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Future Idiots – Neighborhoods & Morningwoods

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Future Idiots - Neighborhoods and Morningwoods Album Cover
When Blink-182 released sixth studio album ‘Neighborhoods’ in 2011, numerous people took to YouTube in order to give their takes on the new Blink-182 material, Swedish pop-punk band Future Idiots decided to go a little further than this however and recorded and released an entire cover album in the form of ‘Neighborhoods & Morningwoods’ through Pacific Ridge Records  in October 2012, taking on all 13 tracks from the album in a quest to provide a more ‘Enema of the State’ feel about the music. The result is largely pretty pleasing to hear; there are a couple of duds in the mix, this was also true of Blink 182’s ‘Neighborhoods’ album though so I’m sure we can forgive them for this. Also, Future Idiots’ ‘Even If She Falls’ cover is pretty much identical to Blink 182’s version, it was probably my favourite track from the ‘Neighborhoods’ album however so again I think we can forgive Future Idiots for not messing with a track that was already absolutely brilliant.

With the album taking the same course as the original in terms of its tracklisting (albeit without the ‘Hearts All Gone Interlude‘ and with an extra version of ‘Up All Night‘ tacked on the end), ‘Ghost on the Dance Floor’ is up first and sets the tone pretty nicely for what we can expect from the rest of the ‘Neighborhoods & Morningwoods’ cover album. It’s pretty much the same track from the Blink-182 album, the synth has been taken out however and the track has therefore been stripped back to the basics that we know and love from Blink-182. It’s a solid track, and right from the off here you know what to expect from the rest of the release: a similar record, just without the synth sections and Angels & Airwaves influence.

When I first had a look at the tracklisting for the ‘Neighborhoods & Morningwoods’ cover album, I was initially slightly confused that there are two versions of ‘Up All Night’ here. Upon listening to the album I soon discovered that the first version of the track is actually a cover of a cover however, and that the second version is more the Future Idiots take on it. KeezyKabeezy uploaded his take on ‘Up All Night’ back in August 2011, from the perspective of how it might have sounded had it been released in the ‘Enema of the State’ era, and Future Idiots here pay homage to KeezyKabeezy with a cover of his cover. I’m a big fan of KeezyKabeezy’s Blink-182 covers, and his original music such as his track ‘Power Lines’ is actually really good as well, so I was definitely impressed with Future Idiots cover of his version of the song, and I also enjoyed their version of ‘Up All Night’ as well. KeezyKabeezy’s version is definitely a little more different to the original than Future Idiots’ own cover of the track, each cover has its merits however and I can definitely see myself listening to both of these cover versions again in the future.

Future Idiots’ cover of ‘After Midnight’, whilst coming across as a little boring, stays fairly true to the Blink-182 original which could also be accused of being a little on the boring side. Future Idiots do inject a little more energy into the chorus to make it sound a little more like it may have sounded if Blink-182 had released it 10 years earlier, it’s certainly not my favourite cover from the album however, but then again, like I’ve already said, the original ‘After Midnight’ wasn’t really my favourite from the ‘Neighborhoods’ studio album either so I guess it’d be a little much to expect this young pop-punk band from Sweden to achieve with the track what one of the biggest names in the genre were unable to.

‘Wishing Well’ is probably another of Blink-182’s better efforts from the ‘Neighborhoods’ studio album, and Future Idiots definitely do the track justice here with a pop-punk cover that comes across very nicely on record. As is true of a lot of the tracks here, their cover has undergone minor tweaks and alterations to sound a little more ‘Enema’ than ‘Neighborhoods’, largely it is a very similar piece of music however and comes across as a decent cover of a quality Blink-182 song.

‘Love Is Dangerous’ is one cover from this album that I really couldn’t get to grips with. Blink-182’s version of the track, whilst different from what we’ve come to expect from Blink-182 over the years, is actually a track that I really enjoy listening to. Future Idiots’ cover of the track however just doesn’t do it for me; I don’t like the chorus at all, and this is something that I really enjoyed about the Blink-182 version of the track. I can recognise that the attempt is there to try and make the track sound a little more like ‘Cheshire Cat/Dude Ranch’ era Blink-182, for me it doesn’t work out so great however and this is the one and only track from the album that I really couldn’t find much enjoyment in at all.

Unlike some people that somehow see ‘Neighborhoods’ as the weakest album from Blink-182, I personally really like it and feel that there are actually a lot of great tracks to be found on it. Does it bother me then that Future Idiots and others have seen the need to take the album on and give the music more of a classic Blink vibe? No. Each to their own, and I’m always interested to hear other people’s takes on Blink-182’s back catalogue, so for me it’s interesting and fun to hear an entire ‘Neighborhoods’ cover album. There are things that I like about it, things that I dislike about it, and things about the cover album that I’d have done differently if it was me personally that was recording this cover album. I know that certain people have taken Future Idiots’ decision to cover this album as somewhat of an attack on Blink-182, as if Future Idiots have somehow recorded this album from a position of showing Blink-182 how the album ‘should’ have sounded. Personally, I just see it as a young group of musicians listening to this album and reimagining it as a 1999 release from Blink-182 rather than a 2011 release. From listening to this band’s original music it is obvious that Blink-182 is a band that they love and have a lot of respect for, they just perhaps prefer the Blink-182 sound of old as I’m sure a lot of people do, and have released a cover album which takes a nostalgic look at a new album from an old perspective.

If you’re more a fan of Blink-182’s older music than their new approach then I’d definitely recommend taking a listen to Future Idiots’ ‘Neighborhoods and Morningwoods‘ cover album. Even if you are a fan of ‘Neighborhoods‘ as I am then it’s still worth taking a listen to this album and hearing what this Swedish band thinks it might have sounded like had it been released in 1999; it’s interesting to hear their ‘Enema‘ take on the album, and I personally really enjoyed listening to this cover album on the whole, even if there were one or two slightly dodgy offerings on display here. There are some great cover tracks here, and although it’s not all good, there are definitely a lot of positives to be found and ‘Neighborhoods and Morningwoods‘ is a fine ode to one of the best bands in pop-punk.

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Truth or Dare Review

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Truth or Dare is a British horror/thriller from director Robert Heath. Not familiar with either of Heath’s previous two films, I came into this film unsure what to expect. The film has an estimated budget of £2,000,000, a relatively small amount in filmmaking terms, and given the budget that this film was made with; I’d say that Robert Heath has done a pretty good job here.

Whilst this probably isn’t the best film you’ll ever see, or even the best film you’ll see this year, there’s something very watchable about Truth or Dare and I found that the film’s 91 minutes elapsed very quickly. The characters aren’t remotely likeable and you therefore find yourself entirely emotionally detached from what happens to them; live or die you don’t really mind, but this fact is perhaps as much of a blessing as it is a curse. Due to the nature of the film, it’s kind of the idea that you don’t really like these characters because the film wouldn’t really work if they were likeable, however at the same time, because you don’t like them it’s therefore difficult to have a really strong feeling about the film I found. I found myself so detached from the film’s protagonists that come the end of the film, even though I felt that the film hadn’t dragged at all and time had in fact gone incredibly quickly, I didn’t really have a strong feeling about the film either way, and the film failed to leave any real lasting impression.

There are certainly plot holes here, but if you start dissecting every little detail of the film then you begin to take all the fun and enjoyment out of it, if you just enjoy it for what it is however then you’ll no doubt find that Truth or Dare is actually a pretty decent British film. The ending was poorly executed I felt, with the director perhaps seeking one final twist in the tail of the film that didn’t quite work out, however all in all Truth or Dare is a pretty solid effort of a British horror/thriller. There are certain parts of the film where things are at times a little predictable; sometimes it’s nice to be able to work out certain things as you go along however and it just makes the surprises that the film provides all the more pleasing to discover.

Truth or Dare is far from being the perfect British film; it has its plot holes, the ending is poor in my opinion, and if you like to be emotionally engaged with a film’s protagonists then you’re probably going to be left sorely disappointed here. For all of its downsides however this is still a very watchable film, and if you’ve got a spare hour and a half then there are certainly worse things you can do with your time than watch Truth or Dare.

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Blink-182, The All-American Rejects, Four Year Strong @ The O2 Arena, Friday 8th June 2012

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Up first was Four Year Strong, a band that I first became fully familiar with in 2007 when they released their ‘Rise or Die Trying‘ album through I Surrender Records. It was actually through their cover of Blink-182’s ‘Dumpweed‘ that I heard them for the very first time however, so it raised a smile for me to now be seeing them supporting the band they once covered. Whilst I’ve never been the biggest fan of Four Year Strong, the various times I’ve seen them here in the UK they’ve always put on a decent, energetic show, and this evening was no different. Being the first support, the band only had time to play 7 tracks in total, it was a well chosen set however and one that seemed to go down well with those in attendance. The majority of those in attendance were only really there to see one band, but Four Year Strong did a decent job nonetheless of warming the crowd and getting them ready for the next act to take to the stage, The All-American Rejects.

Launching straight into ‘Dirty Little Secret‘, it was clear that The All-American Rejects’ set was going to be a high energy affair with Tyson Ritter clearly delighted to be supporting Blink-182 at such an impressive venue in the English capital. Perhaps a little overexcited at times as he began insulting those in the box seats and branded a group of girls in bunny suits ‘sluts’, Tyson Ritter was nonetheless a very charismatic and entertaining frontman as he bounced his way around the stage. His banter with the crowd might not have gone down too well with some, personally I found him amusing however, his energy and enthusiasm on the stage was contagious, and all in all he made sure that there was never a dull moment with The All-American Rejects’ set. All four of the band’s albums were represented with the set, there was a good spread of the band’s music both new and old, and whilst the main event was still yet to come; The All-American Rejects made sure that the evening continued to run smoothly. Closing track ‘Gives You Hell‘ seemed to go down particularly well, as did taking things back a decade with 2002s ‘Swing Swing‘. All in all a top notch set from a band with four great album’s under its belt.

So now it was time for the band that 20,000 people had all been patiently waiting for; Blink-182. Was the band going to be able to live up to expectation, or were we all to be left bitterly disappointed? I’m happy to reveal that Blink-182 put on an absolutely brilliant show. After the band went on hiatus in 2005, and last year’s tour was put on hold for a year (as well as the band having to pull out of Bamboozle just prior to this UK tour), I’m sure there were many fans that wondered if we’d ever get another chance to see Blink-182 live in the UK, I know I certainly did; thankfully we have had another chance though and the band was able to put to bed our fears in its 20th year after first forming.

Opening with ‘Feeling This‘, there was an instant burst of excitement from the crowd as Blink-182 got their show underway. Instantly we were taken back to 2003, and what a beautiful moment it was too. The All-American Rejects had already set a pretty high benchmark of intensity to live up to, Blink-182 more than matched it however as they crunched through tracks from all 6 of their albums. ‘Carousel‘ was the soul representative from the band’s ‘Cheshire Cat‘ debut album, whilst ‘Josie‘ and ‘Dammit‘ were the only tracks on display from ‘Dude Ranch‘, whilst the emphasis was more on the material from the band’s newer albums however, it was good to see that the older albums weren’t completely forgotten about and did in fact hold a special place in the set with ‘Carousel‘ and ‘Dammit‘ both being included in the encore.

There was particular emphasis on 2011s ‘Neighborhoods‘ as 5 of the band’s 23 tracks were lifted from this later album, a potential drawback for older fans not particularly familiar/fond of Blink 182’s newest material, having been a huge fan of the band’s latest release I was more than happy to hear these tracks present in the set,  and felt that all 5 of the tracks came across well live. There were of course a few tracks from Blink’s back-catalogue that I’d like to have seen in the set that weren’t included, having listened to all of the band’s albums heavily over the years however, Blink-182 probably would have had to have played all night to have fully satisfied my cravings.

All in all, Blink-182 put on an absolutely incredible show at the O2 Arena, and I for one am very much glad that I took up the opportunity to see the band there in 2012. Mark and Tom were funny, had good crowd interaction between tracks, and there’s not a lot more that they could have done to have made the evening any better (besides play all of their albums in their entirety). Both of Travis Barker’s drum solo’s certainly impressed, and as one of my main musical inspirations growing up, it was brilliant to see him still tearing into his drumkit as ferociously as ever and no doubt inspiring the next generation of drummers. It may be 20 years since Blink-182 first formed, and they may all have other projects on the go now as well as being in Blink-182, but this is a band that is still going strong, and they’re showing on this tour that six albums in and countless tours later; Blink-182 is still a band with an awful lot to give.

See you all again at the Brixton Academy next month!

KeezyKabeezy – Power Lines

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KeezyKabeezy is a one-man pop-punk phenomenon from Chicago, Illinois. KeezyKabeezy first shot to fame in August 2011 when he recorded an alternate version of ‘Up All Night‘ from the Blink-182 album ‘Neighborhoods‘, recorded from the perspective of how the track might have sounded had it been released in 1999. KeezyKabeezy has to date covered three Blink-182 songs, a Jimmy Eat World one, and has now given us a taste of what we can expect from him as an artist in his own right.

‘Power Lines‘ is an impressive taste of what KeezyKabeezy is capable of as an artist; it’s an upbeat pop-punk song, and if you’re a fan of late 90s/early 2000s pop-punk from the likes of Blink-182 and New Found Glory, then the chances are that you’ll enjoy what you hear here. KeezyKabeezy’s vocals are not too dissimilar at all to those of Blink-182’s own Mark Hoppus, and his basslines hold a clear Hoppus influence also. The drumbeat here is a pretty simplistic one, certainly works well within the context of the track though, and the simplicity of the drumbeat here is by no means a drawback. ‘Power Lines‘ is an easily accessible track, very catchy, and if it was released by one of pop-punk’s heavy hitters then there’s every chance that it’d be a huge success.

When listening to KeezyKabeezy’s ‘Power Lines‘ it is incredibly easy to forget that this is just a one man project; there’s a great quality to the music here that belies the fact that this is the work of just one man. KeezyKabeezy is an artist with an incredible talent for creating catchy pop-punk, and on the basis of this original track and the cover tracks that have come before, I for one really can’t wait to hear what else KeezyKabeezy has to offer in the future and will most definitely be keeping an eye on his YouTube channel for further updates.

If you’d like to see where the magic happens for KeezyKabeezy then you can check out his home recording set-up here. When you see the conditions that this man is working under and the equipment that he’s working with, his achievements as an artist really do appear all the more impressive. 

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You Me At Six – Bite My Tongue (feat. Oli Sykes)

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The second single to be taken from You Me At Six’s ‘Sinners Never Sleep‘ album, ‘Bite My Tongue‘ is an impressive little offering from the band featuring guest vocal work from Bring Me The Horizon’s Oli Sykes. Given the inclusion of Oli Sykes on the track, it therefore comes as little surprise that the track has a little more bite about it than we’ve become accustomed to in the past with the music of You Me At Six. The pop punk style we’ve come to associate with the band is still very much there, and if you’ve had a chance to listen to the band’s ‘Sinners Never Sleep‘ album then you’ll have noticed that a number of the tracks continue on from where ‘Hold Me Down‘ left off. ‘Bite My Tongue‘ is one of the tracks that hints at where the band may be heading in the future however, a track that very quickly gets into its stride with some powerful guitar work and the impressive vocal styling of Josh Franceschi.

The vocal screams of Oli Sykes contrast nicely with the more clean vocal approach of Josh Franceschi. The track most definitely benefits from the presence of Oli Sykes, and it’s his vocal duties that really help to give this track an extra edge. Without Sykes’ presence this would still be a decent offering from You Me At Six, with the Bring Me The Horizon man present here however the track is really taken to another level when he makes his appearance. Perhaps one possible direction for the future of You Me At Six could be for them to add an additional vocalist alongside Josh, someone to add a few screams and growls to the music whilst Josh Franceschi continues to provide the clean vocal touch. ‘Time Is Money‘ featuring Winston McCall of Parkway Drive fame provides further evidence that this could be a worthwhile avenue for the band to consider for the future.

The music of You Me At Six certainly seems to be changing, the future looks good for the band however, and if you’ve ever been a fan of the band’s sound in the past then I’d definitely recommend checking out ‘Bite My Tongue‘. In fact, given the band’s shift towards a slightly heavier sound, even if you haven’t been a fan of the band in the past then still give ‘Bite My Tongue‘ a chance as you just might be impressed with what you find here.

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Acoustic Jim – Hanging Up My Cape

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Acoustic Jim is a Jason Mraz-inspired soloist from London who gained his rather unique name from a friend who shouted it at him after he took to the stage at an open-mic night for the first time.

Since then Jim has released two EP’s on his own record label and received the People’s Music Award in 2010 for ‘best male solo artist’.

The nature of acoustic music often makes it difficult to create a ‘big sound’, which may be why he drafted in The Wires to help him out on his debut album, released last week, called Hanging Up My Cape.

The album features a strange mixture of tracks; some reminiscent of Jason Mraz taking his listeners straight to the beach and some slower love-songs comparable to the works of James Blunt.

Hanging Up My Cape is a pop album at its core but with a mature edge to it and an ensemble of brass and bass instruments.

It’s a sound that grabs the listeners attention but even with the emergence of unlikely acoustic successes like Ed Sheeran, may not find its rightful place in an already crowded underground London scene.

The lead-track to the album is called Time and features a quirky ‘Bucket List’ style animated video of two characters fulfilling their dreams before they die.

As a word of warning the chorus of the track is likely to be spinning around your head for several days after listening to it, which seems to be one of Jim’s trademarks.

All Time Low – Forget About It

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There are a number of incredibly catchy tracks to be found on ‘Dirty Work’, and in my opinion ‘I Feel Like Dancin’ which was co-written with Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo was a solid choice to be the first single. Fast forward four months however and the band has followed it up with a very lacklustre single in the form of ‘Forget About It’. If I was put in charge of releasing the second official single from All Time Low’s ‘Dirty Work’ studio album then I really don’t think that ‘Forget About It’ would have struck me as an obvious choice. ‘Forget About It’ is pretty safe and inoffensive; then again its title is also somewhat ironic in that I’d say that it’s also pretty easy to forget about this track.

Previous releases from the band such as ‘Weightless’ and ‘Lost in Stereo’ from the ‘Nothing Personal’ album, as well as the aforementioned ‘I Feel Like Dancin’ have come with incredibly catchy choruses; whilst the ‘Forget About It’ chorus is mildly pleasing, I just don’t feel that it carries the same sort of weight as the band’s previous successes. ‘Forget About It’ will perhaps prove me wrong and prove to be a chart success, in my opinion however this is a track that showcases the band far from at its best. Alex Gaskarth’s vocals are solid here as always, instrumentally the band does little to really grab me here however and the track is lacking a real killer guitar hook.

I’ve been a big fan of All Time Low since 2007s ‘So Wrong, It’s Right’ and have a general love for all things pop punk, despite my appreciation of the band generally however and firm belief that ‘Dirty Work’ is a decent studio release from All Time Low, I just don’t feel that ‘Forget About It’ is one of the band’s best.

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Hevy Festival 2011 Review

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In only its third year as a festival and only its second at Port Lympe Wild Animal Park, Hevy has managed to attract the kind of line up that would whet many a musical appetite. After a prolonged wait to enter the festival due to very thorough bag checking and there being just the one entrance there was a well laid out and well catered for festival.

Taking to the Rock Sound & Macbeth stage early Friday evening, Flood of Red. Drawing an almost full tent, the Glaswegians put their stamp on the opening day. Creating an atmosphere other bands must envy, they provide moments of awe as well as full on crowd sing alongs during a stunning set. Providing something of a pleasant surprise were Don Broco. Their style of pop-rock made for a high energy show that had it all. Circle pits, a wall of death, it was no holds barred. Lower Than Atlantis are a band with a lot of expectation. They put everything in to their set and really gave the crowd a memorable show. Mike Deuce is every part the front man commanding the attention of near everybody in the jam packed tent. Mixing it up with a Foo Fighters covers medley of ‘Everlong‘ and ‘The Pretender‘ the lads from Watford could do no wrong. A brilliant performance by one of the best new bands in the UK right now.

Early on Saturday afternoon and Gold Kids bring their brand of hardcore all the way from Italy. Despite a short time on stage the only downfall was the frustrating sound of the main ‘Jaegermeister’ stage. Made up of former members of Cry For Silence and current members of Gallows and Haunts, Spycatcher took to the stage and made the most of the crowd they drew. Highlight ‘Don’t Like People’ really stood out as a great song, played by a convincing band. Make Do And Mend blew the crowd away with a raw, passionate display during a loud and energetic set. Playing songs from their latest LP ‘End Measured Mile’ as well as some from their older EP’s they turned out to be one of the best acts of the festival. Playing for the last time as a band The Ghost Of A Thousand went out in style. Playing a set full of crowd favorites from their career that spans back to 2004 they are sure to be missed now they’ve called it a day. Title Fight have their own, unique style. Blending pop punk and melodic hardcore they play with a confidence way beyond their years. Fingers crossed they make the trip back this time next year. With an hour on stage, Architects pulled in a decent crowd with frontman Sean Carter putting on a high energy show. Going through new and old songs the band are a perfect warm up for the headliners. Then came The Dillenger Escape Plan who displayed what can be only described as near chaos throughout the whole set. It’s a joy to watch as every member of the band throw themselves around the stage and play the most technical music of the whole weekend. Finishing the set by destroying half of the equipment on stage made for a fitting ending.

‘Defend Pop Punk’ If you’re familiar with this saying you will no doubt be aware of Man Overboard. In recent years pop punk has been home to many a band producing a painfully generic sound. Man Overboard break that mould. The dual vocals of Nik and Zak work perfectly together and it’s a real pleasure to watch a band who really love playing. Polar Bear Club were a slight disappointment, playing very well but delivering nothing more. At the opposite end of the spectrum are Touché Amoré. From the off they mean business, blowing the crowd away after seconds in. This is what people go to a festival for. Not just to listen to well played music but for the band to reach out and connect with the crowd, giving something to remember. This, the first trip to the UK for Living With Lions provided a complete open mind. They play a great slice of edgy pop punk that really went down well to a relatively small crowd. A solid set and great introduction to the band. Frontman of La Dispute, Jordan Dreyer praises the crowd mid set for “turning one of the worst experiences as a band into one of the best” this was in reference to the sound problems that riddled the entire set which meant a whole song was played a guitar down. Despite the poor luck on the day the mood wasn’t dampened and there was still a value to watching a very special band. Jordan’s vocal delivery being the highlight. Being washed out by the poor sound of the main stage and only attracting a somewhat small crowd, We Are The Ocean put on a lack luster show that in no way backs up the high quality of their recorded material. Feeling disappointed it was up to Defeater to deliver. Opening with ‘I Don’t Mind’ was thought provoking start to a stellar set. The tent was packed out with the whole crowd singing to many a song and the crowd outside desperate to catch a glimpse. Up step Welshmen Funeral For A Friend who managed to take the crowd back in time. To a time where a large part of the audience were finding their love for music. Even line up changes of late have had little effect on the impact of crowd favorites ‘Juneau’ and ‘Roses For The Dead’ It’s no surprise as it’s Matt Davies that makes this band. New songs off their latest LP ‘Welcome Home Armageddon’ had a mixed response but this never put the set in danger. It was full of all the sing alongs and crowd interaction. As they finished it’s hard to avoid the thought they would have been a worthy headliner. That duty was reserved for Four Year Strong. Opening in not so convincing style the band turned to throwing food into the crowd to get them through. Urging them to “fight over it” As amusing as it seemed at the time it’s hard to see how it all fitted in to what this festival is all about. They played songs from their back catalogue which went down just as well as the new tunes. Overall there’s no doubt there were other bands that would be more fitting and arguably more deserved of headlining the main stage on the last day of the festival.

If you’re looking for a line up that’s all about alternative bands, Hevy is the festival for you. With many UK festival exclusives it’s the only chance many people will get to watch some of the bands from across the pond. Although the arena is well organized, one downside of the festival would be that the camping left a lot to be desired. There were no shower facilities onsite and at night there was little security to deter the ‘up all nighters’ causing plenty of trouble in the small hours. The biggest improvement the organizers could make for next year would be to have the arena open later or even have camp DJ’s to give people more to do at night. Despite this, for the price you pay the value is outstanding. Can’t wait to see what year 4 holds.

Reviewer: Steve Jones // jonersays.tumblr.com

Breathe Carolina – Blackout

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Breathe Carolina is an electronic rock duo that has been spreading its joy now since 2007. ‘Blackout‘ is the latest single to have been released by the band, an infectious electropop gem that sounds 100% like it has been made for the radio.

With its exciting electronic edge, ‘Blackout‘ has all the makings of being a successful single; simple yet effective, ‘Blackout‘ is most definitely a track that hits the spot, doing so with incredible  style and supreme flair. The track is unashamedly cheesy, there’s something incredibly gripping about its simplicity and as the band smashes through its chorus there’s a great level of power that comes from the lyrics here. “I’m only getting started, I won’t blackout” shouts the band, also emphasising the lyrical line of “This won’t stop till I say so” through repetition. These are not the most intellectually profound lyrics you’re ever likely to come across in a track, the band certainly has a lot to offer here however, and its through its supreme simplicity that this single works so well.

The exciting electronic duo that is Breathe Carolina will be heading to the UK next month for a co-headlining tour with dubstep outfit Tek-One. This band’s brand of electro rock may not be for everyone, Breathe Carolina and Tek-One should be a pretty exciting double header however, so if you’re up for an evening of electronic excitement thenI’d definitely recommend heading along to one of the shows if you can.

If you’re not yet familiar with the work of Breathe Carolina then be sure to give ‘Blackout‘ a listen. The band’s third studio album ‘Hell Is What You Make It‘ is available now through Fearless Records.

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Blink-182 – Up All Night

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It’s always a strange moment when one of your favourite artists releases a new single; a case of excitement yet also nervousness. When it has been eight years since the band released its last album this therefore heightens the emotions substantially. After such a period without new material, will your long-term favourite band still be able to deliver? Will you be able to hold the new material in such high regard? Upon first listening to ‘Up All Night‘ I feared not.

When Blink-182 went on an extended hiatus in 2005, Tom DeLonge went on to form Angels & Airwaves whilst Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker focussed on a new project in the form of +44. Listening to ‘Up All Night‘ is like hearing the band bring together their hiatus projects with the Blink-182 that we know and love. There’s a greater sense of maturity about the band, as was beginning to be evidenced with the band’s final release before the hiatus, and in fact with ‘Stay Together For the Kids‘ from the ‘Take Off Your Pants and Jacket‘ album also. The band has clearly progressed and matured, and upon first listening to the single I was a little fearful of the change. Did the band still do it for me? Was ‘Up All Night‘ a credible return for the band, or was it in fact a massive disappointment after all these years away? Upon repeated listens to ‘Up All Night‘ I found my answer.

‘Up All Night‘ is another absolutely brilliant single release from the fantastic pop-punk band that is Blink-182. The band has most definitely evolved, after nearly a decade since 2003s self-titled release however is that really such a bad thing? Would I prefer for the band to have stagnated and not progressed its sound? Upon reflection, no I wouldn’t.

With its incredible introduction, ‘Up All Night‘ instantly grabs you, having you hooked right from the offset. Tom DeLonge powering away on the guitar, Travis Barker delights with his stick skills as always, and we have ourselves another hit from Blink-182. The opening riff from Tom DeLonge is incredibly catchy, it has you wanting to pick up a guitar and play it for yourself; the supreme power of inspiration still shining through as Blink-182 provides us with another absolute aural delight. Not only is this opening guitar hook incredibly catchy, but the chorus also is equally infectious.  After listening to the track a couple of times you find yourself unable to stop yourself singing along to the chorus, tapping away to the beat on your desk as you do so. ‘Up All Night‘ is an incredible comeback from Blink-182; undoubtedly different to what most people surely expected from the world’s biggest pop-punk band, brilliant nonetheless however, and an extremely catchy single that Blink-182 can rightly be extremely proud of.

I was extremely disappointed when Blink-182 announced its hiatus in 2005, I always kept the faith that the band would be back though and was over the moon when the band announced its return in early 2009.  Two and a half years later and we can celebrate properly the return of Blink-182; the band has a new single in the form of ‘Up All Night‘, and in September the band’s gift to us is sixth studio album ‘Neighborhoods‘. If ‘Up All Night‘ is anything to go by then ‘Neighborhoods‘ will most certainly be an album well worth adding to your collection.

This is not the same Blink-182 that left us in 2005, this is a Blink-182 that has benefitted from several years apart to focus on other projects; this is a Blink-182 that will come back bigger and better than ever.

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