The latest issue of the Full Pelt Magazine is here, and you can download your copy for free below!
Volume 16 is a special edition where we run down our Top 50 Albums of the Year! 2023 has seen some amazing records released, but who will take the coveted number one spot?
Our News Report is still here also covering the latest from Vended, Slam Dunk Festival, Liam Gallagher & John Squire, Teddy Rocks, Brighten the Corners and LeeStock!
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with Telltale, Shooting Daggers and Fraser Morgan!
The latest issue of the Full Pelt Magazine is here, and you can download your copy for free below!
Volume 13 features cover stars Holding Absence as they hit the road in support of ‘The Noble Art of Self Destruction’. We also catch Skinny Lister as they take ‘Shanty Punk’ to the stage. Plus we review the latest album from Beans On Toast!
We have our News Report rounding up new releases from Bruce Dickinson, CJ Wildheart, Alkaline Trio, Trash Boat, P.O.D., Atreyu, Normandie, Oakman, Chelsea Wolfe and LØLØ.
Plus new live announcements from Lytham Festival, Slam Dunk, Wild Fields Festival, The Killers, As December Falls, Pet Needs, Indoor Pets, Nickelback, IDLES, Avril Lavigne, You Me At Six, Taking Back Sunday, Don’t Panic and Thomas Nicholas Band!
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with Where Oceans Burn, Break Fifty and fakeyourdeath!
Outside may be bitterly cold, but inside Norwich Arts Centre tonight there is the familiar warmth of community. That’s because those shanty punks Skinny Lister are in town for another uplifting evening of sing-a-long folk tales.
THE MOLEE SHAKES
Country Blues duo The Molee Shakes are the first act to grace the stage this evening and set about showcasing their melancholic fuzz to the early attendees. The performance grows as it progresses and by the end they’ve certainly done enough to engage the crowd and start the show the right way.
LIFE AQUATIC BAND
After a short changeover five-piece ensemble Life Aquatic Band appear as our main support act. The band offer intrigue from the outset with their unique indie disco brand. Each of the three acts tonight offer something different which makes the evening an eclectic mix, but Life Aquatic Band in and of themselves are a delightful sonic jumble!
The musicianship is mightily impressive, the songs have something special about them, the set itself is slick and quirkily stylish and the overall package is thoroughly enjoyable. It’s no surprise therefore that come the climax of their time of stage, the audience appear desperate for more whilst offering a genuinely rousing ovation.
SKINNY LISTER
For many bands that would a difficult set to follow, but Skinny Lister are no average band and they’ve long asserted themselves into the most fun live band conversation. Tonight is simply another exhibit for the case of the prosecution.
From the word go, the band use every ounce of energy to rip through one stirring fan favourite to another. Clearly the likes of ‘Wanted’, ‘Tragedy in A Minor’, ‘Rattle & Roar’ and ‘Cathy’ were always destined to elicit positive responses from the audience. Tonight, though the band are also able to perform tracks from their latest album, ‘Shanty Punk’.
Now in our album review we called it the most ‘Skinny Lister’ Skinny Lister album, and that sentiment follows these songs onto the stage. All of ‘Arm Wrestling in Dresden’, ‘Company of the Bar’, ‘Mantra’ and ‘Unto the Breach’ fit perfectly into the well established setlist and all receive great reactions from a crowd having lots of fun.
Today saw the untimely departure of Pogues iconic frontman Shane MacGowan, and with a little over an hour until December arrives there’s a fitting tribute at the start of the encore with a superb rendition of ‘Fairytale Of New York’. The night then finishes with ‘Six Whiskies’ heralding one last sing-a-long moment.
At this point Skinny Lister are a guaranteed good time and you’d be a fool to miss them when they come to your town!
Our weekly music News Report has evolved into the Full Pelt Magazine, and you can download the eighth issue now for free!
Volume eight includes an update from cover stars Skindred, reviews of Rival Sons and Philip Seth Campbell live, album reviews for Skinny Lister, Rival Sons, The Rolling Stones, Chris Shifflet, Blink 182, Within Temptation and a load more!
We have our News Report rounding up new releases from YUNGBLUD, IDLES, Alkaline Trio, Lonely The Brave, Lambrini Girls, Black Water County, SCALER, Oakman, Blackout Problems, The Struts, The Cadillac Three, LostAlone, DragonForce, Royal Tusk, Dream State and The Cruel Knives.
Plus new live announcements from As Everything Unfolds, Slam Dunk, Grace Petrie, Black Orchid Empire, Slash, Liam Gallagher, The Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, Punk Rock Factory, When Rivers Meet, Kris Barras Band and LostAlone!
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with Jarki Monno, headcage and The Klittens!
Over the past decade, Skinny Lister have established themselves as a phenomenal live act and a consistently creative band on record. Now on their sixth studio album they do their best to merge these two qualities.
‘Shanty Punk’ has been written and recorded with an aim of capturing the essence of the bands live shows and putting it on record. This is a notoriously difficult thing to do but is something which Skinny Lister has managed to achieve well here.
Over their previous albums fans have come to expect drunken sing-a-long anthems full of folk punk crossover with a sprinkling of shanty call and response fun. This album goes all in on the themes and musical overtures that the band have perfected. ‘Shanty Punk’ is the most ‘Skinny Lister’ Skinny Lister album that the band have made, and it’s glorious!
There are plenty of those famous sing-a-longs on ‘Shanty Punk’ with the likes of ‘Company of the Bar’, ‘Down on the Barrier’ and the Party George featuring ‘William Harker’ sure to be set staples for years to come. Shanty’s are covered with ’13 Miles’ and ‘Mantra’ acts as a traditional poignant tale.
If you’ve ever seen Skinny Lister live then you’ll know what the band are all about, and if you haven’t – where have you been! The bands reputation has already been well earned, but if any album could act as an introduction for the uninitiated it would be ‘Shanty Punk’.
The band should be proud to have managed to truly capture their spirit and soul across the eleven tracks and ultimately ‘Shanty Punk’ must be heralded as possibly their very best collection of songs so far.
Our weekly music News Report has evolved into the Full Pelt Magazine, and you can download the third issue now for free!
Volume three includes an update from cover star Chris Shiflett, and a review of ‘Race the Night’ from Ash.
We have our News Report rounding up new releases from Don Broco, Lonely The Brave, Dream Wife, TesseracT, DragonForce, Staind, Duff McKagan, Skinny Lister, All Time Low, While She Sleeps, K.Flay, The Meffs, END and Mother Mother!
Plus new live announcements from British Lion, Fozzy, KITE THIEF, VV, The Amazons, The Coral, Twin Atlantic and Lonely The Brave.
Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with Major Moment, Tropic Gold and Future Static!
Foolhardy Folk Festival – Nottingham – Live review
Towards the end of the original lockdown, the ever creative music industry sought ways to bring people back together to experience the unparalleled joy of live music. The Arboretum in Nottingham hosted a number of events including a couple of shows from folk favourite Frank Turner.
That is where the story of the Foolhardy Folk Festival begins as the man behind the festival, fellow folk icon Beans On Toast played in support of Turner. From there on Beans has affectionately taken over and curated his own festival which this year is a complete sell out.
A large part of this is the stunning line-up put on but another is the fantastic sense of community that exists in this portion of the folk scene and the lovely audience that has taken this back to basics event to heart.
Opening his own event Beans On Toast highlights the great music, great food and great beer theme. On the music front Beans serenades the already full venue with the likes of ‘Major Oak’, ‘The War on War’ and ‘Humans’ as the festival gets into full swing.
The festival is family friendly and this is punctuated by the vibe created by attendees in that we are all family. Beans own daughter lays on kids activites, there is live art and lots of merch offer as well but with short changeovers the attention is mainly on the one stage where both Vona Vella and Tensheds play delightful early sets.
Soon enough it’s time for our special guest to take to the stage and this year that means Frank Turner himself as he returns the favour three years on from that socially distanced affair.
As you’d expect Turner gets a hero’s welcome as he begins his set with ‘Be More Kind’ and ‘The Ballad of Me and My Friends’. The crowd’s singing voices are in fine fettle which is a good thing considering the sing-a-longs continue through to final song ‘I Still Believe’.
Another beautiful thing about this community is the lack of ego on show, Turner as always appearing eternally grateful for the opportunity to play. The same can be said for your next three acts Truckstop Honeymoon, Ferris & Sylvester and Jeffery Lewis & The Voltage. All three acts are given equally as passionate reactions from the audience who can clearly appreciate beautiful music.
Considering we’ve brought our two little monsters with us another great thing about Foolhardy Folk Festival is that the music is wrapped up by 9pm! But before then we still have two highly anticipated performances.
First up are the always joyous Skinny Lister who bring their traditional party atmosphere to the festival. Perhaps more so than any other set today, the Lister crew get the fans up and dancing to the likes of ‘Cathy’, ‘This Is War’ and ‘Trouble on Oxford Street’. The band are surely now established as one of the best live acts in the UK and with a new album and tour on the horizon, there will thankfully be lots of opportunities to catch them again in the near future!
Finally the event ends just as it began… with our gracious host Beans On Toast! With backing band in tow this time around the show feels different and special as our headline performance. Kicking off with ‘Life’ and ‘Not Everybody Thinks We’re Doomed’ the set is an uplifting celebration of our existence and is the perfect way to end a wonderful day.
The cutest cameo from Beans daughter, new material and old favourites ensure that despite having to follow some sensational artists, Beans On Toast is able to send the crowd into the night reminiscing about a beautiful day, many including our kids still singing the chorus of ‘On & On’!
With another edition already announced for next August, the Foolhardy Folk Festival has quickly established itself as a must attend date on the folk calendar. This is of course a credit to Beans On Toast, but also to everyone involved behind the scenes and of course the fan community that makes the event so special.
It’s been another big revival year for the music industry following the pandemic years, and it’s been another year of growth for us at Full Pelt Music! We’ve reviewed 67 albums, 7 EP’s, 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 we’ll 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. We’ll also once again be revealing our Single of the Year. All awards have seen fierce competition, as once again it’s been a high quality year for new releases.
On the live side of things, we’ll 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 can’t wait to share with you are favourites.
Lastly we’ll look at the artists who’ve had special years as we award our Artist and ‘Discover’ New Artist of the Year awards. So without further ado, let’s 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.
‘IMPERA’ from Ghost was able to take the crown this year but any of the top 10 could’ve taken that spot. ‘Reeling’ from The Mysterines in particular would likely have won in any other year, but the majesty and magnificence of ‘IMPERA’ proved unbeatable.
Winner:
‘Impera’ by Ghost
The contenders:
‘Reeling’ by The Mysterines, ‘FTHC’ by Frank Turner, ‘Skinty Fia’ by Fontaines D.C. & ‘The Price of Life’ by Bob Vylan
Previous Winners:
2021 – ‘Blue Weekend’ by Wolf Alice 2020 – ‘Ultra Mono’ by IDLES
EP OF THE YEAR
For the first time this year, we are separating EP’s out of our main award and giving them their own pedestal. That alone is the truest compliment to the quality of EP’s on offer this year.
Again, all EP’s in our top 5 are worthy of the number one spot, but it’s ‘coming of (r)age’ from As Sirens Fall that pips it. Catchy as hell single, ‘heaven (spat us back out)’, helps elevate the release to be crowed our first ever EP of the Year.
Winner:
‘coming of (r)age’ by As Sirens Fall
The contenders:
‘False Start’ by James and the Cold Gun, ‘SCP’ by Oakman, ‘Tyrants’ by IOTA and ‘BLACKGOLD’ by BLACKGOLD
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
We look now at our Single or Song of the Year. In considering the award this year we’ve considered the ear worms that have stayed with us after live performances. We’ve 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 ‘Dangerous’ 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. That’s why that track is our 2022 Single of the Year!
Check out the winning single below:
The Mysterines – ‘Dangerous’
Winner:
‘Dangerous’ by The Mysterines
The contenders:
‘Talk Hard’ by Jamie Lenman, ‘Compliance’ by Muse, ‘Wicked Ways’ by Halestorm, ‘Spillways’ by Ghost
Previous Winners:
2021 – ‘Test of our Resolve’ from Press To MECO 2020 – ‘Obey’ 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 what’s 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 – Download Pilot Festival 2020 – Wild Fields Festival
GIG OF THE YEAR
We’ve reviewed many gigs this year but in reality there could only ever be one winner. Rammstein’s 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 – Bring Me The Horizon @ O2 Arena, London 2020 – 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 we’ve 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, 2022’s 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 – Biffy Clyro 2020 – Frank Turner
‘DISCOVER’ NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
As a publication we always want to put new music at the heart of what we do, and that’s why our final award is perhaps our most important! Our ‘Discover’ New Artist of the Year is awarded to the act we’ve chosen to highlight on our ‘Discover’ 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, ‘Fractured Party Music’. 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 ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast and appear on The Full Pelt Music Podcast! Yes, fighting off some stiff competition for the ‘Discover’ 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 – Miss Vincent
So, that’s it! Another year in the record books, it’s been another difficult year and it has again been particularly tough on the music industry. That said, we’ve 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 📸 (c) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music
We hope you’ve enjoyed our The Year in Review 2022 and we wish you a very Happy New Year. Here’s hoping 2023 is a good one!
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.
The converted church known as Norwich Arts Centre feels the ideal venue in this fine city for Skinny Lister to takeover, and takeover they do with the show tonight sold out in advance.
Before the groups loyal fanbase is graced by their presence though it’s time for our support act. Support for this tour comes from recent collaborators The Longest Johns, who recently reached new audiences as a viral trend on TikTok.
All ? (C) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music
Tonight the four-piece are welcomed to Norwich by an appreciative audience who are captivated by the groups’ hauntingly good harmonies. That trending song ‘Wellerman’ closes a set packed with material set to feature on the bands upcoming new album ‘Smoke & Oakum’.
A fun way to start what is always destined to be a very fun and enjoyable evening of folk and shanties. Soon enough the lights go back down and it’s time of the masters of those arts, Skinny Lister, to hit the stage.
All ? (C) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music
Performing a career-spanning set, there is rightly a spotlight on their recent release ‘A Matter of Life & Love’. Upon its release we called the album “…well crafted and superbly delivered…”, and tonight those songs are brought to life.
‘Bavaria Area’, ‘Breakfast at Heathrow’ and ‘Embers’ are all highlights in a packed set list. A brilliant rendition of ‘Damn the Amsterdam’ sees the band joined onstage by The Longest Johns to the delight of the audience.
Skinny Lister have spent their career building their reputation as a top tier live act and tonight the band prove just why they are considered so. ‘Colours’, ‘What Can I Say’, ‘Cathy’, ‘This Is War’ and ‘Trouble on Oxford Street’ all eliciting jubilant scenes in the church. Hallelujah!
After a superb evening of entertainment, there is no way the crowd are going anywhere and Skinny Lister duly oblige with an encore of ‘Raise a Wreck’, ‘Hamburg Drunk’ and finale ‘Six Whiskies’.
The crowd go home happy and Skinny Lister travel on to the next show with their reputation enhanced even further. I dare you to go to a show and not have a great time!
