Black Honey come out of the traps early on their third studio album, ‘A Fistful of Peaches’. Yes, ‘Charlie Bronson’ is the punch in the face needed to grab your attention and captures the band taking the gloves off!
The band have always been unashamed to be just who they are and that has often made them a tricky band to pigeonhole. Those that need to label things may struggle, but realistically the band’s crossover appeal is enormous and the simple undeniable fact is that they have now delivered three sublime records of infectious music.
Yes, ‘A Fistful of Peaches’ may have a lot to live up to following the quality of its predecessors, but it easily handles that pressure. The likes of ‘Heavy’, ‘Up Against It’, ‘Out of My Mind’ and ‘OK’ all sound absolutely massive and you feel that every song brings something special to this album.
This may be the most honest reflection of Black Honey as a band thus far as the group pour their hearts into their art. Each element of their sound is turned up and the results are magnificent. Whilst they’ve always demonstrated this quality, the strongest achievement on this album is the mix of relatability with aspiration.
‘A Fistful of Peaches’ is both vulnerable and ferocious in equal measures as singer Izzy Phillips is able make you feel a full palate of emotions; ultimately though Phillips and co are simply able to empower you through their reflective, decisive and uplifting collection of soaring tracks.
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with the best new releases from the past week and up first are Enter Shikari with their new single, ‘Bloodshot’, which you can check out above.
On the track, lead vocalist and producer Rou Reynolds explains:
“Every day, I seem to be asking myself “Is this article biased?”, “is this claim true?”, “Should I be more furious about this issue? Or less furious?”, “Am I being manipulated? Provoked? Radicalised by my own ‘tribe’?
Bloodshot is about how hard it is to find truth, and how easy it is to stop thinking for yourself and simply repeat your ‘team’s’ mantras.
Everyone’s so fucking angry with everyone else and it’s exhausting. It seems like social media’s main purpose these days is to hypnotise us to hate”.
The track comes of ahead of their upcoming new album, ‘A Kiss For The Whole World’, which is out April 21st.
Our News Report continues with the brand new single from DevilDriver! You can check out ‘Through the Depths’ above, with the single coming ahead of new album, ‘Dealing With Demons Vol.II’, which is out May 12th.
Frontman Dez Fafara says aboutthe single: “‘Through the Depths’ is a conversation between a higher power and humans regarding the power of thinking ideas into existence, but being very careful of being arrogant behind those wants and needs.
The first lines give this away: “Attention attention, you’re seeking, you’ve asked for, it’s given” (the higher power says)
Then the lines of the chorus are that same higher power speaking to humans, saying: ‘through the depths to the ascension, nothing you wouldn’t do for my attention, held to the fire it’s not my crime, you’ve pinned it on me for the last time.’ Meaning – don’t blame the Gods (pin it on them) for your fuck ups. Meaning – put it out there and take steps to attain goals and take accountability.
This track is the essence of ‘Dealing With Demons Vol. II’, and the conversations within the record get way deeper than even this.Enjoy.”
This week saw Therapy? debut their new single, ‘Joy’, which you can listen to above. The group also revealed that new album, ‘Hard Cold Fire’, will arrive May 5th!
Singer Andy Cairns says “Joy started with a term from ‘Waiting for Godot’, by Samuel Beckett, this wonderful line: ‘habit is a great deadener’. I just love that word, ‘dead-en-er’. It’s an amazing word. People get themselves into these habits, and the next thing you know, their life is over and they’ve only lived in a very small circle of experience, often through choice, which is scary.”
Another band having a great week this week were James and the Cold Gun who unveiled their new single, ‘My Silhouette’, which you can of course check out above!
The band also revealed that their debut album will arrive on July 28th.
IST IST share new single ‘Nothing More Nothing Less’
IST IST – ‘Nothing More Nothing Less’
The new music continues thick and fast in our News Report and up next are Manchester’s IST IST. The group this week shared their latest single, ‘Nothing More Nothing Less’, which you can listen to above.
Chiming with the overarching concept of upcoming album, ‘Protagonists’, out March 31st, the single finds the band stepping into the shoes of a character trapped in a complex relationship and at odds with her true feelings.
Frontman Adam Houghton explains: ““Nothing More Nothing Less” is a simple love song really written from a woman’s perspective who isn’t exactly sure what she wants.”
Closing out the new releases in our News Report this week are Problem Patterns and their brand new single, ‘Who Do We Not Save?’, which you can check out above.
Commenting on the single, the band say: “Our healthcare system has been falling apart for years due to cuts, and the pandemic only sped up the process. We constantly see campaigns telling people to ask for help, especially in regards to mental health, but the reality is that the services we need are under too much pressure. The line ‘We’re one or two paychecks away’ refers to the fact that many of us will be in a lot of trouble if privatisation becomes reality here. The title itself is lifted verbatim from Dominic Cumming’s photo of the white board used to plan the UK government’s early response to COVID. We thought it would be fitting to use it for the single’s cover art, too.”
Our News Report moves on now to the best tour announcements from the past week and up first is the legendary John Fogerty.
This week saw Fogerty announce his return to the UK with two special arena shows in Manchester and London in May.
“As of this January, I own my own songs again. This is something I thought would never be a possibility. After 50 years, I am finally reunited with my songs. I also have a say in where and how my songs are used. Up until this year, that is something I have never been able to do. I am looking forward to touring and celebrating this year! I want to thank Concord for helping to make all of this happen. And, I am excited for new ideas and a renewed interest in my music … like a revival.” said Fogerty.
The rejuvenated Funeral For A Friend will be back on the road this October for a very special tour celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their debut album, ‘Casually Dressed and Deep In Conversation’.
Along for the ride will be very special guests Dashboard Confessional.
Another band coming to UK venues later this year is Highly Suspect who have revealed a run of dates this September. They’ll be bringing The Picturebooks along with them as special guests.
We move our News Report now across to the best festival announcements of the week. Following their bigger line-up reveal last week, 2000trees have now introduced Bullet For My Valentine as headlining this year’s event.
They join the likes of Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, Hundred Reasons, Skindred, Eagles of Death Metal, Deaf Havana, Bob Vylan, Electric Six, Empire State Bastard, Holding Absence, Black Honey, Cancer Bats, The Joy Formidable, Tigercub, Dream State, Press To MECO and so many more!
Maryland rockers Any Given Sin present their new single, ‘Calm Before The Storm’ ahead of their forthcoming debut album.
“It’s a song about perseverance,” says the front man Victor Ritchie. “You’re standing up to whatever’s in front of you.” Guitarist Mike Conner adds, “You’re not just surviving a traumatic experience though – You’re also becoming stronger because of it.”
Bellwether – ‘Hurricane’
Sydney based Pop Punk band Bellwether have shared their new single ‘Hurricane’ featuring Brooklane.
“Hurricane was inspired by the titular character of the Naruto series and is about wanting to prove the people who didn’t believe in you or dismissed you wrong, and blow them away. While we took a lot from Naruto for the song, we also used our experience in the music industry to ensure that we were being honest and sincere in our performance and why we’re so excited to show off this track – To let people know we’re here and to show off our worth as artists.” – Heath Joukhadar (guitarist)
Hematite – ‘Run Devil Run’
Hematite release ‘Run Devil Run’, the final single before their debut EP ‘Speak of the Devil’.
“This song was written at a time of my life when I felt like I couldn’t slow down or hell would catch up with me. That maybe if I keep pushing through the flames I won’t get burnt. It’s kind of a take on how we don’t check in on ourselves until it’s too late. Until there’s hell to pay. The reality is once you put yourself into so many fires, you either burn out or become the flame yourself, burning everything around you. In this song, I felt like I was doing both.” -Hematite
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
Where else could we start this week other than with Glastonbury Festival and their initial 2023 line-up! We now know that Elton John will be joined in headlining the Pyramid Stage by Arctic Monkeys and Guns N Roses!
Also playing over the weekend will be Alt-J, Blondie, Manic Street Preachers, Nova Twins, Royal Blood, slowthai, Texas and Legends Slot filling Yusuf (Cat Stevens).
Another major festival dropping line-up additions this week were the August stalwart Reading & Leeds Festivals.
The likes of The Amazons, Frank Turner, Easy Life, Palaye Royale, Sleep Token, Sea Girls, Vistas, The Murder Capital, Normandie, Knocked Loose, Yonaka, Yard Act and Don Broco join the line-up.
They join the likes Sam Fender, Foals, The Killers, Billie Eilish, Imagine Dragons, Wet Leg, You Me At Six, Nothing But Thieves, The Snuts and Hot Milk.
It was a good week for festival fans this week as our News Report continues with this stunning line-up from 2000trees Festival!
The absolutely stacked line-up now features added American Football, Eagles of Death Metal, Electric Six, Employed To Serve, Joy Formidable, Tigercub and Black Honey.
The full line-up also hosts the likes of Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, Hundred Reasons, Skindred, Deaf Havana, Rival Schools, Bob Vylan, Empire State Bastard, Holding Absence, Kid Kapichi, Cancer Bats, Dream State, LostAlone, Witch Fever, Blackgold, Guise, Mimi Barks, Pet Needs, Press To Meco and many more!
“For us, seeing fans just as excited about the bands lower down the line up as they are about the bigger artists is what 2000trees is all about, and this announcement is no different. Heriot and Kneecap were big personal highlights from 2000trees 2022, so to be able to have Heriot return to smash the Main Stage and Kneecap bringing the carnage to the Forest Stage is going to be something special! And there’s still two headliners to come sooner than you might think…” – Festival booker James
Also unveiling more of their line-up this week were Standon Calling. The event is due to be headlined by Years & Years, Self Esteem, Bloc Party & The Human League.
Playing across the weekend will be the likes of Rick Astley, Squid, We Are Scientists, Bob Vylan, The Murder Capital, The Big Moon, Lottery Winners, KT Tunstall and The Sherlocks.
Sharing in the excitement of today’s news, Rick Astley said: “I can’t wait to head back to Hertfordshire for Standon Calling this July, hope to see you all there!”
Leicester’s The Long Road festival returns in 2023 with a line-up including Jon Pardi, Blackberry Smoke and many more.
Commenting on today’s announcement, TLR’s Tennessee-born Creative Director Baylen Leonard said: “We’re delighted to announce the first wave of artists for The Long Road 2023. Our festival is about offering a unique, inclusive experience for our visitors, with amazing music, great food, and a welcoming atmosphere. Our line-up reflects the very best in Country and Americana music today, and we can’t wait to welcome visitors to Stanford Hall for what is going to be a truly unforgettable bank holiday weekend.”
We move our News Report on now to the best tour announcements from the past week and we begin in Wales as Kings of Leon reveal two special dates at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham this May.
Also this week, pop disruptor Ashnikko announced her hotly anticipated world tour and debut album ‘WEEDKILLER’, which is out June 2nd.
Speaking on the announcement Ashnikko states “My bioluminescent heart is glowing. My post-apocalyptic fae world is here for you to journey into. My wings have been ripped out, but I’ve built them anew using WEEDKILLER machine parts. I am the one sent here to eliminate you, WEEDKILLER.”
British Lion next in our News Report as this week they announced a new UK and European summer tour including dates in Manchester and Nottingham.
Steve Harris comments, “We just had a brilliant time on the January UK tour and it’s great to be heading out again in 2023. I’m really looking forward to BOTH Summer tours this year!”
Our News Report looks now at the best new releases from the past week and we begin this week with Metallica!
The legendary band are readying their latest album, ’72 Seasons’, which is out April 14th. This week that meant the debut of new single, ‘If Darkness Had a Son’, which you can listen to above.
This week saw Underoath return with their brand new single, ‘Let Go’, which you can check out above.
In discussing the song, the band said, “This is actually the first song we completed after recording (last year’s) Voyeurist. It took a few different forms but we got it to a place where we knew this is what it should be. It’s about letting go of whatever trauma or demons that might be holding you back. As hard as it is to make those decisions sometimes, I feel like we can never grow without stepping out of those toxic environments.”
DMA’S have this week shared their latest single, ‘Something We Are Overcoming’, which you can listen to above.
The track comes ahead of new album, ‘How Many Dreams?’, which is out March 31st.
“‘Something We Are Overcoming’ started as a moving ballad about perseverance but quickly morphed into a trancey anthem of a side quest that is slightly but steadily DMA’S. We hope you like it.” – DMA’S
Brighton’s snake eyes have shared new single, ‘no one is truly cool’, and you can check out the video above.
Commenting on the new single, vocalist Jim Heffy says: “I met a bloke in a band I like at a festival after separately having a really lovely chat with one of their bandmates. he was stand-offish and, to be honest, a bit of a prick, giving proper ‘too cool for school’ vibes. the whole exchange left a bad taste in my mouth.”
“the fake cool guy thing can only go so far. no need for a fake personality. just be real, be yaself. even Keith Richards puts down the whiskey and cigs sometimes and watches ‘the last of us’ in his pants with a bowl of nik naks like everyone else.”
The official video for the track was created by the band’s drummer and visual director Thomas Coe-Brooker, who explains of the concept: “in keeping with the song, we thought it’d be fun to make a really cool looking video in the least cool of spaces – a family garage. kinda like when you’re having band practice as a teenager and you’re all really sending it like total bad asses…but ultimately, your mum’s seconds from bursting in to tell you it’s too loud and that your dinner’s ready. that, but with satisfying, nicely framed angles and dreamy in-camera long exposure, 90s style.”
Hell’s Ditch have shared new single, ‘Ghosts’, ahead of their debut EP, ‘Take Cover’, out March 23rd.
Vocalist Nick Davis explains: “Ghosts is about the hanging weight of the past, the present and the future. Capitalism puts a premium on individual success, which leads people to feel like their failing if they don’t achieve certain goals or milestones. It’s all too easy to plant trees, grow them, and then cut them down inside the confines of your own head. I wrote most of the lyrics while watching my cats seemingly stare at nothing on the ceiling”.
paradise fell. – ‘VICES.’
Alternative artist paradise fell has shared their debut offering ‘VICES.’.
“VICES. is a frantic confrontation of the irony; that something which kills us slowly, sets us free in the moment. It makes us feel alive. The bad habits we have are the only things that can save us from the drudgery of daily life. The very things that are killing us, become a cornerstone of our identity. They become familiar. They become part of who we are. A comfort in a chaotic world.” – paradise fell.
Hunch Power – ‘Eye for an Eye’
Hunch Power hits back with their new pacifist anthem, ‘Eye for an Eye’.
“I’d been wanting to write a pacifist song about revenge for ages. I was sure about borrowing Ghandi’s famous words for the title and chorus but I couldn’t find the right music to go with it. One day I remembered an old idea I never demoed and realised the music matched perfectly so I wrote new lyrics and the band loved it” – Singer Harvey Springfield
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with a handful of festival announcements and one of the line-ups that got a little bigger this week was the above, belonging to Bearded Theory!
Fresh names include Pretenders, Billy Bragg, Jealous Nostril, Witch Fever and more.
They join a packed line-up including Interpol, Primal Scream, Gogol Bordello, Flogging Molly, Gary Numan, Yard Act, The Mysterines, Pigs x7, The Undertones, Beans On Toast, Grace Petrie, Skinny Lister, Millie Manders and the Shutup, Pet Needs and many more.
Also making several line-up additions this week was Suffolk’s Latitude Festival which will see headliners Pulp, Paolo Nutini and George Ezra take to Henham Park in July.
This week has seen James, Yard Act and more join a bill that now includes The Kooks, Paul Heaton + Jacqui Abbott, The Big Moon, Lightning Seeds, The Proclaimers, The Murder Capital, Bob Vylan and many more.
The Boardmasters line-up grew exponentially this week including Lorde joining the already announced Liam Gallagher and Florence + The Machine as a headline act.
The full line-up now includes Cypress Hill, Bob Vylan, Yard Act, Nova Twins, Kid Kapichi, Lottery Winners, Cassyette, Black Honey, Squid and more.
Live At Leeds: In The Park has this week revealed the final acts joining their 2023 line-up set to be headlined by Two Door Cinema Club.
New additions Maximo Park, Kate Nash and Lottery Winners join a bill featuring DMA’s, The Hives, Black Honey, Gengahr, Low Hummer and many more.
Speaking about joining the Live At Leeds: In The Park lineup and Live At Leeds memories of years gone by, Lottery Winners said:
“Live at Leeds is always one of my favourite festival line ups. It’s always crammed with all of my favourite bands, so I’m almost more excited to just go than to play. But I am proper excited to play – might even do a crowd surf.”
Speaking about the final names added to Live At Leeds: In The Park, Festival Promoter Joe Hubbard said:
“Can it be May already? We’re delighted to add even more names to the Live At Leeds: In The Park 2023 lineup – really bringing together an amazing array of names from across Live At Leeds’ history whilst remaining true to that core belief we all have to champion and support the most exciting new names in modern guitar music.
Having the likes of Maximo Park and Kate Nash (who have soundtracked countless memories and influenced a ridiculous amount of artists) alongside the likes of acts like Lottery Winners, James Marriott and Medicine Cabinet really nails what Live At Leeds is all about – and these names joining an already packed bill makes me very excited indeed. All coming together on one day, it’s going to be a special party indeed. We’ll see you there!”
A new festival is coming to Chelmsford as Hideaway Festival reveals its inaugural line-up including headliners Clean Bandit and Bastille.
They’ll be joined by the likes of James Bay, Texas and Jake Bugg.
Speaking about the first ever Hideaway festival, organiser Roy Trickett said: “Everyone on the Hideaway team is so excited to bring this family friendly, boutique Festival to Chelmsford. Headliners have all been hand-selected for their unmissable performances and the venue provides a perfect escape in a central Essex location. We’re very proud to be hosting the first ever music festival in this unique space – and have a few surprises in store for our festival guests!”
We move our News Report on now towards the best live announcements from the past week.
Having already confirmed support acts for their first sold out Wembley Stadium date this summer, Blur have now confirmed they’ll be joined on their second date by Paul Weller and The Selecter.
This summer promises to be a packed full of great live music and this week Placebo added another night to the mix. The band has confirmed that they will play Dreamland in Margate this June.
Tigercub have just announced that their third album, ‘The Perfume of Decay’ will be out on June 2nd. You can listen to their brand new single, ‘Play My Favourite Song’, below.
The also revealed a full UK tour set for this autumn.
Tigercub – ‘Play My Favourite Song’
Speaking on the single, frontman Jamie Hall says, “I realised that without music I am alone, without sounds to occupy my brain intrusive thoughts begin to swirl and unease and sadness rises within me, so play my favourite song because silence makes me feel low.”
The next tour announcement in our News Report comes from the iconic Glenn Hughes, who will be hitting the road this October. The special shows will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of classic Deep Purple album, ‘Burn’.
This week Blood Red Shoes revealed that they will be playing a run of club shows including a date at the famous 100 Club in London.
The band said: “We decided it ain’t right that we’ve never played the 100 Club in London. So we booked it! And then it spiralled and we turned it into a 25 date tour of smaller punk venues, in 9 different countries”.
The final tour announcement in our News Report this week comes from Pet Needs who will be out and about playing acoustically over the next couple of months.
Our News Report heads now across to the best new releases from the past week and we begin with Blind Channel.
Following the release last year of their ‘Lifestyles of the Sick & Dangerous’ album, Finland’s Blind Channel are kicking off 2023 with their new standalone single ‘FLATLINE’.
“This is the beginning of the next chapter of our career,”say the band.“Flatline is Blind Channel on steroids. We captured the energy of last year’s 130 shows into one song and threw it to a Berlin rave. The song was written with songwriting duo Blyne and it’s one of the heaviest tracks we’ve ever made. This is pretty unique from scratch. If you’re sick and tired of ups and downs, this song might help you.”
Next up in our News Report are Canadians Softcult, who this week shared their latest single, ‘Love Song’, which you can check out above. The single comes ahead of new EP, ‘see you in the dark’, which is out on March 24th.
“This is an anxious love song,” Mercedes explains. “It’s about loving someone so intensely that you find yourself in constant fear of losing them. Sometimes love and happiness can feel like these unattainable things that are too good to be true. Once we’ve finally found something our hearts have been yearning for, it’s hard to shake the thought that we will inevitably have to let it go. But these gnawing thoughts can get in the way of us allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, or enjoying our relationships for fear that they won’t last.”
On the video Mercedes says, “We wanted the video to tell the story in a different way, focussing more on getting carried away with our own imaginations when it comes to falling in love. We filmed in a small legion hall and tried to make the ambiance a little depressing and mundane. Our main character is an elderly man who’s sort of given up hope. He’s there having a beer alone while everyone else is playing bingo. When he lays eyes on Gina, his co-star, he gets lost in fantasy, imagining not only the love they might have together but the type of person he could be if he had love in his life.”
Alternative Horror Rock band ANGER PARTY are back with their sophomore single ‘Had Enough’!
“Everyday we wake up and have the same conversations, with the same people, on the same subjects, with no purpose or profound effect on our lives. We create a state of perpetual monotony and anxiety, while wearing masks to hide our every emotion. All this is done to make prying onlookers think that everything is fine. ‘Had Enough’ reflects on the deepest, darkest ways to break this cycle and exercise our true feelings on the world. It shows our desire to remove the mask, wipe away the make-up and reveal our true fears, frustrations, aggressions and vulnerability” –Lead Vocalist, Ashley Wilson
Militarie Gun – ‘Do It Faster’
Los Angeles’ Militarie Gun share a thrilling new single in ‘Do It Faster’.
Speaking about the song, vocalist Ian Shelton states: “It is about my overall impatience with life. The agonising wait for things to materialise… so before resigning to do it myself, I’m imploring the world to just move faster.”
De’Lour – ‘No One
South Wales based band De’Lour share their staggering new single ‘No One’.
“No One was one of the first songs we wrote together as a band in a room and not remotely. We got together at the first opportunity we could when lockdown was lifted in 2020. When we wrote No One, we wanted to express our thoughts on society’s lack of self reflection. We all worry about what everyone else thinks of us, but when you boil it down, no one is paying attention, no one really cares. People are only really concerned with what’s going on in their world, inside their own heads. So we wanted to express the feeling that we shouldn’t care about what other people think, we should just go for it if it’s what we want or what we think is best.” – De’lour
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week by running through the best festival announcements made over the past week and up first we have Kendal Calling.
Topping the bill this year will be Kasabian, Royal Blood, Blossoms and Nile Rodgers & Chic! They are joined by the likes of Kaiser Chiefs, Frank Turner, Circa Waves, The Enemy, KT Tunstall and The Amazons.
Also across the weekend will be The Hunna, The Murder Capital, Vistas, We Are Scientists, Lottery Winners, Black Honey, Newton Faulkner, October Drift, Jack Valero and many more!
Glasgow’s TRNSMT has added some fifty new acts to the bill for this year’s festival. The events features headliners Pulp, Sam Fender, The 1975, George Ezra, Kasabian and Royal Blood.
They are joined by Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, The View, The Kooks, Pale Waves, Hot Milk, Hamish Hawk, The Wombats, Nothing But Thieves, The Enemy, The Amazons, Bob Vylan, Dream Wife, Lauran Hibberd and many more.
Rock returns to Mote Park in Maidstone with the newly minted Maid of Stone taking place in July. The first headline act to be revealed are rockers Airbourne.
Joining the Aussies on the bill will be Skindred, The Hunna, Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons, Kris Barras Band, Elles Bailey, Florence Black, Bad Touch, Black Spiders and more.
Wales is also able to attract rocks finest with Steelhouse Festival leading the way. This week the festival announced that Black Stone Cherry will be topping the bill alongside already announced Saturday headliners Airbourne.
They are joined over the weekend by the likes of The Answer, Blues Pills, Kris Barras Band, Florence Black, When Rivers Meet, The Cruel Knives and Dead Man’s Whiskey!
Another rock event getting bigger this week was Slam Dunk Festival who have added more bands to an already packed bill. Probably a good thing then that they’ve also broken down the stage splits.
Added to the event were PVRIS, Sueco, Millie Manders and many more. They join the likes of Enter Shikari, The Offspring, Billy Talent, Bowling For Soup, Yellowcard,Creeper and far too many others to mention!
Live At Leeds: In The Park has added The Hives, DMA’s, gengahr and more to an already packed line up headlined by Two Door Cinema Club.
They join amongst others, The Big Moon, Black Honey, The Beths, Skinny Living, Deadletter, Ellur, Low Hummer and Opus Kink.
Speaking about their appearance at Live At Leeds: In The Park 2023, The Hives’ frontman Pelle Almqvist said: “Some festival names just have a ring to them don’t they? Live At Leeds. It sounds like some upper echelon rock shit and if this year’s edition wasn’t before, now it is. The Hives are very proud and happy to join this upper echelon. They are coming for your money and dignity and in exchange they will deliver however long a show you will let them of life-affirming record-breaking rock ’ ‘ roll music. If you have never seen them before. imagine a rock show but to the 3rd power. Too much of everything. If you have seen them before, you know you will have to again.”
Skinny Living said: “Live At Leeds is one of our favourite festivals in the UK! The line up is always top class, so to be able to play the main stage as a local band this year is a proper moment for us and our people.”
Looking ahead, Festival Promoter Joe Hubbard said: “It may be chilly outside, but we’re already incredibly excited about returning to Temple Newsam for an unforgettable summer festival celebration – with even more favourites and new faces joining the party at Live At Leeds: In The Park this year.
DMA’s and The Hives may just be some of the best festival bands going right now, and having phenomena like Cavetown and Crawlers join the party is truly special. At Live At Leeds, we always look to bring unmissable live titans together with fans’ next favourite bands – and this year’s In The Park is the perfect example of that. All coming together on one day at Temple Newsam, there’s nothing quite like it – and we can’t wait to see everyone this May!”
Following a run of new solo singles, iconic guitarist Chris Shiflett this week revealed a run of UK dates this March including a tour finale at Scala in London.
Our News Report continues with news that Pierce The Veil will be in the UK next April. The band will play a number of large venues finishing up at Alexandra Palace in London.
Next in our News Report is the latest single from Willie J Healey featuring Jamie T. Listen to ‘Thank You’ above now.
The track comes from forthcoming album, ‘Bunny’, which is out August 25th.
Willie comments on the new single: “I was tired and flat and didn’t know what to make & then my friend Jamie said ay willie I’ve got this drum machine it might inspire you.. I picked it up and wrote ‘Thank You’ the next day, it was my way of thanking Jamie for being a good friend. I dedicate it to anyone trying to do their own thing.”
Mimi Barks concludes this portion of our News Report with the new video for her track, ‘SAW’, which you can watch above!
The track features on their recently released mixtape, ‘DEADGIRL’.
Barks had the following to say, “SAW, the third song on the DEADGIRL Mixtape, marks the resistance, rage, and anger I experienced while seeking my identity and self-worth on an emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental level.”
She continues to mention – “Working independently on set with a micro team—just me, and my videographer, and his camera—it takes me back to my roots. No crew, no lights, and no screenplay. It’s raw, industrial and dirty – with the walls of the derelict buildings captured in the music video reflecting the wrath and backlash of my internal war.”
Blondshell will release her self-titled debut album arrives April 7th and is preceded by new single, ‘Joiner’.
Describing the new single, Blondshell explains, “I was listening to a lot of Britpop when I wrote this song. A lot of those bands like The Verve, Pulp, Suede, and Blur channelled dark subject matter, drugs, and all this dirty stuff, but with a fun acoustic guitar under it. I was listening to The Replacements, too. That’s what this song was inspired by sonically. I wanted it to feel like you’re watching HBO, where even though it’s heavy, it’s still a good time.”
BLACKGOLD – ‘Boogeyman’
Masked Misfits BLACKGOLD are back at it again with new single ‘Boogeyman’!
The band comment, “‘Boogeyman’ is about that person that haunts your dreams. They have full control over you within your subconscious and it feels like you can’t escape.”
Riyah – ‘Perfect’
Riyah is ready to unleash her first single ‘Perfect’, showcasing what is to come from her hands and lungs.
She comments, “I’m excited to see this new chapter roll out with this new EP. I’ve spent almost two years figuring out which way to go, and these songs might feel like baby steps to some, but for me it’s gigantic leap into my passion”
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with returning Britpop legends Blur as they are set to play not one but two huge headline dates at Wembley Stadium.
Support comes from Slowthai, Self Esteem and Jockstrap!
Speaking on the announcement Damon Albarn said –“We really love playing these songs and thought it’s about time we did it again.”
Graham Coxon said – “I’m really looking forward to playing with my blur brothers again and revisiting all those great songs… blur live shows are always amazing for me. A nice guitar and an amp turned right up and loads of smiling faces…”
Alex James added – “There’s always something really special when the four of us get in a room. It’s nice to think that on 8th July that room will be Wembley Stadium.”
And Dave Rowntree said – “After the chaos of the last few years, it’s great to get back out to play some songs together on a summer’s day in London. Hope to see you there.”
We move our News Report on now to festival announcements and start with new event Dog Day Afternoon which is set for Crystal Palace Park in London next July.
The event will feature Iggy Pop, Blondie and supergroup Generation Sex.
“Blondie and Iggy Pop… we are excited to reunite with our friend, the one & only Prince of Punk, Iggy for this special show in Crystal Palace Park. Once more, with feeling!” – Debbie Harry
“Just every now and then we find time to get together with old pals from back in the day – purely just for the crack and to have fun. If it ain’t fun then we ain’t interested, life’s too short” – Steve Jones
The final festival announcement in our News Report this week comes from Bloodstock, who have made further additions to a line-up that features Killswitch Engage, Megadeth, Anthrax, In Flames, Ugly Kid Joe, Knocked Loose and Nonpoint amongst others.
New additions this week include Heaven Shall Burn and Seething Akira.
Next, our News Report covers the best new releases from the past week and we begin this week with Enter Shikari.
The group shared new single, ‘Bull’, featuring Cody Frost and you can check out the video above.
Lead vocalist and keyboardist Rou Reynolds comments: “Some people seem to crop up in your life, do immense damage to it, and then scuttle off again unscathed and unfazed. Whether it’s harassers or bullies, social media trolls, or ill-considered romantic partners, this song is about those who damage your mental health, your self-esteem, and even your very identity”.
“We’ve known Cody for years and years now, and consider them a real part of the inner Shikari family. We’ve always known they were a wonderful talent and it’s been great to see them begin to ascend and find their voice.
When I was writing the chorus to Bull I could just immediately hear their voice. It seemed ingrained in the very viscera of the song already. We showed them the track and they came at us with all the passion in the world. Cody has incredible dynamic ability and is able to offer enormous power but with real vulnerability and tenderness never too far away. It was a joy to have them on this one, it all came together so effortlessly and we are all over the moon with the result”.
Cody Frost adds: “I can’t tell you how much this collab means to me, and it came at just the right time. I’d been through a hard breakup and lost everything, so when Rory messaged me asking if I wanted to be on a Shikari track, I lost my mind! I’ve been a huge fan of Enter Shikari since I was 15, I even have my favourite track title tattooed on my palms.
When I got the news I sat in my room for hours and the lyrics just poured out, I went into the studio with Dan (Weller), who has worked with me on my own music and some of Shikari’s too, to lay down the vocals while the band listened!
Filming the video was a dream, my favourite musicians serving me pies!!! It was surreal, and the concept was so fun I just know that Shikari fans are gonna dig it.”
Stray From The Path debut video for ‘Neighborhood Watch’
Stray From The Path – ‘Neighborhood Watch’
Stray From The Path, have released a music video for new single, ‘Neighborhood Watch’, with footage shot during their recent headline tour. Check out the video above.
“We wanted to do something fun, and something special on our last tour around North America,” says guitarist Tom Williams, “we filmed every single show and put together a music video where people were apart of it. It’s awesome to see familiar faces, and new faces having fun, playing new shit and just enjoying what we’ve missed so much.”
The Murder Capital have shared the latest single from their upcoming album, ‘Gigi’s Recovery’, which is out January 20th. Listen to ‘Ethel’ above.
The band share about the new single: “The song ‘Ethel’ is a picture of a crossroads, really, asking you what you want from life. Whether you want to continue down a path of chaos, or make a change in your course. It’s showing you what is possible when you make the decisions that bring a sort of cradled warmth into your future. The idea of ‘Ethel’ is that you can have what you truly desire if you put to rest those short-lived fixes that never bring you any real happiness.”
The band also share the Maxim Kelly directed video for ‘Ethel’; Kelly shares about the making of the video: “Initially I thought Ethel should be the main character and do the dance at the end, and I always had this image from this French film called ‘My American Uncle’. Where it’s like a little girl standing up at a table. I originally had that image in my head for a rap video, but it didn’t really make sense to the song, I wanted this to feel more like surreal so then as I started finding more imagery, it kind of transpired that maybe the maid was the more interesting character.”
Jamie Lenman reveals NHS Charity single ‘Hospital Tree’
Jamie Lenman – ‘Hospital Tree’
Ahead of the release of his fifth solo album, ‘The Athiest’, out November 25th, Jamie Lenman has shared new single ‘Hospital Tree’, which you can listen to above.
Proceeds from the track go towards NHS Charities.
Commenting on the track, Lenman says: “I ended up visiting Frimley Park Hospital, who treated me when I got pneumonia and took care of my Dad when he had cancer, to talk to them about the idea of Christmas in hospital. One lady said she was glad I’d noticed their efforts with things like decorations and such, that cheering the place up around the holidays is important to them, and that one of the things that made the pandemic even harder was that they weren’t able to do as much of that. So it was wonderful that they could hear my message of thanks. I hope they all hear it.”
The single comes with a beautifully simplistic video directed by Jen Hingley that echoes the poignant lyrical themes of the song, which sees Lenman flexing his multi-instrumental muscles on a piano ballad in yet another impressive chameleonic turn.
“My original idea had been to get hold a huge choir and have everyone singing away in this whole epic production,” says Lenman of the visuals, “but I just couldn’t get it together so we ended up going the other way—just me and a piano in a beautiful old village hall, really concentrating on the song and, of course, the tree.”
Willie J Healey shares new single ‘Sure Feels Good’
Willie J Healey – ‘Sure Feels Good’
About to hit the road supporting Florence + The Machine on her UK Arena Tour, Willie J Healey has shared new single ‘Sure It Feels Good’, which you can listen to above. The tracks serves as another taster ofnew album ‘Bunny’ out 24th March.
Earlier this year James And The Cold Gun released debut EP, ‘False Start’. Now the ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist alumni will start to build towards their full debut album with new single, ‘Chewing Glass’, which you can listen to above.
Frontman James Joseph had the following to say about the themes behind their new single:
“Chewing Glass” was written during a time where I felt like I couldn’t catch a break. The verses are a conversation with myself in the mirror at a low point where I’m re-evaluating all of my decisions – in essence, it’s a song about being down on your luck but persisting anyway. It’s our first self-produced song, which in itself was an act of persistence, but we’re super happy with the result.”
The former Boy Jumps Ship return as STAY FREE and share their new single, ‘Future Self’.
The band had the following to say:
“We’re so excited to release new music, it’s by far the most exciting thing we have ever been a part of as musicians, and we’re excited to get it out there and release new tunes consistently. Working with Jason was a blast, it’s the most fun we have ever had in the studio.”
Lux Lyall – ‘Draw Blood’
Acclaimed singer, songwriter and poet Lux Lyall has released her brand new single, ‘Draw Blood’.
Regarding the new single Lux says, “‘Draw Blood’ is actually about multiple things. A few years ago I was finally open with my therapist about an assault that happened while I was dating someone when I was younger; I was pretty closed about it after it happened because I actually felt guilty for staying in the relationship afterwards. Now I know I basically shut the whole thing out because I didn’t want to face it, it’s still hard to talk about.
“Reflecting on that a few years ago while in another romantic situation that made me feel stifled, I wrote the chorus about being angry at what I’d put up with, and what a lot of my friends were still putting up with in abusive situations. The verses are more about how trapped I felt at the time.
“I was watching a few of my guy friends going on tour and I was happy for them and envious at the same time. I kept thinking about the concept of “being with the band” and how I’d been that way when I was young and all it did was give me trauma! I’m trying to say I don’t want to be with the band anymore I want to BE the band.”
Adult Leisure – ‘Control’
Bristol-based alt-indie four-piece Adult Leisure release new single, ‘Control’, taken from upcoming debut EP, ‘The Weekend Ritual’.
Reflecting on the EP, the band state, “we’ve always wanted to produce an honest and homegrown debut selection of songs which both showcases our ability as musicians, but also keeps in line with our honest grass roots style. We wanted people to hear us with no filter or 3rd party influence. In an industry where so much is insincere, we wanted to give people us and us alone.”
Speaking about the inspiration behind the single the band state, “Control focuses around an immeasurable love to which it’s clear the object of affection isn’t the wisest choice, yet still the lover is drawn ever closer, due to the overwhelming presence the recipient of their adoration has within their life.
They are the drug they can’t seem to pry themselves away from. They are hell, yet they are home and this is the battle the lover is having with themselves.”
Download Festival reveals 20th Anniversary line-up
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with festival announcements and where else could we start other than the monster 20th Anniversary line-up announcement from Download Festival!
Extended to four days this year the event will feature two unique headline sets from Metallica, the return of Donington icons Slipknot and a well deserved top billing for Bring Me The Horizon.
Other big slots are taken by the likes of Alexisonfire, Architects, The Distillers, Disturbed, Evanescence, Ghost, I Prevail, Parkway Drive, Pendulum, Placebo, Simple Plan, Ville Valo and Within Temptation.
It doesn’t stop there and also playing will be the likes of The Blackout, Fever 333, Kid Kapichi, Nova Twins, Seether and Witch Fever.
Welsh rock fans are in for a treat when Airbourne bring the party on Saturday night at next years Steelhouse Festival!
The Aussies will headline the event which also features The Answer, Blues Pills, Kris Barras Band, Florence Black, The Cruel Knives, Austin Gold and more, with plenty more to be announced.
Crystal Palace Bowl in London will once again host South Facing festival next summer and this week Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and more were amongst the first acts revealed.
Peter Gabriel announces first EU tour in nearly a decade!
We stay with the live side of things next as our News Report moves onto the best tour announcements from the past week!
Peter Gabriel has revealed his first European tour in nearly a decade including UK dates in Birmingham, London, Glasgow and Manchester.
Gabriel said of the tour: “It’s been a while and I am now surrounded by a whole lot of new songs and am excited to be taking them out on the road for a spin. Look forward to seeing you out there.”
Primal Scream & Happy Mondays to team up in Margate
We continue our News Report with news that Saturday 5th August will see Dreamland in Margate taken over be a co-headline show from Primal Scream and Happy Mondays.
In celebration of their 40th Anniversary, James have announced a new UK ‘James Lasted’ Tour complete with 22-piece orchestra and gospel choir!
Tim Booth says “There are a number of great bands who have been around for 40. But to get here and to be having the best time of our lives. To be part of a supportive loving family that still has something to say and new ways to say it. To be turned on by every gig and song. To fall in love over and over again, Groundhog Day, with our bandmates and audience. Damn. That’s time well spent.
We should have recorded the orchestra tour first time round, as many of you have reminded us. Well, we’ve done it now. And here comes the tour. The Orchestra and Gospel singers expand our palette, heighten the tenderness, heighten the celebration and, despite their numbers, somehow leave us feeling more naked and raw. It will be different, probably each night, because we are James and Joe knows how to dance with us. And because you are different, each night. Please leave your phones behind, come and play in the moment.”
Jim Glennie says “Has it really been 40 years? In some ways it feels like yesterday and in others, many lifetimes. I’ve lived a blessed existence, being in a band I’m supremely proud of with musicians that would grace any stage. A family of brothers and sisters, willing to support each other musically and emotionally. We are bloody minded and independent to the core. Uniquely challenging, always pushing ourselves into the new and taking risks collectively and individually, looking for transcendence. With love, trust, and acceptance we grow. Somewhere in a parallel universe, James are the biggest band on the planet. Here’s to another 40 years.”
Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris will once again be taking British Lion on the road in the UK next January. Joining them for these shows will be Coney Hatch and Airforce.
Steve Harris comments, “We’re excited to be touring the UK again especially as we’ll be visiting many places we’ve not had a chance to play before. It’s fantastic that we’ve got long-time friends Coney Hatch coming over from Canada to join us. We had great fun when they were our special guests on the British Lion Canadian shows in 2018. And we’re happy to have our old mates Airforce back out on the road with us too. Everyone is really looking forward to this tour and we can’t wait to see everyone.”
Rockers Dirty Honey have announced a UK/EU Tour taking place early next year.
Prior to the tour, in January 2023, the band are set to release a brand new, re-recorded version of album track ‘Heartbreaker’.
“Some songs really come to life after they’ve been performed a bunch of times. You can really see an audience react to a line being sung a certain way or a riff grooving that you didn’t think of while recording in the studio. Over time we realized the song took on a new life on the road in both North America and Europe and we wanted to capture that energy….” – Marc Labelle, vocalist of Dirty Honey, talking about Heartbreaker 2.0
We move our News Report on now to the best new releases from the past week and we begin with Skindred!
The group this week announced new album, ‘Smile’, will be released August 4th. The band also shared new single, ‘GIMME THAT BOOM’, which you can check out above.
The track is based on a frustrating encounter lead singer Benji Webbe had with an overfamiliar fan.
“I was out shopping one day and I could hear someone building up asking me for a picture,” Webbe recalls. “The person didn’t care who I was with or what I was doing – they just wanted their picture. In this day and age, people want you and they expect to get you on tap, constantly giving you that ‘boom’ so they can get their Instagram Likes up. It’s important to remember that people can’t give you that ‘boom’ all the time. People think because they follow you on social media, they own you.”
Ahead of their UK Tour next month, The Dead Daisies have released new single, ‘Born To Fly’, which you can listen to above.
“Doug & I got together in New York earlier in the year and worked on a riff that I had written previously. Doug had a chorus that just fitted, we messed around with the melody and came up with the name ‘Born To Fly’. This is a straight-up rock song. For me it’s literal, I was born to fly. However we’re all born to fly in our own way.” – David Lowy
This week saw REWS share new single, ‘The World That Left You Behind’, which you can check out above.
“Ah! I’m ecstatic about finally releasing this song!! It’s got so much energy, riff’s for days and a great message!! I wrote it with a great friend of mine from NI, Cahir O’Doherty (New Pagans). It is a song that journey’s through how we can support those people in our lives who get carried away with negative thoughts and feel utterly lost and alone. Hopefully the song will provide a nice audio net for people to fall into at times of need, so they know they aren’t alone!” – Shauna
Dissonants have shared their huge new single ‘Grave Mind’.
‘Lyrically, Grave Mind is more conceptual than our previous work. I wrote the track from the viewpoint of someone on their deathbed looking back on their life and wondering if, now that it’s over and coming to a close, they can be happy and at peace. For this track we wanted to draw less from our own experiences and look at concepts such as mortality and happiness, and how one can affect the other’. – Frontman Benjie Allen.
M(h)aol – ‘Asking For It’
M(h)aol will release debut album, ‘Attachment Styles’ on February 3rd. This week they shared new single, ‘Asking For It’.
On the track singer Róisín said, “I wrote it initially in 2016 then revisited it in 2020. I was shocked by how much internalised victim blaming there was in the lyrics. I rewrote it, then we recorded it and it was released to raise money for Women’s Aid in 2021. The album version is a lot angrier than the 2021 one and almost satirical insofar as it’s highlighting how ludicrous the notion of anyone ‘asking for it’ is.”
Chasing Kites – ‘Shiver’
Bath-based indie-rock four-piece Chasing Kites return with their fourth single ‘Shiver’.
Speaking about the writing process, vocalist and lyricist Matt Donnelly explains, ‘’Shiver came together extremely quickly. I’d had the lyrics lying around for a very long time and felt they fit perfectly with the sonic side of the track when the melody was written. As we built on the skeleton of the song, our aim was to take us back into the realms of indie rock through powerful injections of energy in the choruses, while maintaining our commercial sound throughout.’’
Watch Episode 21 of our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests Dissonants
‘Discover’ New Music Podcast – Episode 21 – Dissonants
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report, and happy Halloween 🎃!
It’s that time of the year where it’s not just the ghosts and ghouls haunting our News Report but also festival announcements for next Summer!
We start with Suffolk staple Latitude Festival which returns to Henham Park next July. This week saw the organisers reveal Pulp, Paolo Nutini and George Ezra will be headlining in the new year.
They’ll be joined on the bill by the likes of The Kooks, Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, The Big Moon, Lightning Seeds, The Proclaimers and The Beths!
Yes, we have plenty of festival announcements in our News Report this week and next up is Neighbourhood Weekender!
Headlining the event will be Pulp, The Kooks and Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott. They’ll be joined by the likes of The Wombats, Ocean Colour Scene, The Enemy, Self Esteem, Sea Girls and Lottery Winners.
Scotland’s TRNSMT will return to Glasgow Green in July with the reformed Pulp also topping their bill. Also at the top of the line-up will be Sam Fender, The 1975, George Ezra, Kasabian and Royal Blood.
Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott and The Kooks are on this one too, as are Inhaler and others, with many more to come.
Following a successful debut this year, Live At Leeds will once again hold an ‘In The Park’ event at Temple Newsam Park in May.
The line-up includes headliners Two Door Cinema Club plus The Lathums, Everything Everything, The Big Moon, Black Honey, The Beths, Low Hummer and many more.
Speaking about their headline show at Live At Leeds: In The Park, Two Door Cinema Club said: “Excited to say we’ll be coming to Live At Leeds in the park next year for the first time! Yoooooooooooorkshire!”
Everything Everything said: “Always a pleasure to play in Yorkshire, always special to play Leeds, and where better than at this stalwart event? Come and see us Live At Leeds: In The Park!”
Brooke Combe said: “Can’t wait for next year to be a part of Live at Leeds. See you all there for a boogie and a sing song 🥰”
Panic Shack said: “We can’t wait to play Live at Leeds in The Park!! Leeds has a special place in our hearts, we spent a few late nights here on our first ever tour with The Wytches. We’re excited to bring back our new and improved dance routine and to just have a bit of a laugh with everyone really!”
Hannah Wilson from Dolores Forever said: “We can’t wait to play Leeds. It’s my home town, so it will be mega special. It will be our first time playing Leeds in 2023 and we want to bring big energy vibes!”
Dan Mawer from Low Hummer said: “We’re chuffed to be a part of Live at Leeds: In The Park! The festival has a brilliant mix of well established names alongside exciting new artists, all taking place in a truly beautiful setting.
We loved attending last year’s event so we’re honoured to get the chance to play it in 2023. It’ll be really rewarding to take part in an event that will emulate the lovely sense of community we witnessed at this year’s festival.”
Speaking about Live At Leeds: In The Park 2023, Festival Promoter Joe Hubbard said:
“After such an incredible first year in 2022, we’re delighted to be returning to Temple Newsam for Live At Leeds: In The Park 2023! Bringing together bonafide festival headliners such as Two Door Cinema Club alongside some of the best in modern indie/alternative music – it’s going to be an unforgettable day and the perfect summer party not only full of singalongs left, right and centre but also loads of opportunities to discover your next favourite artist.
It’s what we do best at Live At Leeds and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back for an even bigger and even better Live At Leeds: In The Park in May. Catch ya down the front!”
Lytham Festival also returns in 2023 and this week organisers shared the line-up including headliners Jamiroquai, George Ezra, Sting, Lionel Ritchie, Motley Crue and Def Leppard.
Also on the bill are the likes of Blondie and Kaiser Chiefs.
The run of festival announcements in our News Report gets a little heavier now with the 5th Anniversary of Stonedead Festival set to host headliners Blue Oyster Cult.
Also playing will be Therapy?, The Answer, King King, Mason Hill and more.
Following a successful inaugural event this year, Firestorm Festival is back in Manchester next year with a line-up including Royal Republic, Kris Barras Band, Black Spiders, The Virginmarys, Hollowstar, Scruffy Bear and many more!
Bowling For Soup frontman Jaret Reddick will bring his new country project to the UK in December with shows announced this week in London and Birmingham.
Hundred Reasons return with new single ‘Glorious Sunset’
Hundred Reasons – ‘Glorious Sunset’
We move our News Report on now to the best new releases from the past week and we start off with the spectacular return of Hundred Reasons.
The band this week announced their first new album in 15 years! ‘Glorious Sunset’ will be released on February 24th, and you can check out the title track above.
Lead singer Colin Doran says of the first writing session; “I came away from that session not just feeling closer to the other guys, having not seen them for some time, but thinking the music was f****** awesome. We all looked at each other and knew it was a go.”
He continues about the single: “When we started writing again it was really important that we did not go back to any material that had been cut previously. It all had to be completely new. We started writing just before Covid and got together sporadically as and when we could to write and demo which was not our usual way. We would normally be in a room together for the most part but this time it was not always possible. Larry and I would write, The Andy and Larry would write and then I would join the session later in the day (I have a day job) but we were all super happy with what was coming out. This was a deal breaker for all as if we were putting out new material it had to be amazing.
Glorious Sunset came about from an instrumental idea from The Andy which was nearly complete minus any vocal ideas. The lyrics for the song completely changed from the demo version to the recorded version as within that space of time my mother passed away after a 4-year battle with cancer. She had gone into remission twice previously and it come back again but this time it would be terminal. The title of the song took on a new meaning as the song talks about being relieved that someone you love is no longer suffering. The sunset refers to the light that many people say they see when they die.
During recording, Larry started playing around with synths and effects that added more to the song but by the time all of the music was recorded, no one in the band knew that the lyrics had changed so it ended up being an emotionally draining session in the studio that day. In all lots of lyrics changed during that time period as it brought on a new perspective which shaped the narrative of the material.”
“This album isn’t something we felt we had to do. We simply arrived at a position where the music was so good that it was something we needed to do.”
Following the release of their latest album, ‘I Don’t Belong Anywhere’, October Drift this week shared the video for ‘Lost Without You’, which you can of course check out above.
Regarding ‘Lost Without You’ frontman Kiran Roy says, “It’s a song about heartbreak and helplessness. Inspired by a long-distance relationship, with my girlfriend living over 400 miles away in Scotland. It’s about missing loved ones and the struggle of being apart.”
Book news closes out our News Report this week as Idlewild have announced details of a new limited edition publication entitled ‘Passing Places’.
Roddy Woomble says:
“Initially, we had an idea of putting something together to commemorate The Remote Part tour dates – a programme or a journal, something fans of the band would love to read and have. It would be made in a similar style to Tom’s beautifully designed journal Gold Flake Paint, somewhere between a magazine, a journal, a novella and a photo book. Something different and personal.
The journal acts almost like a souvenir programme for the 20th Anniversary Remote Part shows, particularly for those who travelled up to Ullapool in September, as primarily that is where the journal is set.
This idea appealed to me enormously, so Tom accompanied the band up to the Highlands for our The Remote Part show in Ullapool, close to where the album was written. As we got chatting on the journey, at the gig and the following day driving around the Highlands, it became clear to both of us that this writing collaboration could be explored in many different ways, not necessarily just about one album.
This is a great writing project for me, working with an experienced writer like Tom, making something special for Idlewild fans all about an album that means a great deal to me, but also to Tom – a journey from two different perspectives.”
Ahead of their tour supporting Pussy Riot, Brighton’s ĠENN have shared their new single, ‘Rohmeresse’.
On the song, vocalist Leona Farrugia said, “I’ve often felt a pressure running through everyday life: a pressure to be productive whilst being true to oneself. Modern life can be very dissociative and small tasks become a real burden to uphold. I wanted to capture these thoughts through the track, whereby these emotions gradually build to a point of ecstasy.”
MOSKITO – ‘Sweet Fruit’
Following the breath-taking launch of MOSKITO towards the end of 2021, they now return with their brand-new single ‘Sweet Fruit’.
“Sweet Fruits lyrics portray how easy it is to play away in a relationship, with all the distractions in today’s society. It’s unwieldy temptation at the push of a button. Is it too sweet? What a waste it is.” – Front man Jake Rudd.
Pollyanna Blue – ‘Haunted’
Bristol-based alt-rock two-piece Pollyanna Blue reveal their latest single ‘Haunted’.
Speaking of the inspiration for the song, lyricist and vocalist Zoe Collins says, “In this song trauma is depicted as an unforgiving evil spirit that will come at you at night and relentlessly try to tear you down. The impactful delivery of the lyrics harnesses the real range of emotions of someone experiencing immense feelings of emptiness, sadness and anger.
The lyric ‘like a headache’ depicts the side effects of dealing with large and repetitive amounts of trauma and stress to the brain, painting an unpleasant experience for the person being Haunted by their own predicament.”
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with the latest live announcements and they didn’t come any bigger than the revelation that Arctic Monkeys will be performing a huge UK Stadium Tour next Summer.
The band will perform 13 dates in May and June 2023 including double dates in London and hometown Sheffield.
Making the events even more unmissable will be special guests The Hives and The Mysterines!
Roger Waters reveals UK ‘This Is Not A Drill’ dates
The legendary Roger Waters also had UK Tour news on offer this week as he revealed three dates for next Summer on his ‘This Is Not A Drill’ Tour.
“This Is Not A Drill is a groundbreaking new rock and roll/cinematic extravaganza, performed in the round, it is a stunning indictment of the corporate dystopia in which we all struggle to survive, and a call to action to Love, Protect and Share our precious and precarious planet home. The show includes a dozen great songs from Pink Floyd’s Golden Era alongside several new ones, words and music, same writer, same heart, same soul, the same man. Could be his last hurrah. Wow! My first farewell tour! Don’t miss it”. Love R.
Fontaines D.C. share video for ‘The Couple Across The Way’
Fontaines D.C. – ‘The Couple Across The Way’
Fontaines D.C. shared the video for their single, ‘The Couple Across The Way’, this week and you can check it out above.
Speaking on the track and video, frontman Grian Chatten says, “I was living in a tiny little flat in North London with my girlfriend and there was this Hitchcock – esque view of an elderly couple across from us. They had these blazing arguments that sent pigeons flying around, and after each one the man in the couple would come out onto this little balcony he had and just breathe for about 10 minutes. I couldn’t help but imagine it as a reflection of myself and my girlfriend in years to come, and ourselves as a reflection of a younger, happier version of them”
Skid Row also had a new single to share this week, and you can check out, ‘Time Bomb’, above.
The track comes from new album, ‘The Gang’s All Here’ which is available October 14th.
The video for ‘Time Bomb’ was helmed by director Dale ‘Rage’ Resteghini who Rachel Bolan sought out to realize his artistic vision for the song about humanity’s continuing struggles with self-indulgence and monotony.
“What would it be like to be in that position?” Rachel asks. “Just be completely going about life, your normal everyday thing, but you’re thiiiiis close to just completely losing your shit?”
AWOLNATION have debuted their new single, ‘Freaking Me Out’, which you can watch the video for above.
Aaron Bruno shared his inspiration behind the song: “I had a sense of a hopeful paranoia of sorts in creating this song, plus you can disco dance to it, or bang your head. Or both. It’s up to you.”
The Murder Capital share new single ‘A Thousand Lives’
The Murder Capital – ‘A Thousand Lives’
We continue our News Report with The Murder Capital. The band this week debuted new single, ‘A Thousand Lives’, which you can check out above.
The band also revealed that their second album, ‘Gigi’s Recovery’ will be out January 20th.
Front man James McGovern had the following to say about the themes behind the new single:
“Knowing that the day is only X-hours long, alongside my understanding of how love can be the true restorative seed, means that if and when you are so lucky to find it (and it is true) the seemingly small glance that is our lifetime could never contain enough of those days or those hours. Even a thousand of those lifetimes would never be enough.”
The band had the following to say about the new album and next year’s tour:
“For us, having worked on Gigi’s Recovery over the past two-plus years, now knowing every detail of every room in this house that we have built together, all we want to do is invite everybody in. We can’t wait to reveal more and more of what we’ve been creating with this record, and eventually in the new year, to reveal the full story.
The greatest thing about making a record is touring a record. The connection we make and the energy created at our live shows is the highest point for us. We can’t wait to meet new faces in the crowds, and to see this record under the new light that each and every one of you will shine on it. No better place to be than in the centre of it all.”
Following the release of their latest album, ‘North East Coastal Town’, last month, LIFE have shared the video for, ‘Shipping Forecast’, which you can watch above.
Speaking on the single, singer Mez Green:
“The ‘Shipping Forecast’ is a track that is awash with Hull’s nautical heritage. The music channels the power of the waves somewhere between Dogger and Humber.
It’s an urgent and powerful track that grapples with the need to get home and pins themes of toxic social media and control to its mast.
The track was one of the first to be written from North East Coastal Town and its energy and mood very much set the scene of our recording process.”
October Drift will soon release their second album, ‘I Don’t Belong Anywhere’, with the record available on October 14th.
This week the band revealed the video for their single, ‘Waltzer’, which you can watch above.
Regarding the video the band say, “We wanted to make a video which visually encapsulated what the song was about. We knew we wanted to film it at an empty seaside location, so we got up at 3am and drove to a beach in Dorset to shoot at sunrise. Somehow we roped a friend into getting up that early to pour the water over Kiran, but managed to misjudge the sunrise so ended up standing around in the dark for two hours before it was light enough to film anything. Not sure how many takes we did in the end, but it was enough to give Kiran mild hypothermia.”
Courting have just released their debut album, ‘Guitar Music’, and this week shared the video for new single, ‘Famous’, which you can check out above.
Speaking on the new song, frontman Murphy-O’Neill says, “Famous is about growing up, finding comfort in smaller things, It is a song about nights forgotten and days of just watching sitcoms with your friends. Musically, we wanted to create something truly euphoric, something we could cry to. We intended for this song to be the centerpiece of the record, a bit like a carousel.”
Our News Report turns now to PVA who this week share the video for their recent single, ‘Bad Dad’, which you can watch above. The track comes from new album, ‘Blush’, which is out October 14th.
Speaking on the themes of the single, Ella Harris says “Bad Dad explores the internal world of a new father checking in on his son at night, afraid of the lineage of masculinity and how it might impact someone so untainted.”
Closing out this section of our News Report are The Hot Damn!. This week saw the rockers share their latest single, ‘Live Laugh Love’, which you can check out above.
Set to support Incubus on their UK Tour, Softcult this week shared their new track, ‘One Of A Million’.
On the track Mercedes says, “Originally, I was writing from a frustrating perspective, expressing my feelings about the people in our society who think they are the exception and can justify repeating selfish actions, no matter who they harm in the process.
As the song began to take shape, it also became about my own personal insecurities and fear of being ordinary and unexceptional, but the more I thought about it and wrote about it, I realized that accepting how similar we all are as human beings is a comforting sentiment, if not a vital one.
The more we relate to each other and acknowledge our similarities, the more empathy and compassion we will have for one another. The more divided we are, the longer these issues get drawn out instead of solved. It’s important to not only celebrate our diversity and unique-ness, but also to remember that at a very basic level we are all more the same than different.”
No Windows – ‘Shout (Red Song)’
Edinburgh duo No Windows share their new single, ‘Shout (Red Song)’, from newly announced debut EP ‘Fishboy’.
Morgan had the following to say about the themes behind the track:
“Shout (Red Song) felt loud, thrashy and noisy – which to me felt most like the colour red. Red reminds me of things that are intense like anger or love which, and while neither of those things are explored directly, they feel present as an undercurrent in the melody and sonic set-up of the final recording.”
noyou – ‘Love is Enough’
Synthetic Pop-Rock band noyou have dropped just dropped their debut EP ‘This Game We Started’ amd alongside the EP comes new single ‘Love Is Enough’.
“’Love is Enough’ explores the challenges often faced in the world of an independent artist. Whether it be battles with egos, gigs to no one or overwhelming self-doubt, the song is a reminder to ourselves and to anyone who can relate to soldier on and keep doing what it is you enjoy, for as long as you continue to enjoy it.” – Connor Jobes
The 1975 drafted in to headline Reading & Leeds Festivals
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with the latest festival news and we start with a controversial change to the bill at Reading & Leeds Festivals. Sadly, Rage Against The Machine have withdrawn from the events at short notice, with organisers drafting in The 1975 as their replacement.
All Points East add Mogwai ahead of two week event
Another festival on the horizon is the two weekend extravaganza known as All Points East. The organisers have also had to make last minute alterations with Mogwai joining the bill in place of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.
We move our News Report on now to the best tour announcements from the past week.
Following their recent shows with both the Rolling Stones and Bryan Adams, West Country rockers REEF have announced a brand new string of UK headline shows for later this year.
Lead singer Gary Stringer comments, “I’m super stoked to be playing more shows this autumn and into the winter with REEF. We’ve had our most successful year in a decade and don’t want to stop rocking!”
Enter Shikari return with new single ‘The Void Stares Back’ ft. Wargasm
Enter Shikari – ‘The Void Stares Back’ ft. Wargasm
We turn now to the best new releases from the past week, and we start with a collaboration between Enter Shikari and Wargasm. ‘The Void Stares Back’ is the first new Enter Shikari single in almost three years, and you can listen above.
Lead vocalist and keyboardist Rou Reynolds comments: “It is with elation, and more than a little nervousness, that we release this; our first track after over two years of dormancy. It is a roisterous journey made all the more so with the addition of our friends Wargasm. Thematically, the piece is about the forward march of social progress, and how, often, those with a more conventional archaic outlook on sexuality, gender, social design, economics etc, see those with differing ideas like bewildering, depraved creatures from another dimension.”
Wargasm add: “Shikari were a big part of our growing up, so it was an absolute honour to be asked to collaborate with such an incredible and well-spoken band. They stand for the right things – we’re a little more pessimistic. It was fun playing the darker devil’s advocate to Rou’s light…where we’re going, you won’t need eyes to see…”
Nothing More share ‘YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOVE MEANS’
Nothing More – ‘YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOVE MEANS’
Nothing More have this week shared the latest single from upcoming album, ‘SPIRITS’, which is out October 14th.
You can watch the video for ‘YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT LOVE MEANS’ above.
“We’re glad this song is finally getting out there so we can dig into the emotional and intimate side of the album,” says frontman Jonny Hawkins. “The lyrics and tone of this one feels like it hits in a similar way that ‘Go To War’ and ‘Jenny’ did. It’s going to feel huge playing this next one on tour.”.
The Subways debut new video for single ‘Love Waiting On You’
The Subways – ‘Love Waiting On You’
The Subways are another band with a new album on the way; ‘Uncertain Joys’ will arrive on January 13th. This week they shared the video for latest single, ‘Love Waiting On You’, which you can watch above.
Commenting on the gender-role-reversing video directed by animator Neil Whitman, front man Billy Lunn says: “When Neil initially presented us with the concept of the video as an 8-bit platform-style video game, our drummer Camille cleverly proposed that, given how the song is so obviously about yearning, why not instead have the rescuer and rescued gender roles reversed to change things up.”
“I saw myself as the Princess Peach character, with the love of my life (about whom the song is written) being my rescuer, fighting through the various obstacles and antagonists along the way. The sense of isolation, helplessness, and vulnerability within the song now made all the more sense to me.”
“Whilst it’s not always correct to assume that one person should come to the rescue of another in a relationship, my belief in the hopelessly romantic/pathetic notion that lifelong soul mates do in fact exist is woven into the very fabric of my being. And so, when at the end of the video my rescuer realises that it is only the will to love that is required to come to my aid, as opposed to having to fight through strife, battles, and failures, I knew that Neil understood the depth of my belief in this notion.”
“Our protagonist is trapped in his virtual cell waiting for the female heroine (the princess) to come to his rescue,” adds director/animator Neil Whitman. “I had great fun designing the band members as 8-bit characters as well as designing the princess and various levels for our heroes to venture through. Setting the game in mediaeval times helped me to subvert the usual tired traditions of the prince rescuing the princess and play around with audience expectations.”
The band have also announced their re-arranged tour dates.
The legendary Pixies shared their new single, ‘Vault of Heaven’, this week which you can check out above. The song comes from upcoming album, ‘Doggerel’, which is out September 30th.
Jamie Lenman has unveiled the video for his new single, ‘Talk Hard’, which you can watch above.
The first hint at a leaner and more mainstream leaning sound to come from his new material, commenting on the single Lenman says: “I’ve been trying for a long time to do something a bit more melodic, and Talk Hard is the first flowering of that. People tell me they can hear Weezer in there which is great as they’ve always been heroes of mine, particularly the first two albums.”
“Lyrically it’s about standing up for yourself, for making sure that your voice is heard by people you feel are ignoring you—be that your friends, your family, your boss or even your government. It’s about encouraging and empowering people, standing behind them and lending them your support. Very positive, after all the negative feelings from King Of Clubs.”
In a crossover into his alternate universe sideline stage-managing cabaret shows, the video for the track stars Lenman and hula-hoop performer Amazi Hoops. It was directed by Jen Hingley from Manchester alt-rock band False Advertising, who also plays guitar in Lenman’s live band.
“I consciously tried to not cook up any ideas of my own for this track so that Jen could have free reign without my interference,” explains Lenman of the concept for the video. “She came up with this tin can idea that I really liked. It seemed very similar to the kind of videos we used to make back in the band days, with a quirky concept and even a little mystery. We went and did it in one day, filmed in the same room where the band rehearse and the fields nearby, and it came out great!”
THE HARA have been busy making a name for themselves, including appearing on our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist. Now, the group are taking the next steps in their career with the news that their debut album, ‘SURVIVAL MODE’, will be released March 3rd.
This week the band shared the first single to come from the record and you can listen to, ‘Rockstar’, above.
Southend’s Asylums this week shared their soaring power-pop single, ‘Understand the Psychology’, which you can check out above. The song features on upcoming album, ‘Signs of Life’, which is out October 14th.
On producing the current single from ‘Signs of Life’, Dave Eringa enthuses, “Understand The Psychology” is a great example of how Luke’s songwriting has developed – it retains all the power that Asylums have always had but welds it to a pop melody with Cobain-esque panache!”
Danish industrial metalcore quintet The Interbeing, are back with their new single, ‘Eternal Eclipse’.
“Eternal Eclipse is the final chapter on this album and we really wanted to symbolize the eclipse in the graphics in the video which starts and ends with an eclipse. The song is about the ultimate annihilation but also the need to revolt the eclipse and to overcome it. “I pray for no-one” is a repeating phrase which shows a rebellion against the religious perspective on life.
This song was fluent to write and record but the break-down piece in the middle was randomly written with our drummer who wanted a sub-level tone on the guitar. Finally we love the dystopian and melancholic vibes in the chorus and it is an epic resolution to close the album of Icon of the Hopeless.” -Dara Corcoran, vocalist
Krooked Tongue – ‘When the Beaches Bleed’
Bristol-based rock trio Krooked Tongue release new single, ‘When the Beaches Bleed’.
Speaking about the upcoming single, vocalist and lyricist Oli Rainsford says, “Beaches, to me, is the ultimate homage to something I’ve always been in awe of. Big wave surfing is next level crazy and it’s an art that carries with it, high risk. This song is a tip of the hat but also, I think, doubles as a notion to not be scared to take risks and also not to fear failure. It’s a cosmic ‘fuck you, try it again’ that we often need to be encouraged to carry out. Confidence is key.”
Regent – ‘Just A Revolution‘
Regent have just released their debut album including the single, ‘Just A Revolution’.
Frontman Ben Rooke explains,“This is a track I wrote when I first decided to get back into music seriously, and it came at a time when I was at my worst, taking lots of drugs and going through a bad break up.
The song is about moving away to the other side of town and into the countryside. It also quotes the start of Regent as a band/idea/thing I wanted to create.. I formed the band and current line up three years later, after getting clean from Class A drugs.”
