It takes a lot of courage and self-belief to walk away from a band experiencing considerable success, but thatâs exactly what James Joseph did. Switching from bass player in a well known band to guitar and vocals as the frontman of a completely unknown entity, Joseph teamed up with fellow James, James Biss, and the duo set about building a new legacy under the moniker James and the Cold Gun.
A handful of key support slots and a well received debut EP have led the now five-piece band to their all-important self-titled debut album!
Described as a â…no frills rock n roll ripper…â by Joseph, this fits the narrative from the original duo when we spoke to them in a year ago on our âDiscoverâ New Music Podcast. Joseph in particular was clear that his previous band had changed to the point of no longer aligning with his desired creative output, with Joseph wanting a back to basics approach.
From the opening riff of âChewing Glassâ, itâs abundantly clear that Joseph has accomplished his desire. This is good old fashioned rock n roll and this album does exactly what it promises, repeatedly punching you in the face with another dirty riff, another bouncing chorus and all round gloriously effortless rock.
This is a well-rounded debut album, which shows that the band have plenty to offer other than just noise. The songs are well crafted and have an accessible enough sound that they should cut across in bigger venues just as well as they will in tiny clubs.
In thirty-eight minutes of pure rock n roll adrenaline, James and the Cold Gun ensure that the bravery and confidence talked of in our opening sentence was well placed and fully justified!
Our News Report now looks at the best new releases from the past week and up first are Greta Van Fleet.
The group this week debuted new single, ‘Farewell For Now’, which you can check out above.
The single comes from upcoming new album, ‘Starcatcher’, which is out on July 21st.
âOn âFarewell For Nowâ we express the sentiment of our longing to stay on stage and savour the magic created by the audience-music phenomena,â notes bassist Sam Kiszka. âBut we must pack up and go to the next place to do it all over again; as always, weâll be back soon.â
Ahead of new album, ‘I Inside The Old Year Dying’, PJ Harvey has shared new single, ‘I Inside The Old I Dying’, which you can check out above.
The album is set for releases on July 7th, and to celebrate Harvey has revealed new tour dates.
On the single PJ Harvey says: âThis delicate and beautiful song eluded us until the very last day in the studio. Over the previous five weeks we had tried so many times to capture it and failed, and/but then John reinvented the feel of the guitar pattern.  As he was demonstrating it in the control room, Flood handed me a microphone and pressed record whilst I sat next to John trying to work out how to sing to it. The result somehow captures the ethereal and melancholic longing I was looking for.
In the lyric everyone is waiting for the savior to reappear â everyone and everything anticipates the arrival of this figure of love and transformation.There is a sense of sexual longing and awakening and of moving from one realm into another â from child to adult, from life to death and the eternal.â
This week saw K.Flay announced that new album, ‘Mono’, will be released on September 15th.
Accompanying the news was new single, ‘Shy’, which you can check out above.
On the single, K.Flay says, âIn my music, Iâm so comfortable being loud and brazen, but in my personal life, I can be a bit shy. Especially when it comes to romantic relationships. I wrote this song after Iâd just met my (now) girlfriend. And I sent it to her out of the blue. I guess I only know how to flirt through songs? It worked though.  âDave Hammer produced this one and he and I have this crazy energy between us. I think when we get together to make music we’re able to disregard the ‘shoulds’ and be purely creative together. A lot of the guitar parts were just freestyle takes, us messing around, but there was a wildness to them that hit us both in the right places.âÂ
On the album, âI started making this record as a person with two working ears. I finished it with only one and this is also the first record for which, from start to finish, I was sober. Â âMONO is about navigating loss, about looking your aloneness in the eye and deciding not to drink or vape or have sex or watch a television show, but to stand there and accept it, to understand its power. There is only one person on this earth with your mind, your creativity, your perspective. You’re a first and last pressing, a 1 of 1, and 1 is a scary number, but life is scary and funny. And sad. And beautiful. I hope this record is a reminder of that, and how we are all experiencing our aloneness together.â
Our News Report continues with new music from former The Temperance Movement frontman Philip Seth Campbell.
This week Campbell debuted new single, ‘Magical West’, which you can check out above.
Campbell has announced that his new album, ‘City Lights’, will be released on September 1st and a UK Tour will take place later this year.
Support for the tour comes from Alice Faye.
Speaking of the new record, Campbell explains: ââCity Lightsâ is everything I know. The album flowed naturally, each song informing the next. Itâs half new songs and half older unfinished pieces. Iâve been writing it since I was 16, all through my 20s and my years in London, through moving home to The Temperance Movement, touring, resting and having a family.â
Speaking of his varied career and the bumpy road heâs traversed to get to this point, Campbell adds: “A new band here, a new project there, a change of direction again and again until, suddenly there was calm and the time to think. In a small studio just outside Glasgow, with pictures of Bowie, Jagger, Neil Young and Tom Waits, I recorded an album about my whole life. I had no desire to shed my skin. I was perfectly comfortable in it for the very first time.âÂ
‘Discover’ New Music Podcast alumni James and the Cold Gun have shared their latest single, ‘Bittersweet’, which you can check out above.
The track features on upcoming their self-titled debut album, which is out on July 21st.
Speaking on the album, frontman James Joseph says, âWe can’t wait to get this album out into the world, it’s a no frills rock and roll ripper recorded ourselves in the garage where we first started jamming as a band, we think it’s a great introduction to what we’re about at our core, loud, energetic guitar rock…â
Grove Street share, ‘The Path to Righteousness’, the title-track of their debut album.
“The Path to Righteousness represents and explores escapism & the importance of having outlets or vices to help forget about the struggles of life, and the paradoxical irony of how escaping every day life improves every day life,” says guitarist Sandy.
While drummer, Josh, adds, âthe track itself came together pretty organically in the practice room. I remember listening to Suicidal Tendencies and Power Trip at the time and wanted to capture a hybrid of groove and fast thrashy vibes. We wanted the last section to build and then finish strong and heavy. The repetitive vocal hook was added last minute in the studio, but it fast became my favourite part!âÂ
Rituals – ‘Living Blind’
Rituals share their new single, ‘Living Blind’.
On the track, the band says:
âThe release of Living Blind feels like a turning point in Rituals. Lyrically based on the lack of awareness for others issues, problems and grief. Living in a world in which people only take and fail to give to one an another. With our debut Download Festival performance, tours in the UK and Ireland and our biggest ever sold-out headline in NewcastleâŠThere’s never been a better time for the band to be releasing this track.â
Any Given Sin – ‘Cold Bones’
Any Given Sin share ‘Cold Bones’ from debut album, ‘War Within’.
As a military vet often faced with the horrible news of duty’s permanent scars, frontman Victor Richie dug deep inside himself for the lyrics. “I wrote it by myself on the piano,” he recalls. “I was in the military for seven years, and I had a lot of friends commit suicide. We lost too many of our buddies in Iraq and Afghanistan. This song is about those people, but it could be for anyone who has lost a friend under similar circumstances.”
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
Up first this week is the latest news from Download Festival who this week added additional bands whilst also confirming the stage splits for each day.
The Metallica, Bring Me The Horizon and Slipknot headlined event will also now feature the likes of State Champs, Puscifer, Hundred Reasons, Static Dress, Cancer Bats and more.
Following the announcement of new album, ‘Starcatcher’, last week, this week has seen the news that Greta Van Fleet will be back out on tour later this year.
The UK will see the band tackling arena shows in London, Manchester and Glasgow with support from Mt. Joy.
Our News Report continues with Atreyu who have also announced when they will return to the UK. Alongside their EU tour the band will play a run of eight dates in the UK this November.
Continuing the theme of bands announcing their return to the UK, Danko Jones have revealed a full EU and UK tour for this Autumn that will finish at the Garage in London.
We segue our News Report now from tour announcement to new music as Dream Wife unveiled both this past week.
As the group get ready for the release of new album, ‘Social Lubrication’ on June 9th, they’ve set up a full UK tour set to take place in October.
Support for the tour will come from Ash Kenazi.
The band also had more new music on offer with new single, ‘Orbit’, which you can check out below.
Dream Wife – ‘Orbit’
On the single the band explain, âWritten through the joy of jamming together and locking into the groove like a multi limbed space age organism, Orbit has a dance rock edge from the early noughties of bands like New Young Pony Club and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Lyrically, it was inspired by post-lockdown London coming back to life and sharing a space through friendship and community. And how each day you never know whatâs in store for you or how a stranger can become someone close to you – for a day, a heartbeat, a phase, or a lifetime.â
Next up we have Skindred who have this week shared their new single, ‘If I Could’, which you can check out above.
The track comes from new album, ‘Smile’, which is out on August 4th.
Frontman Benji Webbe recalls that the track was inspired by lockdown and how much he hated 2020 and the effect it had on the world. âOn the other hand, 2023 is a different story,â he says. âWeâve released new music and weâre still to drop another few monsters from our album âSmileâ. Weâve got the KISS tour coming, and weâve also got our headline tour supporting the new album. So 2023, to me, looks like a very exciting time to be in Skindred. Iâm very optimistic about the future!â
The Amity Affliction debut ‘Not Without My Ghosts’
The Amity Affliction – ‘Not Without My Ghosts’
This week also saw The Amity Affliction release their latest single, ‘Not Without My Ghosts’, which features Phem, and you guessed it – you can check it out above!
The new album of the same name will be out on May 12th.
It was a big week for James and the Cold Gun as they announced that their self-titled debut album will arrive on July 21st!
Accompanying that announcement was new single, ‘Something to Say’, which you can check out above.
Speaking on the album, frontman James Joseph says, âWe can’t wait to get this album out into the world, it’s a no frills rock and roll ripper recorded ourselves in the garage where we first started jamming as a band, we think it’s a great introduction to what we’re about at our core, loud, energetic guitar rock…â
Another band approaching the release of their debut album is Militarie Gun who will release, ‘Life Under The Gun’ on June 23rd!
This week the group shared the latest single from them ahead of that album. You can check out ‘Very High’ above.
The record is inextricably linked to Sheltonâs past. âI grew up in a household with family members struggling with addiction,â he explains. âIt was an oppressive force. We were always wondering, âIs it going to be a good day or a bad day? Are the cops going to come today? What am I going to come home to after school?’â
On the album, âThis is what I thought we sounded like all along,â Shelton laughs. âItâs always felt like a melody-forward band to me, but I think now weâre finally achieving what I was always setting out to do.â
Willie J Healey has shared his latest single, ‘Little Sister’, which you can listen to above.
The track features on upcoming album, ‘Bunny’, which is due for release August 25th.
Willie says âThe whole era is something that I love. Long before making âTwin Heavyâ, I had always listened to funk, soul and R&B, but for some reason it never translated into my own music. Really my inspiration was just the feel of things.ââ
He goes on to say about âLittle Sisterâ specifically “We recorded it in New York, just one take, it was magical. I remember spending a couple of hours learning and messing around with it and then it was done. I really just enjoy playing music that makes you feel really good.â
Lottery Winners – ‘Letter To Myself’ feat. Frank Turner
Lottery Winners had more music to share this with as they debuted their new single, ‘Letter To Myself’, which features Frank Turner. You can listen to the track above.
The band are set for the release of their new album, ‘Anxiety Replacement Therapy’, on April 28th!
With just a month to go until their debut EP ‘Youâre Welcome’, out 19th May, Lambrini Girls share new single âLads Lads Ladsâ about toxic masculinity.
“In order to be a lad, make sure to follow the following guidelines: excessive drinking, harassing anyone with a pulse and starting fights. Most importantly, make sure to never talk about your feelings as this simply cannot be associated with manliness. Lad culture is the shit stain on the bathroom floor and toxic masculinity is the toilet paper that refuses to unstick from the shoe of society. Nobody wins.” says the band.
headcage – ‘false gold’
Alternative Post-Hardcore band headcage have shared their brand new single âfalse goldâ.
âWith this track Iâm trying to lay down the premise of always wanting more from life, as in wealth, status or fame but ultimately realising the people and culture that those things predominantly exist in are not the world I come from or identify with in any way, shape or form. To put it simply, it’s something Iâve always wanted for so long, and is also something I hateâ. – Vocalist, Leyum Pattinson.
Grove Street – ‘Lessons of the Past’
Recently signed to UNFD, get yourselves acquainted with Grove Street via recent single, âLessons of the Pastâ!
âGrove Street becoming a part of UNFD felt like it was meant to happen,â says guitarist Sandy. âA label that fully believes in us and wants to nurture our growth as a band is a rare thing to be seen. This band started out as fun between friends, we never had any expectations of reaching the levels we have and with UNFD behind us we can push those levels even further.â
Speaking of the track, the band share, âLessons of the Past focuses on police brutality, abuse of power, systemic oppression and racism. People not taking a stand against these things only encourages them to manifest further, and we as people must do better to hold those in power accountable.”
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:
âEvery day, I seem to be asking myself âIs this article biased?â, âis this claim true?â, âShould I be more furious about this issue? Or less furious?â, âAm I being manipulated? Provoked? Radicalised by my own âtribeâ?
Bloodshot is about how hard it is to find truth, and how easy it is to stop thinking for yourself and simply repeat your âteamâsâ mantras.
Everyoneâs so fucking angry with everyone else and itâs exhausting. It seems like social mediaâs main purpose these days is to hypnotise us to hateâ.
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: âAttention attention, youâre seeking, you’ve asked for, itâs 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 wouldnât do for my attention, held to the fire itâs not my crime, you’ve pinned it on me for the last time.’ Meaning – donât 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.â
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, âProtagonistsâ, 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: ââNothing More Nothing Lessâ is a simple love song really written from a womanâs perspective who isnât exactly sure what she wants.â
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: âOur 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 âWeâre one or two paychecks awayâ 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 Cummingâs photo of the white board used to plan the UK governmentâs early response to COVID. We thought it would be fitting to use it for the singleâs cover art, too.â
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.
âAs 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.â 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.
âItâs a song about perseverance,â says the front man Victor Ritchie. âYouâre standing up to whateverâs in front of you.â Guitarist Mike Conner adds, âYouâre not just surviving a traumatic experience though – Youâre also becoming stronger because of it.â
Bellwether – ‘Hurricane’
Sydney based Pop Punk band Bellwether have shared their new single âHurricaneâ featuring Brooklane.
âHurricane was inspired by the titular character of the Naruto series and is about wanting to prove the people who didnât 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 weâre so excited to show off this track – To let people know weâre here and to show off our worth as artists.â – Heath Joukhadar (guitarist)
Hematite – ‘Run Devil Run’
Hematite release ‘Run Devil Run’, the final single before their debut EP ‘Speak of the Devil’.
âThis 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 donât 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.â -Hematite
Itâs been another big revival year for the music industry following the pandemic years, and itâs been another year of growth for us at Full Pelt Music! Weâve reviewed 67 albums, 7 EPâs, 6 festivals and 38 gigs in 2022 as some level of normality or even stability has returned to our industry.
That said, there are still many issues facing the industry with livelihoods, venues and organisations at risk for a plethora of reasons. Whilst government action is required in many places, what we as fans can do is support the industry with our money. Times are tough for us all, but purchasing an album, buying a t-shirt, nabbing a ticket and grabbing a drink whilst at a gig does so much to support the industry that we love.
In our now annual end of year awards weâll be giving out seven hotly contested awards looking at both the recorded and live sides of the industry. Adding to our well established Album of the Year award this year will be the new EP of the Year award. Weâll also once again be revealing our Single of the Year. All awards have seen fierce competition, as once again itâs been a high quality year for new releases.
On the live side of things, weâll announce both our Gig and Festival of the Year awards. This year of course provided our first full calendar of music since 2019! We were able to witness many great performances this year and we canât wait to share with you are favourites.
Lastly weâll look at the artists whoâve had special years as we award our Artist and âDiscoverâ New Artist of the Year awards. So without further ado, letâs work through those award catagories!
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
It has been a truly magnificent year for album releases and getting a spot anywhere in our Top 50 was hard enough but in particular the Top 10 was incredibly tightly fought. You can read the full list here.
âIMPERAâ from Ghost was able to take the crown this year but any of the top 10 couldâve taken that spot. âReelingâ from The Mysterines in particular would likely have won in any other year, but the majesty and magnificence of âIMPERAâ proved unbeatable.
Winner:
âImperaâ by Ghost
The contenders:
âReelingâ by The Mysterines, âFTHCâ by Frank Turner, âSkinty Fiaâ by Fontaines D.C. & âThe Price of Lifeâ by Bob Vylan
Previous Winners:
2021 â âBlue Weekendâ by Wolf Alice 2020 â âUltra Monoâ by IDLES
EP OF THE YEAR
For the first time this year, we are separating EPâs out of our main award and giving them their own pedestal. That alone is the truest compliment to the quality of EPâs on offer this year.
Again, all EPâs in our top 5 are worthy of the number one spot, but itâs âcoming of (r)ageâ from As Sirens Fall that pips it. Catchy as hell single, âheaven (spat us back out)â, helps elevate the release to be crowed our first ever EP of the Year.
Winner:
âcoming of (r)ageâ by As Sirens Fall
The contenders:
âFalse Startâ by James and the Cold Gun, âSCPâ by Oakman, âTyrantsâ by IOTA and âBLACKGOLDâ by BLACKGOLD
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
We look now at our Single or Song of the Year. In considering the award this year weâve considered the ear worms that have stayed with us after live performances. Weâve also pondered which songs instantly struck a chord and created a buzz of excitement for the albums and live shows that would follow.
Songs which fell into both of these considerations competed for the award and it was again a tight decision, but ultimately for us this year âDangerousâ from The Mysterines has not just ticked both boxes but also remained on heavy rotation throughout the year despite being an early arrival in 2022. Thatâs why that track is our 2022 Single of the Year!
Check out the winning single below:
The Mysterines – ‘Dangerous’
Winner:
âDangerousâ by The Mysterines
The contenders:
âTalk Hard’ by Jamie Lenman, âComplianceâ by Muse, âWicked Waysâ by Halestorm, âSpillwaysâ by Ghost
Previous Winners:
2021 â âTest of our Resolveâ from Press To MECO 2020 – âObeyâ by Bring Me The Horizon feat. Yungblud
FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
2022 was the first full festival season since 2019 and what a return it was. All eyes were on Glastonbury once again, British Summer Time curated a stunning line-up, Download Festival breathed fire and 2000trees was able to remind everyone whatâs so great about smaller festivals.
Our winner this year though is Reading & Leeds who went big, sold out and delivered an action packed weekend even with the huge loss of Rage Against The Machine amongst others. Always a perennial contender for this award, 2022 felt like the year the event reclaimed its identity.
Glastonbury Festival, British Summer Time, Download Festival, 2000trees Festival
Previous Winners:
2021 â Download Pilot Festival 2020 â Wild Fields Festival
GIG OF THE YEAR
Weâve reviewed many gigs this year but in reality there could only ever be one winner. Rammsteinâs tour is less of a concert and more of an experience; one that everyone, fan of the band or not, should experience at least once.
Beyond that there was still some incredible, top tier gigs in 2022 and our contenders are all worthy of glory, but Rammstein are currently on a whole different level.
Royal Blood @ O2 Arena, London, Ghost @ Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, Muse @ Eventim Apollo Hammersmith, London, The Killers @ Carrow Road, Norwich, The Hella Mega Tour @ London Stadium, London, Creeper @ Roundhouse, London, Idlewild @ O2 Kentish Town Forum, London
Previous Winners:
2021 â Bring Me The Horizon @ O2 Arena, London 2020 â Frank Turner @ Arboretum, Nottingham
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Artist of the Year now and for this award we look for somebody who has had a huge, perhaps even career-defining year. Previous winners Frank Turner and Biffy Clyro have done so by delivering incredible feats, far above the norm.
This year was a big year for many acts, but weâve gone for Bring Me The Horizon as a band that have had a career-defining twelve months. Long tipped as festival headliners at a major event, many felt that the time would never come for one of the best live bands on the planet. Big releases, sold-out tours, no matter what the group did they never seemed to be given that torch, that is until this year!
Watching Bring Me The Horizon step up and headline at Reading & Leeds this summer felt like a real moment, not just for the band but for the whole scene. For any metal band, let alone one once considered so unfashionable to headline the biggest festivals in the UK is massive.
Already announced to finally headline Download Festival in 2023, 2022 will forever be linked for Bring Me The Horizon to taking that final career-defining set. Throw in their genre-defying collaboration with Ed Sheeran, 2022âs Artist of the Year had to be Bring Me The Horizon.
Winner:
Bring Me The Horizon
The contenders:
Ghost, Rammstein, Biffy Clyro, Muse
Previous Winners:
2021 â Biffy Clyro 2020 â Frank Turner
âDISCOVERâ NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
As a publication we always want to put new music at the heart of what we do, and thatâs why our final award is perhaps our most important! Our âDiscoverâ New Artist of the Year is awarded to the act weâve chosen to highlight on our âDiscoverâ New Music Playlist and Podcast who we feel has made the biggest impact this year.
At the beginning of 2022 we put the spotlight on new Colchester act PET NEEDS as they continued to promote their debut album, âFractured Party Musicâ. From that point on the band never looked back with a world tour, a second album (‘Primtime Entertainment’) and a sold out hometown show all under their belts.
They even found the time to become the first (and only at the time of writing) band to progress from our âDiscoverâ New Music Podcast and appear on The Full Pelt Music Podcast! Yes, fighting off some stiff competition for the âDiscoverâ New Artist of the Year award in 2022 is PET NEEDS!
Winners:
PET NEEDS
The Contenders:
BERRIES, As Sirens Fall, Oakman, James and the Cold Gun, Daytime TV, MOSKITO
Previous Winners:
2020 â Miss Vincent
So, thatâs it! Another year in the record books, itâs been another difficult year and it has again been particularly tough on the music industry. That said, weâve had a full year of live music for the first time since 2019 and the creative juices remain flowing with some absolutely stunning new releases over the past twelve months.
Below you can enjoy some of our favourite gig photos of the year courtesy of our wonderful photographer Denis!
All đž (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music
We hope youâve enjoyed our The Year in Review 2022 and we wish you a very Happy New Year. Hereâs hoping 2023 is a good one!
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 ââWe really love playing these songs and thought it’s about time we did it again.â
Graham Coxon said â âIâm 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 facesâŠâ
Alex James added â âThere’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.â
And Dave Rowntree said â âAfter the chaos of the last few years, itâs great to get back out to play some songs together on a summerâs day in London. Hope to see you there.â
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.
âBlondie 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!â – Debbie Harry
âJust 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 ainât fun then we ainât interested, lifeâs too shortâ – 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: âSome people seem to crop up in your life, do immense damage to it, and then scuttle off again unscathed and unfazed. Whether itâs 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 identityâ.
âWeâve known Cody for years and years now, and consider them a real part of the inner Shikari family. Weâve always known they were a wonderful talent and itâs 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 resultâ.
Cody Frost adds: âI canât tell you how much this collab means to me, and it came at just the right time. Iâd 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! Iâve 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 Shikariâs 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.â
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: âThe song âEthelâ 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. Itâs showing you what is possible when you make the decisions that bring a sort of cradled warmth into your future. The idea of âEthelâ 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.â
The band also share the Maxim Kelly directed video for ‘Ethel’; Kelly shares about the making of the video: âInitially 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 itâs like a little girl standing up at a table. I originally had that image in my head for a rap video, but it didnât 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.â
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: âI 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.â
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.
âMy original idea had been to get hold a huge choir and have everyone singing away in this whole epic production,â says Lenman of the visuals, âbut I just couldn’t get it together so we ended up going the other wayâjust me and a piano in a beautiful old village hall, really concentrating on the song and, of course, the tree.â
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 âSure It Feels Goodâ, 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:
âWeâre so excited to release new music, it’s by far the most exciting thing we have ever been a part of as musicians, and weâre excited to get it out there and release new tunes consistently. Working with Jason was a blast, itâs the most fun we have ever had in the studio.â
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, ââDraw Bloodâ 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 didnât want to face it, itâs still hard to talk about.
âReflecting 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 Iâd 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.
âI 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 âbeing with the bandâ and how Iâd been that way when I was young and all it did was give me trauma! Iâm trying to say I donât want to be with the band anymore I want to BE the band.â
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, âweâve 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.â
Speaking about the inspiration behind the single the band state, âControl focuses around an immeasurable love to which itâs clear the object of affection isnât 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.â
Itâs hot, hot, hot! Itâs British Summer Time and the hot ticket this year is a two night stay from Seattle icons Pearl Jam. Oh yes, Hyde Park in London is packed in like a giant sweaty sauna with a delicious soundtrack on offer so letâs dive straight in.
This is another event to have suffered multiple COVID postponements but finally the gates upon on a sweltering hot Friday and diehard fans man the barriers and merch stands as they await the arrival of their heroes.
Whilst the Pearl Jam name sits atop of the banner this weekend, there is actually a packed undercard to enjoy as well. First up for us is Simon Townshend on the main stage who plays a decent opening set despite appearing more concerned with the fact Eddie Vedder was going to join him for a song, but couldnât. When not awkwardly obsessing on the matter, Townshend showed why his own musical pedigree was actually sufficient. Very odd!
Townshend is followed on the main stage by The Murder Capital, who turn the intensity up a little. This is a band that has been winning man plaudits since their 2018 inception, and with performances like this you can see why.
It is then over to the âHard Rock Risingâ stage where the fantastic Daytime TV make an early bid for performance of the weekend. Our recent âDiscoverâ New Music Podcast guests stop early attendees in their tracks, as they pause to savour the likes of âWe Canât Be Friendsâ, âUglyâ and âZombieâ. Expect big things from this group.
WATCH ‘UGLY’ FROM DAYTIME TV ON YOUTUBE
Daytime TV – ‘ugly’
Perhaps itâs the sunshine, or the atmosphere and sense of occasion but there are some great sets this afternoon. Both White Reaper and Cat Power entertain the masses on the main stage, whilst sandwiched in between over on the âBirdcageâ stage are LIFE. LIFE attract a big crowd to the small stage and certainly make the most of their time on stage as they showcase their upcoming release, âNorth East Coastal Townâ.
The quality of the line-up shines through next with a run of Fatherson, Pixies and October Drift before our headliners Pearl Jam. Fatherson first deliver a superb set on the âBirdcageâ stage which spotlights latest album, âNormal Fearsâ with airings of âBetter Friendâ, âDiveâ and âLove For Airâ.
Pixies are a major draw over on the main stage and they donât disappoint playing a crowd pleasing set featuring âGouge Awayâ, âWhere Is My Mind?â, âMonkey Gone to Heavenâ and closer âDebaserâ. Stood in the early evening sunshine, this is surely the definition of the perfect festival set.
Tucked away on the âBirdcageâ stage however is perhaps the perfect opportunistic festival set. That is in sense of a band grabbing their opportunity and their audience with both hands and dragging them kicking and screaming into a moment.
One of those moments that you walk away from and say, âwowâ, that you tell your friends about. The band in question is October Drift who deliver a typically visceral experience for the audience, not least when singer Kiran Roy climbs a literal tree mid song.
WATCH THE FULL PELT MUSIC PODCAST WITH GUESTS OCTOBER DRIFT
The Full Pelt Music Podcast – Episode 10 – October Drift
Itâs then finally time for Pearl Jam to take to the main stage much to the delight of those diehard fans still stood stoically. BST is typically a very corporate event with an often stagnant atmosphere, but the Pearl Jam fans help to bring some life this year.
There are upsides to these highly polished BST events such as the good facilities, but a downside can be the various VIP sections sucking the life out of the crowd. Thankfully they have minimal impact this weekend with fans clearly desperate to catch their heroes after a two plus year wait.
Pearl Jam for their part do exactly what they need to do, which for the most part is just play. Vedder does regularly take time to engage the audience but itâs the music that really does the talking tonight.
Fridayâs set list is well received and features the likes of âEven Flowâ, âJeremyâ and âAliveâ, before a finale of âRockinâ in the Free Worldâ with guest John McEnroe!
WATCH ‘ALIVE’ FROM PEARL JAM ON YOUTUBE
Pearl Jam – ‘Alive’
There can be no complaints from fans with the band on form, the weather absolutely cracking and the undercard on fire. Itâs good then that we get to do it all over again on Saturday!
Today is different however as we have a wholly different undercard, which starts for us today on the âHard Rock Risingâ stage with Tigercub. The Brighton band help to blow off any cobwebs and get the day started right, with a good rocking!
We are then back down to the main stage for The Last Internationale who have proven themselves to be an incredible live act. Today is no different with vocalist Delila Paz orchestrating the performance from the front. The bandâs tight bluesy rock goes down perfectly as the mid-afternoon sun beats down, and day two is already picking up where day one left off.
Itâs another day of darting between stages today due to the excellent booking across the stages. Both The Wild Things on the âHard Rock Risingâ stage and Imelda May back on the main stage continue the streak of solid performances next.
WATCH ‘SEVEN’ FROM JAMES AND THE COLD GUN ON YOUTUBE
James and the Cold Gun – ‘Seven’
Next we head back to the âBirdcageâ stage for another recent âDiscoverâ New Music Podcast guest, Welsh rockers James and the Cold Gun. The band has been honing their craft supporting various acts over the past year and recently undertook their debut headline tour. Each show that weâve caught from the band has been better than the last, and again today they hit new heights with a hard hitting show.
Johnny Marr belatedly takes the main stage next and rattles through a set mixed with solo material and Smiths classics that go down very well with the baying audience.
Back over on the âBirdcageâ stage Petrol Girls blitz their short time on stage leaving a trail of both awe and bewilderment. Those that get it, get it and those that donât, donât; either way the band make an impression, which is all they need to do both musically and politically speaking. Perhaps a little out of place amongst the BST elite, but an important set at a fragile time for this country.
Soon enough itâs time for Stereophonics to grace the main stage and showcase why they could probably headline this venue themselves with the right undercard. Stereophonics are national treasures that can still pump out quality new material. They are also of the best live acts around, so of course this performance was bound to be a huge success.
New material such as âHanging On Your Hingesâ and âDo Ya Feel My Loveâ more than hold their own amongst mega hits like âHave a Nice Dayâ and âDakotaâ. Sing-a-longs aplenty as the band set the stage for the grand finale.
WATCH ‘HANGING ON YOUR HINGES’ FROM STEREOPHONICS ON YOUTUBE
Stereophonics – ‘Hanging On Your Hinges’
Before Pearl Jam do their thing for a second time, we pop back to the âBirdcageâ stage one final time for Whispering Sons who are perhaps the only underwhelming performance of the weekend. Not bad for a festival whose undercards are usually a little tedious. Bravo to the booking team for these two days of fantastic acts.
To top it all off? Pearl Jam of course! Yes headline set number two from a band that always mixes things up. This weekend in London that means two nearly entirely different setlists, a real treat for fans.
Night two highlights include âElderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Townâ, âBlackâ, âYellow Ledbetterâ and an impassioned speech from Eddie Vedder on American gun culture prior to an airing for âThrow Your Hatred Downâ with Johnny Marr.
Closing out the double header with a cover of âBaba OâRileyâ, Pearl Jam have reaffirmed their status as one of the most vital bands of the past 30 years. Their legacy is built and they have legendary status, but there still feels like there is more to come.
These two days have been a delight with quality performances from top to bottom, plus British Summer Time came through with not a rain cloud in sight â could we have asked for any more?
After wowing crowds across the UK in support slots for the likes of Therapy?, Creeper and Salem, rockers James and the Cold Gun unleash their debut EP, ‘False Start’!
Fans who have caught the band live over the past months will have had a taste of these five tracks, but it’s great to finally get to hear the studio versions. A debut release is always a statement for any act, but ‘False Start’ feels like a full statement of intent from the band.
This is their manifesto of hard and fast rockers designed to get you moving, and you’ll find it hard not to vote with you feet and your head! There is great potential in James and the Cold Gun and thankfully they’ve delivered a fantastic start with a superb debut release.
The pandemic certainly has played a number on Anniversary Tours with Therapy?âs âSo Much for the 30 Year Planâ Tour becoming a 31 Year Plan and now eventually a 32 Year Plan!
None of that really matters though to the fans packed into the Waterfront in Norwich on a Saturday night. All that really matters to those fans is getting to catch their cult heroes Therapy? in action and having a good time.
Spirits are therefore high as our support act James and the Cold Gun enter the stage to the Kate Bush song of the same name. The band led by Jamesâs Joseph and Biss instantly harness that excitement to create a great atmosphere for their opening set.
The band will soon be releasing their debut EP, âFalse Startâ, and tonight fans are treated to those tracks and more by a band quickly establishing themselves on the scene. With performances like this, expect to hear much more from the band in the future.
But next we look to the past as Therapy? celebrate their 30+ year career with a carefully curated setlist. It doesnât take long for the audience to reciprocate the energy of the band, as early numbers âNauseaâ, âStoriesâ and âDie Laughingâ set the tone for the rest of the night.
WATCH ‘DIE LAUGHING’ ON YOUTUBE
Therapy? – ‘Die Laughing’
After all this time consistently touring it should be no surprise that Andy Cairns, Michael McKeegan and Neil Cooper work so well together. A run of âTurnâ, âCallowâ, âTrigger Insideâ and âChurch of Noiseâ demonstrating just why on record and live the band have been able to endure longer than most of their contemporaries.
Another reason for their longevity is their ability to still create interesting new music, and next the band treat the crowd to a new track. âJoyâ looks set to feature on their next album, which if this track is anything to go by will be another belter.
After âDianeâ and âTeethgrinderâ close out the main set, the band return for an encore of âKnivesâ, âPotato Junkie’, âNowhereâ and âScreamagerâ much to the delight of the crowd. The band promise tonight to keep going for another thirty years if they can; and with showings like this you wouldnât put it past them.
Muse set to perform to intimate Charity Shows this May
Welcome to another edition of our weekly music News Report! We are starting this week with the latest tour announcements including the above special shows from Muse!
Yes, Stadium fillers Muse will be headlining two very intimate shows at Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo this May. Night one is to support War Child and Medecins Sans Frontieres with their work in Ukraine.
Night two will support The Big Issue for its 30th Anniversary and will feature Razorlight as special guests.
There was huge news from The Gaslight Anthem camp this week as the group announced their return. The band teased new music to come in the future, but also revealed a huge world tour.
UK dates will include a huge show at London’s historic Wembley Arena. Tickets are here.
Another huge tour announced this week will see The Pretty Reckless return to the UK for a run of dates finishing up at the iconic O2 Brixton Academy in London.
We move on now to the latest festival announcements as our News Report continues. Up first is the above stunner of a line-up from 2000trees, now with added You Me At Six!
Also joining the line-up this week were Twin Atlantic (acoustic), Boston Manor, Nova Twins, Salem, Cassyette, James and the Cold Gun and many more.
They join headliners Jimmy Eat World, Thrice, Turnstile and IDLES plus many more.
Another festival completing their line-up this week was Kendal Calling. Having recently added Bastille to existing headliners Supergrass, Stereophonics and The Kooks, the event has now added many more new acts to a packed bill.
Joining this week were The Cribs, Zuzu, NOISY, Never Not Nothing, Sonic Boom Six, Ducking Punches and Samantics.
We move now onto the new music releases of the past week as our News Report continues. The first new track to feature is the brand new single from the iconic Liam Gallagher.
You can listen to ‘C’mon You Know’, the title track from his new album, above. That new album will arrive on May 27th, and those that pre-order before April 5th will get early access to new release Knebworth tickets.
Skinny Lister unveil video for ‘Like It’s The First Time’
Skinny Lister – ‘Like It’s The First Time’
Skinny Lister this week unveiled the video for their track ‘Like It’s The First Time’. Watch the video above and read our review of their album, ‘A Matter of Life & Love’here.
Finally, TV Priest this week announced new album, ‘My Other People’, will be out on 17th June. You can listen to new single, ‘Bury Me In My Shoes’ above.
Frontman Charlie Drinkwater says of the album, âMy Other People is a more âopen’â set of songs, both musically and in our themes; in the process of writing we found ourselves talking about things other than anger or aggression. We wanted to discuss love, loss and joy too. Itâs a record about personal disintegration and destruction, but also rebuilding again after this. Itâs also heavily rooted in place, the music being a very direct response to Britain and England in 2021, but in a more abstract and textural sense. A muddy field viewed from a train window between cities, a patch of wild flowers growing next to a motorway, sticky carpets in a suburban flat roof pub, pissing rain on an August bank holiday and the smell of diesel in an out of town supermarket car park. An angry, hopeful, shitty, beautiful island.â
As for the new single, he adds, ââBury Me In My Shoes’ is a hangover of a song. Last year was about reminding ourselves to hang on to good things; to remember you can love and hate in equal measure. That the answers are rarely found by looking backwards. âBury Meâ was written as a response to that general feeling of unease and creeping dread. A feeling you get from bad news on no breakfast.â
The mysterious BLACKGOLD have released their second track, ‘Sorry’ which will feature on their debut self-titled EP coming out 13th May.
‘DON’T PLAY NICE’ – TWISTER
Rockers Twister have debuted new single, ‘Don’t Play Nice’. Guitarist Jake Grimes comments: âThe new material really is seeing the band develop and take huge steps forward not just as song writers but sonically too, working with someone of Romeshâs talent has really helped us capture our vision for Twister⊠The new stuff is genuinely sounding epic!â
‘WE ONLY CAME HERE FOR YOUR HEARTS’ – SQUIGGLES
Squiggles join the Playlist with their new single, ‘We Only Came Here For Your Hearts’. The track precedes new EP, ‘Look What We Have Done’ which arrives April 22nd.
