Welcome everyone to the final News Report for 2022! We hope that you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year! Our action packed News Report will return in January, but before then we have plenty of delicious music news to dissect!
Up for this week, we look at the best tour announcements from the past week and we start with Kiss. The band has revealed that their ‘End of the Road’ World Tour will continue into 2023 with a new UK Tour announced starting in Plymouth and ending up in Glasgow.
This *could be* your last chance to catch the band live! Tickets are here.
Former Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan has revealed a full UK & Ireland Tour for next spring. The tour will showcase upcoming debut album, ‘Put Your Foot Down’, which is out April 28th.
On Friday, Colchester’s Pet Needs played a huge homecoming show which served as the 2nd ‘Fractured Party’. As the show concluded, the band announced the 3rd instalment will take place on December 16th 2023.
We move now on to festival announcements and up first is the return of Brits Week in aid of War Child. February will see bands playing intimate shows across the country with a focus on London.
The Hunna, The Snuts, Sea Girls, Frank Turner and Bob Vylan are amongst those on offer in 2023.
Another event doing a fantastic job in raising money for charity is Teddy Rocks festival in aid of research and direct support for children with cancer.
This year the event hosts Feeder, Jake Bugg, The Amazons, Those Damn Crows, Punk Rock Factory, Kid Kapichi, Dream State, Mason Hill, The Bottom Line and many more.
Penn Fest in Buckinghamshire also unveiled their line-up for next Summer this past week, including headliners Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Bastille.
They’ll be joined by the likes of Johnny Marr, Gaz Coombes, The Skinner Brothers and Embrace.
The final festival news in our News Report this week comes from Firestorm Festival. The event has added Massive Wagons to the top of their Friday bill for 2023.
They join the likes of Royal Republic, The Virginmarys, Mason Hill, Hollowstar, Kris Barras Band, Black Spiders and Scruffy Bear.
Hell Is For Heroes share ‘I Should Never Have Been Here In The First Place’
Hell Is For Heroes – I Should Never Have Been Here In The First Place’
New releases are up next in our News Report as we bring you the first new music from Hell Is For Heroes in 15 years. You can listen to their new single, ‘I Should Never Have Been Here In The First Place’, above.
On the week of her highly anticipated ‘DEADGIRL’ mixtape release fearless Doom Trap artist Mimi Barks has unveiled her new track ‘ASHES’.
Talking about the meaning behind ‘ASHES’, Mimi Barks shares, “Women who posed a threat during the dark ages were accused of being witches, intimidated, burned alive, and sentenced to execution. Today, ever since the Age of Enlightenment, a creative, strong-willed, and self-assured woman still gets burnt to the stake verbally by those led by their own anxieties.”
XL LIFE – ‘Baby Steps’
XL LIFE shared new single ‘Baby Steps’ featuring Bob Vylan!
On working with Vylan for the new single, vocalist Traxx says: “We always felt a kinship with Bob because of his message, his boldness, and his morals, so with this song we took the opportunity to have him on the album and co-sign each other’s work. We will support him to the end.”
Commenting on the relevance of the new single, vocalist Traxx says: “We knew this song had to be made, because we had all been going through some heavy stuff outside of the band. The band has been stop-start/stop-start the whole time, trying to prioritise our health and coming up against some really traumatic circumstances, so this song had to address that. The healing journey. Baby steps. Holding onto the promises.”
Fountain Island – ‘Pretty Little Nightmare’
Pop-punk newcomers Fountain Island reveal their contagious new single, ‘Pretty Little Nightmares’.
The band remark about its creation: “’Pretty Little Nightmares’ explores the bittersweetness of the first time with a loved one, and the realisation that one day it will just be a memory and can never be experienced again. The track takes cues from Blink182’s ‘I Miss You’, with its melancholy gothic tone whilst retaining the youthful pop feel.”
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
It must be nearly Christmas, because the announcements came thick and fast this week! Up first for us is the news that Elton John will play what is set to be his final UK show at Glastonbury Festival.
Organiser Emily Eavis shared the following statement:
Another legendary act announced this week to be headlining a major festival was Guns N’ Roses. The band are the latest act announced for British Summer Time which takes place in Hyde Park, London.
We continue the festival announcements in our News Report with Bearded Theory who this week announced a stunning line-up topped by Interpol and Primal Scream.
Also on tap will be Gogol Bordello, Flogging Molly, Gary Numan, Yard Act, The Mysterines, Pigs x7, The Undertones, Beans On Toast, Skinny Lister, Holy Moly And The Crackers, Coach Party, Pet Needs and many more!
Another festival dropping their initial line-up for next year is Standon Calling. The event will be topped by Years & Years, Self Esteem, Bloc Party and The Human League.
Also on the bill are the likes of Squid, KT Tunstall, Bob Vylan, Lynks and Stone.
Festival Founder and Director Alex Trenchard says: “2022 was an incredibly special year for all of us at Standon Calling. It’s given us so much excitement to look forward to 2023, in what is shaping up to be the greatest Standon Calling to date.
We’re so proud of this year’s progress in booking a gender-balanced headline bill and are certainly in for a good time. Couldn’t be happier to bring Self Esteem back and in an even bigger slot, alongside Bloc Party, an all time favourite of ours and one of the greatest modern alternative indie rock bands around. With more iconic names like Years & Years, The Human League and many more, we’ve booked some of the best live acts going, including future superstars ready to take over 2023 and much more – this announcement really captures everything important about Standon Calling.
We can’t wait to see everyone next July, and we’ve got a LOT more surprises to come – so stay tuned!”
Another festival to check out is Yorkshire’s Deer Shed Festival, which is set to feature the likes of Public Service Broadcasting, Gaz Coombes, The Big Moon, This Is The Kit and Dream Wife.
The final festival announcement in our News Report comes from Lume Festival. The event will takeover The Underworld, The Black Heart and Camden Eye in April.
The line-up features Dream State, Black Orchid Empire, Delaire the Liar, Led By Lanterns and ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast alumni Moskito, Youth Illusion and Blight Town!
We move our News Report onwards now to the best tour announcements from the past week and get the ball rolling with the news that The Weeknd will bring the ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ global stadium tour to the UK.
A Manchester date in June will be followed by two dates at London Stadium in July.
The Blue Stones have announced a return to the UK and Europe for Spring 2023. The band will include three UK shows in Manchester, Nottingham and London.
The Blue Stones vocalist/guitarist, Tarek Jafar, had this to say about the tour, “when we release new music, we immediately think about how it will be received in Europe and the UK. We feel such a connection to those places, and our fans there have been incredibly supportive. We wanted to provide an album that stays with them forever, and a show they’d never forget. No one should miss these shows, because it’s a side of us that you’ve never seen before.”
The final tour announcement in our News Report this week comes from Party Cannon who will tour the UK early next year with support from recent Podcast guests Godeater!
Black Star Riders share new single ‘Riding Out the Storm’
Black Star Riders – ‘Riding Out the Storm’
Next we take our News Report to the best new releases from the past week and we get started with Black Star Riders.
It was a big news week for the band as they both shared their new single and revealed their new guitarist. Yes, Wayward Sons guitarist Sam Wood joins the group and you can check out new single, ‘Riding Out the Storm’ above!
Ricky Warwick “I first saw Sam back in 2019 when Wayward Sons were guests to Black Star Riders and I was absolutely blown away! I had Sam join me for some Fighting Hearts dates a few months back and knew he was the guy for us. If ever there was a new GUITAR HERO waiting in the wings, then it’s Sam! Black Star Riders have had some of the World’s finest guitar players in their ranks and Sam is truly up there as one of them. We couldn’t be happier!”
The single comes from forthcoming new album, ‘Wrong Side of Paradise’, and Warwick comments:
“As we get older, sadly we start to lose the ones around us who we love, having lost both my parents and some dear friends in the last few years I’ve started to question and look at my feelings on my own mortality and morality.I’ve come to realise that death is a part of life and even in the darkest days (that we all get sometimes), I’ve come to understand that every aspect of life should be an intensified experience and never taken for granted.”
He continues: “The video was shot in downtown Los Angeles and directed by Tony Aguilera. I love the cinematography and different camera filters that Tony used during the shoot. I think it complements the essence of the song, which conveys reflections of mortality and consequences of choice. Life must end eventually, but love doesn’t.”
Hundred Reasons also had new music on offer this week and you can listen to new single, ‘New Glasses’, above.
Vocalist Colin Doran had the following to say about the themes behind the track:
“The lyrics for this song are really about a person I used to work with that spent lots of time treating people badly to cover up their own inadequacies. They were not good at their job but, due to their massive ego and how they wished to be perceived by others, preferred to make others feel deficient. The song describes how I came to realise this. The amusing thing is that it was a working title as when we started writing it, Larry had actually got new glasses that day but the name stuck.”
The song comes from upcoming album, ‘Glorious Sunset’, which is out February 24th.
This week saw Bury Tomorrow share their new single, ‘Boltcutter’, which you can listen to above.
The tracks features on upcoming new album, ‘The Seventh Sun’, released March 31st.
Speaking of the track, guitarist Kristan Dawson shares, “from the second we put the finishing touches to Boltcutter, we knew it had to be a single. Whilst it is a fundamental Bury Tomorrow track, being both loud and heavy, it also emphasises the new era of our band.”
“Specifically, it highlights influences we haven’t necessarily channelled through Bury Tomorrow before, and it’s a pleasure to continue to expand the possibilities of our music. It began its existence through Tom crafting the foundations, with an ambient and electronic soundscape, before the rest of the band provided their usual expertise.”
“Considering its weighty riffs and catchy dual vocal hooks, we also knew that Boltcutter was going to be an undeniable addition to future setlists. And for those who have attended recent shows on our tour, they will have already had a sneak preview. We’ve loved being able to preview a single release like this with our fans, and it seems that it has already made an impact with teamBT and we can’t wait for the rest of our wonderful community to hear it.”
Finally for our News Report and setting off into a new era, metal greats Delain have announced that they will release new album, ‘Dark Waters’ on February 10th.
You can check out new single, ‘Beneath’, above!
Martijn Westerholt on ‘Beneath‘:
“’Beneath’ is a perfect ambassador of the album and Delain as a whole because it encapsulates almost all of the recognizable Delain elements you will find on the album.”
“This album captures all elements Delain is known for – our distinctive heavy guitar riffs, massive orchestral parts, both heavy metal and pop vocals, rock opera vibes along with 80s synth sounds. In short, this is definitely a recognizable Delain album that contains classic ‘Delain elements’ while also moving forward with fresh influences.”
UK rockers Little Triggers share their new single, ‘Personality Crisis’.
The track takes a swipe at social media influencers and the millions of young people who follow them. Tom remarks: “I don’t feel any connection to this sort of instant gratification online culture. The minds of these digital influencers are a closed book to me. I just don’t get why so many people think they have something meaningful to say.” Hamilton goes on to elaborate: “The personality crisis of the song title is both my alienation from this virtual world and also that of the individuals who think their online musings really matter. To them and their followers, I say get a life – a real life!”
MOSKITO – ‘517’
Fearless UK band MOSKITO are back with their new single, ‘517’, taken from upcoming mixtape, ‘Bad Love’ out January 27th.
“517 is a song which allows you to find yourself lost in the chaos, conjuring any emotion in which you allow yourself, this is your page…. What would you write? After all we all just architects of our own downfall! It’s like a letter to your ex. Full of optimism, pride, resentment, confusion, jealousy, loathing & a desperation to prove them wrong. 517 is the ultimate revenge bod.” – Frontman Jake Rudd.
MYNK – ‘Boundaries’
London trio MYNK share their debut single, ‘Boundaries’.
Bex Morrison comments:
“The track is about the boundaries we set in order to function in different situations / relationships; the crossing of sacrifice and habit meets somewhere in the middle to maintain a connection. It’s about the relatable internal questioning of ‘do I/don’t I?’ and where that takes you, and how you can lose yourself in it.”
Download Festival reveals 20th Anniversary line-up
Welcome everyone to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We start this week with festival announcements and where else could we start other than the monster 20th Anniversary line-up announcement from Download Festival!
Extended to four days this year the event will feature two unique headline sets from Metallica, the return of Donington icons Slipknot and a well deserved top billing for Bring Me The Horizon.
Other big slots are taken by the likes of Alexisonfire, Architects, The Distillers, Disturbed, Evanescence, Ghost, I Prevail, Parkway Drive, Pendulum, Placebo, Simple Plan, Ville Valo and Within Temptation.
It doesn’t stop there and also playing will be the likes of The Blackout, Fever 333, Kid Kapichi, Nova Twins, Seether and Witch Fever.
Welsh rock fans are in for a treat when Airbourne bring the party on Saturday night at next years Steelhouse Festival!
The Aussies will headline the event which also features The Answer, Blues Pills, Kris Barras Band, Florence Black, The Cruel Knives, Austin Gold and more, with plenty more to be announced.
Crystal Palace Bowl in London will once again host South Facing festival next summer and this week Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and more were amongst the first acts revealed.
Peter Gabriel announces first EU tour in nearly a decade!
We stay with the live side of things next as our News Report moves onto the best tour announcements from the past week!
Peter Gabriel has revealed his first European tour in nearly a decade including UK dates in Birmingham, London, Glasgow and Manchester.
Gabriel said of the tour: “It’s been a while and I am now surrounded by a whole lot of new songs and am excited to be taking them out on the road for a spin. Look forward to seeing you out there.”
Primal Scream & Happy Mondays to team up in Margate
We continue our News Report with news that Saturday 5th August will see Dreamland in Margate taken over be a co-headline show from Primal Scream and Happy Mondays.
In celebration of their 40th Anniversary, James have announced a new UK ‘James Lasted’ Tour complete with 22-piece orchestra and gospel choir!
Tim Booth says “There are a number of great bands who have been around for 40. But to get here and to be having the best time of our lives. To be part of a supportive loving family that still has something to say and new ways to say it. To be turned on by every gig and song. To fall in love over and over again, Groundhog Day, with our bandmates and audience. Damn. That’s time well spent.
We should have recorded the orchestra tour first time round, as many of you have reminded us. Well, we’ve done it now. And here comes the tour. The Orchestra and Gospel singers expand our palette, heighten the tenderness, heighten the celebration and, despite their numbers, somehow leave us feeling more naked and raw. It will be different, probably each night, because we are James and Joe knows how to dance with us. And because you are different, each night. Please leave your phones behind, come and play in the moment.”
Jim Glennie says “Has it really been 40 years? In some ways it feels like yesterday and in others, many lifetimes. I’ve lived a blessed existence, being in a band I’m supremely proud of with musicians that would grace any stage. A family of brothers and sisters, willing to support each other musically and emotionally. We are bloody minded and independent to the core. Uniquely challenging, always pushing ourselves into the new and taking risks collectively and individually, looking for transcendence. With love, trust, and acceptance we grow. Somewhere in a parallel universe, James are the biggest band on the planet. Here’s to another 40 years.”
Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris will once again be taking British Lion on the road in the UK next January. Joining them for these shows will be Coney Hatch and Airforce.
Steve Harris comments, “We’re excited to be touring the UK again especially as we’ll be visiting many places we’ve not had a chance to play before. It’s fantastic that we’ve got long-time friends Coney Hatch coming over from Canada to join us. We had great fun when they were our special guests on the British Lion Canadian shows in 2018. And we’re happy to have our old mates Airforce back out on the road with us too. Everyone is really looking forward to this tour and we can’t wait to see everyone.”
Rockers Dirty Honey have announced a UK/EU Tour taking place early next year.
Prior to the tour, in January 2023, the band are set to release a brand new, re-recorded version of album track ‘Heartbreaker’.
“Some songs really come to life after they’ve been performed a bunch of times. You can really see an audience react to a line being sung a certain way or a riff grooving that you didn’t think of while recording in the studio. Over time we realized the song took on a new life on the road in both North America and Europe and we wanted to capture that energy….” – Marc Labelle, vocalist of Dirty Honey, talking about Heartbreaker 2.0
We move our News Report on now to the best new releases from the past week and we begin with Skindred!
The group this week announced new album, ‘Smile’, will be released August 4th. The band also shared new single, ‘GIMME THAT BOOM’, which you can check out above.
The track is based on a frustrating encounter lead singer Benji Webbe had with an overfamiliar fan.
“I was out shopping one day and I could hear someone building up asking me for a picture,” Webbe recalls. “The person didn’t care who I was with or what I was doing – they just wanted their picture. In this day and age, people want you and they expect to get you on tap, constantly giving you that ‘boom’ so they can get their Instagram Likes up. It’s important to remember that people can’t give you that ‘boom’ all the time. People think because they follow you on social media, they own you.”
Ahead of their UK Tour next month, The Dead Daisies have released new single, ‘Born To Fly’, which you can listen to above.
“Doug & I got together in New York earlier in the year and worked on a riff that I had written previously. Doug had a chorus that just fitted, we messed around with the melody and came up with the name ‘Born To Fly’. This is a straight-up rock song. For me it’s literal, I was born to fly. However we’re all born to fly in our own way.” – David Lowy
This week saw REWS share new single, ‘The World That Left You Behind’, which you can check out above.
“Ah! I’m ecstatic about finally releasing this song!! It’s got so much energy, riff’s for days and a great message!! I wrote it with a great friend of mine from NI, Cahir O’Doherty (New Pagans). It is a song that journey’s through how we can support those people in our lives who get carried away with negative thoughts and feel utterly lost and alone. Hopefully the song will provide a nice audio net for people to fall into at times of need, so they know they aren’t alone!” – Shauna
Dissonants have shared their huge new single ‘Grave Mind’.
‘Lyrically, Grave Mind is more conceptual than our previous work. I wrote the track from the viewpoint of someone on their deathbed looking back on their life and wondering if, now that it’s over and coming to a close, they can be happy and at peace. For this track we wanted to draw less from our own experiences and look at concepts such as mortality and happiness, and how one can affect the other’. – Frontman Benjie Allen.
M(h)aol – ‘Asking For It’
M(h)aol will release debut album, ‘Attachment Styles’ on February 3rd. This week they shared new single, ‘Asking For It’.
On the track singer Róisín said, “I wrote it initially in 2016 then revisited it in 2020. I was shocked by how much internalised victim blaming there was in the lyrics. I rewrote it, then we recorded it and it was released to raise money for Women’s Aid in 2021. The album version is a lot angrier than the 2021 one and almost satirical insofar as it’s highlighting how ludicrous the notion of anyone ‘asking for it’ is.”
Chasing Kites – ‘Shiver’
Bath-based indie-rock four-piece Chasing Kites return with their fourth single ‘Shiver’.
Speaking about the writing process, vocalist and lyricist Matt Donnelly explains, ‘’Shiver came together extremely quickly. I’d had the lyrics lying around for a very long time and felt they fit perfectly with the sonic side of the track when the melody was written. As we built on the skeleton of the song, our aim was to take us back into the realms of indie rock through powerful injections of energy in the choruses, while maintaining our commercial sound throughout.’’
Watch Episode 21 of our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests Dissonants
‘Discover’ New Music Podcast – Episode 21 – Dissonants
You know that gig season is in full effect when you head along to a Frank Turner show. Yes, the man that is always on tour is on his rearranged ‘Never Ending Tour of Everywhere’. Tonight that means the Junction in Cambridge and another sold out show.
It’s almost a guarantee at a Turner show that you’ll be greeted by some fantastic support acts and this tour is certainly no different. Up first are Truckstop Honeymoon who serenade the crowd with their entertaining bluegrass folk sound, and their whimsical quips! The duo will be picking up many new fans on this tour as they introduce themselves properly to the UK.
The main support act on this tour is non-other than Pet Needs, who have featured on both our ‘Discover’ New Music and Full Pelt Music Podcasts. The band are intrinsically linked to Mr. Turner at the moment. He has produced both their albums and taken them on tour around the world. That said, it really feels like the band are breaking out and solidifying their own name.
Shows like tonight will go a long way towards that and it’s telling the amount of Pet Needs merchandise on display in the audience. Early fan favourites such as ‘Tracey Emin’s Bed’ and ‘Kayak’ intermix with new songs ‘Ibiza In Winter’ and ‘Fear for the Whole Damn World’ as the band showcase their enormous potential.
Closing their generous time on stage with ‘Overcompensating’, ‘Toothpaste’ and ‘Get On the Roof’, anybody not yet alert to Pet Needs now surely are. The crowd give the band a huge ovation as they depart ready to continue to plot for world domination.
The audience is hot tonight and as Frank Turner takes to the stage the atmosphere is palpable. Imagine then the reaction as Turner bursts straight into a run of ‘Four Simple Words’, ‘The Gathering’, ‘Photosynthesis’, ‘Punches’ and ‘1933’ – hardly time for band or audience to breathe!
Turner’s latest album, ‘FTHC’, is a punk record and that ethos is certainly captured on this tour. Thankfully for Turner his audience are open to this change in pace and band and crowd are one tonight making this a great Friday night out.
Frank Turner is known to take particular care over his setlists and tonight is a typical career spanning affair with fan favourites, deep cuts and new tracks all on offer. Highlights tonight include ‘A Wave Across A Bay’, ‘Be More Kind’ and ‘Non Serviam’.
At this point you know what you are going to get from a Turner show, and that’s an amazing time. Realistically that makes him a very difficult person to review, his consistency and endurance are unrivalled and you never really get a misstep.
Tonight the show climaxes with an encore of ‘I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous’, ‘Recovery’, ‘Try This At Home’ and ‘I Still Believe’, which drains every remaining drop of energy out of the venue. Don’t take Turner for granted, get down to a show and have a great night!
Welcome everybody to another edition of our weekly music News Report!
We are starting this week with the best tour announcements from the past week and we begin with a special treat for Pendulum fans.
Yes, after their secret sets at Reading & Leeds Festivals, Pendulum revealed not one but two dates at the legendary O2 Academy Brixton for March next year.
Pet Needs have just released their sophomore album, ‘Primetime Entertainment’, and this week they announced the obligatory headlining tour to accompany the release.
Support for these shows comes variously from Tundra and Bridget..
The tour finishes in their hometown Colchester on December 16th with special guest Sean McGowan plus Ecto Peach and Oxbowlake!
Speaking about the show, Johnny says: “We’re headlining a 400-capacity venue in our hometown Colchester at Christmas. I moved here 7-8 years ago now. For local bands, if you play Colchester Arts Centre, you’ve got credibility. I never thought we’d headline that venue and If we can sell it out, that’d be incredible.”
We move our News Report now onwards to the best new releases from the past week and we start off with the return of Nickelback!
Yes the Canadians returned this week with new single, ‘San Quentin’, which you can listen to above. The track will feature on new album, ‘Get Rollin’, which will be released 31st March.
This week Black Star Riders shared the latest look at new album, ‘Wrong Side Of Paradise’, which is out January 20th. You can check out new single, ‘Pay Dirt’, above.
Frontman Ricky Warwick comments: “Rock’n’Roll is my lover, friend, enemy, ally, religion and saviour. Rock’n’Roll is my life.Christian Martucci and the late Todd Youth wrote the music for this. And when I heard it, it stank with defiance and attitude. It didn’t need changing, just some words to echo the power of the chords.It’s an ode to Rock’n’Roll… But also a dig at those that don’t learn their art and don’t play from the heart!”
About the album Ricky adds: “I am very proud of this record, Black Star Riders’ fifth release and the first with our new and exciting relationship with Earache Records. As with all BSR albums, ‘Wrong Side Of Paradise’ is an anthemic statement of intent, driven by ferocious guitars and thundering drums. I can only write about my own personal experiences, my families, my friends and how I see a world that is unraveling and changing faster than we can comprehend. That being said, I’m a firm believer in the power of positivity, something that echoes throughout this album”
In addition to the new record, Black Star Riders will embark on their 10th Anniversary tour, starting from 13th February 2023.
Ricky Warwick further comments: “Can you believe 2023 is 10 years of Black Star Riders? … How time flies while you are having fun! We decided to do something special to commemorate this occasion. For the UK tour only, to coincide with the album’s release, we will be bringing back the legendary Scott Gorham (guitar) and Jimmy DeGrasso (drums) for the dates to make them extra special!”
Our News Report continues with the latest single from The Cult, ‘A Cut Inside’, which you can listen to above.
The track comes from new album, ‘Under The Midnight Sun’, which is out on October 7th.
Leading to 2020, The Cult had been on a rolling cycle of releasing albums, touring, and recording. As the world shut down and everyone was forced to reprioritise the way they approached life and work. “When the world stopped, I had this moment to write in real time, to calculate,” says Ian Astbury.
When lockdown lifted and the group could meet to record, they teamed up with Dalgety. “I was compelled by this vision, this anomaly, this memory, of being under the midnight sun. Tom helped us bring a new musical shape and frequency to our process.”
Pixies up next in our News Report as they shared new track, ‘Dregs of the Wine’, this week, which you can listen to above.
The track comes from upcoming new album, ‘Doggerel’, which is out September 30th.
BlackFrancis says the song is about, “Living in Los Angeles in the ‘90s with my then-wife, hanging out with Joey and his ex-wife, lots of trips to Las Vegas, a lot of drinking, little bit drug taking, some genuine good times.”
Flashforward to the present day. Joey Santiago was jamming at home on his guitar and the initial idea behind the song may well have been lost to the moment.
He recalls, “I guess I was in kind of a zombie state, just playing. After I stopped playing I put it down and went, ‘Well, that was a fucking waste of time, what a piece of shit I am.’ I beat myself up a lot, but my girlfriend, unbeknownst to me, was recording me. She played it back to me and I go, ‘Fuck! Hold on a second here! This stuff is good!’”
Smith/Kotzen release ‘Got A Hold On Me’ live video
Smith/Kotzen – ‘Got A Hold On Me (live)’
The duo of Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen will release ‘Better Days… And Nights’ on September 16th.
This week they shared the live video for ‘Got A Hold On Me’, which you can check out above.
Adrian Smith comments, “I think everyone in the band was extremely happy with how our very first tour turned out. We were all naturally a little anxious as we’d never played live together before but once we got out there, everything fell into place really easily and we all had a tremendous amount of fun. I can’t wait until we can do it again and get to play in many more places next time round.”
Richie Kotzen adds, “We spent a lot of time discussing which of the songs from the live show to include on this CD. We wanted to capture an accurate snapshot of the special vibe we all felt on the tour and I think we’ve achieved this in the songs we’ve selected, and hope our fans will agree. We’re looking forward to seeing everybody again on future tours.”
This week also saw Maximo Park share their latest single, ‘Merging Into You’, which you can check out above.
Singer Paul Smith comments on the song:
“Merging Into You’s organ sound reminds me of some of our early songs, which ended up on the flipside of our first singles. The song is a romantic look at the first, tentative moments of a relationship, enhanced by Du Blonde’s brilliant voice. We’re all fans of Beth’s music and she added a different texture to our sound, along with Faye MacCalman’s swooning sax that carries the song to its close.”
Stray From The Path share video for ‘Needful Things’
Stray From The Path – ‘Needful Things’
Stray From The Path celebrate the release of new album, ‘Euthanasia’, with the debut of the video for ‘Needful Things’.
The band will shortly play an intimate UK Tour to celebrate the album release even further.
Speaking of tour, guitarist, Tom Williams, says “We are stoked to return back to the UK and mainland Europe to do some small and intimate album release shows for our new record, ‘Euthanasia’. By the time we get there, it will be almost three years since we’ve been back. We’ve dropped ‘Guillotine’ and ‘III’ and our UK/EU people have been wanting us back ASAP, I’m glad we can get back there for them. We’re bringing with us a brand new album, two amazing up and coming bands in Vatican and Guilt Trip, and three years of too much time spent away from some of our favourite places on earth.”
As our News Report continues we look towards Wednesday 13 who this week debuted new single, ‘Insides Out’, which you can check out above.
The track comes ahead of 9th album, ‘Horrifier’, which is out October 7th.
About the track, Wednesday 13 says: “Our latest single ‘Insides Out’ is a very heavy song, so it only made sense to make a video to match the sound! Torture and violence is the main theme of this song, and we continue along the lines of the last music video with another horror movie theme here too.”
Beth Orton is another artist with an imminent album release. Her latest effort, ‘Weather Alive’ is out September 23rd, and this week she released her latest single. You can check out ‘Fractals’ above.
Orton says of the song, “The track is a beautiful example of the nature of collaboration, where people come in as they are,” she says. “You’re hearing the first take. I would never have been able to conjure that music without these musicians.”
Oakman have announced that their new EP, ‘SCP’, will be out September 30th. This week also saw the band share the video for the title track, which you can watch above.
“It is finally the end of a period. We are very excited to be able to give you the last pieces of this new baby,” says lead singer, Marine, about the new EP. “The last few months have gone by quickly and have been quite intense but it’s also a relief because we cannot wait to get our heads into what will be the next part of Oakman. We hope you enjoy this EP and we hope you can feel the sincerity of the emotions we wanted to share with you. Soon, this EP will belong to you.”
About the song, the band says, “Marine was watching a show during lockdown called “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”. The main character reminded her of a character she had played when she was doing theater. After the foundation of ‘SCP’ was written, she wrote the lyrics about these two characters. ‘SCP’ is a sarcastic and second degree track about the fear of loneliness and not being loved at all costs with a neurotic side.”
Grave Goods share the song ‘Die’ from their debut album, ‘Tuesday. Nothing Exists’, out now!
Speaking of the single, drummer Sarah Grimes said, “Lois sent us the idea for DIE as a sort of electronic track, and when we were all together we worked out how to make it into a live band sound and add our own stamp to it. Whilst recording at Invada we felt that the build up towards the end of DIE needed more layers, so Lois and Phil tried out a couple of synths and settled on a sound that worked – it’s the only song that has synth.
During the last 15 minutes of our recording time Phil added extra layers by messing around with some guitar feedback – the final sound to be recorded on the album, which is kind of special when you think about it especially as DIE is the closing track of the album.”
Harpy – ‘Medicine’
Harpy is back to share her brand new single, ‘Medicine’!
“Sometimes we don’t want to be saved. Sometimes we want to feel the pain, to revel in the misery. We do things that are bad for us, because sometimes they feel good… so good that we go back to them again, and again, and again. That’s what Medicine is about.” – Harpy
Creature Cult – ‘ughly’
Creature Cult are a duo from Colchester, Essex consisting of Connar Ridd (vocals/guitar) and Jonn Downham (synths/backing vocals). The present their latest single, ‘ughly’.
Explaining the track further, Connar said, “I had to leave a job recently because I was told I didn’t dress the way they wanted me to when I was dressed perfectly fine. If someone without piercings and tattoos and bleached hair would have worn the same thing I doubt there would have been an issue. I’m bored of being made to feel like an alien for just trying to be who I am, this song is exactly about it. It’s about paranoia to leave the f*cking house because you’re thinking about what homophobic comment someone is gunna say when you’re queuing in the corner shop. About feeling exhausted to be yourself because people try and make it hard for you to be. But there is a community for people who stick together and stand tall, a community where difference is celebrated and we are all ‘freaks’ together, and this song is a f*ck you to the people who try to take that away.”
Jonn adds, “I was recently sitting at a bus stop and had a group of guys hurling the foulest homophobic comments at me simply because I was wearing makeup and dressed in a faux-fur coat. It’s both crazy and sad that there are people who still have these sorts of views towards others simply for being or looking different to what’s considered ‘normal’. It’s not okay”
PET NEEDS – PRIMETIME ENTERTAINMENT – ALBUM REVIEW
Eighteen months ago, mid-pandemic, Colchester punks Pet Needs burst onto the scene with their debut album, ‘Fractured Party Music’. An all or nothing exercise for a band at a crossroads in their career, the album permeated into the consciousnesses of the Xtra Mile Recordings scene of bands and their hardcore fans.
The catchy pop hooks and rambunctious rock and roll energy of the album established the band their own dedicated fanbase and took them on an adventure of a lifetime touring the world.
Now the band are once again ready to unleash a smorgasbord of musical pleasure into the wild as they follow up that debut with their oh-so important sophomore record, ‘Primetime Entertainment’.
Picking up where their debut left off, the record bursts straight into life with ‘Lost Again’, ‘Ibiza In Winter’ and the anthemic ‘Get On The Roof’. Listeners are left in no doubt about the direction of the band as they hoist their punk rock mast again.
Like predecessor ‘Fractured Party Music’, ‘Primetime Entertainment’ is also produced by Frank Turner. His fingerprints are all over the album with the sonic growth of Turner’s latest effort ‘FTHC’ also present on this album.
‘Spirals’ is an incredible rip-roaring track which pushes everything the band offers to the extreme. Given the energy and passion of Pet Needs live, ‘Spirals’, is surely destined to be a highlight of their upcoming tour.
Thematically speaking, ‘Primetime Entertainment’, is Pet Needs at their honest and reflective best. There’s plenty of the tongue in cheek lyrics which made ‘Fractured Party Music’, such a fun record, but there’s perhaps a greater sense of seriousness this time around.
When the world is in a bad way, and you just want to lose yourself in some loud guitars and singable songs; don’t fear Pet Needs are here again to service your needs with another liberating release of energy!
Welcome to another edition of our weekly music News Report. This week we are starting off with the latest festival news, and first up is All Points East in London.
The Victoria Park event this week added new acts to the Gorillaz headlined day on Friday 19th August. Heading up the latest additions are Turnstile who join the likes of IDLES and Self Esteem and a packed bill.
RISEFEST has this week revealed their line-up for the Saturday 10th September event. Headliners Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes will be joined by VUKOVI, WSTR, Zand and many more.
On to the latest tour announcements now in our News Report and it was a big news week for The Subways. The band will be hitting the road later this year including a date at the Electric Ballroom in Camden.
Not only that, the band also debuted new single, ‘You Kill My Cool’, which will feature on their upcoming new album. Listen to the track below.
Puppy this week debuted the latest single from their upcoming album, ‘Pure Evil’. You can listen to ‘My Offer’ above, ahead of the album release on May 6th.
Australian pop punk duo 3REE have released their brand new single ‘Set This Place On Fire’, featuring guest vocals from Sleeping With Sirens frontman Kellin Quinn.
“We’re living our childhood dream!”, 3REE say about their collaboration with Kellin. “It was amazing to collaborate with such an idol of ours.”
Continuing about how the collaboration came about 3REE drummer Sean Tighe explains, “When we were writing the song, we could hear Kellin’s voice as a perfect fit with Mitch’s. I simply messaged Kellin the song and asked if he’d be interested and how wonderful it would be. Kellin’s response was fantastic, saying “WOW! This song is a banger” and “I can track my vocals by the end of the week”. We had to pinch ourselves.”
About the meaning of the song 3REE vocalist and guitarist Mitch Volcan says, “We built the song around the lyric ‘When the fire burns out we all come alive’; writing with the aim of connecting with the listener with the sense of rawness, energy and togetherness that you face during dark times.”
‘PARIS WILL BE PAID FOR’ – ANORAK PATCH
With debut EP ‘By Cousin Sam’ out at the end of this month, teenagers Anorak Patch have shared new single ‘Paris Will Be Paid For’.
On the new single, guitarist Oscar said, “Paris will be paid for is a song of ours which combines pop hooks and more off kilter music. It’s at a constant tempo however it changes time signatures multiple times throughout the song. It makes it wonky and the more melodic parts can sort of too because of that.”
He adds, “The lyrics, like the music itself, are absurd and silly. Nothing is taken too seriously and is all very tongue in cheek and a joke. We find lyrics don’t often have to be about much, as long as the syllables fit and there’s a nice melody.”
‘TENNIS’ – COURTING
Liverpool four-piece Courting have returned with a new single titled ‘Tennis’.
Speaking about the single, the band says, “Tennis is a paypig’s personal redemption narrative, set in “the city”, and told in two parts. A twisted tale of two lovers’ back and forth, bound by cricket, bodybuilding, and money. A story as old as time.
We named the song Tennis as a logical (but unrelated) sequel to our two previously released sports-related songs. To us, this felt like a natural ending to that idea. Dynamically, the second part of the song is supposed to represent a shift in tone for the character in which they realise their own worth and leave the situation that is set within the first part of the song.”
Voodoo Daddy’s is tucked away in the side streets of Norwich’s city centre. Inside you are greeted with a cool pizza bar downstairs and an intimate music venue upstairs which is the scene for the show tonight.
Only announced recently, this show is part of a small run of dates headlined by PET NEEDS under the banner of the Nick Alexander Memorial Trust (NAMT). If you are not familiar with NAMT then you really should be, as the charity does incredible work helping disadvantaged and marginalised sectors of society access to music.
Opening the evenings proceedings is a short solo Morning Crush set, which captivates the early attendees and finishes with a poignant new song. Shortly thereafter (Paul) Henshaw graces the stage and serenades us with a selection of rousing acoustic numbers. A fine start to what promises to be a great night.
Things get turned up a notch soon after as the hard rocking Ghosts of Men storm the stage. Despite some good old fashioned technical difficulties, the duo still produces an entertaining performance, raising the noise levels in preparedness for our headliners.
PET NEEDS
Those headliners, as mentioned, are Colchester group PET NEEDS. Fresh from signing with Xtra Mile Recordings the band has graced many a stage with labelmates such as Frank Turner, Beans On Toast and Skinny Lister.
They’ve been honing their craft and nights like this will help forge their cohesiveness and delivery. It may not be the biggest show, but the bands appetite is ravenous for a rock show.
Tracks like ‘Kayak’ and ‘Pavlovian’ instantly build the audience engagement and the sing-a-longs continue throughout their set with ‘Punk Isn’t Dead (It’s Just Up For Sale)’, ‘Toothpaste’ and ‘Tracey Emin’s Bed’ all highlights.
It’s a short, sharp set from a band with huge potential and the encore of ‘Overcompensating’ sends attendees off into the Norwich night delighted with what they’ve just been a part of.
That is the independent small venue scene, the DIY punk scene, the support fantastic causes scene, the just supporting new, exiting music scene. As we emerge from the pandemic, get yourselves back to these venues, find the acts of the future and support real music!
Welcome to a bumper edition of our weekly music News Report! A plethora of festival announcements to get through this week, so let’s get start with Download Festival!
New additions this week included Skindred, SKYND, Dirty Honey, Kid Brunswick, The Velveteers and the incredible Yonaka.
They join a massive line-up headlined by Kiss, Iron Maiden and Biffy Clyro. Other highlights include A Day To Remember, Korn, Shinedown, Volbeat, Rise Against, The Pretty Reckless, Airbourne, The Darkness, Funeral For A Friend, Creeper, Boston Manor, Trash Boat, Holding Absence and many more.
This week also saw Y Not Festival reveal their second wave of acts including Thursday headliners The Kooks!
Also added this week were Jake Bugg, The Hunna, We Are Scientists, Blood Red Shoes, The Mysterines, Noisy, Daytime TV, MarthaGunn and more.
They’ll join the likes of Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers, Nothing But Thieves, Levellers, Pale Waves, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Black Honey, Yard Act, The Futureheads, Dream Wife, Beans On Toast, Lauran Hibberd, REWS and many more.
Slam Dunk Festival updated their line-up this week following a couple of drop-outs. Joining the bill are Streetlight Manifesto, Stand Atlantic, Cassyette, MC Lars and more.
The event will also feature Sum 41, Alexisonfire, Neck Deep, Dropkick Murphys, Beartooth, The Used, Deaf Havana, Hot Milk, Cancer Bats, Nova Twins and many more.
Nottingham’s Splendour Festival this week revealed the event will stretch to two days this year with acts including Richard Ashcroft, Supergrass, Razorlight, The Magic Numbers, Ocean Colour Scene and Happy Mondays.
New festival Wide Skies & Butterflies set for North Norfolk
A brand new music festival is heading to the Raynham Estate in North Norfolk. Taking place this August, Wide Skies & Butterflies will feature headline sets from The Vaccines, Hot Chip and James!
They’ll be joined by the likes of Editors, Everything Everything, Levellers, Scouting For Girls, Natalie Imbruglia, Toploader, Lauran Hibberd and MarthaGunn.
Our smorgasbord of festival goodness continues with Gateways Festival who revealed their line-up this week including headliners Jake Bugg and The Charlatans.
Also onboard for the event are The Subways, Ash, The Sherlocks, Dream Wife, Lottery Winners and many more.
Bowling For Soup debut ‘I Wanna Be Brad Pitt’ and announce new album
Bowling For Soup – ‘I Wanna Be Brad Pitt’
Another band releasing new music this week was Bowling For Soup, who returned with new single ‘I Wanna Be Brad Pitt’.
That’s not it though, as the band also revealed that new album ‘Pop Drunk Snot Bread’ will arrive April 22nd!
Listen to the single above, and pre-order your album here.
Fatherson debut ‘Better Friend’
Fatherson – ‘Better Friend’
Fatherson continue to build towards new album, ‘Normal Fears’, which arrives April 1st with new single, ‘Better Friend’.
Speaking on the single, frontman Ross Leighton says, “”Better friend is about losing touch with people when you’re growing up and wishing you were better at staying in touch. Sometimes life gets in the way, but if the last few years has taught me anything life is better with the people you love.
It’s an anthem about friendship and an apology for letting it slip. It was the first song that I wrote for Normal Fears in my old bedroom in Kilmarnock and it really felt like the first normal fear I had going into the record. It became this reference point for melody and groove that the rest of the record built on.
I think everybody has felt a bit out of sorts before and gotten themselves into a space where they lose touch with people that are close to them. This song for me is a reminder to just get back in touch and start to rebuild. I love it!”
Listen to the track above and pre-order your album here.
One of the most important artists emerging over the last couple of years Bob Vylan have continued to preview their upcoming album ‘Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life’.
The album arrives April 22nd and can be pre-ordered here. Before then you can check out the latest single, ‘Health Is Wealth’ above.
North London singer/songwriter Louis Dunford shares brand new single ‘The Angel’ from his forthcoming second EP ‘The Popham’.
Speaking about the track Louis says: ‘I wrote this song about my home town. Anyone who’s lived in North London as long as I have will recognise the people and the places I’m talking about in the lyrics. Some that are still here and some that are not. It’s my family and friends favourite song I’ve ever written. Everyone’s London is different. I tried my best to capture ours’ .
‘GIVE IT TO ME’ – CLASSLESS ACT
Los Angeles rockers Classless Act will be joining huge tours with both Dorothy and the Motley Crue/Def Leppard/Poison/Joan Jett Stadium US Tour on their schedule. Check out recent single ‘Give It To Me’ on our Playlist.
‘IT’S ART’ – BLACKGOLD
Described as masked misfits bringing nu-metal vibes, the mysterious Blackgold emerged from the shadows this week with debut single, ‘It’s Art’.
Check out all tracks on our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist’, and remember to also check out our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast wherever you listen to or watch your Podcasts. We have multiple Episodes coming this week and just talked with recent Playlisted acts Youth Illusion and Scruffy Bear!
2021 has been another tough year to live through. There have been some signs of normal life, for example the return of live music, but we end it as we started with true normality a distant memory.
This year has however been a stunning year for new music releases. Yes, lockdown musicians and the odds are their creativity will take over. In Full Pelt Music’s first full year of existence we have reviewed 65 albums and the quality of those releases has been exceptional.
Last year we counted down our Top 20 albums of the year, with a special Advent Calendar countdown on our Twitter. This year we have expanded! Our 2021 countdown has taken place across all our social platforms, and has listed our Top 50 albums of the year!
With that social media countdown completed, it’s now time to compile our completed Top 50 in one place. So let’s get started!
What we said:
“there are stunning moments spread throughout the album”
Rob Zombie – ‘The Triumph of King Freak (A Crypt of Preservation and Superstition)’
What we said:
“was anybody craving a new album from The Offspring in 2021? Perhaps not, but actually in this messed up world we live in, maybe, just maybe, we needed it!”
“vitality shouldn’t be mistaken for relevance and whilst the band may have peaked commercially, they remain of utmost importance to a generation of music fans”
Check out:
Rise Against – ‘Nowhere Generation’
What we said:
“anybody that had any doubts about the natural talents of this group of musicians, they should now acknowledge a new force”
The quality of this year’s releases has been truly phenomenal as our opening 30 albums attests. The competition is extremely tight for the coveted top spot and that is clear throughout the prestigious Top 20 that follows.
What we said:
“a sublime collection of upbeat, heartfelt and powerful songs that is bound to be stuck on repeat for the foreseeable future”
“a rare talent that have now reinforced their passion and ability to create great music for anybody who wants to listen but without concession on their vision”
Well there you have it! What a truly magnificent year for new music 2021 has been. What will 2022 have in store? Remember to discover the best new acts by following our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist’!
Stay tuned for our 2021 Year in Review coming very soon.
