Bear Trap are a Punk Rock band from Manchester. Band members Callum (Guitar/Vocals), Matt (Bass/Vocals), Sam (Guitar), Dean (Drums) have released their first track ‘LENA, YOU’RE A MIRACLE’ which i’m told is “inspired by every shitty love movie that ever left you slightly feeling something”. Riding the wave of punchy punk Bear Trap explode with strident guitars pounding drums and animated chorus. Its vigorous yet melodic and bright all while belting out frenzy causing chaos. Its fast pace, to-the-point, and catchy sound certainly gets your foot tapping, puts a smile on your face, and echoes in your head. A good start for a fresh faced new band.
Bear Trap will start playing live shows from 25th March with a support slot at Zanzibar in Liverpool, followed shortly after with a spot at Lennons Bar in Liverpool. They are set to play Fab Cafe in Manchester on the 25th June.
You can follow Bear Trap on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/beartrapsuck
PALMAS have released their new single ‘Floating In The Dark’. The track is the second single from their upcoming debut album due for release this year, it follows their captivating 2015 debut EP ‘To The Valley’. Band members Kurt Cain-Walther (vocals, organ), Matthew Young (guitar), Adam Cantiello (guitar), Eric Camarota (bass), and Pat Degan (drums) take their sweet indie surf sound to darker depths with this new single. ‘Floating In The Dark’ is a scorching desert western-like tune complete with a pistols and dawn scene and a tumble weed sweeping across a dusty road as the horns introduce the track with a sombre and almost seductive motif. The distant warm melody on guitar glistens with sweet melancholic tones giving a solitary atmosphere. The trumpet melody runs throughout the track teamed with galloping percussion like a horseback chase. Showing fine musician skills PALMAS arrange their track with delicate instrumentation that is layered with tight precision and care creating subtle multi textures. Crooning vocals sweeten the song while flooding it with sorrowful tones and a sway like fluidity. ‘Floating In The Dark’ oozes sweltering delusions of desert heat cooled by the creamy coo on vocals. It is definitely a darker shift away from the blissful sunny vibes of their ‘To The Valley’ EP looking forward to what their debut album will bring.
Stream ‘Floating In The Dark’ below.
Cavan’s Áine Cahill has released her new single ‘Plastic’. This haunting sharp edged track is a frosty spine-chilling pointed arrow aimed at a cold calculating individual. Cahill’s warm sass-filled vocals pours venomous cutting lyrics at her deceiver. Its an empowerment of feminine shrewdness and strength mixed with hints of disgust and detest executed with such elegance and poise that makes the track exceptional. With luring qualities coated in darkened eerie tones ‘Plastic’ is slick with effortlessly cool, menacing and sinister swagger. A soft beat and hints of ghostly whines on strings teamed with a dramatic piano feature adds a mysterious yet seductive smokey quality. The subtle backing vocals add a echo with goosebump – causing thrill. Another superbly written and crafted track from Áine Cahill.
Stream ‘Plastic’ below
South Africa based alternative rock band Life Lyne have recently released their brand new 4-track EP ‘We Will Stand’ in an effort to spread the honest message of life and faith through their music. Consisting of five musicians from a variety of different career paths, and all hailing from different cities, ‘Life Lyne’ was formed as a Alternative Rock Contemporary Christian band packed with soulful vocals and melodic harmonies. The EP was recorded by Peter Pearlson and mastered by grammy award winning engineer Rob Burrell, the band were influenced by experiences in their own personal lives which lead them to their faith. Musically, they cite a wide range of inspirations including John Mayer and Coldplay. Life Lyne have progressed quickly on the music scene, after forming in 2011 they have already performed with renowned international artists such as Paul Baloche and Lenny Leblanc and received support from a plethora of radio stations and South African TV. ‘We Will Stand’ is an uplifting EP that actually does fill you up with hearty warm goodness. Kicking things off with title track ‘We Will Stand’ Life Lyne gush through with an overwhelming surge of sprightly energy teamed with soulful powerful vocals and a punchy rapid beat that is infectiously dancy. With a mighty choir- like crescendo they make a good first impression. ‘Where I Belong’ is a peppy ball of sweet melodies and lush harmonies teamed with delicate honeyed jazzy piano that adds a strut and spring to the track. ‘U is My Vader’ takes the role of the acoustic dreamy ballad with beautiful rich harmonies, its a tear jerking charming track that stops you in your tracks and fills you with peace and harmony. ‘Step By Step’ closes the EP in a delightful hopeful tone. Its a realistic look at life’s trials while supporting and encouraging you to push on. With soulful passionate vocals accompanied by radiant guitars a steady beat and a candied delicious piano feature it is an elegant end to a hopeful spirited EP.
Stream ‘We Will Stand’ below.
Scottish artist, Eugene Twist is back with his newest single ‘Stuntman’ from his highly-anticipated album of the same name. With a lyrical arena that boasts whistleblowers, extraterrestrials and self-consuming psychonauts, Scotland’s Eugene Twist is not your everyday songwriter. After two years in the musical wilderness, his second album ‘The Stuntman’ has arrived on the back of one mission, to let the storyteller run riot inside the song. Taking time to build a makeshift studio and learning how to record and mix allowed Eugene time to breathe with his arrangements. ‘Stuntman’ is a trippy funky flex of cool swagger teamed with dark bewilderment. With a slippery sway of greasy fluidity this track exudes panache with a hit of sleazy thrown in. The charming spoken vocals add a punk vibe to the verse as they flicker with shards of detest while they become velvety smooth for the chorus adding a luring melty quality. The slick shredding guitar adds a glossy enticing allurement before it builds into a distortion of psychedelic wobbly opiate perplexity. The deep elastic bass adds a tone of seduction and bewitchment that gives the track a fluid abstruse structure. ‘Stuntman’ is a shimmy and a sway of fun cloaked in darkened eerie danger that creeps with chilling mystery.
Watch the video for ‘Stuntman’ below
Its Saturday night and we have been invited to see Waterford band Anna-Liese rock the socks off the ever so cosy Bosco’s Café in Kilkenny. Having not seen the band since last year I was curious as to their progress and development. Casually beginning their set with a new tune the four piece showcase their naturally affluent knack for sweet toned slick riffs and melodies leaving no doubt there is talent behind these lads. Mark Walsh (Guitar/Vocals) and Emmet Conefery (Guitar/Vocals) effortlessly glide from infectious crushing heavy riffs to creamy melty licks while Sean Carey’s ductile Bass, like putty holds each track with a flexible elastic bounce. Eddy Blake’s Drums venture from hushed tap-tap-tap to rapid skin-pounding attacks for various tracks. They take a little time to warm up fully to the assemblage but before long they are bantering back and forth, blasting through tunes from their EP ‘Chasing and Fading’. Walsh’s vocals and writing style tends to steer more to a country or traditional style which adds a little depth and unique quirk to the bands alternative rock genre while Conefery’s vocal style adds a funky groovy quality. Most of the set is made up of tracks from the EP with a sneaky smattering of some new tunes which sound extremely promising as they showcase positive substantial and even sophisticated growth in their writing style and musicianship. Throwing in some covers here and there the foursome land a slick rendition of Talking Heads ‘Psycho Killer’. The heavier tracks like ‘Green’ perhaps deserving a larger venue never the less Anna-Liese take it in their stride and fulfil their promise for “loud hits and sweet rhythm” all in the comfort of this intimate charming Café.
Anna-Liese will be playing a few gigs in February and March in pubs across Waterford, Kilkenny and Cork, with two big events coming up in Cork, The CIT Battle of the Bands and a gig on the 11th March in the Bru Bar and Hostel. They will be heading back to the studio before the summer to record another 5 track EP. So keep an eye out and head down to see these guys.
Stream Anna-Liese EP ‘Chasing and Fading’ below
Stockport’s indie rock band KASHMERE have released their latest single ‘Porcelain’. Band members Joey (vocals & guitar), Charlie (lead guitar) Dave (bass guitar) and Andy (drums & vocals) have been creating a stir with slots at Tramlines, Blackthorn Festival, Glass Butter Beach, When in Manchester and last year had their first performance for This Feeling. The band released their long-awaited debut single ‘Blow Your Mind’ in June 2016 which was produced by Jim Spencer (Charlatans, New Order, The Cribs), and featured on BBC Introducing Manchester and BBC Radio 6 Music. The single was played over 100,000 times on Spotify in the first five months after its release. The four piece have now released their new single ‘Porcelain’which has been produced by Manchester-based Steven Griffiths and mastered by Peter Maher (The Rolling Stones, The Killers, Jack White). Laced in a labyrinth of melodic guitar riffs this track takes easy going indie to a new level. Appearing nonchalant and relaxed this track seeps in with a disguise and then slaps you with intricate weaving melodies teamed with a malleable rhythm. Sharp shrill of guitars adds an edge and sting to the track while Joey’s vocals remain cool and laid back letting the instrumentation carefully resound through your skull leaving you paralysed and in a state of awe.
Stream ‘Porcelain’ below
Tame Impala’s bass player who is also a singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist, Cameron Avery displays his reluctant romanticism through his new release ‘Wasted On Fidelity’. Its a yearning heart wrenching song of affection that displays some first rate classy musicianship. Giving us a taste of whats to come from his solo debut album ‘Ripe Dreams, Pipe Dreams’ which is set for release on March 10, ‘Wasted On Fidelity’ is an elegantly presented sway of lush textures giving us blends of tender melancholic tones wrapped delicately with warm cosy nostalgia. Sweet strings soothe and lull with comforting strides of wistful yearning. While Avery’s deep baritone vocals brood and pine with sweet liquid velvety tones. The track glides with feathery effortlessness and such elegance that makes your heart skip a beat. ‘Wasted On Fidelity’ is a lonely dreamy swoony single that is heart-breakingly beautiful while throbbing and oozing longing and yearning tones.
Stream ‘Wasted On Fidelity’ below
Rat Face Lewey are an alt Rock brooding three piece that create adrenaline fuelled music oozing the sweet sent of ruckus causing punk teamed with the lawless anarchy of metal dripping in thick moody grunge. ‘Dead In The Ground’ was released in 2015 and it is the perfect expression of the bands frantic heavy sound. Punchy drums draw blood as they pound and pummel with mighty brawn while the shredding vigorous guitars create a storm of turmoil and riot causing energy. Its the perfect track for the sticky frantic mania of the mosh pit. With dark tones, gritty strong vocals and rapid tempo its easy to see this track would be massive live.
Rat Face Lewey have spent the better part of 2016 writing and fine tuning their adrenaline pumped sound in the rehearsal room. They will be travelling the UK in 2017 playing shows and recording new material in the same vein as their highly acclaimed singles ‘Dead in the Ground’ and ‘Digital Prison, so make sure to check out those tracks to get a taste of whats to come, these guys are ones to look out for in 2017.
Stream ‘Dead In The Ground’ below
Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From The Bay Rays.
Kent trio The Bay Rays have released their single ‘Satisfaction’ the title track to their forthcoming debut EP ‘Satisfaction’ which will be released in March via the band’s own label East Wing Records. The track is “about wanting to escape your social anxieties. You break down barriers, but then you don’t like the person you’re becoming”. Band members Harry Nicoll (lead singer/ guitarist), Anthus Davis (bassist) and Maxwell Oakley (drummer) give us a high powered animated ball of elastic intensity that keeps belting out fiery energy right to the end. Opening with the thrilling shrill of guitar sirens its a roaring triumph that demands to be blasted from your speakers. With swagger filled vocals and strutting elastic bass this track is a confidence building stride and flaunty prance to success. Punchy brawny drums pound through your skull with mighty dynamic intensity. With an infectious melody teamed with energetic instrumentation, The Bay Rays give us that room shaking body grooving track that is so satisfying and catchy you will be hooked craving more and more. Oh its so good you really need to have a listen.
Stream ‘Satisfaction’ below
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
