‘Daisuki Baby’ is the brand new 10-track album from Chicago based alternative rocker Maxwell-Thomas. Featuring the new single ‘Gaslighter’, this album sees Maxwell-Thomas teaming up with drummer James Mozina.
‘Daisuki Baby’ is a melodic collection of alternative rock that displays Maxwell-Thomas’ emotive and vibrant musicianship. This lush album is drenched in sun-soaked tones with bright guitars and buoyant rhythmic sections making each song a joy to the ears. The album is balanced superbly to create a collection that is stunning and musically rich. It’s clear ‘Daisuki Baby’ is designed to be enjoyed as a whole body of work as each song flows beautifully into the next. Blending dynamic alternative rock soundscapes with lush pop melodies and driving percussion, ‘Black’, ‘Gaslighter’ and ‘Collateral’ showcases Maxwell-Thomas’ tight and refined sound.
The phenomenal drumming of James Mozina holds the tracks together. He creates that brawn and power through the songs forming that sturdy lean mean backbone that is sure to ignite a live audience as well as cushioning the more tender moments within songs like ‘Closer. Here the steady drums contain the tender emotion and subtly lift the song to create an anthemic power rock ballad.
‘Daisuki Baby’ exudes energy throughout as Maxwell-Thomas fuses hook-filled sentiments of pop music with punk rock elements throughout the fiery ‘Hollywood’ while ‘Scattered’ ventures into a more grunge style. With dreamy melodies and smooth expressive vocals, Maxwell-Thomas creates a satisfying listening experience with ‘Daisuki Baby’.
Even the brooding ballads create a cinematic chill of goosebumps. The smoky melancholic ‘Goodbye, Goodnight’ is perhaps the most captivating example of this. Maxwell-Thomas builds the somber melody and lamenting backdrop of pining guitars and punchy drums to create an emotional tune that intensifies to a teary-eyed movie scene crescendo filled with oodles of emotion.
‘Daisuki Baby’ is a beautifully crafted album that showcases the deft songwriting and diverse musicianship of Maxwell-Thomas.
Encapsulating harsh feelings of anger, betrayal and frustration within his music, Davy Williamson has released his new EP ‘Down By The Fire’.Raised in North Carolina, Davy Williamson began his musical career co-founding various regional acts. Today, he sets off to launch his solo career, flying the flag for Hard-Rock while exploring themes fueled around broken homes, struggles with relationships and loss of friends. Working with names such as Shawn Adkins (Back-A-Round Records), Steve Hardy (RockMixer.com) and Andy Vandette (The Engine Room) on his latest project, Davy Williamson recently released his debut single, ‘Thin Disguise’ from his forthcoming EP. This release alone approached 10k followers and over 47k streams.
‘Down By The Fire’ is a raw rock EP laced in Davy Williamson’s emotional and powerful musicianship. Dowsing melancholic melodies in a vast soundscape of blazing guitars, pounding drums, and dynamic basslines the EP swarms in on a relentless wall of sound. Williamson creates cinematic moments and thrilling eerie atmospheres through his compelling tunes. ‘Thin Disguise’, ‘Cliche’ and ‘Sick Thoughts’ all boast anthemic crescendos and mosh-worthy elements while tracks like ‘Down By The Fire’ surge with powerful alternative rock brawn and emotive lyrics. Williamson’s cutting lyrics touch on themes of relationships and struggles which is expressed through dynamic vocal exclaims. His raw gravelly vocals exude emotion as he coos with sombre tones through the verses of ‘Fault Line’ and ‘Same Place’ before bellowing with passion alongside the crashing instrumentation of the exhilarating choruses. ‘Down By The Fire’ is a gritty and instrumentally rich, rock EP sure to have you headbanging and singing along in no time.
Dublin quartet Inhaler have released their new single ‘Cheer Up Baby’ alongside the announcement of their debut album, ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This,’ which will be released on July 16th. The band comprised of Elijah Hewson (vocals and guitar), Josh Jenkinson (guitar), Robert Keating (bass), and Ryan McMahon (drums), have already released a string of captivating singles. Their fevered live shows have earned them a diehard fanbase – on their last tour, they sold over 10,000 tickets and played to sold-out crowds across Europe. Their tracks have been streamed over 50 million times globally.
‘Cheer Up Baby’ is a golden ray of sunshine as Inhaler builds their infectious indie sound to create a timeless heartfelt gem. In true Inhaler manner, the track pivots around a sweet guitar refrain. Within ‘Cheer Up Baby,’ this bright guitar melody flickers with catchy indie-rock hues while a groove-stricken bassline and dynamic drums exude the band’s brand of glittering indie finesse over the verses. The sun-kissed soundscape creates a wonderful state of nostalgia enhanced by Hewson’s warm vocal croons “oh, how to kill these February blues.” …“When I think of all the things, I didn’t do, Oh, I can’t help but blame it on you…..cheer up baby you’re not on your own”. His vocals cling to the evocative lyrics oozing uplifting emotion while at the same time embracing a sense of sadness and longing.
However the song does not remain lamentful for long. The brooding verses lead into a chorus eruption as a thunderous upsurge announces the anthemic blazing sound of Inhaler. The bright guitars swell around the punchy drums to create an expansive soundscape for the dizzying synths and rampant bass to fill with exhilarating tones and reverberations.The expressive instrumentation is a joy to the senses and compels the listener to press repeat.
Inhaler are cultivating their sound beautifully to create an intoxicating brand of indie rock, and the result is an anthemic, perfectly executed song in the form of ‘Cheer Up Baby’. Press play and enjoy.
About the track, the band say: “It’s just a great pop song,” says Hewson. “I think it really takes us back to our roots as a band.” “I think it just has that classic, feel-good, anthemic, hopeful feeling that everyone seems to relate to on some level,” says McMahon.
Last Of The Wonder Kids have released their new single ‘Weakness.’ Last Of The Wonder Kids are a three-piece alt/indie band based in Grimsby. Over the past few years, they have gigged up and down the U.K. and built a solid fan base across many major cities, garnering huge support from the likes of BBC Introducing and 6Music and securing slots at major festivals such as Kendal Calling.
Blazing with relentless indie rock energy, ‘Weakness’ is an exhilarating new single from Last Of The Wonder Kids. The band swirl a blitz of whirring fuzzy guitars over a savage drum assault to create their heavy mosh-ready wall of sound while a scorching bass warps the song’s energetic tone into a dark, relentless groove. The track ventures from crashing raw indie rock to lo-fi pop with ease as the band display their diverse and lush musicianship. With rampant hooks burrowing through the acute frenzied rhythm and piercing guitar, ‘Weakness’ is a force to be reckoned with. The band coat a dreamy melody with smooth vocals, tight harmonies, and biting instrumentation to provide a youthful animated new single that accelerates as the song progresses. ‘Weakness’ displays Last Of The Wonder Kids’ magnificent alternative sound in all its fizzing glory.
‘One’ is the exciting debut from new alternative rock artist AUDIOCHROME. Beginning this project in the Spring of 2020, ‘One’ presents just four of the twenty songs AUDIOCHROME is preparing to release. Composing melodies since the age of six, AUDIOCHROME is the artistic moniker for Zack Melkonian.
‘One’ is a cinematic collection of alternative rock as AUDIOCHROME melds emotive melodies into dark dynamic soundscapes to create an enthralling listening experience. Exuding rumbles on drums alongside dramatic backing vocals in ‘Daisies’ and anthemic soundscapes in ‘Believe,’ Melkonian announces the EP triumphantly.
Melkonian’s passionate vocals wail and growl through the songs as he injects shadowy and eerie tones into the song’s edgy rock. ‘No Goodbyes,’ oozes poignant melodies and dramatic soundscapes with a theatrical undertone showcasing Melkonian’s musical diversity. As each song unfolds, the artist layers guitar refrains, urgent synths, and expressive heavy rhythms into the songs to create an all-consuming sound.
‘One’ comes to a close with the moving ‘All My Senses.’The track broods and haunts with wispy soundscapes and lulling backing vocals allowing the passionate raw vocal delivery and intricate rhythm create the luring dark atmosphere. This compelling and striking track is a fantastic and emotive finale to a thoroughly enjoyable EP.
Chay Snowdon have released their debut EP ‘Are You Sitting Comfortably? (Then We’ll Begin)’.Chay Snowdon are a four-piece alternative rock outfit based in the South West of England.
Boasting anthemic tunes and blazing instrumentation ‘Are You Sitting Comfortably? (Then We’ll Begin)’ is a relentless onslaught of Chay Snowdon’s powerful sound. Setting a strong foundation the band’s previously released, spectacular singles; ‘What the Kids Want’, ‘Tough Guys Die First’, ’Loud Shirts’ and ‘Men Cry Too’ grace the EP. These are the tantalizing singles that have secured Chay Snowdon’s strong and devoted fan base. With soaring guitar licks, solos, and riffs embellishing the tracks, each song has crafted a fiery and impressive pathway for the EP.
The band’s enthusiasm pushes the album along at a relentless, breathless pace. Spreading soaring choruses over an energetic indie rock backdrop ‘Tough Guys Die First’ and ’Loud Shirts’ surge with adrenaline and anthemic rock vigor – the latter displaying the band’s magnificent frenzied crescendo’s and blues-hued rock in all its glory.
Chay’s rasped vocals glide over the smooth melodies with ease injecting emotion and charm into each song. This is perhaps most noticeable within ‘Men Cry Too’. His passionate vocals hold a strong stance over the bubbling backdrop and jaunty guitar jabs. With rumbling drums and an insatiable groove on bass, ‘Men Cry Too’ is an exceptional display of musicianship and a noteworthy highlight on the EP.
Chay Snowdon create their songs to deliver on all fronts making their infectious indie bangers timeless and utterly enjoyable – this is perhaps best shown within the four piece’s lyrical content. Throughout ‘Are You Sitting Comfortably? (Then We’ll Begin)’ the band display their deft, witty and catchy songwriting. The clever lyrical content is expressed through beautiful storytelling and sharp turn of phrase. This is most prominent within ‘Cash Only’“I met her in the park she caught my eye, you know it started with a spark oh my my and we talked until the dark I proclaimed I’m lonely with the deepest of regrets she said cash only “.
‘Are You Sitting Comfortably? (Then We’ll Begin)’ is an exhilarating collection of glam rock, indie, and rock n’ roll. The wailing guitars, thrilling vocals and slick rhythms all feel like a treat just waiting for eager live crowds to unwrap and enjoy. This EP is extremely well put together and cements Chay Snowdon’s reputation as an exciting band to keep an eye on.
Stream ‘Are You Sitting Comfortably? (Then We’ll Begin)’ below
Bullets & Knives has released their new single ‘Fuel’.Based in Gembloux, Belgium Bullets & Knives are a hard hitting rock band. Taking inspiration from the band’s founder Julien Delaye’s day job at a petrol station, ‘Fuel’ exposes the frustration felt towards this job.
‘Fuel’ is a smashing alternative 90’s rock track consumed in the expressive and dynamic musicianship of Bullets & Knives. The band surge raw riffs through a pounding drum and bass backdrop to create a dark and intense wall of sound. The raw rumbling bass lines wriggle through the track while the resounding heavy drums surround the song in a harsh mosh-ready fury. There is a cinematic quality to the song as the crashing guitars shrill with dramatic grandeur through the thick muggy soundscape. This magnificent display shows the band’s ability to express emotion through their brawny alternative rock. With a catchy melancholic melody and passionate vocals, Bullets & Knives showcase their energetic and heartfelt rock through this anthemic power tune, and it’s impressive.
Star Comedy Democrats have released their debut EP ‘Imitation Road.’ A catchy and powerful modern rock band, Star Comedy Democrats, is a tight three-piece outfit based in Kilkenny, fronted by Mark Bolger with Briain Casey on Bass and Rory Cooper on Drums.
‘Imitation Road’ is a bright and raw collection of alternative rock from Star Comedy Democrats. The band create an EP of lush melodies and refined instrumentation that becomes more radiant and exciting with each subsequent listen.
With clean jangly guitars driving the radiant energy between the punchy and rhythmic ‘Ghost’ and title track ‘Imitation Road’ Star Comedy Democrats display their tight and slick sound in all its glory. The songs are well-paced and brimming with intricate guitar embellishments, elastic flirtation on bass, and infectious alternative rock-esque melodies. Each song flows fluidly into the next with ease as Bolger’s warm, rasped vocals inject a dash of grit into the band’s energetic aesthetic.
Star Comedy Democrats have crafted a melody-rich EP that you can croon along to as well as mosh manically to. They build laid-back tunes like ‘Fire and Teeth’ with brooding lush harmonies and sullen verses while vibrant biting choruses and heartfelt air-punching crescendos drive the trio’s dynamic sound with vigor. However, the grunge-hued ‘Happy Valley’ is perhaps the EP’s pinnacle moment. A dark luring bass rumbles alongside a resounding drum while a steamy guitar pines, stings, and crashes throughout. This meticulous layering creates a sound that is fresh and intoxicating.
Star Comedy Democrats have created a tight well rounded, and enjoyable EP. For a debut, the EP showcases the growing talent and raw, authentic sound of Star Comedy Democrats. Love it.
Following on from the success of their previous releases, ‘EP!C’ and ‘MASS!VE’, Birmingham anti-pop quartet Y!KES have released their new single ‘Long Gone Silver’.
‘Long Gone Silver’ is a shredding and tantalizing assault to the senses. The track bursts in on the raw, relentless alternative rock we have come to love from Y!KES. This rattling rock beast roars upon a bloodthirsty drum and bass foundation while kaleidoscopic shards on guitar splinter through the backdrop with sharp stings.
Y!KES have a deft ability to balance the refinement of their craft and create a mind-blowing spectacle all at once, and ‘Long Gone Silver’ achieves this magnificently. The verses tease, wriggle and ferment through fuzzy suspenseful instrumentation while the band’s explosive chorus introduces the dramatic and theatrical affair of a mosh pit frenzy.
Displaying a sharp sense of understanding, the band capture a sense of youth through their wild tracks. Oli Long’s vocals spit and growl “All We Do Is Escape Ourselves and Call It Fun” with swagger and a sense of disdain, capturing the global frustration at the moment through witty and honest lyrics.
This frantic, energetic track is a sublime example of Y!KES’ fun and gloriously chaotic alternative rock. Sure to have you jumping and dancing around the room, ‘Long Gone Silver’ is one for repeat plays with the volume booming.
About the track Liam Howard, Guitarist explains, “Written in the heat of global frustration, Long Gone Silver smacks against the rage with massive guitars, bass hooks, punchy drums & sinister vocals to remind the world that music is alive, kicking & screaming”.
Adding to Liam’s comments, Vocalist Oli says “Excuse the pun, but I guess we are all somewhat in the same boat now. So what should we have done? Sat around twiddling our thumbs… or turn our shared frustration into something we can sing and dance to? I thought so. We wrote this as an almost sarcastic reminder that although tempting to rid one’s inhibitions daily through a chosen vice or activity. Sometimes it’s a good idea to check what day it is & ensure that you and your friends aren’t bleeding out.”
Dublin trio N.O.A.H have released their new single ‘Darkest Hour’. I caught up with drummer Ronan Hynes to chat about the new single, their collaboration with Booka Brass, and how they create their energetic sound.
N.O.A.H. have taken their time releasing their sophomore single, letting their anthemic debut single ‘Shine’ breathe a little while keeping us all in suspense as to what we can expect next.
“Initially, we were hoping to have the track out by January but obviously as soon as Christmas time was over and we went back into a longer period of lockdown we felt that it wasn’t the right time, that it would probably get drowned out by all of the news and negativity.So we decided that we’d hold off for a few weeks and see if that would have any effect and thankfully, it’s worked out in our favor. We released this at the very start of February instead of January and it’s been received quite well at the moment so we’re really happy with that”
‘Shine’ received extensive airplay across national and regional radio and was featured as 2FM’s Breakfast with Doireann & Eoghan’s Track of the Week – alongside N.O.A.H making their international debut with a featured live performance on Laura Whitmore’s BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast show. During a difficult time for musicians, the band managed to create a fantastic number to charm all our hearts. The band collaborated with Booka Brass for their new single, ‘Darkest Hour’. The collaboration elevates the song to new heights and adds a new dimension to N.O.A.H’s already dynamic sound.
“It’s amazing when you actually think about it. It’s certainly something that we don’t think about enough. It’s very easy to get lost in these times, and expect things to be like they used to be but it’s nice to take a step back every now and then and see what we have achieved with the obstacles that have been in our way. To be honest, we thought ‘Shine’ was a great song, but we weren’t expecting the positivity that it got during such a negative time, then we were thinking, how do we beat ‘Shine’ or what comes next. I suppose we went with a different direction this time. We wanted to give our rock roots a bit more freedom than the more commercial pop side of things and we were delighted to be able to express that. Even to have the lads from Booka Brass, that was great as well to have such cool lads feature on the track too. “
“It happened while we were writing the track. We had done everything pretty much remotely. The drums had been recorded in a studio back in, I think it was June or something, and then the rest of the time was spent in our different houses sending emails back and forth. We were kind of struggling to find a certain element that was missing, you know, it was a good idea as a song, but we wanted to make it great. It was our manager that said, you know, it’d be very cool to have brass involved there. We were big fans of Booka Brass anyway because they’re so unique and it just so happened that our producer, Phil Hayes had actually worked with them before. So he reached out to them and from there, we created an email thread to get it all sorted because we haven’t met them before, we haven’t even spoken to them properly. So it’s quite interesting when you listen to the track and realize that, the chemistry is a bit strange, but it still works out”
‘Darkest Hour’ shows a more raw side to N.O.A.H‘s sound. It has a spiraling soundscape that conveys mental health in an extraordinarily intense and evocative way and feels as if both lyrically and instrumentally, the band dig deep in an attempt to explain or describe the vast emotions one experiences. Ronan explained to me how the band achieved this through the space created by remote writing.
“Yeah, it’s a tough one, when you’re speaking about things that are close to you. I suppose that side of things is close to all three of us. So when you’re being, even a small bit open…,I suppose you feel a bit apprehensive to do it. But the lyrics display the emotion, and the music is kind of the armor around it. Sometimes if you listen to the lyrics, then you’ll get the idea. But then you’re almost distracted by the music going on as well. So it’s not so much focused on it. I think we’ve done a good job at that. It’s not something we were ready to dive into completely yet but it is a very important topic that we did want to cover”
“With the song talking about the whole getting into your head, it’s just yourself, battling yourself. So, to be honest, when you’re by yourself, and you’re recording this kind of style of music and having that deep thought in the back of your head, I think it almost motivated you to do the best take that you can do and ultimately, I think, it’s made the song even better.”
‘Shine’ and ‘Darkest Hour’ are a fine display of musical prowess. N.O.A.H are becoming pros at writing big melodic hooks that evoke images of arena-worthy shows. Their catchy choruses and energetic soundscapes have made plenty of people hungry for live performances. The band automatically puts that image in people’s heads of what to expect when live shows come back, and it’s getting people excited. This alone is a fantastic way to entice people and gather the masses for live shows when they return. Ronan discussed with me how they write these catchy hooks and melodies and how they are prepping for the return of live shows
“It’s certainly something that changes from time to time. But, there is plenty, of situations where, say, Adam or Ryan could come in with a little idea or melody, and we will expand on that. Then other times, it would be, moments when we’d be playing together, through jamming, it would just come organically. So it’s not something that’s consistently the same formula, we’re lucky enough that there’s times where we could just come across a really nice melody, or it could be a case where we’re just really into a jam and something cool comes out, just like ‘Shine’ did.”
“Yeah, funnily enough, we’ve had conversations throughout the week, just saying, you know, imagine when we play this,live, how is it going to be received? And, it’s cool to think, even the “Oh oh “ parts, if it was blasted back at you, but at the moment, we’re still writing. So our main focus is to make sure that anything that we do translates to a nice energetic field for live, because we know in the back of our minds that as soon as gigs come back, as you said, People are dying to go to them. So it’s going to be a case that we need to be ready. We need to have the arsenal behind us togive that energy back to the people. So it certainly is exciting when you listen to it, and you imagine, but It’s a bit sad, because you’re just waiting to get that out during uncertain times.”
N.O.A.H released a cinematic and impressive music video for ‘Shine.’ It has a Stranger Things vibe, and I wondered if we can expect another equally captivating video for ‘Darkest Hour.’
“We hooked up with this up and coming director, Mark, JD Smyth. He’s just a really cool, really creative guy. We basically just let him have free rein on the idea that we gave him, the themes that we wanted to be covered and we gave him a rough idea of how we wanted it to be. Then from there, he just went wild. So yeah, it was really cool and definitely had an 80s kind of Stranger Things vibe to it. We have a great team around us that keeps our feet on the ground. I think, if it was just left to the three of us, we’d be throwing music out every week. You know that’s the way we see things. So it’s important that we have a team around us that make us think logically about things as opposed to just sporadically throwing things out there.”
“We were discussing it to see if we were going to do a video but I think this time around what we’re trying to do is just connect with people through our social media as opposed to just throw out a video on YouTube and ask people to watch it. So we’re doing different things with ‘Darkest Hour’. I think at the moment, we have a TikTok video that is in three parts, and it’s explaining what all three of us do in our mundane days. It’s a day in the life of kind of a thing. So we’re trying to be a little bit more creative and a little bit more DIY with what we’re doing at the moment. We don’t have any plans for any major blockbuster videos for ‘Darkest Hour’ at the moment, but who knows? something could change next week, and we could think, let’s go for it.”
Like many artists now, the band has taken to social media to engage with their audience and release content to showcase their style. N.O.A.H have done a fantastic job once again with this; pacing their content and giving something fun, engaging, and fresh to their audience each and every time.
“ I think bands strive to make their name from a live point of view. It’s all very well and good listening to us on streaming platforms and stuff like that. But the real raw emotion and vibe that you get from a band comes from live. So to be a band that’s come into the music world without that element, it’s I think, tougher for us to gain the trust of people. It’s like what do we have for them to follow us kind of a thing. It pushes us to think, what do we have to offer? What can we give to people in order for them to give back to us? So I think it’s tough. It certainly is something that we’re wrecking our heads around every day, and trying to think of new things. But it keeps us on our toes trying to think of content, and not necessarily be musical. It certainly gives us a bit of adventure during the days to think about.”
The band are pacing their songs well, leaving us hungry fans on a hook and craving for more music. However, Ronan reassured me we will be getting a steady stream of new music from the band this year.
“At the moment we’re just writing so much. We’re focusing on getting a few new songs out before the end of the year. So hopefully, we’ll have three or four more singles planned before the year is out. That’s basically what we’re doing at the moment, we’re just figuring out obviously, the songs, whether it be one that we write tomorrow or one that we’ve written last week. Then from there, the logistics of it, when we’re going to release it, how much time it gives us between them because at the end of the day we don’t want to jump too quickly from one single to the next one. As you said previously it’s a case that we need to let ‘Darkest Hour’ breathe a bit and kind of settle in, and then move on in the background, after a month or two and see where we can go from there. So our plan is certainly to release more singles. The dates for them are to be confirmed, but we’re certainly not looking to slow down”
N.O.A.H are a promising and talented band with a powerful, refined sound well beyond their years. Their confidence and musical knowledge allow them to create exhilarating tunes which exude deft lyrical content and mind-spinning rock soundscapes. Watch out, these guys are locked, loaded, and ready for some well-deserved world domination.
Stream ‘Darkest Hour’ below
Author : Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
