DEUX FURIEUSES – SONGS FROM PLANET EARTH – ALBUM REVIEW
It takes bravery to be overtly political in the music industry these days, heaven forbid musical acts reveal their views and endanger those vital social metrics. deux furieuses have never shied away from addressing socio-political issues, so given the turmoil of the past few years, there should be no surprise that new album, âSongs From Planet Earthâ, broaches many such subjects.
The duo have spent time recently playing with Brix Smith (The Fall), alongside Debbie Googe and Jen Macro (My Bloody Valentine). Experiences such as this continue to help harness their talents and focus them into the creation of powerful and daring work such as âSongs From Planet Earthâ, which is the bands third album together.
In any chosen field, experimentation, shared experiences and learning opportunities combined with repetition and endurance are a pathway to evolution, progression and craft mastering. That maturity is borne out on this album.
Album opener, âIsolation Daysâ is a slow burning number which gradually ramps up and gently welcomes the listening to the experience which follows. âAll We Need Is Sanctuaryâ, builds on this and really pulls you in before âBring Down The Governmentâ grabs you by the arms and gives you a shake!
The album then takes you on a sonic and thematic journey through many of the issues facing the world right now. Thought provoking and brutally honest, the subject matters on offer are a truly depressing reflection on the state of humanity right now. What âSongs From Planet Earthâ does however is offer hope; a glimmer of optimism that the power is in our hands to make positive change.
On this album, deux furieuses, capture not just a snapshot of societyâs ills, but a snapshot of where they are artistically. Whilst the former is rather distressing, the latter is a band near the peak of their musical powers.
The Hunna have been perennial contenders for superstardom since their hugely successful debut album, â100â, released back in 2016. Two further albums have followed with neither 2018âs âDareâ, nor 2020âs âIâd Rather Die Than Let You Inâ able to elevate the band to that next level.
Itâs a harsh reality of the music industry that the opportunities to truly breakthrough are severely limited these days. Even modern day success stories are never likely to reach the levels attained by their predecessors. It must also be said that audience attention spans are more akin these days to that proverbial goldfish.
That is a callous but pragmatic view on casual music fans. Dedicated, hardcore music fans however are a different animal all together, they are able to engage longer and deeper with the acts that deserve it. That is no doubt why The Hunna have been able to garner such a passionate and dedicated fanbase.
This deep philosophical insight into the depravity of the music industry comes not from a random thought, but from the impactful opening to The Hunnaâs self-titled fourth album. Single, âTrashâ, is an abrasive punk rocker taking aim at the pitfalls of the industry. The storming track takes firm aim at the darker aspects of the industry that most artists are fearful to call out.
That sets up the album spectacularly, both sonically and lyrically, as the band are both honest and unashamed. From soaring pop ballads, to indie hits, all out rockers and everything in between, this is a diverse collection that represents well everything The Hunna have been and everything that they want to be.
There are moments that those goldfish will enjoy (albeit temporarily), and there is certainly plenty on this album for the diehards to sink their teeth into. The Hunna are a band that continue to grow and evolve, and this album ensures that they are as relevant now as they were back in 2016!
Southend rockers Asylums have been one of the best kept secrets in the music world since arriving on the scene with 2016 debut, âKiller Brain Wavesâ. Two more albums have followed in 2018 and 2020 with the band continuing to grow sonically and put themselves on the cusp of mainstream success.
Now, the prolific group return with their fourth studio album, âSigns of Lifeâ, prepared to conquer the world once again!
Recorded at the legendary Rockfield Studios (in the room that Queen recorded âBohemian Rhapsodyâ no less), with the revered producer Dave Eringa (Manic Street Preachers, Idlewild), you can sense that level of creative genius running through this superb collection of songs.
There is a real diverse palette of genre-bending output spread across an album that rocks hard, has indie mainstream appeal and leans into some off the cuff influences as well.
Whilst tracks such as âInstant Coffeeâ and album opener âScatterbrainâ are instantly gratifying just like those much needed early morning gulps of caffeinated goodness, every track on this album deserves attention.
In fact, there is so much here to sink your teeth into that you could describe this album as a real smorgasbord of music.
From start to finish âSigns of Lifeâ is a joy to listen to and is most definitely Asylums at their very best. Perhaps itâs finally time that the secret gets out and Asylums make an indelible mark of this hyperactive industry!
ARCHITECTS – THE CLASSIC SYMPTOMS OF A BROKEN SPIRIT – ALBUM REVIEW
Just 18 months removed from their stunning and evolutionary ninth album, âFor Those That Wish To Existâ, Architects are back album with their tenth album, âthe classic symptoms of a broken spiritâ!
Momentum is certainly on the bands side, so striking while the iron is hot, the band are right to release their follow up so soon after such a well received record. This is borne out through the substantiated quality of this album.
A dud of an album at this point could be a momentum killer â see âTemper Temperâ, so this is a calculated risk from the band. That calculation however was right with them clearly knowing the quality of the music they had.
The album is straight into the action on opener âdeep fakeâ, and manages to keep a relentless pace throughout the next forty plus minutes. There is no dip in either ferocity or excellence as the likes of singles âtear gasâ, âwhen we were youngâ and âa new moral low groundâ demonstrate.
The depth on this album is truly impressive though as beyond the singles you still have tracks as good as âspit the boneâ, doomscrollingâ and âall the love in the worldâ. In reality there isnât a bad track on another superb offering from one of heavy musicâs biggest hopes.
They may now be ten albums in, but over the past three, Architects are shown their development and progression to something much bigger than their beginnings. Their upcoming tour with Biffy Clyro will introduce them to an even more diverse audience, and as they continue to break the mainstream and pickup fans, the world very much is their oyster!
Arctic Monkeys are undoubtedly one of the biggest, most talented bands on the planet. They have very much earned the right to do whatever they want musically⊠but wow.
How do you follow up an ill received, lacklustre, bloated, flop of an album such as âTranquility Base Hotel & Casinoâ? Well if you are Arctic Monkeys, you double down and again ditch your signature sound and attitude to release another collection of boring lounge pop dirge.
WATCH ‘I AIN’T QUITE WHERE I THINK I AM’ ON YOUTUBE
Arctic Monkeys – ‘I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am’
Itâs difficult to write a balanced review of new album, âThe Carâ in all honesty. If everybody is honest with themselves, this is not the album we wanted from the band this time around. Although Iâm sure that many old school fans would love a return to the sound of their first two albums, that was never going to happen.
But after the enormous success of generational release, âAMâ, which appeared to be the perfect middle crowd, âThe Carâ just sucks the enjoyment out of this once formidable band. This stubbornness from the band has though, as we said earlier, been earned. Itâs their well earned right to record and release the music that they want to.
It just makes you wonder what happened to that rock ânâ roll, eh? You know that rock ânâ roll, that singer Alex Turner said just wonât go away, that will never die and thereâs nothing anybody can do about it! Well after these past two albums, you canât help but wonder did Turner think to himself â challenge accepted!
If you enjoyed âTranquility Base Hotel & Casinoâ, congratulations, you will also very much enjoy, âThe Carâ. It demonstrates just how musically talented and dexterous the band are. If however that last album wasnât for you, I wouldnât even bother hitting the play button on âThe Carâ!
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with the sensational news that Tom, Mark and Travis are reunited together again and Blink-182 will be heading out on a huge world tour in 2023!
In the UK that equates to an arena run taking in Glasgow, Belfast, Birmingham, Manchester and two shows in London. UK support comes from The Story So Far.
The trio also debuted new track, ‘Edging’, which you can check out below and revealed a new album is on the way.
Our News Report continues with news from the Yard Act camp. Bringing an end to their hugely successful campaign for debut album, ‘The Overload’, the group have revealed four special live dates next year.
The run will conclude with their biggest headline date so far at the legendary Brixton Academy!
Another band targeting some pretty intimate venues for their next UK tour are Stone Broken who this week announced details of their ‘Come Closer’ tour set for February next year.
The final tour announcement in our News Report this week comes from guitar slinger Kenny Wayne Shepherd! Shepherd and band will be celebrating the 25th Anniversary of ‘Trouble Is…’.
This week saw Rival Sons return with news that they will be releasing a new album, ‘Darkfighter’ on March 10th.
The group also debuted their brand new single, ‘Nobody Wants To Die’, which you can listen to above.
Regarding ‘Nobody Wants to Die’, vocalist Jay Buchanan shares, âYou live your life knowing that the sword of Damocles is hanging over your head by a thread. Youâre fully aware of the impermanence of your existence, but you canât think about it all the timeâor itâll fuck your life up.
I used to work in a mortuary as a service advisor for a few years, driving and opening the hearses. Iâd attend three funerals per day. Sometimes, they would be filled over capacity. Other times, it would just be me, a priest, and a hole in the ground. It doesnât matter who you are; the great equalizer is coming. I was thinking of this because the music sounded like pursuit.â
Elaborating on the genesis of ‘Darkfighter’, Buchanan notes, â’Darkfighter’ represents the cultural mitosis of isolation, the Pandemic, and the national fabric of the US getting looser and looser. When I say âCultural Mitosisâ, there are lines being drawn constantly. Weâre so divided, and you canât step over the lines without offending someone. It certainly informed my writing.
We recognized a responsibility to put a good word on peopleâs ears so thereâs a good word coming back on their tongues too. We missed the joy of the live show and that magical interaction. When it was taken from us, that made me want to sing about topics that were important. There are strong themes on this record of loss of identity, preservation of joy, and beholding light and shape again.â
Lead guitarist Scott Holiday added, âRecords are a healthy form of escapism. I hope this one takes you as far away as possible. Our intent was to create a cinematic body of work. As soon as the doors shut behind you, youâre enveloped on the ride. This is the sound of us really coming into our own. Weâve gotten further from our influences and gotten closer to what we are. ‘Darkfighter’ sounds like the Rival Sons.â
This week saw Tigercub return with their new single, ‘The Perfume of Decay’, which you can listen to above.
The track marks Tigercubâs debut release for Loosegroove Records, the label co-founded by Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard, a longtime champion of the band.
âThey say comparison is the thief of joy,â says Tigercubâs 7-foot frontman Jamie Hall,âand nowhere is this more acutely felt than on the internet; the public ledger where I must amend my social cv daily, to portray my life to others in the most rose tinted & ineffable way possible. The reality couldnât be further from the truth of course, beneath this facade I am crumbling, cascading into despair and at odds with my emotions. âThe Perfume of Decayâ is my expression of this feeling, an argument between affectation and naturalness. It marks the beginning of a new era for us â this is Tigercub at its heaviest, its most accomplished, and most unapologetic.â âJamie Hall is not only an incredible songwriter, singer, and fucking wicked guitarist,â says Stone Gossard,âbut he also has a deep understanding of art and music history. This guy dabbles in it all â visual arts, digital media, world history. This band is generational, and Jamieâs a natural star. Loosegroove couldnât be happier working with Tigercub.â
âItâs all about opposites,â Jamie Hall says. âSweet-and-salty popcorn tends to taste better than regular popcorn, even though those are two opposing forces. I wanted to nail that concept with our heavy guitars, softer-sung vocals, Can-style grooves, and a bit of shoegaze. Counterpoints can come together and make a powerful connection. Iâve crossed the threshold from my 20s to my 30s, so Iâm getting older, but Iâm also entering my prime. This record is a reflection of that.â
Pulled Apart By Horses share video for ‘Rinse & Repeat’
Pulled Apart By Horses – ‘Rinse & Repeat’
Pulled Apart By Horses this week shared the video for their single, ‘Rinse & Repeat’, which you can watch above. The track comes from new album, ‘Reality Cheques’, which is out now!
Commenting on the track, vocalist Tom Hudson says the single is âan ode to all that have found themselves trapped in the darker corners of the music industry. The repetitive whirring of the machine. A spanner in the works of the daily grind. A helping hand to break out of a vicious cycle. The realisation that they need you more than you need them. Inspired by seeing Ziggy Stardust stood in line at the jobcentre. More punk rock than Iggy advertising life insurance.â
There was also more new music this week from Witch Fever. The group debuted new single, ‘Beauty and Grace’, which you can check out above.
The track features on debut album, ‘Congregation’, which is out October 21st.
Singer Amy Walpole says of the track, ââBeauty and Graceâ ended up being the dark horse of the record! Before we went into the studio it wasnât one of our faves but Sam really brought it out of its shell! The song is about pushing back against oppressive feminine beauty standards whilst also finding a place for femininity that you enjoy and makes you feel powerful !! Femininity is not a weakness, as much as society may tell you it is! If it empowers you and brings you joy itâs a strength!â
Dream State return with new line-up and new single ‘Taunt Me’
Dream State – ‘Taunt Me’
Following a period of uncertainty, this week saw the spectacular return of Dream State! With a fresh line-up, the group debuted their brand new single, ‘Taunt Me’, which you can check out above.
The final new release in our News Report this week comes from The Sleeping Souls! Usually seen backing Frank Turner, the group have stepped out with touring buddy Cahir on vocals.
‘Liar Lover’ is the first sample of what to expect from the band in this guise, and you can check it out above.
Norwich-based post-hardcore outfit Other Half have debuted new track ‘Slab Thick’.
Commenting on the video, the band say: âBSM wanted a high-concept, high-production pop video to help shift some serious units so we wrangled the few dogs we know and the one cat we own to produce three and a half minutes of visual magic.â
âWe like doing everything ourselves; for DIY punk kudos and because weâre tight and awkward, so it was fun figuring out how to make it look like weâre all playing in a room together even when one of us was filming the whole time.”
âFor the second part of the video we had next to nothing and were filming some pretty shudder-inducing stuff in the local park when our friendâs Roya and Charlie walked past with their dogs; Daisy and Lily. Never one to miss a free opportunity for content, we scooped those dogs up, spun around a bit and sung at the camera. Rinse, repeat and the rest is history. Thanks to all the nice animals that starred alongside us.â
IOTA – ‘Ballet Box’
‘Ballet Box’, the latest single from Bristol-based rock five-piece IOTA is out now.
Explaining the inspiration behind the single, vocalist and lyricist Jodie Robinson explains, âIts about a ballerina inside of a jewellery box coming to life as the box closes. Inspired by the thought of the âobjectâ coming to life and how they’d never know what it was like to be outside of that box and nobody would ever know that they were alive. There was a play on the element of control and feeling trapped, fighting with that part of your mind. Itâs very much a song about âIs there more to life and can we fulfil that void’.”
Blue Violet – ‘Favourite Jeans’
Blue Violet follow up debut album with new single, ‘Favourite Jeans’.
âFor all of the chaos and hardships that Covid brought to the world it also provide ample time for people to be creativeâ reflects singer Sarah Gotley of the âLove, Hate & Forgivenessâ EP. âSo although we only released our debut album in April this year we wanted to bring out some of the music that we’d been working on in that timeâ.
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – RETURN OF THE DREAM CANTEEN – ALBUM REVIEW
Just 6 months ago Red Hot Chili Peppers released their first record having reunited with iconic guitarist John Frusciante. It was something of a surprise therefore, in July, when the band announced another new album, âReturn of the Dream Canteenâ would be coming.
Well, that album is already here and itâs time to see whether the band were correct in saying it isnât just a b-side record. Now, for context it should be noted that these songs were written and recorded during the same Rick Rubin produced sessions that spurned âUnlimited Loveâ.
Given that album ran to almost 75 minutes and 17 songs, and this album runs to 75 minutes and 17 songs, those were some hefty recording sessions!
The worry here, before even pressing play is that âUnlimited Loveâ felt a handful of songs too long. In reviewing that album we also commented; âthis feels like four old friends reconnecting and testing the watersâ. So again, is this more of the same?
WATCH ‘THE DRUMMER’ FROM RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS ON YOUTUBE
The first half of the album harks back to some of the bands earlier funky and psychedelic work and is very digestible with time moving quite quickly. Sadly as the album progresses into the depths of its 17 songs, time does start to lag and the songs all blend in together.
I would agree with the band that this isnât a b-side record and is of similar standard to âUnlimited Loveâ, unfortunately that means that again it feels too long. Cutting four or five tracks would greatly improve the album, and just picking the 12 best songs from across the two albums wouldâve given us a superb return from the band.
Instead we have two lengthy albums full of good yet uninspired songs with a splattering of single quality tracks mixed in. On the positive side this is an easy listening album that you could happily work away to with it on in the background.
Ultimately this is one for the diehard fans to enjoy, but it wonât do anything for the casuals, which really makes it feel unnecessary!
What an incredible story Alter Bridge are when you sit back and think about it; forming from the ashes an enormously successful band, with a relatively unknown but highly talented singer, with said singer even later auditioning for Led Zeppelin.
That singer then joining the legendary Slash for a new project and the original act briefly reforming; and then both the singer and guitarist of this band pursuing very successful solo careers. There is even a Frank Sinatra covers album in the mix now, but throughout all this Alter Bridge have remained ever present and ever evolving.
Now regrouped again, the band have bestowed upon us their seventh studio album, âPawns & Kingsâ. Despite all the distractions, this continues their record of a new album every three years having started that pattern with debut album, âOne Day Remainsâ back in 2004 â which is somehow almost twenty years ago!
During this time the band have delivered many hits and a few misses, but this album feels important. The band have established themselves in rocks arena filling ranks, but havenât shown any measurable growth in a decade or so. Whilst charting reasonably well their previous two albums have met mixed reviews and it does seem like Alter Bridge need an injection of momentum.
âPawns & Kingsâ may well be just what the doctor ordered. Starting out fast, heavy and soaring, the band set the bar high with âThis Is Warâ, âDead Among The Livingâ and âSilver Tongueâ.
âSin After Sinâ and âStayâ then demonstrate that evolution we mentioned. Myles Kennedy as a vocalist and Mark Tremonti as a guitarist are often ranked as amongst the best in their fields. In recent years the two have proven themselves well equipped in each otherâs departments and on âPawns & Kingsâ the two show just how far their dexterity has come.
Throughout the second half of this album, Alter Bridge maintain the quality that has perhaps tapered off on recent albums. This isnât a token effort with a handful of quality singles. This is an old school Alter Bridge album which shows the cohesion that made sophomore album âBlackbirdâ such a success.
The story of Alter Bridge is truly unique and itâs a testament to the talents of those involved that this far into their career, even with multiple side projects, they can still deliver a album as magnificent as this!
OCTOBER DRIFT – I DON’T BELONG ANYWHERE – ALBUM REVIEW
October Drift have spent the year slowly building towards the release of their second album. A steady stream of superb singles has signalled what was coming and now âI Donât Belong Anywhereâ is here and fans are in for a real treat.
The band continue down the euphoric path they set with their 2020 debut âForever Whateverâ. That year of course was a show stopper for most bands and many new acts were lost to the pandemic.
Thankfully, October Drift have emerged not just intact but firing on all cylinders. âI Donât Belong Anywhereâ is an incredible achievement considering the restraints in which it was written and recorded. The difficult past two years are referenced on tracks such as the hauntingly beautiful âWebcam Funeralsâ, but there is much more do dissect on this album.
âI Donât Belong Anywhereâ finds the band again in a reflective mindset but this time they are analysing the world around us. This is a sombre yet uplifting record packed with intensity and controlled ferocity. There are tender moments, brutally honest lyrics and a constant visceral sonic onslaught.
You can feel that the band has poured everything into this album, and that work pays dividends with a stunning collection of songs. Pre-release singles such as âAirborne Panic Attackâ and âInsectsâ promised something great and ultimately October Drift have delivered something very special indeed!
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
This week we start with tour announcements and the mighty Iron Maiden, who have revealed the ‘Future Past’ tour that includes a run of UK arena dates next Summer.
The show will feature previously unperformed songs from the bandâs most recent studio album, ‘Senjutsu’, along with a focus on 1986âs iconic, ‘Somewhere In Time’ record, plus other classic cuts.
Says founder member and bassist Steve Harris, âFollowing the release of our latest album, Senjutsu, we updated the current Legacy of the Beast Tour a little by opening the show with the first three songs from it, with the Japanese Palace stage set.
As it doesnât make a lot of sense to repeat this for a Senjutsu album tour, we thought about other options and weâve decided to revisit Somewhere In Time as that tour didnât feature in the various retrospective history tours weâve played over the years. They were based on our 80âs concert videos and sadly we did not film that tour (blame the manager!!).
We have had lots of requests from fans over the years for many tracks on it so we are now going to play them, plus of course a few others we know you will like! It will also be particularly satisfying to finally get to play some of the more epic tracks on Senjutsu, it’s been a long wait! 2023 is going to be an exciting time and weâre really looking forward to seeing everyone again in the UK, Ireland and around Europeâ.
Manager, Rod Smallwood adds, âThis combination of the two albums we feel is very exciting. We know fans want to hear those epic cuts on Senjutsu for the first time live and we think that by combining it with an iconic album like Somewhere In Time it will make for another really special tour for fans old and new!
Of course, for a new album tour in Europe and the UK we will go back largely to the relative intimacy of arenas and we know fans will be very happy about that too!â
Depeche Mode announce London Twickenham Stadium date
Another iconic act to announce a show for early Summer is Depeche Mode, who will takeover Twickenham Stadium in June.
The Memento Mori Tour will support the bandâs forthcoming 15th studio album, ‘Memento Mori’, due out in Spring 2023.
In speaking about Memento Mori, Martin Gore commented, âWe started work on this project early in the pandemic, and its themes were directly inspired by that time. After Fletchâs passing, we decided to continue as weâre sure this is what he would have wanted, and that has really given the project an extra level of meaning.â
Dave Gahan added, âFletch would have loved this album. Weâre really looking forward to sharing it with you soon, and we canât wait to present it to you live at the shows next year.â
P!nk this week unveiled her ‘Summer Carnival’ 2023 tour with stadium dates in Bolton, Sunderland and Birmingham alongside an appearance at BST Hyde Park in London.
Our News Report looks at festivals now and the line-up for BST Hyde Park grew considerably this week with not just P!nk but also Billy Joel being announced for next Summer.
They join the already announced Bruce Springsteen in London.
It’s on to the week’s best new releases now as our News Report continues, and we start with Alter Bridge!
As the band prepare for the release of new album, ‘Pawns & Kings’, on October 14th, they have debuted new track, ‘This Is War’. You can check out that single above.
Bury Tomorrow have shared new single, ‘Abandon Us’, which you can listen to above. The track arrives as they reveal that their latest album, ‘The Seventh Sun’, will be released on March 31st.
“We are proud to present, âThe Seventh Sunâ. It is an understatement to say we are excited to share the new era of Bury Tomorrow with you all and the first single from the album, Abandon Us, is the perfect way to showcase our intent for the next phase of our band,” say the six-piece. “Visceral and heavy, this track is for each and every one of you that has stood by us either from the beginning, or supported us along the way.”
Of the song’s origins, the band share, “it started with a demo simply entitled, Abandon. Taken from a time of loss, uncertainty and insecurity, the intent was to create a heavy track that mirrored these feelings. The lyrics highlight the frustration and anger at the current state of our society and how our so-called leaders seem intent on satisfying self-interest above the collective needs of humanity.”
The Subways this week debuted their latest single, ‘Black Wax’, which you can listen to above.
The track comes from upcoming album, ‘Uncertain Joys’, which is out January 13th.
Commenting on the track, front man Billy Lunn says: âCaught mid-wintertime during the pandemic, hibernating in the warmth of the band’s studio, I’d indulge in days’ worth of spinning my favourite artists’ records on my turntable. Following one particularly beautiful session, I felt compelled to express my gratitude for music itself. Not just the inspiration my favourite artists offer me as a songwriter, but all the various aspects music holistically offers us as people: the respite, the sense of belonging and being understood (and thus the validation), but also the mere aesthetic pleasure of the space between our ears being tended to.â
âGiven that our first ever gig was on the hallowed stage of The Square in Harlow, which, following over a decade of Tory rule is now resigned to rubble, it felt only right to record my guitar parts with the guitar that had been built from the wood lifted from The Square’s bar. This guitar, built by local legend Murray Torkildsen, was lent to me by a very good friend, Adam Smith, who fought so hard to save The Square in its final days. It’s no coincidence that his handle online is Black Wax. Long live The Square. Long live music.â
Cult hero Jamie Lenman has shared the details of his fifth album, ‘The Atheist’, which will be released November 25th. This week also saw Lenman debut new single, ‘Lena Don’t Leave Me’, which you can listen to above.
âIâve got into the habit of saying, whenever I have a new record out, âIâve been trying to do something like this for a really long timeâ, because they typically have very lengthy gestation periods with a lot of thought going in,â says Lenman of what fans can expect from the new album.
âThis one is no exception â Iâve always loved mellowed-out indie rock like Gemma Hayes and Pete Yorn and Iâve always wanted to make an album with that sound. Trying to focus on simple songs, looking for any place we could add a bit of extra sugar â a little bit saccharine, but also slightly snide and in some places softly sad. The end result is â I hope â a bittersweet experience.â
Commenting on the track, which channels both his love of stadium rock giants Queen and his wife and long-term partner Lena, Lenman says: âItâs a song about what it actually means to refer to your partner as your âother halfâ. Thatâs how I feel about my wife and I. We started out as two separate people and over the past twenty five years weâve grown into two halves of a whole person. She fills up my missing parts and I fill hers – not that she has as many as I do. I always feel when people are talking to me that theyâre only really getting half the story if sheâs not around, just like it says in the song. And not the best half, either!â
âWhen I was a kid I loved bands like Queen with all their pomp, and then as a teenager I turned the other way with Nirvanaâs punk philosophy. I went through the post-hardcore thing with all the awkward timings and chonky riffs, and now I find myself leaning back towards those giants of stadium rock. I wrote âLenaâ to see if I could do something like Toto, with my best impression of Brian Mayâs guitar solos. Itâs my love letter to all those classic power ballads â itâs so uncool, itâs cool.â
The track comes with an official video homaging that particular brand of nostalgic 80s music video which always centred around the starâs desire for an unattainable, idealised lover.
âI wanted to do it with heart and genuine emotion instead of just spreading some poor model over the bonnet of a porch,â says Lenman of the concept. âI wanted the viewer to see my wife through my eyes, as this amazing, dazzling creature that I just get to be around. We went to the beach on the hottest day of the year and tried to forget the camera was there. Itâs nice for people to see all those old photos and how weâve grown together, just like in the lyrics. And itâs nice for us too!â
From Ashes To New – ‘Until We Break’ ft. Matty Mullins
This section of our News Report comes to a close with the new single from From Ashes To New. ‘Until We Break’ features Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire, and you can check it out above.
Reciting lyrics from the song, Matt Brandyberry said, ââClose our eyes âcause there is nothing to see. Weâll all be fine if all we do is believe.â It seems we are increasingly taking the path of least resistance. Although, that is often the wrong path. Closing our minds to the truth because a lie is easier to believeâŠA short term solution for a long term problem. We are following our leaders one by one until we break.â
LA based Militarie Gun have shared their latest single, ‘Let Me Be Normal’.
Ian Shelton says: ââLet Me Be Normalâ is a plea for normality despite no matter what you achieve or how much money you have, ânormalityâ canât really ever be achieved if you grew up in a messed up situation. Thereâs no unseeing what youâve seen, something will always poke you in the ribs and remind you of the trash you come from.â
Doodseskader – ‘Alive & Not Well’
Belgium’s Doodseskader are gearing up for the release of their debut album, ‘Year One’, on November 18th with new single ‘Alive & Not Well’.
On the track, vocalist/bassist Tim says, ââAlive & Not Wellâ is things clicking for us.It was half Sigfried, half me. Half of it describes us struggling, but half of it also is us grabbing misery by the throat and facing it head first. Itâs the fifth song on the record and I feel like this is the point where things started shifting and we realised that while the record served as a document of our hardships and us trying to come to terms with the past weâd put on display in MMXX : Year Zero, from that point on itâd be us using our honesty and this band as both a weapon and an armour. âForty fucking five, I wear the number like a vestâ. Fortune gave us a shitty hand. Now we’re slowly turning it into the fist that’ll strike back.â
ROLLA – ‘Ease My Mind’
ROLLA have preview their upcoming debut EP with new single, ‘Ease My Mind’.
We recorded it at Rockfield, which was a week to never forget. Itâs a cool old place, and it was a pleasure to work with local legend Nick Brine. Creative carnage at its finest.â
