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No Comply – Unleash The Fury

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If you are a fan of the band then you really need to invest in this DVD. The live material is only really the quality of bootleg, but when a band is on a tight budget it’s hard to get good quality recordings. The live material is watchable, however it just doesn’t capture the energy that can be felt at a No Comply gig and really doesn’t do the band justice on their amazing live performance.

I think that No Comply have done a pretty good job with this DVD – including amusing behind the scenes footage from their tour, with the No Comply gang hanging out having a laugh with a number of other bands. If you look closely, members of bands such as The Mercury League can be spotted hanging out amongst the ranks. There are frequent amusing interviews with band members on this DVD and they are really what make the DVD worth having for fans of the band. When you consider what you get on this DVD, it can be seen that it really is a fine investment and is a good solid piece of entertainment. The live material could of course be better, but bonuses such as interviews with band members, the bands promotional video’s that have been shown on TV channels such as Scuzz, studio clips, and behind the scenes footage really make up for this and make way for an interesting and exciting DVD.

If you are a fan of this band then the chances are you will know about their energetic and electric live show. Do the band a favour and help fill their pockets by getting yourself a copy of this DVD – it is well worth your hard earned cash and is a must have for any avid No Comply fan. It seems that any band who’s anyone has a DVD now, so the fact that one of the UK’s finest rising artists has one really is rather fitting.

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Leon – Be There

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Leon have started up their own label to release their music – Freezer Records, and are soon set to self release an album called ‘Uppers and Downers.’ The first single to be taken from this album is the quirky little number ‘Be There.’

I tried to be interested in this song, but I just couldn’t get in to it. There’s nothing particularly bad about it, in fact it’s well produced, intelligently crafted and sublimely executed, however I just can’t find myself getting into it because there’s nothing that really grabs me about the track. It is melodic, and I can see that there may be a large audience out there for this kind of track, but it’s just not edgy enough for me.

Leon’s ‘Be There’ would make excellent background music for any occasion – you can just sit back, relax, and forget that any music at all is playing. I just can’t see myself listening to this track for any other purposes as it just doesn’t capture me in a way that I like my songs to. Like I have already stated, I don’t dislike this track, or in fact the B-side ‘Prozac Generation’ – it’s just a bit too melodic and safe for me. There’s no denying Leon Black’s song writing ability and I just hope people recognise this and help make ‘Uppers and Downers’ a success.

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Hellogoodbye – Hellogoodbye EP

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Hellogoodbye are actually an amazing band – I wasn’t sure whether they were going to be up to much, having read a variety of reviews and finding a fairly mixed reaction to this EP. Hellogoodbye are a band that heavily emphasise the keyboards in there music. This is great as it makes them sound like a cross between 80s synth pop and modern day Pop Punk/Emo. This is a genius mix and in doing this, the band have produced an EP that oozes fun and energy, with a truly exciting feel to it.

Hellogoodbye are unashamedly cheesy and are a band that is showing clear signs of living for the moment and having fun while they can. This EP consists of 6 of the greatest songs that I have heard for a long time and the band really do impress with this debut EP. It pushes all the right buttons and I can assure you – if you played this at a party, everyone would be up and dancing, it really is that amazingly fun and effortlessly catchy. There is never a dull moment on this EP, with tracks especially pleasing me being the amazing opener ‘Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn,’ and EP closer ‘Bonnie Taylor Shakedown…2K4’ The band starts on a high, so I guess they felt they had to end on a high as well. ‘Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn’ is definitely one of the greatest songs that I have heard for a long time now. It is amazingly catchy, and superbly written with awesome guitar work, some demon drum beats, and truly astounding bass lines. The vocals are spot on and really do finish the track off nicely, creating an exciting, energetic and entertaining pop classic.

This band really do have a fine talent for penning a good tune, and that is clearly evident on this EP where they have created 6 tracks of pure brilliance. If you have not yet heard this band then I suggest you go out there and listen to them – they may well become one of your new favourite bands. It certainly worked for me, after hearing this EP I was hooked on this band and will definitely be looking out for them in the future. Such a fun, energetic and exciting band is always worth a listen – this CD is likely to be in my changer for some time to come.

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Fall Out Boy – From Under The Cork Tree (Sampler)

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I wasn’t expecting much from this CD to be honest, after their last album ‘Take This To Your Grave’ failed to push all the right buttons for me. I thought the last album was way too predictable, with every song suffering from sound alike syndrome, however from what I can make of the 5 tracks that I have here (this is an album sampler) the new album really will be something special.

Stand out tracks here are definitely the amazing ‘Dance, Dance,’ and the superb ‘Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying,’ however having said this there is never a dull moment on this CD. The band definitely seems to have seen the error of their ways and in doing so have come back with a blinding effort. On this CD, Fall Out Boy seem to effortlessly blend Post Hardcore with Pop Punk and come out trumps every time. There is never a dull moment here, with every track as catchy and memorable as the last. I never would have expected this from this band, but they definitely seem to have done it and produced a blinder of a CD. The tracks here are intelligently written with great musicianship, and lyrics that you’ll be singing for months, maybe even years to come. Every track has a killer chorus that will have you hooked right till the last second, when the song will disappoint you by coming to an end.

I really hope the band can sell a lot of copies of this album as they are far greater than most of the bands out there doing the whole Post Hardcore/Pop Punk thing. Fall Out Boy really are in a league of their own with their original and catchy Punk anthems. The new material will surely go down a treat with the fans of the Warped Tour – it really is incredibly catchy and accessible. The first single to be released from this album will be ‘Sugar, We’re Goin Down’ so make sure you go out and buy it when it emerges – it is a cracking little number. Hopefully Fall Out Boy will be heading over to these shores before long.

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Motley Crue – If I Die Tomorrow

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As much as I’d love to enjoy this track, I just can’t because in all fairness it’s just a bit lacklustre. Some say this is Motley Crue showing signs of maturing – I’d say it’s more that they just can’t pen particularly good tunes anymore. ‘If I Die Tomorrow’ was co-written with Simple Plan and is most certainly not Motley Crue at their best by any stretch of imagination.

Motley Crue have a string of great songs and if you want to see these then your best bet is to look at the band’s ‘Red, White and Crue’ best of CD. If you are a newcomer to the greatness that is Motley Crue then I’d definitely suggest you start with their ‘Red, White and Crue’ CD and not this new single as it by no means does the band any justice whatsoever. They hit all the power chords you’re expecting, its just that the track is drained of any sort of energy of excitement.

I think any Motley Crue fan out there would agree with me that ‘If I Die Tomorrow’ is not a fair representation of the band and there are many greater songs by the band out there. I sense this track will not be remembered for years to come; in fact they’ll be lucky if people still remember it by late next year.

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Kaiser Chiefs – Everyday I Love You Less and Less

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I’m pretty sure you’ve all heard of this band by now so they don’t really need much of an introduction. Fresh off the releases of ‘Oh My God’ and ‘I Predict a Riot,’ Kaiser Chiefs bring you the amazing ‘Everyday I Love You Less and Less’ and as ever – it is a catchy little piece of musical excellence. Ok, so what can I say about this single really? It’s another great track from the Kaiser Chiefs and is sure to be in the charts this Sunday fairly high I’m thinking. I predicted that ‘Oh My God’ would enter the charts highly a few months back, and it did so hopefully my predictions will again be correct.

This band just seems to go from strength to strength, every track is truly magical and the band could easily release every single track off their album and do well with all of them. I really can’t get enough of this band at the moment and I hope that they will be around for many years to come. Keep the good tracks coming Kaiser Chiefs, the mainstream desperately need a band like you keeping the airwaves fresh and exciting with a definite zest for life.

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Coldplay – Speed of Sound

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Coldplay are set to return on June the 6th with the release of ‘X&Y’ – their first album since 2003’s commercial success ‘Parachutes.’ The first single to be taken from this new album is to be ‘Speed of Sound’ and will be released on Monday the 23rd of May. Coldplay are heading out on tour in June/July so if you get a chance, make sure you check them out as they are sure to put on an explosive show of genius display.

‘Speed of Sound’ is a great single, and Coldplay are showing no signs of losing their melodious catchiness. Right from the off set you can tell that this is going to be another great Coldplay display, and by the end of its 5 minutes you are left happy and content, wishing for more from this great band. The single also features two other tracks – ‘Things I Don’t Understand’ and ‘Proof,’ which are two tracks taken from the ‘X&Y’ sessions.

Coldplay still hold as much relevance in the scene as they did two years ago – their return is definitely something to celebrate and if this new track is anything to go by, then their album will most certainly be full of surprises and inevitably full of excellence. This is an essential purchase for avid Coldplay fans, so you should definitely be rushing out and buying this little number when it’s released this coming Monday.

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Shortwave Fade – This Is How It Ends

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Despite playing some high profile gigs with bands such as The Datsuns, Keane, and The Subways, Shortwave Fade remain to be a relatively unknown, underground entity. This really is a shame because this EP shows that the band have a fine talent for what they do and can quite easily pen a very fine tune.

The band storm through this EP, and have an entirely unique and truly exciting Indie sound. This band really sound like no other I can think of, and through practise have quite obviously developed their own exciting and enthralling sound. This EP has been cleverly crafted and is a fine display of Indie expertise with masterful guitars, some awesome bass lines, and some truly inspirational vocals. This band have tons of melody, and their four songs on display here are killer with up tempo beats that a lot of the leading forces in the Indie game would be proud to call their own.

I think if I were to pick a favourite off of this EP then I would probably pick the second track, ‘Stupidly.’ This really is a fine track and the band could quite easily release this one as a single and get some serious airplay on XFM and could easily enter the charts with it given the right backing. It is one of those really memorable tracks that you rarely stumble across, but when you do it truly is a delight to hear.

With the high profile support slots I have already mentioned behind them, Shortwave Fade should continue to get further great gigs as they really do deserve it. One day this band may even be headlining these kinds of shows, with bands in the same sort of boat as they are at the moment supporting them – the high profile act. Watch out for this band in the future – I can see a bright future ahead of them.

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THE*GA*GA*S – Left Of Centre

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In fairness to the band, it was always going to be hard up to live up to the awesome debut single of the storming ‘Sex,’ but I think they have done a pretty good job of picking their second single and picked a song that although not as great, still isn’t a bad tune by any stretch of imagination. I really like this band –they really are a shining torch for British Rock, and one of the few bands that can cut it in this day and age.

‘Left Of The Centre’ is a pretty good effort with some storming guitars, great bass lines, and strong vocals, as well as some really cool drum beats. It hasn’t got such a memorable chorus as ‘Sex’ and is by no means as catchy but in its own right it’s still pretty good. I think if the band had released this single before they released ‘Sex’ then I’d probably appreciate it more and think more of it, but the problem is – they didn’t. I say this is a problem, but the fact that they had such an energetic and exciting debut was good as it gave them an edge as people hearing that track definitely wouldn’t have forgotten it in a hurry, or in fact forgotten the band.

Hopefully, on the basis of the position that debut single ‘Sex’ has put them in will give THE*GA*GA*S a strong chance of success with new single ‘Left Of Centre.’ It’s probably more radio friendly with its mellower, laid back feel and is certainly well worth checking out if you are a fan of Rock‘n’Roll music.

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The Explosion – Black Tape

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The Explosion is one of those ‘The Next Big Thing’ branded bands – and the thing about these bands is that sometimes it happens for them, and sometimes it doesn’t. However, in most of the cases where it just doesn’t happen, the band isn’t particularly great – this can’t really be said of The Explosion. With ‘Black Tape,’ The Explosion has produced an album that although not entirely original, is full of substance, energy and excitement. There are many great tracks on display on this album that make The Explosion stand out from the pack and seem like a shining star in a sky of monotonous generic bands.

This album kicks off with ‘Deliver Us’ which in some respects is a bit of a bad move because I’d say that this is probably one of the weaker tracks on the album. There is some heavy distortion on the guitars, and it doesn’t really do the bands sound any justice because on this track they sound like they could well be one of those monotonous and generic bands. It’s not a bad tune; its just not particularly exciting and first time listeners to this band may be put off by its blandness. However, after this initial disappointment the band provide many a fine tune and jump straight into the amazingly catchy ‘Filthy Insane.’ This track will have you randomly singing ‘This is filthy, this is *****ing insane’ for weeks – it really is a catchy little number that you won’t be forgetting in a hurry. This tune alone shows that the band is more than just another average Punk band – they really are something special, and ‘Filthy Insane’ is a testament to this.

The third track on this album is the ultimately catchy lead single from the album ‘Here I Am.’ I really cant see how anyone could possible dislike this track – its one of the finest pop tracks I have heard for years. Most of The Explosion’s album is nothing like this track, but it is an awesome introduction to get people hooked on the band before introducing them to the real, heavier them that I have come to know and love. This track has a really clean, radio friendly feel to it – yet when the band perform it live, even this highly poppy track comes across as raw and rocking. The album continues with the blinding ‘I Know’ – another track with a chorus that you won’t be forgetting for quite some time. This track has some truly awesome guitars, amazing drum beats, seriously sensational bass lines, and the inevitable awesome vocals that after the first three tracks you’ve come to expect from the band.

There are no real downsides to this album – practically every one of these tracks could quite easily be released as a single and do well if it was given the appropriate backing. It is on tracks like ‘No Revolution’ where the band really shows off their awesome Punk Rock credibility. It comes nine tracks in and could quite easily become a classic in a few years. The Explosion has me hooked much like Bad Religion did the first time I ever listened to them. Listening to Bad Religion for the first time filled me with such excitement and filled me with exhilaration and The Explosion work on me in quite the same way. Considering I’d say that Bad Religion are probably one of my favourite bands of all time, this is no minor feat so The Explosion have definitely done something right in their major label debut ‘Black Tape.’

Not many albums fill me with excitement in quite the same way as this effort from The Explosion has. It is very rarely that I will find an entire album that I can really enjoy as a whole without feeling the need to skip at least one or two tracks, but The Explosion really have succeeded in producing an album that is vital to listen to as a whole rather than as individual tracks. It is a shame then that in the MP3 revolution it will probably emerge that many people just have a track or two from this CD on their MP3 player and listen to tracks at random as these people will be missing out on the album in its full glory and as a result will not experience the true excellence of this fine collection of songs that is The Explosion’s ‘Black Tape.’

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