Over the past eight years Demob Happy have quietly released two solid albums which have seen the bands stock rise but not necessarily to the levels they deserve.
The same though could be said about many bands in the oversaturated market these days. Sadly quality isnât always enough to reach the levels of success needed to make music a sustainable career.
Whilst we lose far too many talented bands around the position that Demob Happy find themselves in, the Brighton-based trio arenât one and have now delivered a stunning statement of a third album!
Yes, âDivine Machinesâ is an album that instantly breeds a sense of the supermassive. Be it the thumping bass, solid rhythm, elegant guitar work or transcendent vocals, everything about this album exudes a band elevated to a higher level.
Each song is packed with mesmerisingly delicious psychedelic grooves and leaves an indelible mark on the conscious of the listener. Yes, the likes of âVoodoo Scienceâ, âSuper-Fluidâ and âRun Baby Runâ, will be stuck in your head for days after absorbing this record.
In short, this third album is very good indeed and if all is right with the world will be the album that pushes Demob Happy further up the echelons of the musical hierarchy.
Kicking off proceedings on the tour are The Mysterines who have been solidly making a name for themselves over the last few years. This then is a huge opportunity for the band to pick up new fans and build momentum.
From the moment they walk onto the stage to the final strains of âLifeâs A Bitch (But I Like It So Much)â, the group feel very much at home on a stage this big. Often even top live acts can struggle to fill these cavernous venues with their sound but that is no problem for The Mysterines.
The inclusion of new track, âBegin Againâ, hopefully hints as more new music on the way because the world is their oyster. The Mysterines have all the qualities needed to end up headlining venues like this, and with performances like tonight youâd be willing to put money on it.
WATCH ‘BOGUS OPERANDI’ FROM THE HIVES
The Hives – ‘Bogus Operandi’
Last summer Arctic Monkeys headlined Reading and Leeds Festivals and despite the hype, their performances on the weekend were incredibly lacklustre.
It may have been a surprise then to see The Hives announced as main support for this tour. The band, instantly recognisable as one of the best live bands on the planet, certainly have the ability to upstage our headliners.
Opening with new track, âBogus Operandiâ, it doesnât take long for the packed crowd to realise that they are witnessing greatness. It certainly helps that frontman Howlinâ Pelle Almqvist is on hand to remind everyone!
The likes of âMain Offenderâ, âWalk Idiot Walk’, âHate To Say I Told You Soâ, âCome On!â and âTick Tick Boomâ help to get the crowd suitably warmed up for the final act. In truth, youâd be happy with the evening ending at this point as itâs hard to imagine Arctic Monkeys topping the live masterclass delivered by The Hives.
WATCH ‘THere’d better be a mirrorball’ from arctic monkeys
Arctic Monkeys – ‘There’d Better Be A Mirrorball’
When our headline act does arrive though, they quickly smash out âBrianstormâ, âSnap Out of Itâ, âDonât Sit Down âCause Iâve Moved Your Chairâ, âCrying Lightningâ, âTeddy Pickerâ and âThe View From the Afternoonâ. You are then reminded just how great Arctic Monkeys can be when they want to be.
The question these days is do they want to be? Thankfully, tonight they mostly do because tracks from their two latest albums are at a minimum and the likes of âFluorescent Adolescentâ, âDo I Wanna Know?â and âMardy Bumâ are left to set to the tone. This creates more of a party atmosphere in the Stadium and ensures that the band can keep up with The Hives.
By the time the evening finishes with âI Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloorâ and âR U Mine?â, Arctic Monkeys have ensured that their first Stadium tour is a successful one. Hopefully the band will soon rediscover their desire to record good music as well!
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
This week we are starting by rounding up the best live announcements from the past week and we begin with Halestorm.
Ahead of their performance at Download Festival the band have already revealed that they will return to the UK for a special one-off show at Wembley Arena.
It was a big week this week for Skinny Lister who had both new music and new tour dates to share.
Alongside a full UK tour later this year, the band debuted new single, ‘Down On The Barrier’, which you can check out below!
Skinny Lister – ‘Down On The Barrier’
Speaking about the message behind their euphoric, enlightening new track frontman Dan Heptinstall says:
“Music is a kind of religion to many gig-goers, and in âDown On The Barrierâ weâve tried to capture that feeling. The church in this case is the venue, the sermon is the song and the preacher the artist. Itâs a nod to those almost spiritual moments when we gather to enjoy some communal rockânâroll worship, as well as a healthy dose of support, release and camaraderie. See you down on the barrier!”
Another hot ticket later this year will be the ‘This Is How It Feels’ tour from Lottery Winners.
Announcing the tour the band said “Weâre going to be throwing everything at this, with special guests and special production and doing our best to make it a special experience. So, please come. Bring a friend. Letâs spread the word and get these venues bouncing. We love you all so much! X”
After their appearance at Slam Dunk Festival, Yellowcard have revealed details of a new EP, ‘Childhood Eyes’ which will be released on July 7th.
Ahead of the release the band have shared the title-track, which you can check out above!
About the new single, William Ryan Key said: “I woke up in the middle of the night with the chorus ringing in my head. I grabbed my phone off of the night stand and started typing away, squinting in the dark. This was months before we even started demoing the EP. When we started writing I threw the idea in the hat at the last minute, picked up a guitar to try and put music to the melody in my head for the first time, and Childhood Eyes was born. This is a song about being defeating, let down, and deceived time and again, but still managing to find your creative soul and carry on. I think it captures the spirit of Yellowcard, both old and new.â
Another band with new music following their appearances at Slam Dunk Festival was Trophy Eyes.
The band shared their new single, ‘Life In Slow Motion’, which you can check out above!
ââLife in Slow Motionâ is my assessment of life itself, and the way we as humans navigate life and time here on Earth.â says John Floreani. âSearching for meaning in chaos, I found myself seeing signs in number patterns and small examples of beauty in ordinary life; a hug at the bar exchanged between friends, a crinkled photo of a loved one kept close, a kindness or a smile. What they mean, I canât say, but sometimes if you look hard enough and sit quietly enough, life reaches out and speaks to you.â
The release comes ahead of new album, ‘Suicide and Sunshine’, which is out on June 23rd.
Currently touring stadiums with Arctic Monkeys, this week also saw The Mysterines share their latest new track, ‘Begin Again’, which you can check out above.
Grian Chatten shares ‘Last Time Every Time Forever’
Grian Chatten – ‘Last Time Every Time Forever’
Grian Chatten had more new music to share this week as he debuted new single, ‘Last Time Every Time Forever’, which you can check out above!
Chatten says: ââLast Time Every Time Foreverâ is a weak kneeâd 99th lap around a hellscape town of your own making. Itâs haunted by seagulls and hoarse-throated slot machines from the 1980s and it breaks its own promise on every listen.â
The track comes from upcoming debut solo album, ‘Chaos For The Fly’, which is out June 30th.
‘Discover’ New Music Podcast alumni ANGER PARTY shared their latest new single this week.
Bringing this section of our News Report to a close is, ‘Save Myself’, which you can check out above!
“No matter how many times our intuition tells us to leave, no matter how much ourindiscretion speaks for itself, sometimes weâre inexplicably drawn to people that never fail todisappoint and betray us. âSave Myselfâ tells a story of inner turmoil, treading the fine linebetween yearning for somebody that will never earn our affections, and having the selfrespect to realize that weâre better off alone.â – Guitar / Vocals – Owen Claxton.
Norwegians Fixation share new single, ‘Flat Earth’.
The band states, “Flat Earth is a track that delves into the minds of people who persuade themselves into believing conspiracy theories. People that are so centered around their own perception of the truth that they refuse to see it any other way. The lyrics sums it up: «Even if they see it, they probably wonât believe it.”
Kings County – ‘Holding On’
US band Kings County share new single, ‘Holding On’.
Singer Rob Dexter says, ââHolding On” was the song we needed to write. After our last release in 2022, we were constantly performing live for months and knew we had to get back to writing or we would become complacent. You are as good as your last song and “Holding On” was a pivotal moment for us. We needed to raise the bar and that’s exactly what we did with “Holding On”.â
Punks rejoice! Rancid are back with their first new album in six years, âTomorrow Never Comesâ.
Pre-release singles âDonât Make Me Do Itâ, âDevil in Disguiseâ and the title-track, all hit well and let listeners know exactly what to expect upon release of the album.
Packed full of typical short and punchy punk rockers, this is actually the bands shortest album at just shy of 29 minutes, yet it still contains 16 tracks of fun filled, foot kicking, head banging joy.
The album once again finds the band working with producer Brett Gurewitz who again helps them deliver another solid and true Rancid record.
You arenât looking for anything earth shattering if you are hitting play on a Rancid album, and the band know that. By now they have the formula down to a tee and âTomorrow Never Comesâ will give the listener exactly the experience that they are after.
What does stand out on this album though is the band do what they do very well indeed. Whilst it may be unfair and a stretch to call this a fabled return to form, it must definitely be said that this is probably the best new Rancid album this century.
A decade into their career, Tigercub release their third album, âThe Perfume of Decayâ, which sees the band in melancholic mood whilst embracing an ostentatious sonic aura.
Yes, the themes of the album may be dark and moody but the musical ambition is extraordinarily theatrical and grandiose. The juxtaposition of the two helps to embellish the album into an absorbing anthology.
The subtlety of the experimental expansion of the bandâs sound is what helps to ensure that the record stays on point and harnesses its gloomy visceral roots to great effect. Whilst the band have clearly sought to reach new heights musically, theyâve managed to control the narrative of the album well.
Tigercub have long been a band that have offered glimpses of their full capabilities but perhaps lacked the final touch. With âThe Perfume of Decayâ, the band have found that touch and delivered the stunning collection of their very best work.
âDARKFIGHTERâ is the first of not one but two new Rival Sonsâ albums expected this year. Perhaps they are making up for lost time as this marks the longest gap between albums in their albeit short career with their sixth album, âFeral Rootsâ arriving back in January 2019.
The wait is evidently worth it though as straight out the gates the album promises a little bit of everything that has made the band such an important part of the new wave of classic rock bands. âMirrorâ for example sees the band swapping elegant guitar riffs and delicate melodies in the way that they do so well.
The lead single and shortest track on the album, âNobody Wants To Dieâ, then reminds us of their ability to create short succinct rockers as well as longer sonic voyages (of which this album gets a couple).
The eight tracks on this record all stand on their own merit and collectively represent another stunning snapshot of a masterful band. When they are at the peak of their powers, nobody quite does it like Rival Sons. âBird in the Handâ and âGuillotineâ here being two tracks that encapsulate the majesty and the force present in the band.
Fans of the band will surely feel that this album ranks amongst the best that they have put out, which is saying something! With âLightbringerâ expected to arrive later this year alongside a UK Tour, it would appear to be a very good time to be a Rival Sons fan.
NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS – COUNCIL SKIES – ALBUM REVIEW
Upon the split of Oasis, not many would have pegged that come 2023, Liam Gallagher would be the more successful brother. That certainly wasnât the case in the immediate aftermath with Noel launching Noel Gallagherâs High Flying Birds to great success and Liam faltering with new group Beady Eye.
Over the next decade though Liam would offer a resurgent defiance whilst Noel would disappear down a rabbit hole, but now Noel is back with new album, âCouncil Skiesâ, hailed by the man himself as âgoing back to the beginningâ.
Recent work has seen Gallagher experimenting with elements of his sound (scissors anymore?), and this has coincided with waning interest in his new output from fans. A back to basics approach then would make some commercial sense for Gallagher.
Watch ‘Council skies’ on youtube
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – ‘Council Skies’
What you get instead on this album is a mixture of the two. You can see that Gallagher has taken a simplified approach to the creative process, but there are still remnants of his more recent direction in here.
Gallagher does appear stuck in a hole, whilst his brother continues to attract new younger audiences, Noel doesnât seem to have that appeal. So whilst he probably has the bigger desire for sonic exploration, he has a fanbase just craving another âDefinitely Maybeâ.
Those fans will enjoy this album, but theyâll also be unlikely to return to it all that often. âCouncil Skiesâ may be Gallagher hitting the reset button having felt the stagnation of recent years, and if so it will likely do the job well. That said at this point the only thing that fans are really waiting on is the reunion of all reunions. Gallagher though seems relatively happy in his current safe position.
AVENGED SEVENFOLD – LIFE IS BUT A DREAM… – ALBUM REVIEW
New Avenged Sevenfold albums are becoming rarer entities these days (itâs seven years since âThe Stageâ!), but itâs becoming tradition for them be polarising on release and subsequently embraced.
2013âs âHail to the Kingâ was too mainstream, âThe Stageâ was too progressive, and now many will write off new album, âLife is But a Dreamâ as too weird and âout thereâ! Ultimately though, many look back fondly on those last two albums, and that will likely be the case once again here, but that may take some time.
The band have always been ambitious in their songwriting and been willing to push boundaries. This album certainly does that from the System of a Down-esque thunderous opening to âGame Overâ through various other influences both heavy and light.
In many ways it feels like the band have thrown paint on a wall and seen what it looks like once dry. The reality though is the opposite, clearly the band have spent considerable time (some would argue too much) working in all their ideas.
One thing for sure is that this is an album that warrants repeated listens. There is so much depth here that itâs impossible to take everything in first time around. By design itâs also an album that is greater than the sum of its parts. Songs that individually may feel too quirky like pre-release singles, âNobodyâ and âWe Love Youâ, take on new life as part of the collective.
Often certain music is described as âmarmiteâ â you either love it or hate it. With âLife Is But A Dreamâ, Avenged Sevenfold have perhaps given the best example yet for that statement. Fans are either going really hate this, or they will really, truly love it. There will be no in-between!
We all experience grief at some point in our lives, thus we can all relate to what the members of Foo Fighters and Dave Grohl in particular have experienced over the past year. The tragic passing of beloved drummer Taylor Hawkins shocked everyone, and Grohl, suffering the loss of a bandmate and friend not for the first time, also sadly endured the loss of his mother with whom he shared a deep bond.
This album therefore should come with a warning that you need to have a box of tissues at the ready. Youâll work through a range of emotions over the ten tracks, but feelings of loss and love will really tug on your heartstrings.
This is naturally a different album than what would have followed much maligned 2021 release, âMedicine at Midnightâ. One constant though is that new album, âBut Here We Areâ, sees the band again work with producer Greg Kurstin for the third time. Despite the recent news of Josh Freese taking up the sticks for the band, itâs Grohl who handles drum duties for this deeply personal record, which feels very fitting.
Clearly a lot of love and care has gone into the creation of this album and that shines through on every track. This is a statement of love for those lost but also an opportunity of catharsis for the band.
Lyrically the album is a brutally honest insight into Grohl working through the events of the last year. Sonically though the album is somewhat of a throwback to past glories for the band as they exorcise the demons of their previous album, which didnât quite hit the spot for many fans.
You can say this album musically goes back to basics, and that fits the raw subject matter very well. This is in many ways the best Foo Fighters album in a decade or more. The themes behind the album will likely be the thing most remembered about this album and that should be the case, but itâs important that we donât neglect the fact that this is a damn good album at the same time.
Voodoo Daddyâs in Norwich really is a great little venue for an old school rock n roll show, so itâs a good thing that we are here tonight for just that!
There are three bands on offer tonight with our headliners The Pearl Harts celebrating the recent release of their latest album, âLove, Chaosâ.
COLLARS
Up first are locals Collars, who do a fantastic job in getting the early crowd warmed up. The unique duo have something a little different to offer, which is always important when there are so many acts out there battling for a limited audience.
That shines through tonight and clearly the audience here in the venue appreciate the experience. The duo are able to control the crowd well and convey their sonic goods with effortless aplomb.
HOTWAX
The main support for this tour comes from upcoming rockers HotWax who take things to the next level with their assured performance. The trio play a selection of tracks from recently released EP, âA Thousand Timesâ, which sound enormous live.
The likes of âTreasureâ, the title-track and set closer âRip It Outâ demonstrate why the hype train is starting to pick up for a band with a big future. The band play with experience beyond their years and certainly make an impression on the thrilled crowd.
THE PEARL HARTS
Soon enough itâs time for our headliners to take to the stage and as soon as they do, you feel the presence of stars. The Pearl Harts have just followed up their stunning debut album with another sensational collection of fun rockers.
The duo completely own the stage and âBaby Chaosâ, âPullinâ My Brains Outâ and âLaraâ set the tone early for the rest of the night. Polished yet rough and ready, The Pearl Harts somehow capture the juxtaposition of the two with ease; singles âMoreâ and âHypocriticalâ showcasing this next.
There is a fierce power in the duo but this is seized and presented with a real shine. The crowd are almost left in awe of the ferocious majesty on display as the band plough through âSuck It Upâ, âGoldâ, âWild Meâ and âDifferent Kinda Girlâ.
On record The Pearl Harts are spectacular, but on stage they are simply phenomenal. Even broken strings canât stop them and âHurtâ and âHit The Bottleâ quickly follow reminding fans of the quality of their debut album, âGlitter and Spitâ.
The intense finale of âBlack Bloodâ is enough to ensure the audience leave with huge smiles on their faces. After all, theyâve just caught three very good bands in a great little music venue. Surely thereâs not a better way to spend a Bank Holiday?
