We Are The Ocean – Runaway

Having been extremely impressed with We Are The Ocean’s ‘Cutting Our Teeth’ album last year, I have to say that I was quite surprised when I first heard the band’s ‘Runaway’ single. There’s not a screamed vocal in sight here, and what we have instead is a dual sung vocal approach from Dan Brown and Liam Cromby.

Whilst ‘Runaway’ is entirely different from what I was expecting, this certainly doesn’t mean that I’m disappointed with what the band has to offer here; ‘Runaway’ is an incredibly catchy track, and We Are The Ocean are as impressive as ever here. Just as with the screamed and softly sung out vocal contrast, Dan and Liam’s difference in vocals still works brilliantly here, with Dan’s more gravelly vocals combining superbly with Liam’s more sweet and smooth approach.

If you’re not a fan of screamed vocals and were put off We Are The Ocean in the past as a result of this, definitely give ‘Runaway’ a chance as you may just be impressed with what you here. By the same token, if you’re a fan of the band’s harder hitting vocal approach, don’t be put off by the band’s decision to slow things down a little here as ‘Runaway’ is a track that really does have a lot to offer.

Instrumentally as well as vocally ‘Runaway’ pushes all the right buttons in my opinion, providing for a sublimely satisfying overall listening experience.

Be sure to give We Are The Ocean’s ‘Runaway’ a listen and you may just find yourself reaching for the repeat button on more than one occasion.

Label: Hassle Records
Release Date: July 18th 2011

Rating:

All Time Low, Yellowcard, Young Guns @ Brixton Academy, Sunday 13th March 2011

Dressed in a rabbit onesie accompanied by a tiger and a leopard huddled under thick duvet covers, fans have been queuing since early hours or the previous day. ALL TIME LOW has one of the biggest and dies hard fan bases to exist in the foundations of modern day pop-punk. So when the burley security guards open up ‘heaven’s doors’, the fans upon fans swarm in like a stampede of antelope, all wanting to grab a hold of that sacred barrier.

First up is the British High Wycombe collective, also referred to as the uprising and over achieving YOUNG GUNS. Hitting straight into “D.O.A” these boys try their very best to open up a pit, although the crowd is sadly made up of thirteen to sixteen year olds with the handful of watchful parents or those who chose to stay at the back and enjoy their view from the bar. How ever, despite this one flaw, it’s the only one noticeable in their set. Front man, Gustav Wood’s crowd control is unbelievable as he forces the audience to spring upwards, clap but most importantly chant back the lyrics. “Stitches”, the band’s most currently released single, changed the atmosphere into something entirely different. Yes, the four minute wonder still consists of jumping, but the spine chilling coos, deep base line entwined with beautiful guitar strums is something else. “Daughter of the Sea”, “Winter Kiss” and “Crystal Clear” brings a cry of lyrics summoned up by the audience joined by fists beating up into the air giving all three tracks an exceedingly powerful feel to them. Their performance tonight is definitely one of their crowning glory moments as they show such enthusiasm and passion in what they do, that it will be no time until they’re succeeding higher levels and opportunities for those on today’s British music scene.

It’s been some time since YELLOW CARD have been back in the UK, so it comes as no surprise when they bring their musical to life on Brixton’s stage for the second time that it has such an astonishing effect on the crowd. “Lights and Sounds” brings back a familiar and warm welcome as the clever use of instruments such as violins that stimulates the audience into one big cheer. Yellow Card may be stereotyped to be meeting the needs of the older ones gathered here tonight, but the catchy “Rough landing Holly”, “Five Becomes Four” and “Hang You Up” bring everyone up onto their feet with their arms flying in the air (despite most of them trying to imitate a Irish Jig). Infamous ballad, “Only One” makes everyone howl out the words “you are my only, my only one” like a dog kennels on a full moon, running smooth Goosebumps and raising every last hair on your entire body. Of course “Ocean Avenue” is pure amazement, as like a cherry and whipped cream, tops off such an astounding performance.

Opening with an anticipating intro before diving head first into “Keep the Change, You Filthy Animal”, pop punkers ALL TIME LOW take the stage like a wild whirlwind. With a deafening roar, captivating track “Dammed If I do ya, Dammed if I don’t” brings out the best in these Maryland Boys. It’s hard to believe that with such popularity that this band’s first ever single “Coffee shop soundtrack” only came out back in early 2007! All Time Low aspire to reach out to their oldest fans that have been there for them since the beginning, the selection of the classics “Jasey Rae”, “Poppin’ Champagne” and “Six Feet Under The Stars” are used to bring a pleasing grin to those from the very front to the back in both the standing arena and those sat (well now standing and dancing) on the balcony. Whilst “A Part Song” , “Lost in Stereo” and “Stella” un-veils your inner wild child with it’s bubbly choruses and upbeat backings, “Therapy”, “Remembering Sunday” and a solo cover of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” performed by front man Alex Gaskarth tweaking at his acoustic guitar, melts your heart and soul to the core. As curtain draws, the lights dim. Knowing that two obvious songs have not yet been broadcasted through the dome shaped building, the crowd beg for more. There’s silence for a moment but as soon as the dropping beats of “Weightless” begins insanity appears. Literally screaming back the words “I wanna feel weightless just because” makes you wonder how everyone has not yet lost their voice, although come Monday morning they might just find themselves having some difficulty with talking. Finishing on the infamous “Dear Maria Count Me In” has made an excellent choice of an encore. All Time Low tonight have most unquestionably put them on an all new high.

WORDS: EMILY RAWSON

Sonic Boom Six – New Style Rocka

Having not released any new studio material for two years, Sonic Boom Six is back with a bang with the release of new single ‘New Style Rocka’. With the band always had a fine knack for mashing up different genres it’s therefore no surprise to find drum n bass MC Tonn Piper making an appearance here as Sonic Boom Six and Tonn Piper bounce off one another to provide for an extremely impressive audio offering.

Tonn Piper is an obviously very talented MC, Sonic Boom Six has always been an incredibly talented band, and Tonn Piper most certainly fits well with the Sonic Boom Six sound. Back in November I attended a Tek-One show at the Islington Academy at which Tonn Piper provided the vocal duties for both Daywalkers and Tek-One; when I heard Daywalkers I couldn’t do so without thinking of Sonic Boom Six, so for me it feels a very natural partnership for Tonn Piper to be teaming up with Sonic Boom Six for this track.

There’s a lot of bounce about ‘New Style Rocka‘, the band sounds like it’s having a lot of fun whilst performing the track on record and I can most certainly see this one going down well on the live circuit. It’s everything you could have possibly expected from a new Sonic Boom Six track and more; the band sounds as vibrant as ever and I for one absolutely love what the band has to offer here.

Not only is ‘New Style Rocka’ an incredibly strong track, but B-Side ‘What Doesn’t Kill You Make You Stronger’ is also an extremely fine offering from the band with a bit of a dubstep feel about it which again works well here. Sonic Boom Six is certainly not a band afraid to experiment with sound, and through willingness to experiment and delve into different genres here, two tracks have been put together for this single that really do work well and offer a lot.

A third and final track concludes this single, a DJ Frisk drum n bass remix of ‘New Style Rocka’. Whilst I prefer the standard version of ‘New Style Rocka’, it’s a nice touch to have this drum n bass remix included here, working well in bringing this single release to a close.

Having not released new studio material for several years, Sonic Boom Six certainly show here that they’re a band that very much still has it, and ‘New Style Rocka’ should well win them a whole host of new fans as well as impressing the old ones.

Next year will mark the 10th anniversary of Sonic Boom Six; during this time they’ve seen a lot of bands come and go, through keeping things fresh and always being open to trying different things out Sonic Boom Six is one band that has continued to remain relevant however, and this is hopefully a band that will be able to remain together for some time to come.

Label: Rebel Alliance Recordings
Release Date: March 28th 2011

Rating:

Attack! Attack! – Blood On My Hands

‘Blood On My Hands‘ is the latest single from Welsh rock band Attack! Attack!; it’s an anthemic rock song, and you can most definitely imagine this track being played as the band packs out a sold out arena. Having only formed in 2006, the last five years have seen the band grow and expand greatly, and ‘Blood On My Hands‘ is a fine example of the strength that this band has now come to occupy.

‘Blood On My Hands‘ is most certainly a track that stood out to me massively when I first listened to the band’s ‘The Latest Fashion‘ album back in September; it’s one of the gentler numbers from the album, certainly one of the most memorable however, and when you listen to ‘The Latest Fashion‘ you can’t help but feel that this track stands out.

Extremely well structured, ‘Blood On My Hands‘ makes a massive impression right from the start, with the strong vocal style and quality guitar work here really making the track stand out. The drumming is also extremely powerful here, and as you listen to this track it is made extremely clear that Attack! Attack! is a band with a great amount of instrumental talent and flair.

Attack! Attack! is a band that can at times pack an extremely powerful punch, with ‘Blood On My Hands‘ they show off their lighter side though, showing themselves to be a band with a diverse range, capable of pulling off a variety of different styles and tempos.

Give ‘Blood On My Hands‘ a listen and you will hear a quality UK rock band with a great deal of confidence in its ability.

Label: Hassle Records
Release Date: March 7th 2011

Rating:

Cut Copy @ HMV Forum, Sunday 6th March 2011

In an impressive set that consisted of twelve tracks, Cut Copy did a grand job of pleasing the London crowd, performing a variety of tracks from their three studio albums to date. Holy Ghost! were the sole support act of the night, it was clear that the mass majority were here to see Cut Copy however, and it wasn’t until the Australian synthpop band took to the stage that this gig really started to get serious.

Opening with ‘Nobody Lost, Nobody Found‘ from the ‘In Ghost Colours‘ album, Cut Copy were instantly able to get into their stride as they crunched through a number of classy numbers. Mainly the band alternated between material from ‘In Ghost Colours‘ and ‘Zonoscope‘, ‘Saturdays‘ from ‘Bright Like Neon Love‘ was also played however, showing that the band has not yet completely forgotten its debut.

It was the ‘In Ghost Colours‘ material that seemed to go down particularly well with the audience; the biggest excitement of the night came as the band launched into ‘Lights & Music‘, and ‘Hearts On Fire‘ was also greeted with great applause as the HMV Forum crowd showed its appreciation for the band’s superb second album.

Whilst the music itself was extremely impressive, the light show that went with it was perhaps a little over the top at times, and although the lights were at first pleasing on the eye, less perhaps would have been more here.

Cut Copy is most certainly a band that knows how to put on a quality live show, and if you ever get a chance to see this fine Australian band then I’d definitely recommend doing so. Not only were the downstairs standing crowd moved by the music, but the majority of those in the seated section of the balcony also chose to stand as Cut Copy got the crowd dancing and made sure that this was a night to be remembered for all those that attended.

Rating:

All Time Low – Time Bomb

‘Time Bomb‘ is the latest track from All Time Low, hailing from the band’s yet to be released ‘Dirty Work‘ studio album. Although the first officially revealed track from the band’s fourth studio album, interestingly enough it will not be the first released single from the album and is merely serving the purpose of bridging the gap between ‘Nothing Personal‘ and ‘Dirty Work‘.

‘Time Bomb‘ is a fun pop song from All Time Low; perhaps not the best track the band has ever written, a solid effort nonetheless however, and one that has got me excited about hearing what more the band will have to offer with ‘Dirty Work‘ as the chances are that there will be a number of better tracks on the album than this one. The vocal work of Alex Gaskarth is as impressive as always here, and it’s this more than anything that has me wanting to hear more from the album. The instrumental work is simple yet effective here, overall however with this track you just get the impression that this is All Time Low not quite at full gear, with the best being saved for later.

The fact that ‘Time Bomb‘ is not being released as the first single suggests that the band themselves feel that other tracks from the album have more to offer than this one, so if you listen to this one and like it then the chances are that you’ll be even more impressed when you hear the album.

I’m probably at times here sounding more bleak about ‘Time Bomb‘ than I mean to; I’ve already listened to ‘Time Bomb‘ quite a number of times and do like what I hear, All Time Low is an extremely talented pop punk band however and I just can’t believe that this will be as good as it gets with ‘Dirty Work‘. It’s a testament of the band’s talent that I’m expecting more from the album; All Time Low is a band that has impressed me massively in the past, and I’ve no reason to believe that the same won’t be true again of ‘Dirty Work‘.

An official release date for ‘Dirty Work‘ is yet to be announced, take a trip to the All Time Low Facebook page however and you’ll be able to give ‘Time Bomb‘ a listen and see what you think of this latest work from Baltimore’s favourite pop punk band.

Rating:

The King Blues – We Are Fucking Angry

Having hit the top 100 UK singles chart in 2010 with ‘Headbutt‘, The King Blues is a band all set to release its third studio album ‘Punk and Poetry‘ on April 18th, and in preparation for the release has made the track ‘We Are Fucking Angry‘ available for free download from BandCamp.

With a fast and furious vocal attack that reminds me a lot of Capdown in the chorus, ‘We Are Fucking Angry‘ is an extremely strong effort from The King Blues, and along with ‘Headbutt‘ and ‘Holiday‘ suggests that we can most definitely prepare to be impressed with ‘Punk and Poetry‘. ‘We Are Fucking Angry‘ is by far the most furious of the three, as you’d expect from the title of the track, and looking at these three tracks together demonstrates the great versatility that The King Blues is capable of; the band shows supreme strength in its ability to tackle and pull off a number of different styles.

‘We Are Fucking Angry‘ is a hugely impressive effort from The King Blues, an incredible sense of passion comes through in the sound here, and this is something that is always excellent to hear. It’s the vocals that hit hardest here, instrumentally the track is impressive also however, and everything about this track comes together well to provide for the overall excellence that is the ‘We Are Fucking Angry‘ single as a whole.

‘We Are Fucking Angry‘ is most definitely a single you should be listening to, and given that the track is available for free download, what real excuse do you have not to?

Label: Transmission Recordings
Release Date: January 27th 2011

Rating:

Tek-One, LightsGoBlue, Daywalkers @ Islington Academy, Wednesday 17th November 2010

With the lead singer of Manchester’s Daywalkers on vocal duty, Tek-One took to the Islington Academy stage to blast through a number of tracks both old and new.

In a strong set that was packed full of energy, Tek-One most definitely had a lot to offer with this gig, and those that attended the show certainly seemed to leave with a smile on their faces. There was quite a mix of support bands that included We Die Tonight, LightsGoBlue, and Daywalkers, whilst We Die Tonight seemed an odd choice of support band however, LightsGoBlue and Daywalkers both put on strong sets and warmed the crowd up nicely for the emergence of Tek-One. With their mixing of reggae, drum and bass, rap, metal, and punk, Daywalkers was a band that made me think a little of fellow Manchester outfit Sonic Boom Six, whilst also of Rage Against the Machine. Daywalkers certainly offered up a strong set, and it was therefore good to see when the band’s singer once again took to the stage to join up with Tek-One. As for LightsGoBlue, they’re a fun pop punk inspired synth driven two-piece; they put on a good show, and their energy and passion for creating music is most definitely there for all to see with their live show.

When attending a live dubstep show you don’t necessarily except a pit, Tek-One most certainly brought the pit however, with the busy Islington crowd going mental as the band cracked through its set. With the crowd’s eagerness to mosh, it was no surprise that the Bring Me The Horizon mix went down well, and it seemed that there wasn’t a soul in the venue that wasn’t moving to the music.

2010 has been a big year for Tek-One, and more can surely be exprected heading into 2011.

Clock Opera, Tall Ships, Paper Crows @ Camden Barfly, Monday 1st November 2010

The Camden Barfly was nice and busy for this Time Out London Sessions show; the audience sure looked the part and it was now up to the bands to make sure that this night was a success.

First up was Paper Crows, a minimalist London two-piece consisting of vocalist Emma Panas and keyboardist Duncan McDougall. Paper Crows provided a pleasant sound with their set, performing a number of smartly put together tracks and warming the crowd up nicely for headline act Clock Opera. Emma Panas’ vocals really did go down well, and Paper Crows was able to set the scene for a night packed full of hugely entertaining music.

Although the headline act, interestingly up second was another London based band in the form of Clock Opera. With great applause after every track played, Clock Opera was clearly able to impress its London crowd, and there were no doubt many that went home afterwards and downloaded the band’s new single ‘Once And For All’, released through Kitsune on the day of the gig. With every track the band had a lot to offer here, and it wasn’t hard to work out why Clock Opera had been chosen to headline. Tall Ships was still to come, the bar had been set incredibly high by Clock Opera however, and it was always going to be hard for Tall Ships to try and top the Clock Opera performance; clearly a large number of those in attendance decided that this was an impossible feat and chose to end their night after Clock Opera, this was most definitely a mistake though as Tall Ships is a high quality band with a great amount to offer with its live show. Clock Opera put on an undeniably excellent show at the Barfly and I’d very much be interested in seeing the band again in the future, Tall Ships was up next though and there was therefore no chance that I’d be heading for the exit quite yet.

Clock Opera vocalist Guy Conelly had many admirers to attend to once the band’s set was over; there were plenty of people hanging around to get a chance to chat to the man and he certainly seemed extremely appreciative of their support and pleased to talk to them. Clock Opera is a band that I’ll be expecting to hear a lot more from in the future and I wouldn’t be in the least bit surprised if they were to bag a major recording contract sooner or later; be sure to check out this band live if you get the opportunity as you’re extremely unlikely to be left disappointed.

So last but by no means least, it was time for Falmouth’s Tall Ships to take to the stage. Kicking off their set with ‘Plate Tectonics’ from the recently released ‘There Is Nothing But Chemistry Here’ EP, Tall Ships put on an extremely powerful show for the seriously diminished Barfly crowd. Many may have left after Clock Opera, Tall Ships sure made sure that those that stuck around were rewarded for doing so however, blasting through a very impressive half hour set that was packed full of quality material. Tall Ships is most definitely a band that knows how to impress with its mathcore sound; switching instruments multiple times throughout the set, the bands three members offered much with this show, putting smiles on the faces of those in attendance and ensuring that this Time Out London night ended on a high.

From start to finish this was a gig that pleased; all three bands very much did their job, for me though it was most definitely Clock Opera and Tall Ships that made the evening special. Both of these bands are ones to watch out for I feel, and heading into the future I very much believe that big things should be expected from both of them.

Rating:

Attack! Attack! – The Latest Fashion

Having formed in 2006 from members of Dopamine, Adequate Seven, and Pete’s Sake, Attack! Attack! is a band that has come a very long way since the early days of its coming together. The band’s eponymous debut album was released in 2008, the track ‘You and Me’ from the album was included on the popular video game Guitar Hero 5 in 2009, and in 2010 the band has now released its second studio album through Hassle Records. Attack! Attack!’s profile has quickly risen, and in ‘The Latest Fashion’ the band has now released an album which sends out a very strong message that you should definitely believe the hype that surrounds this Welsh rock band.

Starting with ‘Everyone Knows’, the band here begins as it means to go on with a powerful little rock track which sets the mood nicely for the rest of the album. Neil Starr’s vocals here come across incredibly well on record, the guitar work is strong, and there’s a real sense here that Attack! Attack! is a band with a huge amount to offer. Gentler moments are offered with tracks such as ‘Best Mistake’ and closing anthem ‘No Tomorrow’, when it wants to the band can really hit hard with its music however, and you therefore find on this release a number of high energy, fantastic fun rock tracks.

Attack! Attack! is a band that is without doubt made up of very talented musicians; the band’s sound is tight, all four members clearly know what they’re doing when it comes to creating catchy rock, and we’re here treated to a very fine eleven track album offering. ‘Blood On My Hands’ and ‘Latest Fashion’ are two very different tracks here; the first emphasising the bands gentler sound whilst the latter demonstrates their power, both tracks are fine examples of the creative excellence that this band is capable of however, and these are two tracks that are most definitely well worth listening to. All eleven songs included here deserve to be heard truth be told, there’s nothing here that doesn’t put a smile on the face and I’m sure that this is an album that will go down extremely well with many.

2010 could well be a big year for Attack! Attack!; ‘The Latest Fashion’ is likely to be the best album to come out of South Wales for a good while to come, and if you’re looking for a new rock record to listen to then you could definitely do a lot worse than picking up this one.

Label: Hassle Records
Release Date: September 27th 2010

Rating:

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