It's been a while

Jings Crivens it's been a while. It's always a while actually, I used to post blogs regularly and now it seems to be very sporadically. I shall attribute that to a host of things, work being the main one. It's unreal how much time a band like Jiezuberband take up (might as well get the shameless plug out the way early) So here for your reading pleasure (or just your reading) is another blog straight from the mind and fingertips of yours truly. Mr Kenneth Bowman randomly popped up on my facebook and told me "finger oot" and to get a blog written.

 I heard through the grapevine recently that The Imagineers have come to the end of the road. Another one bites the dust as they say. It's one of those sad moments in music when such a prolific and talented band call it a day. Was it the level of commitment was too high? Was it just the right time to end the band? We'll never know the reasons but what we can take away from it is a back catalogue of unique tracks which will last a lifetime.

 Something else that's happened recently is the announcement of Freckfest. A festival in Irvine dedicated to Willie Freckleton the man who was responsible for bringing bands such as Oasis to this little town. I have to say, when it was announced that the festival was happening I got excited. It's about time Irvine had something of this scale, something that the locals can really get their teeth into. I have to say though that the caliber of acts who are performing isn't as high as it could be. There are some excellent artists on the line up including Sonic Templars, Dear Stars, Rose Parade, Culann The Magic Numbers and Sean Kennedy but in terms of an all weekend festival, it's rather disappointing. There are so many other great acts floating around at the moment who could have taken up some slots. I can think of 5 off of the top of my head who deserve a spot on that line up. Perhaps they didn't apply or maybe the organisers just didn't deem them fit enough. It's now no longer a festival I'll be in attendance at but I hope it goes well and that it does Willie proud.

 On another note, Kassidy are headlining the main stage at Live@Troon this year, I'm a fan of Kassidy so I was happy with that announcement. Hunter and the Bear as a support act though, I'm not sure about but I might be proved wrong (I doubt it)

 In the past, people have taken offence to this blog, whether it's written by myself or even a guest review by Kenny Maclean. Here's the thing I need to make clear, the thoughts on these pages are nothing more than our personal opinions and at no point do we expect anyone to use them as a reference point in day to day life.

 Did you know that 80% of statistics are made up and that the other 34% is real?

 Nonsense, that's all that last sentence was, just utter nonsense.

 I'm excited to be going back to Wales next weekend. We head down to Sonic Rock Solstice where Jiezuberband will be doing their thing and entertaining the masses. Come and join us afterwards, hang out and have a few beers. Talk to the nutbags and learn the inner workings of their mind.

 I promise I'll try and do more of these blogs, I will try and make some time for them.

 Happy Mr Bowman?

A Clockwork Marshmallow

What's it going to be then, eh?

There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, George, and Dim. Dim being really dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar making up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening, a flip dark chill winter bastard though dry.

These are the opening lines to Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange, the tale of the ultimate anti-hero, young Alex. I’m assuming most people reading this will be familiar with the Book or Film but I’ll quickly summarise the plot for those who aren’t. It’s the story of Alex, leader of a teenage gang who is sent to prison after an act of ‘Ultraviolence’. Alex is reformed after serving only two years of his sentence using a controversial new technique rendering him unable to experience violence in any form without feeling a great sickness. Upon his release he is used as a political pawn…..wait a second, why am I reviewing A Clockwork Orange? A nice young lad from a small town in New York State called Connor Thoutte has sent me a track to review so let’s get to it.

Connor Thouttle is an acoustic singer songwriter from the small town of Liverpool, New York. His music is strongly influenced by the works of Jack Johnson and John Mayer, in other words Soppy Marshmallow Music. Connor has released two Albums to date, 2009’s Sunblind and his latest effort Caught Between Summers, from which I’m reviewing the title track of the same name.

The song Caught Between Summers is a kind of melancholic ‘I understand you under confident but beautiful girl with complex emotions’ ramble, which opens with the lines

There’s something wrong my dear friend,

Looks like you just got back from the Doctors again

There’s something that you mean to say

The good lord he is on his way.

Oh dear, a religious cancer song, not what I’m in the mood for on a Sunday morning. I was tempted to leave the review at that but to be fair to Connor I thought I would try and be a bit more objective. After all I think Connor’s target audience are a bit younger and more feminine than your humble narrator.

In trying to listen as a Teenage girl I see what Connor is trying to do here with his subtle emotional manipulation. You can imagine the scenario in which he would profess these emotionally exuberant lyrics. Connor sits by himself at a High school Prom looking into the distance with his spongy little gumdrop eyes. The girl he’s been lusting over in Biology for the last 4 years comes over and asks Connor ‘what’s wrong’. He opens up his heart about his best friend who has cancer, they then sit and talk about emotions all night and she realises that there is more to this little science geek than she thought. Later on after a few drinks they go back to Connor’s bedroom, sitting staring into each others eyes, they slowly undress each other, She runs her fingers through his marshmallow hair, Kisses his marshmallow chest, then Connor pull’s out his little flump tadger and with a mixture of horror and disappointment, she laughs in his face. It’s at this point marshmallow boy cry’s tears of hot chocolate and slowly melts into a pile of sticky goop. As she walks home, confused at Connors demise, she bumps into Alex and his droogs. Well, Well, Well. And they give that fine Devotchka the old in out real horrorshow, right right.

So what’s the point of all this Chepooka, well we have Connor and Alex, the two extremes of the teenage male archetype, Alex the ultraviolent sociopath and Connor the Christian goody goody. Connor’s music is clean cut, fresh sounding, his lyrics are well structured and intelligent and he is a talented singer, but he needs a little Alex to add some, as Roland Barthes might say, Grain to his voice. Maniac Alex spots something he wants and almost without thinking will take it, relying on his natural adolescent charm and charisma to see him through the consequences. It’s that immediacy and honesty that Connor needs to explore so he can rise above the thousands of other boring Marshmallow Men. There’s nothing wrong with wistful observation, it’s the ultimate Mallow trope, but sometimes you have to say Fuck through gritted teeth.

To summarise Connor is a talented singer from a small American town and I guess Caught Between Summers is a listenable tune. If he went on American Idol armed with his cancer story he may very well get passed the first few rounds. They may even create an emotional montage of him with Coldplay playing in the background. But I find his music frustrating. Every teenage boy has the Connor/Alex dialectic inside them, there is nothing wrong with letting that ‘Ultraviolet’ side out once in a while, it’s the fight between these two sides that creates the teenage angst found in all of my favourite adolescent observational music. Let’s hear the real you next time Connor.

One last thing, I think Connor sent me this in the hope of a quote for his press pack so what the fuck,

Connor is the new Bob Dylan, a future Rock and Roll hall of Famer without question

Kenny Maclean, UUC. 


 

Sleazy Vultures & CHAOS!

It has been a while since any reviews have been posted here, mainly because over at UUC Management things have been incredibly hectic. No time to breathe but alas we have managed to get back on the ball with reviews. Last night I sent Sam along to see Chaos! at Ivory Blacks.

It’s been a while since I’ve done a review but I’m glad I got assigned this one, firstly I can say the night started off pretty wild with a country/rock band up front, I know it sounds crazy but they were probably one of the best on tonight. Anyway onto the review, up on the stage comes Sleazy Vultures, the guitarist with his SG, bassist with his Jaguar and they all look pretty serious. And with that they’re off, they have a particular warm tone. After playing the same chord for over a minute they kick into the song which… has the same chord playing still. Finally after a painful introduction they start the song. They have pretty decent stage coordination and have some heavy punk influences, I’m not very impressed with these lot and the singer could use a few singing lessons. Their second song grabs my attention a lot more with a synth playing through the guitar, but sadly this is ruined by a thrashing pre-verse that completely negates anything they did at the start. They claim the next song is a dancing song, I hope they’re right as enthusiasm drains from the crowd. They reclaim some respect as this song is a much better improvement, although still very much the same song as the others. The bass solo is absolutely amazing though, I have to give it to him; he knows how to slap that bass! The last song they did redeemed their pride, a whopping finish to a poor set.

Next up is Chaos! And I’m anxious to see the light. I tell you this gig has been so rocky I need a bloody pickaxe. But dear lord it’s starting and so far so good on the intro and it seems to keep getting better. Innovative guitar lines, heavy bass lines, from the start I could see that this band has talent. As their first song finishes I look forward to everything else on the menu. Their second song reminds me of Avenged Sevenfold, being my favourite band they really sparked my interest. The guitar solo progresses, what it lacks in complexity it makes up in melody. My favourite part of this song was definitely the solo/bridge following onto a smashing chorus. The only real criticism I could give CHAOS! is that they need a drummer,  if they can still create that same sound with a drummer, they will definitely have a future in this industry. The crowd claps their hands to the beats while others mosh around the room. The energy is definitely fixed on them throughout the set. All in all they were the best band there tonight, they had the best sound, melody and ideas, the other bands were just copying old tracks but Chaos! were the only ones who really shone out of the crowd. After their last song finished the crowd simmered down and everyone started packing up. A good end to a just about awesome night! If anyone is reading this and likes hard rock/metal music then I highly recommend going to see Chaos live in performance.

Landed Festival

So the festival season has officially started. I love festivals, it's a chance to hear some great music and meet some truly amazing people that you probably wouldn't meet in everyday life. This weekend myself and the mighty Jiezuberband traveled down to Llandrindod Wells in Wales for Landed Festival. I have to say I've to many festivals in my life but the atmosphere at this one was just off the hook.

Jiezuberband took to the stage on Saturday and as usual they nailed it. They played a set that had something for everyone, but that's what they do and that's what makes these guys so special. For the rest of the weekend people just kept saying how much they loved the band and it's no surprise. My favourite quote however came from a man named Spartacus who approached John and myself on Sunday afternoon whilst trying to drag our arses through a field, he said that Jiezuberband were like "Aliens had beamed down from another planet to show us a new amazing way of life" and it's true.

I managed to catch a few other bands in between drinking copious amounts of alcohol in the beer tent, annoying the security guys and introducing myself to every single person that I walked by. Bombskare from Edinburgh were down there as well and I loved their set, they finished the weekend off perfectly for music. Land of Giants were also fantastic, two bands who you should definitely go and check out.

I remember telling everyone we met that "we're Scottish, we'll show you how to party" and I think we stuck to our word. I honestly think if I was to write a blog about the entire weekend then I would be here for days and it would take you days to read it.

Trying to get the Welsh to understand that we use the word C**t as a full stop and not as an actual insult was pretty easy as well.
All I'm going to say is that I will definitely be back down next year and from a personal point of view it's possibly one of the best festivals I've been at. 

I've also been told I actually done some work AND it was caught on camera which is a bonus. 16 hours there and back in a vehicle surrounded by what felt like half a warehouse and getting cramp was worth it. I'm looking forward to being back in Wales for Sonic Rock Solstice on June 21st. 

The Comic

I just finished my new column for the Irvine Herald. It's great having an extra avenue to get your thoughts out there where people will read them. I love doing the blog, it seems like so long ago since I started it and the amount of views it has had is unbelievable.

I can't believe it's only 24 days until the big Jiezuberband/Preacher show at the o2 abc1. Tickets have sold so quickly and it's going to be an absolutely amazing night. There are still a few tickets left, so head over to www.uucmanagement.com or www.jiezuberband.com to get yours if you haven't got them already.

Another bit of exciting news is that this morning I got the front cover for the Jiezuberband Comic. Finally those six nutters are going to be immortalized in comic form. It will be a downloadable comic to start with, but who knows where it will lead. The plan is to have the first edition released on the 26th of April.

Wrestlemania is a mere 4 days away and I can't wait. Tomorrow I jump on a plane and bugger off to New York/New Jersey and then on Sunday I get to be in attendance at the "Granddaddy of them all" Undertaker/Punk is the one that I'm really looking forward to. I have a feeling that Rock/Cena is going to be the last match and to be honest, if it is I doubt I'll stay in the stadium long enough to watch it.

"Lost"

You know, it's not often a great TV show passes me by. For some reason however I never watched "Lost" when it was first aired. When it started being shown over here I was staying in Switzerland, so I missed the first season, after that I just never got the chance to sit down and watch it. Of course Facebook was always covered in status updates about what was happening and that threw me off a bit. I thought why would I watch a TV show about Polar Bears, Hatches and people being all dead. I shouldn't have listened to people (a lesson I always learn and then forget) because it's so much more than that. Also, why people have this belief that they were all dead for the whole show is beyond me, they're really not. Everything that happens on the Island was real.

I just finished watching all 6 Seasons in a marathon effort to watch them, it was a case of the old "one more episode then bed.......oh shit it's 8am" and I have to say I'm obsessed now. I'm a massive Doctor Who fan and I don't think anything will ever take over as my favourite show, but "Lost" has come so close.

I loved everything about it, the relationships, the sci-fi element the flas-hbacks, the flash-forwards and the flash-sideways. I loved when Desmond showed up and it was a complete mind fuck after we knew he had met Jack before. Every element about this show was absolutely outstanding.

Some people talk about the Finale and they say that they're disappointed or upset with it, I don't understand why. Sure a lot of things were left unanswered but surely that's a good thing. The problem with Finale's is that they never live up to expectation. We build them up in our heads so much that when they are shown, we're never happy. The "Lost" finale, in my opinion, was one of the best, if not the best finale ever.

I don't know what I'm supposed to start watching next, "Lost" was a show that I hadn't gotten around to watching and then this year I decided to catch up on everything I missed. I watched "Continuum" "FlashForward" "Alcatraz" and a load of other shows but "Lost" was one that I put off until I knew I could sit and enjoy it and by hell I enjoyed it. I was only 9 years behind everyone else in watching it, but you know what? I don't care, it was worth the wait. Even though I thought I knew what it was all about, I was so wrong. If we take "Doctor Who" out of the equation I think it's safe to say that this was the best TV show ever made.

I'm now going to back and watch it all again.

"86"

They say that patience is a virtue and I suppose in some cases that could be true, however in the music world patience doesn't exist. It seems like forever and a day since I reviewed the last Stonehouse Violets release and as anyone who had a swatch at that review will know I was fairly impressed with it. I've been aching to get my hands on some new material from the guys for months so when it finally arrived I couldn't wait to get the speakers cracked up and the sub-woofer as high as I could (who gives a fuck about neighbours eh?)

The new EP from SHV "86" takes a slightly different direction from previous material, it's more hard hitting and has more of a "finished" feel. That's not to say that what the band were producing earlier felt in any way weaker, not at all. It's quite clear that the band are progressing at a rate of knots and instead of taking those tentative baby steps that most musicians take Stonehouse Violets are approaching music as if they're the first people to land on the moon. They're oozing this "Look at us, we're doing it and fuck you" mentality and it works so well for them. Albert Schweitzer once said "The only escape from the miseries of life are music and cats"  I'm pretty sure if he were around right now that could possibly read "The only escape from the miseries of life are Stonehouse Violets and cats"

The new four track EP is crafted in such a way, that for me, each track builds on the last."Saviour" opens up the EP and it's a nice simple but pleasant introduction to the band. There's nothing particularly special about this track and there doesn't need to be, it does it's job. It's an opener and it's an opener which leads into three other tracks that are masterfully crafted together. 

"SOS" "Empty Spaces" and "Leaves will Fall" all bring their own thing to an EP that is a strong outing from the word go. There's hints of 'The Dismemberment Plan' and 'Clap your hands say yeah' coming through at certain points but I think it's safe to say that it's all Stonehouse Violets. The band have no doubt found a sound that really works for them and it's just brilliant to sit and listen to the hard work that's gone into the music. The music isn't over labyrinthine, there's nothing overly complex because they don't need it. Personally I can't get enough of "Empty Spaces" it's so powerful and leaves a wondrous after taste in your ears. 

Art has Picasso, Movies have Stanley Kubrick and Music has Stonehouse Violets.

You can grab a copy of the EP "86" for the bargain of £4 just head over to http://stonehouseviolets.bandcamp.com/album/86

Feuding Music

Someone once told me "In music, if you can make one new fan a year then you can class it as a success" frankly I thought it was a load of bullshit. You work hard day in and day out and all you get is one fan a year? I think to an extent that that could be true but ideally you want to be making new fans as often as possible. Anyway, I don't know where that came from, sometimes I like to just spout shite as you're probably aware of by now.

Psychedelic band "The Feuds" sent over a track to review, so I thought I might as well get a review done instead of sending it to one of the other numpties. Plus Kenny is currently liking to pretend that if he only does a review once a month it will make his reviews that bit more special.

'I just need your love' by The Feuds starts of with that annoyance that is distorted bass, I always feel that sometimes distorted bass can work if it's done properly, sadly though The Feuds don't pull it off. It's too 'fart through a distortion pedal' -esque for me. Aside from that, there's nothing special about the bass line. It's simple, not attention grabbing and pretty much a generic 3 note bass movement.

You do hold out hope though, song intro's can be deceiving, sometimes the best intro can lead into the worst song and vice versa, so there's always a small hope that the song will develop into something great. Alas that is not the case. The guitar is similar to the bass, for the first few bars it has a three note structure which does nothing for the music. Imagine if you will being 14 years old and picking up your first guitar, you have no idea how to play it but you know that those first three notes you played sound like they kind of make some sort of tune so you play it over and over again, however everyone else around you realises that those three notes are flat and dull. Although to give them their due, I think that halfway through the track The Feuds realised this and decided to add a bit off feedback to the guitar to make it sound more interesting, it really doesn't though.

The drums are pretty much as bland as the rest of the track, there's a lot of over play on the snare. No decent fills and no real change to the way the drums progress through the track. I'm trying to find something good about this track but I really can't and as much as I want to I'm finding it pretty much impossible. The vocals could be the only saving grace about the track. They have a slight huskiness to them which make for good listening however the rest of the track pulls it all back down.

I don't think it's fair to judge a band on one track and I think sometimes that can happen when doing reviews, I think that this band could pull something out of the bag a few months/years down the line but right now it's just not for me. The track is dull, repetitive and doesn't strike any emotion into the listener.

Right now however I think The Feuds need to lock themselves away in a room, pull up the YouTube tutorials and buy "The Idiots Guide to Songwriting" then perhaps my views will change.

Craig Sheridan – Nitewish by Stevey Murray

Originally from Wales, Craig, who taught himself to play guitar after a life changing experience and personal trauma, had spent the 2 years writing material for his well received debut album “Red on Maroon” which was recorded in a self built studio at his home in Kent. He is said to take inspiration from personal experiences both “triumphant and tragic” and this single seems to draw from both.

The Welshman has certainly managed to deliver onto us a highly emotional, passionate and beautiful single with “Nitewish”. Something about it seems to sound like Joshua Radin and Alter Bridge had a sensual and special 5 way and then 9 months later gifted us with this stunning piece of work. Now of course it isn’t the kind of song you would find yourself walking down the street humming to yourself or looking for on a pub jukebox, unless you are the main character in some dross romantic movie, but that necessarily isn’t a bad thing. This seems to be more of a piece of background music for a long walk, a bath or maybe even a mood setter, if you know what I mean. I am pretty sure that at a live performance of this song Craig, Who is a fire fighter by day, would have a few fires to extinguish in the hearts of any female fans who attend.

The song is one that sounds like it is deeply personal yet something that most of us can relate to and although the song doesn’t have too much to it lyrically it still drags you in and makes you listen to and feel what is being projected towards you. This can’t be put down to solely his voice or the music but both in equal measures instead. He has a voice that just makes you listen and melt simultaneously and along with the music, which is basically a simple chord progression, could be blamed for making you sway from side to side in a trance like state. To put it simply the song as a whole is a hypnotic and emotional helter skelter which tugs at the heart strings and, although you will be listening intently to the song, helps you drift away and think of that special someone. The song is definitely one that will be placed on my “rainy day” or “chill out” play lists and will hold a place there for the foreseeable future.

My plan for now will be to have an extensive listen to some of Craig's other material and judging by “Nitewish” I will be in for an absolute treat. Mind you listening to a song like this first means the bar is sent quite high but I have faith that I am not going to be disappointed.

o2 abc1

I've been so busy recently that sometimes I forget to sit down and make time for myself, which is weird in itself because I've always been someone who likes to take an hour to themselves every night and chill out, more often than not with a Doctor Who DVD. This morning however I finally remembered, part of that's down to the after effects of many cans lager consumed last night and part of it was because I just needed that short amount of time to get into a zone where I could relax and take my mind off of things for a moment. I ended up watching a movie I haven't watched in a couple of years 'Zack and Miri' or to give it it's full name 'Zack and Miri make a porno' it's a film that for me will never get old, Kevin Smith is one of my favourite writers in the comedy genre and each one of his films have a special place in my collection.

Last Sunday the UUC Showcase was held at Stereo in Glasgow. Six of the best Scottish artists took to the stage to fight it out for the chance to play on the stage at the o2 abc1 on April 27th. Every band and performer dreams about playing that stage and so when it came to finding a support act to open the show for Ayrshire's Jiezuberband and Preacher (they also become the first unsigned bands to headline the stage on the night) the idea for a Showcase was born. Around 200 acts applied and it was taken down to six. Last Sunday all six performed and Irvine's own Sonic Templars managed to get the spot. It's well deserved for the band, they work so hard and this is a great opportunity for them.

Of course it's a great opportunity for everyone involved, especially when you consider that just a couple of years ago Jiezuberband played to six people in a pub and now they're expected to sell out the 1300 capacity venue. The last year alone has been a great year for the band, releasing their debut album 'Sound of the Sun' which was met with great critical acclaim and hitting many of the great UK Festivals in 2012, then of course they made the best decision they could make and take me on as Manager (OK maybe a bit ahead of myself, I swear they're formulating a plan to bump me off) all in all it's been a fairly successful year for the band.

I've only really mentioned two bands here but the truth is that music is thriving right now possibly more than it ever has. I watched a documentary the other week (I can't remember what it was) and someone said "Music's a dying game, nobody's interested anymore" and that's just simply not true. Music is one of the fundamentals of life in my opinion.

I was on Ronnie McGhee's radio show a few weeks ago and it was great to sit with someone else as like minded. We spoke about the likes of Sean Kennedy and Scott Nicol to name a few, both very talented musicians and both destined for some great things. Sean especially, his music is inspirational at some points, and for a lad from Irvine that's something special.

I don't think music will ever "die" it just keeps evolving and growing. I'm a big fan of most music, dating right back to the Sixties, some even from the Fifties. I'm open to all genres and welcome all new styles of music that evolve. It's a passion, it's a love, it's what the world needs.

Jiezuberband, Preacher and Sonic Templars are three bands from Ayrshire who take to the stage of one of Glasgow's biggest and best venues on April 27th. A great achievement for any band but for three bands from Ayrshire to do so is outstanding. Back when I was still performing I always dreamed about taking to that stage, it was one of the only stages in Glasgow I never made it onto (The SECC and the Barrowlands are the only other two) and on April 27th the closest I'll get is carrying Amps and cables around it to set up. I'm not bitter, not in the slightest, I'm proud of what these guys are achieving and I know for a fact that it will be the show of a lifetime.

Life on Standby

The other night I was at King Tuts for the Mechanical Smile show which saw them launch their tour, while I was there I discovered a new band for my playlist "Life on Standby" you can read the review of the show by CLICKING HERE. However I felt the need to hunt down every "Life On Standby" track that I could find, as you do when you find an artist who sticks in your mind. Thankfully the wonder that is "Soundcloud" was full of them. I didn't manage to pick up a CD on Wednesday but I know Mikey did, so I'll need to raid his CD collection at some point or get to a 'Life on Standby' show soon and pick up my own copy. 

Anyway, Soundcloud gave me enough music to fill my day and my ears. 

The standard of excellence in music is well documented on recordings. Wherever you may be, you must aspire to that standard and it's safe to say that "Life on Standby" do, after listening to their tracks (or as many as I can find) it's clear to see that this is a band who have as much raw passion and energy when recording as they do when performing live.

The band know exactly how to write a song, take 'Junkie' for example, the track hasn't been off of my speakers for two days straight. The guitar parts are integral to the track, they aren't over the top in your face but neither are the subtle, they stand out and smack your ears right where they need to be smacked. 

Being a drummer is a skill which I envy, but by fuck this band have a drummer who knows how to play. Everything from the simple beats through to the fills is spot on and the same with the bass.

On the vocal front, I don't think I've ever heard a more powerful voice from such a short person (that sounds sizest but it's really not) as the great Frank Zappa said "Great googly moogly" the range and power in the vocals really hit you where they should. 

Obviously the band is still in its infancy and so they will evolve and develop and progress, to say that the band are the finished article would be a bit irresponsible. However I don't think it will be long until they are the finished article. When they are I think the music world better be on high alert.

NOW.................time for coffee and cake

Sherry Counsellors - by Sam Adgo

Martin - There's a back log of tracks that have been sent through the UUC website that I'm now having to call on live reviewers to help clear a path. So taking centre stage for this one is Sam.

I’m going to step out of my normal frame for a second and talk about a song by ‘Sherry Counsellors’ called ‘This Could be It’. 

The band itself have been supporting and headlining acts since 2010 where they’ve played alongside bands such as The Hoosiers. The bands musical background is well built. They have performed in venues across London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester.

‘This Could Be It’ starts off as a typical build of enthusiasm, the bass drum pumps through your mind as you anticipate the song to come. I particularly like the way the bass drum slithers its way into the back of your mind and completes the atmosphere of the track. It has a very indie feel to it and at some points I can associate it with ‘The Bicycle Thief’ or ‘Minutemen’.

When the chorus breaks down it reminds me of a dance track or something with a slight sidechain effect in it, the drums move to an almost fanfare rhythm and it feels rather cheeky; it really shows the power of this band and the song makes you want to get up and dance. The vocals are very well done at this point and the lyrics are very much something you can relate to.

Another point that took me back to an old dance tune was the fact that they had only a few lines of vocals apart from the chorus where they repeated the name of the track a couple times. One thing I will say about this song is when the drums dissipate the vocal harmonies come out, slightly out of tune causing a slight clash in notes, but that is quickly reclaimed by the chorus breaking out again.

All in all I quite like this song, not my first choice of a track to listen to all day. Typical song structure that makes for a good start built to a slightly less known chord structure. 

Sons of Cain by Kenny Maclean

Martin - It's always great when Kenny sends me over a review, I never know what I'm getting and it's good to sit and read something interesting every once in a while. I'm going to warn you though, the following article is not for the easily offended. If you are offended by the harsh truth or fowl language then I suggest perhaps going to read another one of the blogs. 

For those of you who know me personally, and judging from my generally mellow disposition, it may surprise you to know that my first ‘favorite’ band as a teenager was Metallica. When I first started playing bass it was because I wanted to be in a Thrash Metal band, the first Bass lines that I learned were by Cliff Burton, Steve Harris, Tom Araya and David Ellefson, Metal forms the basis for what a fellow respected musician once called a ‘Bass style very much of my own’. This is why I feel I am the perfect person to write a few words on Lochmaben 3 piece Sons of Cain.

Formed in 2009 and currently on the cusp of releasing their first recorded material, Sons of Cain describe their music as a mix between Metal and Rock, Mock if you will. Coincidently this is a fitting term to describe the song I’ve been given and the task of reviewing ‘Cursed Apocalypse’. 

I know this is a young band and they are just finding their feet musically, but I have to be honest from the get go, this song didn’t do it for me. If you’re going to play Metal you have to play from the Balls, there has to be a sense of being on the fringes of something massive. Reductively, for me Metal is the antithesis of groove, it’s the music of a youth who want to shout but don’t know quite at who or what to shout at. At its worst Metal is an annoyance, something created from the bowls of society to make you feel violated, but when Metal is good, it makes you feel immortal.

Take an archetypical Metal God, I’ll use Phil Anselmo as an example, he’s a total cunt, he looks like a cunt, acts like a cunt and sings like a cunt, but that cuntish mutherfucker has something. He believes in every growling cuntism that flop’s out of his cuntish mouth and that draws you in, to look at a performer who is so sincere in what he does is hypnotising. It should be the goal of every front man to become an ‘irresistible’ performer and for me somebody like Phil Anselmo achieves this. It may be an unfair comparison but from chord one, Sons of Cain lack any of this conviction. 

So lets get too it, The opening riff is the opening riff to The Wicker Man by Iron Maiden, It’s a great powerful riff, when Iron Maiden play it, but If you are going to ‘borrow’ try and tart it up a bit, make it a bit less obvious. It may just be the quality of the recording but the band  need to tighten up a bit, the tempo drags in places and there are some untidy bass fills in there. Also playing as a trio often comes with the problem of making the music interesting with the limitations that come with the instrumentation. A band such as ‘Fall of Troy’ gets away with it through sheer musicality and the ability to play interesting musical figures, judging from this effort I don’t really have confidence that this band would have the chops to create something truly innovative as a trio.  

Traditionally Metal lyrics as prose are awful, and this song is no exception. Metal vocalists get away with awful lyrics because its all in the delivery, going back to Phil Anselmo, he could sing Mary had a Little Lamb and it would sound brutal. The vocal’s here have a nervousness and thinness too them, The singer needs a few years of screaming into a wheely bin, only stopping to smoke Cubans and gurgle gin in an effort to strengthen those metal vocal chords and disguise his poorly worded Raymond E.Feist style tales of gods and whores.

I don’t have much else to say regarding the song because as a song there's not much to write about, its very short and quite uninteresting. I feel this review has been harsh but this is Metal, it’s a fuck you world and I want to do my bit for these kids by toughening them up. I'm sure if they really looked deep inside themselves they could find the seeds of a good band, I believe everybody has inert musical ability, im just not sure Sons of Cain have found there niche quite yet.

As a little apocryphal end note, I realised my dream of being in a Thrash Metal band when I left school, we were fucking awful.10 years later I found myself in the Blue Note Club in New York listening to Monty Alexander play some of the best Jazz you’ll hear anywhere in the world, The music I listen to today and play is such a contrast to those Metal beginnings. As a 16 year old I never would have considered playing anything but Metal but it turned out that Metal just became a doorway to a wider world of musical styles. Maybe for Sons of Cain this will be a learning experience and they will go on to greatness, but as they are now, they’re not for me.  

Life on Standby: Baltimore League: Mechanical Smile

It has been such a long time since I've been in King Tuts. It's a strange venue for me, sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it. From a performers point of view I love it, there's a great sound and plus the green room has a TV which you can watch Family Guy on (that's how I spent my last gig there) from an audience member point of view I always find it a hit or a miss.

Last night I went along to see Mechanical Smile kick off their UK tour, something which I hope goes well for them, they're such a hard working band I've no doubt that they'll make the most of every date they play up and down the country. I took Sam along to do the review, I kind of wanted to just enjoy the night but after being there I decided I'm just going to write the review myself. Sam's review is still there and I'll put it up at some point.

Unfortunately I didn't make it in time to see the first band perform, so I can't really comment on them, it's disappointing when that happens, but it's sometimes just the way of the world.

Life on Standby however, I did manage to see. Straight away the comparisons were swimming about my head, they're reminiscent of 'The Downtown Fiction' with a female vocalist. The band have a very 'rock'n'roll freedom fighters' vibe about them, which translates across the stage perfectly. An energetic set from the four piece who know how to work the room to perfection. Some of their songs are the perfect balance of sing-a-longs, choppy guitars and thrashy beats which blend together to form tracks that sweat hunger and ambition. For me personally Life on Standby were the standout act of the night, such a mass of raw energy and emotion. Although, I did lose a bit of respect with the whole 'let's get the crowd to split into two and be our puppets' but that's just me, I go to gigs to enjoy the music not to be ordered about. Life on Standby are a terrific band and I think with a few tweaks here and there they could really go far. Outstanding performance.

Next up were Baltimore League, a band who I keep meaning to go and see and I've just never gotten around to it. For me the band ooze that 2002 'Brand New-esque' sound. In actual fact, after coming home and listening to Brand New's 'Your Favourite Weapon' album, the similarities are endless. Baltimore League are clearly a four piece who are driven by passion and enthusiasm, pulling out a show stopping set. Baltimore League tackled King Tuts with all the vigor and willingness you would expect any band with the opportunity to add a few more fans to do.

Finally the time had come for the band we all came to see. Mechanical Smile took to the stage at around half ten and straight from the off King Tuts was buzzing. Fan favourites 'Afterlife' and 'Close your eyes' really set off the audience who had quite clearly had a great night so far. If there's one thing about Mechanical Smile it's that they have built such a loyal following of fans, clearly evident from looking around the room last night. Big riffs, hard rocking drums, energetic, passionate and professional are just some of the words I could use to describe Mechanical Smile. There are some points in the set where you just slightly feel that Dawn loses control of her voice, but in all honesty that's probably down to the fact that she throws so much energy into her performance. As front as a front person goes in a band, Dawn is probably up there with some of the best of them, there's no over the top song introductions, there's no arrogance, there's a connection with who's at the front of that stage. Nic and Garry fill up the stage space perfectly, both in appearance and musically while Murray, although hidden at the back behind his kit makes sure his voice is heard. Everything Mechanical Smile have done up to this point have seen them grow as a band and last night at King Tuts they played outstanding and kicked off a UK tour in style. A five star performance from the Kilmarnock outfit.

The Showcase!

The Showcase featured six acts, each one of them bringing something incredible to the table. Out of almost 200 entries we managed to whittle it down to six, and last night at Stereo they all came together for an amazing show. Tonight at 7pm we will announce who goes on to open the show for Jiezuberband and Preacher at the o2 abc1 on April 27^th.

I was exceptionally busy last night with the whole organising malarkey (stressed out my box is another way to put it) so I brought Sam along to write the review. So instead of me prattling on (I done enough of that last night with the whole ‘public speaking’ thing, I’ll just hand over to him.

First of all came Jay Ingram, I think musicians and civilians alike would agree there is nothing this man’s voice cannot do, he began his set strongly and performed what was my favourite track of the night; Ms Daisy which he wrote about his car and announced that in actual fact his car, was trashed. That’s beside the point though as he wrote it when his car wasn’t in the wreck and in actual fact expressed through his voice, tone, lyrics and melody how such a minute thing to some people may provoke the most magnificent track. I wish Jay had a full band however as the combination of vocals, acoustic guitar and Macbook PC sounded far too polished. Still, however, I do hope to see this promising young artist in the future and I’m in no doubt that he has a very promising career in doing what he enjoys the most.

Second on the hot-spot came The Detours. The band itself was spectacular and the performance they produced was magnificent although there are a couple points in which I would like to express about them. First off the harmonies, they continued throughout the whole set and as much as I enjoy the power of combined vocals I felt that sometimes they could have made a much bigger impact if they played the spaces rather than fitting it all into one big mash up. What they played was precise, on the ball and without a doubt very powerful. The energy of this band was the best I’ve seen all night and the guitar solos found a fitting end within all their songs.

Suspire made my night if nothing else, they reminded me of Fleetwood Mac, if they had turned up the distortion once in a while, a very promising band with a very promising future ahead of them. If I could pick one flaw then it would be that they need more stage presence as a whole. The one thing that did catch  my attention was the distortion on the bass when they were setting up and that immediately set my eyes on what they were up to, they had an amazing start and a very nice change in the first song from what appeared to be soft rock, quickly changed into soft/hard rock and epic roll! There was one stand out thing that caught my attention and that was the drummer whose sheer enthusiasm shone through the crowd like a light.

Next up was Dee who seemed very much like Suspire in the respect that they need more stage presence, the music; phenomenal, the structure; brilliant, and the band; couldn't be tighter. It was obvious to me by this point that every band who comes here were obviously aiming for the top. And if they couldn't get the top then they would shoot down anyone who opposes them, of course I mean that in the most non-literal way possible. From what I could tell from Dee, they knew what they were doing and should feel very proud for everything they did! An exceptional talent who has big things coming in the future if there’s any justice in the world.

Then Sonic Templars hit the stage, at first thought they were very aggressive in their approach and definitely wanted to be known. As their set-list progressed it was obvious that they knew what they were aiming for and as a final punch ended in a way that was unmatched all night. They had it. And I mean they had whatever it is that attracts a crowd and gets the riled up, they could be described as powerful, but I would say that they should be described as professional. That however could be said for every band on the bill.

The last band that played was called Jesus Trip who was introduced by Martin with extreme etiquette (a gentle ‘Fuck You’ to the crowd). Their best song of the night was called “Believer” which I can quite happily say, blew my mind! There are many things I could say about Jesus Trip but I should keep it short and sweet, they are awesome, they are original, although people would argue their style isn't  I would argue their style is just the first thing you pick up on about this band. After listening to their set, I can say that they sure do know (or at least I hope they know) that their style is unmatched in the sense that no one could copy this band, no one could pull of what they did tonight and as a whole, I’m glad that I was able to come see them.

The whole night turned out as a success and the last thing I can say about it all was that Stereo in Glasgow is a hot venue for hot bands, I shall be returning here regularly to see what else this place has to offer.

Martin – I would just like to say that my ‘Fuck You’ was called for. It was a great night, amazing bands on the bill. Putting six acts on was a gamble, but one that I hope paid off. Everyone who was there seemed to enjoy it. The artists were phenomenal to work with and chat to, all professionals and hard workers, all extremely talented and more importantly all entertaining. 7pm tonight we will make the announcement on the UUC Management website and then the Facebook, and believe me it’s such a hard decision to make. Tell you what though, I think I’m going to have more nights like that, and if I can I might just get the same acts along to do another blinder of a show! Right now however I’m away to make an egg in a cup, a cup of coffee and chill the feck out before I start getting hounded by people to do stuff.

Big thanks to Dee, The Detours, Suspire, Jay Ingram, Jesus Trip and the Sonic Templars for playing, to Alistair Mulhearn for bringing his photographic machinery along, to Stevey Murray for being left on the door to collect tickets all night and having to endure some Jiezuberband Madness (people attaching themselves to coat hangers and hanging themselves up) to Stereo, To Preacher and Jiezuberband and you know what, thanks to everyone! Next stop…………….o2 abc1

Pivo Pivo - The Changes by Sam Adgo

(Martin) It's strange for me, I'm really letting go of this reviewing Malarky ever so slightly and giving the work to some other people. It's hard for me to let go just that little bit, but it allows me to concentrate a bit more on some other aspects of UUC Management. Don't worry though, I'll still be posting reviews every week. Anyway tonight Sam took himself along to see 'The Changes' live at Pivo Pivo, So I'll hand over to him and let him fill you in.

At first glance The Changes were a mystery to me, I had no idea what to expect. I wasn’t really sure how or if I could put this band into the spotlight.

Now, I simply just can't get enough of them.

 Intricate guitar solos, perfectly bass fitting with sheer simplicity, yet every note struck was powerful.

I attended the gig and listened to whatever bands have gotten up and displayed their potential as artists, each act bringing their skills to the table. The only thing I can say is different about The Changes is that it's exactly what you would hope for, for any upcoming band, they're innovativen, outstanding and the way the whole band performs is almost too perfect to be true.

As the night progressed I learnt that they vary enough to keep it fresh, full, and every song I have heard so far has turned out to be a dream.

I was particularly keen on the lead guitarist, his craftsmanship shows that he's the type of player who knows what he's doing and has known for quite some time.

What I can say about the other members however is that they all fill their parts perfectly, the way that they pull the set together makes the music link together precisely and neatly.

Each song has been neatly brought into contrast with one another, constantly changing but never growing dull. Sometimes they remind me of punk music that's technical, other times they even remind me of Neil Young.

I suppose I should talk about the drummer, bassist and rhythm guitarist/vocalist more. The first thing that catches my attention is the sheer power of the bass, it never drops a note and can fill up any lost space in the music.

The drums are piercing and you can feel them shooting through your body with every tap of your foot, you could say they were perfect for the feel of the night. Not too powerful but THEY WERE THERE!!!

Finally I come to the rhythm guitarist/vocalist whose personality and stage confidence elude me, you can clearly see he's at home with everything he does and knows these songs all too well. He dances and interacts with the crowd brilliantly, I couldn't have picked a better front man for this band if I tried.

I can see why people call this band a psychedelic rockgroup, but in my mind they could fit a multitude of genres

All in all these guys knew what they were doing and I would class them as the best band that performed on the night. There’s nothing I love more than a band that can introduce themselves and just get on with it like there's not a care in the world, I deeply respect these guys and hope to get along to a lot more shows  in the future!

They call themselves Psychedelic Monster, I would say the beast inside them amplifies that perfectly.

'The Changes' - Reviewed by Kenny Maclean

Firstly, and as this is my first review for UUC, I feel that I should give myself a short introduction. I’m Kenny, pleased to meet you…Now let us begin.

‘The Changes’ are a self described 4 piece Psychedelic rock and roll outfit from Livingston who have been gigging steadily for the past 6 months. The song in question ‘The Illusion’ is from the bands first double AA side, which is due for release sometime in early 2013. 

The track opens with the musical equivalent of going into a job interview, saying fuck you then pissing in the plant pot, e.g. feedback then 25 seconds of drum noise and guitar noodling. It’s a tried, tested, and effective way of introducing your band to the world, and I like it.

After that’s out of the way the song unravels as a slow/mid tempo rocker, it has that kind of laid back northern white boy feel, like they picked E minor so the Bassist could play his bass with his right hand and eat a meat and potato pie with his left during the verses. Not that that’s a bad thing, I do like the implied harmonies between Harrington’s Guitar and Livingstone’s Vocals over this lazy groove, it creates a nice Hippy Trippy vibe reminiscent of the Verve back when they were a good band (‘A Storm in Heaven’ anyone?).

This then leads us to the chorus and the overall sentiment of the song, ‘I send a message out to ya…I’m gonna get it back’, an ambiguous chant of mild rebellion, then verse then more mild rebellion, its at this point you think ‘I hope this song goes somewhere’.

Its at this point the song goes somewhere, from a standard rock song into a pop philosophy master class. Livingstone dictates a spoken word ramble about a man on a boat and on the boat is his own mind and in his mind is a sandwich and on that sandwich is cheese and pickle, but he doesn’t like cheese and pickle, why would his own mind do this to him, he then finds a map, heads to a lagoon, but then he realises ‘He’s been here before’. Yeah, I like this bit the best.

In conclusion ‘The Illusion’ is a very listenable track and the band has some nice chops. Its hard to Judge a band from one song but I hope on subsequent releases they lean more towards the psychedelic and less towards the mod pop. Overall I’d say, Give it a go.

Check them out at www.thechangeslive.co.uk 

Law of the Chord

As most people know last night the UUC Management website was launched, and the feedback has been phenomenal. Getting a website seemed like the best idea, it makes it easier for musicians to get in contact and also easier to find out what's going on in UUC land.

www.uucmanagement.com

There's also an upload form on the page which allows for artists to upload their tracks to be reviewed here, which again makes it so much easier to keep on top of. I decided to pick one of the acts that have submitted music already at random and get the process underway.

Law of the Chord a band from Aberfeldy who's music centres around the Indie genre. The three piece formed back in 2007 and just from listening to their music you can hear that this band haven't just came together.

The track they sent over was 'Desert Skies' and in the first few moments of the tracks I was instantly reminded of some of the mid to late ninties Indie bands such as 'Mazzy Star' and 'Built to Spill'

'Desert Skies' is a chilled back, hard hitting song that wouldn't be out of place in 1996 but at the same point has that timeless feel which really gives it the edge over what a lot of artists out there are doing. The guitar craftsmanship is nothing elaborate and yet really brings life to the track. The clever use of guitar effects combined with  a well built bassline really makes the song get its own groove which is hard not to enjoy. For a three piece the band give off such a 'full' sound that is rare for three piece acts these days.

The vocals on their own are brilliant, there's the right amount of rawness to them which personally I love in a vocalist. I'm a big hater of too much reverb, so when you have raw vocals appearing the way they do on this track it's so refreshing to hear something natural.

Sometimes bands don't need to be performing together for years to make great music, however, sometimes it pays off and it really shines through. 'Law of the Chord' are 6 years strong and the music is nothing but talent through and through.

This is a band all music lovers can appreciate and a band who should have a really bright future in front of them.


Check them out:

www.facebook.com/lawofthechord

www.lawofthechord.com

A bit chaotic!

I think it's sometimes difficult to review an act and try and make them appeal to a mass market. For some artists it's easy, for example take Anna Sweeney, The Detours or even Jay Ingram. It's so easy to put things down and make them appeal to an audience that spans such an obscure and eclectic demographic. When it comes to the Metal Genre it's so much harder to put it down in a way that people can understand. That is: if when you're reviewing it, it appeals to you in the first place.

Not long ago I reviewed the first release from Chaos! Ayrshire's newest metal band. I felt that even then I was struggling to make them appeal to a mass market, but then I realised that I shouldn't worry about making my words appealing, the music speaks for itself. The first two tracks I reviewed were "Running Away" and "Let me go" you can read that blog HERE. 

Since the release of those two tracks Chaos! have exploded over the internet in a 'Music Releasing Frenzy' as I like to call it, so much so that my news feed often gets cluttered up. Not that I'm complaining, I make a joke of it now and again but I do love seeing bands work hard to get their music out there because it's not an easy task.

More recently the band release 'Fall' from their upcoming E.P (although with the way things are going, I can see this E.P turning into a debut album)

Once again Anna's vocals are nothing short of outstanding. I commented a few months back that Anna just had to get a bit more control over her voice and that is exactly what she's done. She's taken an already strong voice and built on it with precision and grace to bring out something that isn't far removed from Cristina Scabbia who is one of my all time favourite vocalists in this genre.

Instrumentation is another part of Chaos that seems to have dramatically improved over the last couple of months. There's something very precise about the way that the guitar has evolved over the course of the last couple of tracks. 'Fall' is a song that doesn't have to rely on over the top Metal Riffs, it has such a balance of Riff and Melody that it makes it such a strong piece of music. Metal music has evolved over time and I think that Chaos! have managed to bring together a lot of the various styles together in one EP.

Listening to 'Fall' I couldn't help think of Breaking Benjamin with a Female Vocalist and a bit more metal. So simple yet so complex at the same time. So captivating that even the non-metal fan would love it. In my opinion it's their best so far. Hopefully they can keep it up.

AND

You can catch them at the 13th Note on February 12th! For a mere £4 (UUC Presents).......yes it's a shameless plug and I don't care

The Colour of Logic

As I said before I've been so busy that I've not had time to get any reviews typed up so I'm determined that this week I will work through every single thing that I've been sent and any gigs that I've been to. I'm going to start with 'The Colour of Logic'

I actually went along to 'Box' on Sauchiehall Street back in December to see this band perform in what was their first outing as a band. I know from experience that the first show as a band can be a nerve wracking experience, especially when you're performing in front of a crowd who have never heard of you or heard any of your material. However 'TCOL' managed to pull it out of the bag and then some. To watch them perform you would have thought that this band had been together for a number of years. If only they managed to fill up a bit more of the stage rather than looking stiff at certain points then this band could be up there with some of the best acts I've witnessed in the last twelve months.

I was actually sent some tracks a good while back to listen to and as most people do, you end up getting a favourite track and that's the one that really sticks with you. So I'm going to start with that one right now.

'Traveler in Time' just hit me like a car the first time I heard it. It has a strange sort of R.E.M feel about it, I can't quite place my finger on it. The composition of the track is really well crafted from start to finish and it really personifies the band as a whole.

'Beyond the stars' is another track from 'TCOL' which really is a stand out track. The song is not a heavy vocal based track like 'Traveler in Time' instead 'Beyond the Stars' really makes the craftsmanship on guitar stand through. There's actually something very Sam Pacetti'ish about the guitar work on this track that makes me love it.

The Colour of Logic are a fantastic group of musicians who appear to have came together and brought all their skills to the table. There's no over the top instrumentation, no hard to connect with lyrics. There's nothing but  pure talent within this group and it's a group who quite frankly could keep releasing tracks like what I've heard and I would buy every single one. I think to really get to know how fantastic this band are you really need to see them perform live. I for one am definitely a fan!

You can check out their Facebook by clicking right here!

A whole lot of updates

It's been an incredibly busy couple of weeks. Sometimes I start to wonder how time manages to let me fit everything in. Of course I'm not the only who's busy recently, Rose Parade launched their Debut Video last week and last night they launched the Album at the 13th Note in Glasgow. Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it, but I have heard that it was a terrific show. Facebook was loaded with people talking about it and it really just makes me wish that I had managed to be there.

I've discovered quite a few new acts over the last couple of weeks as well. 'Burn the Maps' are really standing out for me at the moment, and I would urge everyone to go and have a listen, I see big things from them in the future. They are going to be a huge hit in 2013 and I'm hopefully going to get along to a good few events.

Another piece of news I've had is that 'Twisted Illusion' (a band who really stood out for me last year) are taking the band in a whole new direction. I have no idea what direction they plan on going in, but I'm interested to see where it goes. They are apparently doing a preview of the new material in Box on the 20th of February so I'm going to try and get along and it would be good to see some other happy faces there.

I'm going to be busy on the 20th because on the same night I'm going to run around to King Tuts to see the fabulous Anna Sweeney perform. Anyone who follows my blog will know that I rate Anna higher than most performers on the circuit at the moment. She's just got such a big talent, and she's such a tiny person. I love her music and on top of that she's such a nice person to know that it makes it hard not to be a fan.

I also went to see 'Slutcake' last Friday. They're a band I've never saw live and in actual fact I probably wouldn't have heard of them if I hadn't been dragged to the gig by Mr Grant of Jiezuberband, but I really enjoyed it. I'm not a big covers band fan but they really know how to put on a show. Mo is a terrific front woman and the rest of the band are extremely talented in their field. It was a thoroughly enjoyable performance and a band who I would go and see again, possibly for all the wrong reasons but hey, we're all allowed our guilty pleasures.

I also finally managed to get a hold of Brendan Benson's newest album 'What Kind of World' For those of you who don't know, Brendan is in the band 'The Raconteurs' who to be honest I'm not a massive fan of but Brendan's solo work completely blows me away. It's very melodramatic and completely encapsulating. If you happen to come across the album I would definitely recommend buying it, or adding it to your wish list for the year.

Moving away from Music just for a moment;

The finale of Fringe was two weeks ago and I have to say I'm sad that it's ended. It was one of my favourite television shows of the last decade and it really gave me something to think about at the end of every episode. Walter Bishop is without doubt one of the best characters ever created for a television show and had given me countless hours of laughter and nonsensical enjoyment.

I'm still a bit undecided on WWE at the moment..........yes I still watch wrestling, no I don't care that you think it makes me a child, yes I know it's scripted!!.......The Rock as WWE Champion again? Not what I wanted to see, not that I have anything against The Rock but CM Punk really brought credibility back to that Championship with a terrific reign that lasted well over a year and is the longest reign in the modern day era.


Back to music;

Suspire, The Detours, Dee, Sonic Templars, Jay Ingram and Jesus Trip all take part in The Showcase at Stereo on the 24th of this month to find the Support Act for the o2 ABC show featuring Jiezuberband and Preacher. All six acts are truly outstanding and so it will be interesting to see who gets the slot.

February is a month full of some amazing gigs, I'm going to try and get along to as many as I can. I get invites to gigs every single day and I know how annoying it is when you try and promote a show and nobody shows up, but I promise I will try my hardest to get a long to many more this month than I did in January.

Music Reviews - I've been sent a lot of music to review recently, I've just been so busy with other stuff that I haven't really had the chance to get them done. Saying that though, I will work my through them this week and have them all up. Remember if you want your tracks reviewed send them over to uucmanagement@hotmail.co.uk

So that's all for just now, I'm going to leave you with a little bit of Brendan Benson to get your teeth into.

Rose Parade - Grace

There are some artists who feature prominently on my playlist and then there are others who don't but really should. It's not because I don't rate them but because I simply, over time, forget to put them on. So it's always great when they come back to the forefront of my mind and I fire on a couple of tracks and get back in the mood.

Tonight I remembered that Rose Parade were launching their new video for "Grace" and so I started going back through the "Archives" as I like to call them (really it's just a stack of cds on a couple of shelves or folders on my HDD) and listening to what I call "Wee Gems" and it's safe to say that Rose Parade are back on my radar.

To top off listening to that fantastic music from their past I also managed to watch the new video, which if the hype was anything to go by, it was going to be fantastic.

I'm a big fanboy for music that's not considered "Mainstream" or "Commercial" although I'm also a big believer of not putting labels on music and letting the music describe itself. Whenever something new comes out from someone on the local scene, I am on it like a moth to light (I was going to use some sort of Jimmy Saville reference but thought perhaps it was too soon, or inappropriate)

Anyway I was waiting for 7pm and the video for Rose Parade's "Grace" didn't disappoint. The videography itself is stunning, and the lense effects really bring it to life. I'm also a sucker for silhouettes or shadows in videos, I don't know what it is but I love them and the use of them in "Grace" just adds to what already (for me) was an astonishing video.

There's something about it that makes me think of a dream sequence from a movie, I can't remember the movie at the moment but when I do I shall edit this. It's a video that keeps your attention, there's no over the top theatricals or loud costumes, there's no crazy make-up or un-necessary gratuitous dancing. It's a video that simply embellishes the music that it's showcasing.

Stepping away from the videography for a moment I have to say that "Grace" is a perfect example of why Rose Parade should be off making millions and touring the world. I've always loved their music and it's so great to see that even years later they can still pull out magic from what I can only imagine is a giant bag of tricks. It's so easy to be labelled these days, but with a band like Rose Parade who are far from a one trick pony, it's so easy to see why music shouldn't be labelled.

With the debut album on it's way, I for one am excited. Although I have to apologise to Ed, I was supposed to meet that crazy man to get tickets off of him for the launch night and things kept coming up and I never got round to getting one. One of those things that happens but I could kick myself in the face for it.