Bristol Talent

I have a couple of local talents for you, first off is Rosie Southern, accompanied on guitar by Pete Atkinson,
unsurprising in his usual self-deprecation that he isn't named on the track. Not the usual kind of music on this blog but boy can that girl sing.


Second up is George Ezra, a bluesy guy who has a singing voice that is nothing like his speaking voice. Skip to around 2:16 to hear him sing. I think this guy's got a future...

Ruen Brothers

Now a few people have tipped me off about Ruen Brothers so I thought I'd take a proper look at them. Described by one friend as jumping back a decade to The Libertines I can kind of see what he's saying but I think we're jumping a lot further back than that with these influences. Try jumping back to the Good Morning Vietnam soundtrack and we've got some of the right sounds. Despite some older influences these tracks (Aces and Walk Like A Man) sound fresh and could sit nicely along side a Jake Bugg track. I couldn't find a soundcloud without Bastille in the middle so you'll just have to skip that one...

The Airborne Toxic Event - New Album

With the wonders of social media I can keep up with the bands I like through Twitter, Facebook and email - anyone remember MySpace, that's had a facelift but I've still not used it recently. Anyway I was surprised to hear that The Airborne Toxic Event had released a new album last month. I'm sure they're not cool to like but I don't care. Their first two albums are great and there's not a track to skip across the two albums. So I have ordered the new one and I hadn't even heard a track off it at the time.

Bands Have Got To Choose

I recently went to see The Sunshine Underground at a gig in Bristol. This was something I couldn't wait for, they hadn't been to Bristol for four years and on that occasion I couldn't make it, so it had been a long wait. I'd previously set myself the task of hearing as many of my top 25 most played tracks live as possible. Number four in that playlist is Commercial Breakdown an absolute corker of a song that I would play time and time again, often as my psych up song before football. You might guess where this is going but they didn't play it. I was gutted. It dragged the whole gig down for me, not left wanting more but left empty and unfulfilled.

Now I understand the bands point of view, this is a track off their first album (they're about to release their third) and they must have played this track hundreds of times, with practising, touring and video takes they must have it heard it so many times they may, understandably want to play something else. The thing is they did play something else, the crowd were treated to quite a lot of new tracks off the new album but this is one of their 'big hits' we're talking about here.

When I mentioned it to +John J Sills who occasionally writes for this blog he said he'd had the same thing at The Killers gig. They played loads of new stuff and then a different version of Mr Brightside. I'm sure there were a lot of fans at that gig paying a premium as they were seeing THE Killers, the band with all the hits. You can't charge an established band ticket price and then play like a new band. I asked another friend who is in a band and he said you've got to tell them so I tweeted them but I've had no response.

When it comes down to it The Sunshine Underground have fallen to the levels of PledgeMusic where the band requires the fans to back them in the production of their album. You've got to give the fans what they want and what they've paid for. I hope the albums comes up with the goods more than the gig did, it's a lot easier to get your set list right...

George Barnett - Animal Keeper

Most people who discovered George Barnett discovered him through his 8 million view video of 'Get Lucky', his cover of Daft Punk's song of the year. It's a difficult way to be known and hard to follow up but he does appear to have talent, I'm sure you'll agree. Can he progress and keep it coming?

So I'm a bit late to this party...

So I heard this on 6Music (just Radio 2 in a parallel universe if you ask me) and I liked it and I thought if I missed out on this first time around, maybe you did too. Enjoy.

What More We Are Scientists?

OK I had to show you this video, I recently told you of We Are Scientists EP and believe it or not I actually bought it. What I didn't notice was that there was a sneaky cover in there of Berlin's Take My Breath Away. Knowing that occasional contributor of the blog +Neil Schofield  is a big fan of Top Gun I thought he'd been interested in this big budget remake of the original. I've always liked how W.A.S don't take themselves too seriously. You'll see what I mean when you hit play...

Oh and they're playing Bristol in March if anyone fancies it?

Spring 2014 Tour Dates (UK)
March 6th – Oxford – O2 Academy
March 7th – Cambridge – Junction
March 8th – Leeds – Stylus
March 9th – Manchester – Ritz
March 11th – Newcastle – Academy
March 12th – Glasgow – O2 ABC
March 13 – Nottingham – Rock City
March 15th – Birmingham – Institute
March 16th – Norwich – Waterfront
March 17th – Southampton – University
March 19th – Bristol – Academy
March 20th – London – O2 Shepherds

Vast Robot Armies - Grey Area Living

Vast Robot Armies is the alter ego for Sometimes Why lead singer, turned solo artist Jason Thomson. At times a bit QotSA and a bit Eels like Grey Area Living is a pretty strong single. You can get the album, Goodnight Myopia, from bandcamp on a name your price basis.

Self Defense Family - Not Considered A Flight Risk

An interesting sound, punk I guess, but I couldn't help but letting it spin and spin as it got in my head. Luckily I don't have to pigeon hole them, their label have done this superbly for me "purveyors of misanthropic, rough-around-the-edges indie rock, juxtaposing a no-fucks-given attitude with a clear taste for melody" This US band are having a UK release through Welsh label Palm Reader Records. You can get the 7" from the 11th of this month.