal Black, and I love that this kind of sound is taking off in the UK again! His voice is incredible and his songwriting is amazing, blending together so many styles effortlessly and doing so while still making it relatively accessible. If you are at all curious, give this a spin, you won’t be disappointed! A very solid 7.5/10
Three completely different EPs for us to check out today, from metal to punk to Americana. All are worth a listen but read on to see what we thought!
Europa Reign: Self-Titled
The debut EP from the alt metal band from just down the road in Wolverhampton is awesome, and a hugely impressive first release! It’s got an air of Mason Hill meets Earthtone9, and I love it! There’s a really nostalgic late 90s early 2000s post grunge edge to it too, but also it feels pretty fresh and different at the same time. His vocals are a little Sully Erna and a little Scott Stapp. the power and melody over a heavier, more technical and modern instrumentation being fantastic. Also, it’s impossible to pick out just a couple of highlights, as all five tracks on this are phenomenal. It’s right up my street musically, and is 23-minutes of perfect hard rock/metal. If you are in any way into any of the bands or genres I’ve mentioned already, I cannot recommend this enough! The band are insanely talented musicians and songwriters, and have a hugely bright future ahead of them if this release is anything to go by! I can’t give it any less than 10/10, amazing!
Instigators: Full Circle/The Sleeper
The UK punk royalty are back after decades away, returning to the stage a week ago at Rebellion in Blackpool and then releasing this revamped EP today! While none of it is new, I wanted to cover it as this is a rather huge deal, and a band I love! ‘Full Circle’ sounds better than ever, while classic ‘The Sleeper’ also sounds excellent with a new lease of life. As far as I’m aware the EP is only available in physical format, aside for the videos on YouTube like the one below. So, if you can order it or make it down to one of their shows, I highly recommend you pick up a copy! 8/10
Alan Fletcher: Let’s Talk About Love
The Neighbours star put out his brand new EP today, a follow-up to his 2023 debut album. Australian Americana is an interesting one, but it doesn’t not work. It’s simple but chilled-out, fun music in the vein of Julian Tayloror John Jenkins. There’s even a little bit of Ian Anderson to his vocal delivery, which I found pretty fascinating for this genre. He’s a good songwriter, the lyrics being pretty fantastic, and it’s a simple, good 12 minutes to sink your teeth into if you’re into this sort of style. My favourite track is probably the more bluesy/Willie Nelson-like ‘Table Service’, but none of them are bad! It’s a solid 7.5/10, and good for anyone just wanting to sit back and relax with some music!
