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Album Reviews

The Black Keys

Ohio Players

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THE BLACK KEYS – OHIO PLAYERS – ALBUM REVIEW

After a career long gap of five years between ‘Turn Blue’ and ‘Let’s Rock’, ‘Ohio Players’ marks the fourth album from The Black Keys in the past five years! Making up for lost time perhaps the duo have certainly showered their fans with new music lately, so it’s perhaps not surprising that the hype around this record feels slightly muted.

They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and perhaps everyone is a little Black Keys’d out? It’s good then that the band have brought in the likes of Beck and Noel Gallagher to work with whilst recording this, their twelfth studio album.

The presence of those guest musicians and particularly Lil Noid and Juicy J does help to bring something a little different to the now formulaic garage rock of the duo. That said the structure of these bluesy rockers is still the same that brought the band their acclaim.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘THIS IS NOWHERE
The Black Keys – ‘This Is Nowhere’

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At forty-five minutes and fourteen tracks this isn’t a short sharp shock to the system despite the changes. This is another flex by the duo who again showcase their incredible talents over what is a thoroughly enjoyable collection.

What this album doesn’t really do though despite the featured writers is offer much different to any of their previous work. That isn’t a bad thing of course, and if this was outlandishly different then people would no doubt criticise the band for abandoning their roots.

All in all, fans of the band will genuinely get pleasure from this album and that makes it another successful outing from The Black Keys.

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Album Reviews

Bob Vylan

Humble As The Sun

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BOB VYLAN – HUMBLE AS THE SUN – ALBUM REVIEW

It’s been difficult to ignore the emergence of Bob Vylan whilst the duo have been winning over audiences with their outstanding live shows. Higher festival billings and bigger sold out shows have typified their past few years, all backed by a steady flow of punk-infused rhymes which provide a commentary of a plethora of the world’s problems.

Unfortunately, the world only seems to be becoming unfairer, harsher, more hostile and divided. Bob Vylan meanwhile have never been ones to sit around singing ‘kum ba yah’, and have certainly never been afraid to call a spade a spade. It may not be a surprise then that on their new album, ‘Humble As The Sun’, the band are as frank and forceful as ever.

The manner in which they deliver their message of empowerment however has evolved as the duo look to stretch their musical legs. Punk rock may still provide the backbone of the sonic ambience of the record, but the extent of their ambition feels far greater. A line in statement song ‘Reign’ quips that the band were robbed of the prestigious Mercury Prize, and the care and attention put into this record makes you feel that the duo are trying to prove a point.

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Bob Vylan – ‘Reign’

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Critics and naysayers are increasingly going to be unable to ignore the noise coming from the Bobs. Artistically this album marks a significant declaration of self-belief and natural talent. Thematically the album typically wears its heart on its sleeve and continues to address the world’s wrongs with a thunderous rage.

As you’d expect the lyricism is clever and there are countless memorable witticisms and easter eggs over the course of the ten tracks. Long term fans will feel at home with this record, but perhaps vitally these tracks are more than capable of reaching a wider audience.

‘Humble As The Sun’ has to legitimately be recognised as Vylan’s best and most diverse album to date, and more so the record opens up a new sense of intrigue as to where the duo can go in the future.

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Album Reviews

The K’s

I Wonder If The World Knows?

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THE K’s – I WONDER IF THE WORLD KNOWS? – ALBUM REVIEW

There has been a subtle indie revival in recent years and it’s becoming somewhat cool to like music with guitars again. One young group to have grabbed moderate levels of attention is The K’s and that hype has slowly built towards the release of their debut album.

The return of festivals in this post-pandemic era seems to have heralded this new found fondness for sing-a-long ready, flare-lighting indie rock anthems and it’s in these fields that The K’s have helped to forge their own path.

It’s a positive then that straight out the bat you feel that ‘I Wonder If The World Knows?’ has been summoned by the festival lords for the good times ahead. As you listen, you can shut your eyes and feel the summer sun (or rain!) beating down on your face as you lose yourself in the music.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘LIGHTS GO DOWN’
The K’s – ‘Lights Go Down’

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That feeling should serve the band well as we head into another festival season, and is a key takeaway from this record. It would however do the quality of songs a disservice to simply marry them to the good time vibes of a festival main stage.

Indeed, there is a depth to these tracks which provides a firsthand social commentary of surviving the current pitfalls of modern life. The lyricism is clever and relevant, strengthening the credible indie soundtrack and creating a collection of indomitable melodies.

Whilst there is more than a knowing nod towards the icons of northern indie, The K’s have been able to establish their own identity with a superb debut album. With the likely success that this record will bring, the band will no longer need to wonder, because the world will most definitely know!

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The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 29 – The K’s

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EP Reviews

ANIIMALIA

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New Episode of our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests ANIIMALIA coming soon!

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Magazine

Full Pelt Magazine

Vol. 30

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The latest issue of the Full Pelt Magazine is here, and you can download your copy for free below!

Volume 30 features our cover stars Sum 41 as they release their final album, ‘Heaven :x: Hell’. We also catch Pendulum live in Birmingham.

Our News Report has all the latest music news including live announcements from Download Festival, Foolhardy Folk Festival, Live At Leeds, Maximo Park, Fu Manchu, The Cribs, Cast, Twenty One Pilots, The Enemy, Northlane, The Home Team and Melt-Banana!

Plus all the best new releases including Courting, Feeder, James, Maximo Park, Frank Turner, Defects, The Lovely Eggs, Hacktivist, Ruel, DMA’s, Stand Atlantic, Accept, Fu Manchu, Bears In Trees, The Home Team and Daytime TV!

Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist including Chasing Kites, EEVAH, Hunter Oliveri, ARCHIVES, LOWLIVES, Belmondo, Good Kid, Eat Your Own Head, Ella Galvin, Fast Blood, Luna Marble and Sans Froid!

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Album Reviews

Sum 41

Heaven :x: Hell

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SUM 41 – Heaven :x: Hell – Album Review

When bands announce hiatuses, splits or disbandment’s these days the news is usually greeted with a heavy pinch of salt and much scepticism. The news that Sum 41 were calling time on their near three decade long career was no different and ultimately only time will truly tell if this is indeed it for the Canadians icons.

Their career has certainly been eventful and they’ve had more than their fair share of ups and downs. As recently as September, singer Derek Whibley was hospitalised again, there have been line-up comings and goings, heralded and maligned releases and shows and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It definitely hasn’t been boring being a fan of the group.

So, with a farewell tour underway and a final double album, ‘Heaven :x: Hell’, out now, it’s time to celebrate the legacy of Sum 41, and that’s exactly what this record sets out to do!

Broken into two halves, ‘Heaven’ commemorates the pop-punk sound that served as the launching pad for the band at the turn of the century; whereas the second half, ‘Hell’, is a more lineal continuation of their recent heavier output. Together ‘Heaven :x: Hell’ truly captures the best of what the band have served up over their previous seven studio albums.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘LANDMINES’
Sum 41 – ‘Landmines’

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‘Waiting On A Twist Of Fate’ and ‘Landmines’ set the tone of ‘Heaven’ and the following eight tracks all help give this side a classic feel which concludes with the melancholic ‘Radio Silence’. In isolation ‘Heaven’ is a short and fun pop-punk romp akin to their breakthrough EP ‘Half Hour of Power’.

‘Rise Up’ soon delivers the overall package a kick up the backside however as ‘Hell’ hits much harder over the second half. Whilst sonically bigger than ‘Heaven’, ‘Hell’ is again a thoroughly enjoyable listen and the inclusion of former live favourite ‘Paint It Black’ is a nice touch.

If future history does ultimately prove this to be the grand finale from Sum 41 then the band can rest assured that they’ve done their great career justice. Whilst this may not be their magnum opus, it’s a true to heart celebration of everything that they’ve achieved and that’s all anybody will really want from ‘Heaven :x: Hell’!

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Magazine

Full Pelt Magazine

Vol. 29

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The latest issue of the Full Pelt Magazine is here, and you can download your copy for free below!

Volume 29 features our cover stars Creeper as they bring ‘Sanguivore’ to the masses! We also catch Fightstar return at Wembley Arena and review the debut album from Crushed By Waves.

Our News Report has all the latest music news including live announcements from Bludfest, Stonedead Festival, Royal Blood, Deep Purple, King King, Blues Pills, Smash Into Pieces and Lacuna Coil!

Plus all the best new releases including Shannon & The Clams, Battlesnake, Interlaker, Cage Fight, Travis, Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties, Atomic Life, P.O.D., The Pleasure Dome, The Dollyrots, One Step Closer, Weatherstate, Dan Patlansky, Crushed By Waves and Indoor Pets!

Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist including Chloe Star, VENUS GRRRLS and When We Were Wolves!

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Album Reviews

Crushed By Waves

More To Life

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CRUSHED BY WAVES – MORE TO LIFE – ALBUM REVIEW

Manchester’s Crushed By Waves have been making, well… waves over the past few months with a string of impressive modern rock singles. Now the time has arrived for the group to unleash their debut album and for ‘More To Life’ to be judged! Will the band soar or be crushed (sorry) under the weight of expectation.

Well the first hurdle that the band must overcome is the crowded scene in which they find themselves. Where everybody is trying to stand out, often that means that nobody does. The blame can perhaps be placed at Bring Me The Horizon’s door (or Linkin Park’s if we go further back), as their innovation has inspired no end of copycats.

Whilst it’s almost inevitable that new bands breaking through will get lost in the shuffle these days, you instantly feel that there is enough on ‘More To Life’ to elevate Crushed By Waves above the parapet. Opening duo ‘Nothing Left’ and ‘Dangerous’ set the tone early and act to dispel any worries that this is just another cookie cutter new age rock album.

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Crushed By Waves – ‘Nothing Left’

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The band have touched on a feeling of imposter syndrome whilst discussing the album but the fruits of their labours here should give them vindication. They’ve managed to produce a thoroughly enjoyable set of hard hitters that can more than hold their own in the current congested climate.

‘You Know’, ‘Won’t Get Out Alive’ and the title track all highlight that ambitious sound which is the sonic template for rock bands in the 2024. They do so however in an assured manner which belies the relative inexperience of the group.

Indeed for a debut album, Crushed By Waves couldn’t really have wished to have delivered anything more resolute and intriguing. Whether they can cut through the noise or not only time can tell but with ‘More To Life’ the band have managed to deliver a notable opening gambit.

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Live Reviews

Creeper

Epic Studios, Norwich

Monday 18th March 2024

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CREEPER – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

📸 (C) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

Despite being one of the most active live bands in the UK, it has been almost a decade since Creeper last played in the city of Norwich. Back then they were the support band in the backroom of a pub, now they return at the much larger Epic Studios and their fans are out in numbers despite some competition from local favourite Justin Hawkins just up the road.

ZETRA

Before the main event however we have our openers Zetra who, after opening for Creeper at their one-off Roundhouse show in 2022, are along for the ride on this ’12 Days of Night’ tour.

The mysterious duo deliver a methodical set of elevator music for Goths. The elements of theatre fit naturally with the aesthetic of a Creeper show and the respectful crowd appear content with their performance. Whilst sparks don’t necessarily fly, the band create the perfect ambience to prepare us for what’s to come next.

CREEPER

What comes next is a band who have certainly made their case for the best live act award. Creeper are now a wholly different prospect compared to their early Norwich shows; for whilst they can still go hard when the moment calls, they are now an elegant and effervescent force. To go with the vampire theme, they are less the brute force of Blade and more the seductive charm of Count Dracula.

Speaking of awards, Creeper won two of our end of year awards this past December and it’s our Single of the Year ‘Cry To Heaven’ that kicks their set off in spectacular fashion. The catchy song instantly elevates the audience energy levels and alongside the quickfire romp of ‘Poison Pens’ sets the tone for the evening.

The setlist for this tour is carefully curated given the band now have three albums and four EP’s to choose from. There are therefore many big songs which don’t make the cut this evening.

That’s an indictment of how packed their back catalogue has become and that’s never more apparent then when you consider the tracks not present with the fact that they can still pull out the likes of ‘Hiding With Boys’, ‘Cyanide’, ‘Down Below’, ‘The Honeymoon Suite’, ‘Annabelle’ and ‘I Choose To Live’. That’s not to even mention the stunning Hannah Greenwood led interlude of ‘Ghosts Over Calvary’ and ‘Crickets’!

The second Full Pelt Award taken home by Creeper last year was Album of the Year for their latest masterpiece ‘Sanguivore’ and those are the tracks that perhaps own tonight. ‘Teenage Sacrifice’ is glorious, ‘Lovers Led Astray’, ‘The Ballad of Spook & Mercy’ and ‘Chapel Gates’ are all highlights and the rock opera ‘Further Than Forever’ is simply magnificent.

The line-up for the band now officially features guitarist Lawrie Pattison and it feels like they are firing off all cylinders together. Each member brings somewhat special and together they have hit another level, and whilst there are a few clichés there, ultimately you can’t help but be excited for the future of the band.

It’s an old favourite though that brings the evening to a spine-tingling close with ‘Misery’ eliciting the sing-a-long to end all sing-a-longs. Creeper can leave Norwich this time around knowing that they’ve ascended into something much bigger than their humble beginnings. The fans however will be heading home praying that it doesn’t take the band another nine years to return to the city.

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Magazine

Full Pelt Magazine

Vol. 28

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The latest issue of the Full Pelt Magazine is here, and you can download your copy for free below!

Volume 28 features our cover stars Feeder as they head back out on the road this month! We also review the latest releases from Kid Kapichi and Greywind!

Our News Report has all the latest music news including live announcements from Glastonbury Festival, Kendal Calling, Biffy Clyro, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Interpol, NOFX and Samantha Fish!

Plus all the best new releases including The Treatment, The Warning, Soft Play, Scott Stapp, DragonForce, VEXED, Royal Republic, Blue Öyster Cult, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Ashen Reach, The Dandy Warhols, Gun, Sløtface, fakeyourdeath, The Lemon Twigs, Destroy Boys, Dea Matrona, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard and BIG SPECIAL!

Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist including Gold BloomAttic Theory and Eville!

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