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PSP – The Deadly Art Of Illusion

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On this single, PSP offer up 2 blasts of pure, unadulterated intensity with 2 amazing tracks that will really blow your socks off. They are definitely one of the most intense bands around and in my opinion, the more intense a band are then the better they are going to be and the more I am going to like them. They have played with great bands such as Beecher and Johnny Truant and I am sure that every live show with this band is something truly special and compelling.

I love both of these tracks but I think that the first track here, the track which they are to release as their single – ‘the deadly art of illusion’ is definitely the better of the two. It is a deadly act of intense hardcore metal with lashings of hate. On this track the band don’t ever seem to stop for breath and to go with this there are some amazing drum beats, awesome guitar riffs, and bass lines that are just out of this world. PSP sound like the angry sort of mob that you wouldn’t want to mess with unless you really wanted to have your head kicked off. At last there is a hardcore metal band where there is not a single trace of Emo in there – this band are undiluted and the result is a sound which is a lot more whole than any of the fashionable Emo-Core bands are producing at the minute. PSP are the full ticket – they play hate filled metalcore that will fill the room with a sound of utter violence – and I love it!

Hell knows how this band managed to come along without me hearing of them as with this kind of music they are sure to leave a trail of destruction in their path wherever they may travel. If you like your music heavy, full of aggression, yet somehow tuneful then this band will probably take your fancy as they do it very well and are probably one of the most talented bands of their genre around at the moment. Expect more to come from this band in the very near future.

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Review StarReview StarReview StarReview Star

Keane – Everybody’s Changing

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Having only heard the track ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ by the band – I was unsure what to expect from this track as the prior song could have been something far off their usual calibre but I was proved wrong and proved wrong by a very large margin indeed.

‘Everybody’s Changing’ is another classic track from the band and although it is not quite as catchy as ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ it is still amazingly good and equally as great in its very laid back, heartfelt kind of way. This track seems to be extremely motion driven and with the bands style it works perfectly and comes across as an absolutely blinding track. The bass lines are perfect, the guitars show immense talent, the drum beats are stylishly spot on, and as with the previous single the vocals are so polished and perfected that it is impossible not to enjoy them. Some bands sound wrong then they have been polished by their major label producers but I feel that with Keane, their polished effect is what makes them who they are and without it the music may not have sounded anywhere near as good. There is only one track here but you can easily have it go around a few times without getting bored as the band just have so much talent that with every listen you pick something new and interesting out that you did not notice on previous listens. There are just so many different layers to this band and they work on so many different levels – it is what make them so special.

The band Keane now hold a very special place in my heart because of this superb track and I am sure that if any of you were to listen to it then you would feel the same way about it. It is a fantastic track that you would be stupid to miss out on, as there is just so much talent here that it is unbelievable. It takes a few listens to fully understand and appreciate this music as it has obviously been intelligently crafted and is definitely music which makes you think. If you were a fan of the first track then this fine little number should go down a treat because I think that it is equally good, if not even better than the last track. I will definitely be checking out the bands album now to see what more amazing musical expertise I can find on offer and I suggest that you people do the same.

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Five Star ReviewFive Star ReviewFive Star ReviewFive Star ReviewFive Star Review

Kingskin – My Girl

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Kingskin are a band that hail from the Kentish town of Dover – yes that’s right people, the not so sunny seaside port that we’ve all had to travel to at some point or another! They are a young unsigned band and play some cracking music – they seem to be blending grunge and folk here and the outcome is phenomenal, with three total masterpieces of tracks! This here little CD will have you dancing around the room uncontrollably with its funky beat and strong guitar lines.

The music here is extraordinarily strong with the young band firing out some great bass lines, catchy guitar riffs, amazing vocals, and hard hitting, fast, fiery drum beats that will have you stomping your feet hard on the floor to the rhythm of them. I love all three of these tracks but the title track ‘My Girl’ is definitely my favourite out of the three as it has a funky beat to it, yet also has some scorching bass lines, some verging on grunge vocals, and some amazing guitar playing. There is so much variety in this song that it would be a crime not to like it as there is just so much to get out of it and a lot to take from it whatever style of music you are predominantly into – which is always a good thing as then you know that your fan base is never going to be limited to one crowd in particular. I am sure that this band have quite a large following as creating music like this there is no reason why they shouldn’t as they are obviously extremely talented musicians that have a fine eye for great music as there is not a dull tune on this CD and not a single one of these songs sees the quality flagging. They are persistently excellent on this CD and I would love to hear there next CD whenever it may be released as upon reading the inside of this CD I saw that it was all copyright 2002 – so if they could create music like this in 2002 then who knows how good the band are now!

The songs that the band have to offer here are extremely fine with the band showing off their funky beats and strong guitar riffs – I am sure that at their gigs not a single person is left sitting by the end of it as there is so much excitement in their music and you would just have to be crazy not to enjoy what the band are doing.

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Review StarReview StarReview StarReview Half Star

Pilfa Confession Box – Demo

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Ok, to be honest I do not really know very much about this band other than that they are a five piece Alt Rock band from Northampton. This is a 3 track demo CD from them highlighting some of the bands finest music that they have to offer in three exciting, enthusiastic stints. The band sound like they have been going at it for a fair while with their well rounded, refined sounding music but this sound of maturity could be deceiving – as I have not yet checked out their web site I am yet to find out!

The three tracks on display here are ‘Smile,’ ‘Deeper,’ and ‘Razorblades and Mirrors.’ These are all extremely fine sounding tracks which convey a lot of rhythm, a hell of a lot of power, and some good sturdy vocals that will really put a smile on your face. The fact that Pilfa Confession Box are a 5 piece is really used to their advantage as it allows for them to get a really deep, rich, and meaningful effect which they are really using to the full on this CD – they are oozing out every inch of power from their instruments that they can possible muster and it is coming out perfectly. The three tracks all show an extremely high level of excellence, with the band showing throughout that they are masters at their instruments and proving their worth to you as the listener. All three of these tracks really did please me as they are just so good with the amazing drum beats, bombarding bass lines, gripping guitar riffs, and vocals which are so fine that you would swear this group are signed to a major label. This band have a real dark side to their music and this especially comes across in third and final track, ‘Razorblades and Mirrors.’ This is my favourite of the three tracks due to its immense darker side and I just feel that this is the most powerful of the three tracks on display here. This is a tune of pure, immense finesse which will have you at the edge of your seat with excitement – just waiting for what comes next, never being quite sure what is to follow. This track is highly unpredictable in the way that it runs and this makes it an amazingly exciting track in the way that it has you gripped – if you don’t enjoy this track then I swear there must be something wrong with you as it is an absolute blinder!

So, from a band that before I knew very little of – they have done very well to convert me in to a fan of theirs and I am sure that I will be following them from here on in and checking their web site frequently for updates! Pilfa Confession Box are one of those bands that you just cant afford to dislike, as if you dislike this band then you are really missing out on one of Britains finest rising stars.

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Parney EP

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Parney are a 4 piece Alternative Rock band from Norwich, Suffolk whose style is similar to that of Sonic Youth, The Pixies, and even early Nirvana. They have the whole male/female co-singer thing going on which works extremely well, keeping a fresh and vibrant feel about the music.

With this EP the band show off their exciting sound with long and fascinating tunes which will capture your imagination and really begin to draw you in. The guitars here seem to have immense power, with the band really driving them full force and the drumming is also astonishing with a fast pace that will have you tapping your feet and have you well and truly fixated on the music. Parney are extremely talented musicians that sure have a fine ear for great music that will really capture you whatever you happen to be doing sat that moment, and force you to listen to their incredible music. I love the way that the male and female vocals are used and in some cases becoming intertwined 0 it just seems to work incredibly well and gives it a unique feel to it. These three tracks are all extremely special as Parney are a unique Rock band that strive to keep grunge alive while at the same time they are developing a sound which is something just a bit different, making it new, interesting, and bags of fun to listen to!

Whether you are in to Alt Rock or Grunge, you are sure to love this band as they are just such a great bunch of musicians who have chosen not to follow a trend, in fact they even seem to be trying to start up a trend of their own in some of the most inspirational music I have ever heard. Unique bands in the UK seem to be splitting up left, right and centre so Parney being in existence shows us that there is still hope for the UK scene – Parney are a ray of sunshine in a cave of monotonous sound alike bands.

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Trucks – Monkey See, Monkey Do

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You may remember this band from the massive hit single that was ‘Its Just Porn Mum.’ When this single was released and there was no visible album it looked as though the band Trucks were set to be a one hit wonder band but with this single and an album behind their belts the guys have really proved us all wrong. This track is about the TV generation copying what we see on TV – hence the title ‘Monkey See, Monkey Do’ and is about copying stunts seen on Jackass, Tom Green etc.

This is a cool single which is sure to make the Gut Records band a big name once again and should encourage a fair few people to go out and buy the album. This track has a catchy beat, strong bass lines, amazing guitar riffs, super drumming, and amazing vocals that will almost certainly please you. This track is absolutely destined for great things I reckon because it really is an amazingly catchy song and with a funny video to go with it being played on all the top music channels it is sure to get some serious recognition. ‘Monkey See, Monkey Do’ highlights the irony of parents raising children to watch TV yet when actions seen on TV are copied by them see it as stupidity. It is sure to appeal to the teen audience that watch programmes such as Jackass, Dirty Sanchez, The Tom Green Show etc as well as maybe a younger audience due to its general catchy beat and strong video. If you were a fan of the comical first single then this track will definitely appeal to your lighter nature as it is in my opinion a better written song than the previous, is ten times catchier, and is something that the young generation can really relate to. Although on all the stunts programmes they say ‘don’t try this at home’ this of course does not stop people and what Trucks are singing about in this track probably does apply to a fair few people.

I will definitely try and check out the bands album after hearing this track as it really has appealed to me and put a nice big smile on my face. Like many others are sure to think, I feel that I can really relate to this young band as instead of pretending to be interested in politics etc, they are sticking to what they know best and singing about every day events. It can be so fake sometimes when bands sing about political issues when they clearly don’t know anything about what they are singing about and are merely trying to create an image for themselves which they consider to be ‘cool.’ Check out www.trucksmusic.com for regular updates on this bands progress and remember to go out and buy this single when it is released.

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Joshua – Baggage EP

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Joshua are a band on Engineer Records – a Kent based record label that I have come to love over the past 18 months. The label is based in my home county of Kent and pays tribute to many a great band. Joshua are a band who are no exception to the rule – the music which this band play is exciting, happy stuff that is sure to put a smile on your face.

Here are 5 tracks on this CD which are really excellent quality – there is never a dull moment on this EP with the band really vying for your attention with their happy sounding music. The music sounds amazingly upbeat with its funky vocals, great guitar riffs, bursting bass lines, and fine drumming skills. The band really do put on a good show with this CD and in doing so have produced one hell of a fine EP which really proves them to be a talented young band. These guys obviously know their genre well and play music that you just can’t help but smile to. I don’t know how long this band have been going but it really sounds like they have some experience behind them as their music shows no signs of amateur playing. Joshua are a band with a really defined sound – if I was to listen to a string of tracks then I could quite easily distinguish Joshua from the rest, there is just something about the vocals of this band that makes them distinctively Joshua!

‘Perfect Man’ is an absolutely blinding track if you ask me – the vocals are spot on, there is some really good drumming skill being shown, the guitar riffs are as near to perfect as you can possibly get, and the bass lines are quite outstanding. This track is really admirable with its awesome beat and I am sure that the band are extremely proud with what they have come up with in this track as it is an absolute blinder! The band really do have some unique qualities and as I have already said – I don’t know how long this band have been in existence but it really does sound like they have some experience behind them as this band, Joshua.

After the first three tracks we see the band take on a new approach – this being an acoustic approach – of course the sound of these final tracks is extremely different to that of the first three. In these final few tracks the band take on a much mellower approach and somehow the music sounds even more laid back than it did before. The acoustic approach really suits Joshua’s sound and I think that they manage to pull these final 2 tracks off perfectly. The band are obviously extremely talented musicians as even when they are unplugged they sound subliminal. I strongly suggest that you check this band out – they are really talented people, and are signed to a rather amazing Kentish label.

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The Wayriders – Untitled Album

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Ok, before now I had never really heard much material by the band other than the Scuzz TV approved song ‘Shotgun’ so I did not really know what to expect from this band – even though I had been on the bands street team for goodness knows how long. I can honestly say that my first taste of The Wayriders was not a disappointing one and if I could compare them to any band I would probably say RX Bandits, only 10 times better than the RX Bandits ever have been or indeed ever will be. In total there are 11 tracks here and they are all absolute gems. There is never a dull moment on this CD with the band always managing to impress at every opportunity.

The CD gets off to a great start with track ‘We Probably Hate You Too’ – it is only a short track but really kicks the CD off in style and warms you up, getting you ready for next track, ‘Secret.’ This is a really cool track with immense bass lines, cracking guitar riffs, some awesome horn playing, amazing vocals and demon drumming. At times the vocals are very Capdown-esque and to me this goes down a treat, being an avid fan of the band. The Wayriders seem to draw a lot of influences and that is why it is so hard to pinpoint their music as there are just so many sounds that come out of their music, sometimes with many varied influence shining through in the same track. It would be very easy for someone to label them a Ska band after hearing the track ‘Shotgun’ due to the use of the horns but if you listen to the whole album then you will realise that the band are far more than just that and use the horns cleverly for far more than just the Ska effect. I loved the song ‘Shotgun’ as soon as I heard it on Scuzz TV as it is just an amazing song that is really upbeat, fast, and full of fun. I don’t know how anyone could dislike this song really as it is an absolutely amazing track and always brings a smile to my face when I listen to it.

There are many beauties on this CD, none of the tracks are at all boring and you never find yourself skipping through the tracklist trying to find a track that you like as all the songs are just so damn good. With many CDs I find that there are a few tracks that I really dislike but this is definitely not the case with this CD and you have to listen to it track by track really as the tracks lead on from one to the next so by skipping tracks you would really lose the effect. As you can imagine, this CD goes out on a bang with the track ‘Love Street Excess.’ This is a very trippy track that makes good use of a bassy introduction and finished off the CD on a high. They make awesome use of the horns on this track, and again the drumming is absolutely amazing with some pure class guitar action coming in throughout. I really love this track and think it ends the CD perfectly.

The vocals are cracking throughout this CD and really work well with the instrumental side of things in order to create a cool, relaxed CD which will get you dancing around like a mad man. I really enjoyed what I heard with this CD and feel that The Wayriders are one of the UK’s many rising talents with acts such as No Comply hitting the limelight at the moment this band are sure to hit those dizzy heights very soon and should be followed swiftly by Adequate7 and Howards Alias.

Rating:
Five Star ReviewFive Star ReviewFive Star ReviewFive Star ReviewFive Star Review

The Waxing Captors – The Waxing Captors EP

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This is a seven track EP from a band that before now I had never heard of before – The Waxing Captors, previously Lady In The Radiator and I have to say that I was actually pleasantly surprised with what the band produced. They are a strong band that has some great angst in their vocals, with awesome guitar licks, heavy bass lines and fiery drumming just to keep the CD going and give it some flavour! It is hard to listen to this band without getting some sort of enjoyment from it – what they have done is well done, with well written lyrics, a good strong beat, and some amazing vocals. These guys are not just your average run of the mill band – they have some kind of chemistry going here and what they do is extremely good, in fact they are so great that no word ever invented could possibly do them justice.

There is never a dull moment on this CD with some amazing Punk songs filled to the brim with angst and aggression. ‘Anti-Pilot’ is an absolutely blinding tune with strong vocals, firing guitar riffs, outstanding bass lines and an amazing drum beat. An absolute corker of a song that you can sing along to and tap your feet to at the same time! The tune which follows it, ‘The Modern Musics’ is another amazing tune but this one is completely different in sound with severely Punk Rock vocals, some quite light guitar playing and bass lines, and a good steady drum beat which really helps to keep the pace throughout the song. All the songs on this CD are extremely varied with final track, ‘Automatically’ kicking off with a Ska beat before leading into the Punk vocals, which truly do rock. This one is another of my favourites from the CD – due to the pace of it and its sheer brilliance, a mighty fine little tune indeed! If you are fan of Punk or Ska then you are more than likely going to enjoy this one as you get the best of both worlds with a Ska kick off, and Punk vocals that are far from average. The Waxing Captors speed through this one and they finish it off in style by, about 5 seconds from the end slowing it up completely and leaving the guitars to stop vibrating by themselves.

This is one hell of a band that I have just witnessed here and I will definitely be checking out some of their other releases some time and hopefully will get a chance to go and see them live some time. This is one absolutely blinding band – and I am sure that they realise this. Anyone that is remotely interested in music will absolutely love this CD – and I mean every word of that!

Rating:
Five Star ReviewFive Star ReviewFive Star ReviewFive Star ReviewFive Star Review

The Toasters – Rare As Toast

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It is not every day that I receive CDs from such high profile bands, so when this little Toasters CD came in from the new Moon Ska press person, Kim I was extremely pleased as I have been a fan of The Toasters for a few years now and now I wont have to buy this CD!

‘Rare As Toast’ is a sort of best of album with some of their best tunes from various CDs – ten to be precise and to kick it all off they have chosen the incredible ‘2-Tone Army (Special Forces Mix.)’ This is the incredible instrumental version of the track which was used for Nickelodeon TV. It is a great one to start the CD off as it really gets you in to that all important Skanking mood and gets you prepared for the fun times that are ahead. There is an awesome horn section, a great drum beat, and some cool guitar licks to give it the finishing touches. It really sets the mood for the rest of the CD ‘I’m running right through the world’ carries on from where the first track finished picking up the good vibes and starts carrying on the Skankfest. There are 10 tracks on this CD and none of which are boring – it is quite a rarity in a CD to have all the songs being equally as good but this CD certainly seems to have done it, but really that is no major surprise as The Toasters are probably one of the most influential modern Ska bands around right now. They are just so enjoyable to listen to as they are such talented musicians, the music is extremely upbeat, and it is just so easy to let your hair down to and start dancing the night away!

What a great bunch of guys The Toasters are – and with this CD they show off exactly how they have become one of the most influential modern day Ska bands. It is purely down to the fact that there songs are filled with energy, they are amazing at playing their instruments, and have a fine eye for Ska! I have always admired the band for what they do and this CD was a reminder of why! If you do not own any of The Toasters albums (god forbid!) then please, please, please get this CD as it offers up some of their best tracks from a number of their greatest albums.

Buy now – sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!

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