Playlist

Here's some of the picks from tonights playlist.

Some absolute crackers, personal highlight was the Sly Digs (The Love That Keeps on Giving) @slydigsband - massive tune, very Charlatan's like.

It's a cool fucking video too.

Others to note. The Cornerstones (My Mind) @thecornerstones - nice little number this one, link below. No video to date.

https://soundcloud.com/the-cornerstones/my-mind


This is cool too. Mad Colours. Like. The first tune is hot.

http://thegoodtimesareback.tumblr.com/

Until next time......keep listening, follow me here on Twitter @powerismusic

x

Commercialisation. The death of rock n roll

A raw hard hitting band or solo artist emerges from hear say, illegal downloads and local gigs. “Their amazing”, “the next Roses I’m telling you” These are the noises you hear on their arrival. A debut, a fucking lovely debut and their name spreads further but then something halts a clog in full motion.

Radio One, BBC, some media big wig wants a piece of the pie. “Change that”. “Shine that up and we’ll have you on this channel young man”.

The façade gets scrubbed. The music get’s winded. The dream the fans were promised dies.

How often this tale is told.

You could argue the point with the Arctic Monkeys. What a fucking noise they produced on arrival. ‘What ever people say I am, that’s what I’m not’ is one of the albums of the last decade in my humble opinion. But what of them now?

 

 

Declining tunes yet a bigger profile.

Market the little bastards they ordered and now they reside as a household name with most mums and dads.

The Gaslight Anthem and their latest release ‘Handwritten’ is scarcely bordering this commercialisation threat too.

Rock n roll from the US perhaps wanting a wider audience worldwide? Maybe I’m just a pessimist worrying about nothing. What I am sure of though is that this particular album is by far the worst collection they’ve batched to us.

So many good artists emerge, especially here in Britain, and I hope as so many others that their raw ability is allowed to carry their careers.

One such star is Jake Bugg. A superb artist who’s getting a real name for himself through some massive media coverage.

For fuck’s sake Jake don’t end up collaborating with Ed Sheeran now will you!

 

 

Until next time, just like Mr Bugg, keep it real.

Sly Digs – Never To Be Tamed – THE REVIEW

Well I’ve banged on about them enough, so it’s only fair to review the debut album of Warrington rockers Sly Digs.

I’ve not looked forward to an album release this much for a while. Was I expecting too much of a debut album? I feared it might be the case. Was it? Fuck no. It’s an unbelievably good debut, it really is.

 

 

So many new bands get lost in a generic big hair and small jeans box. The Digs aren’t interested in that, it’s all about the music for them.

They have their comparisons, don’t everyone though? You can sometimes distinctively tell where their influences lay, such as in track 4, The Love That Keeps On Giving. You’d be forgiven for thinking your IPod had shuffled onto a Charlatans track.

How on earth could that be negative anyway!?

Overall though on this album, the Digs have a very bluesy sound to them yet their rock n roll shines through in every track.

They sound like Alabama Shakes would after 8 double Brandy’s and half an E.

It’s soulful yet hard. A sound that certainly isn’t generic.

Everyone will have their favourites on this album and there isn’t a bad one among it, honest.

It starts with a beautifully catchy number, Worth Your Weight In Gold, which sets a perfect pace for what’s to follow.

Bang Bang And My Bullet Was Gone will have people jumping and singing with each other come gig time and then there are tracks that get imprinted on your brain.

She’s My Rattlesnake is beautiful and if you’re still not satisfied by then, every Dig’s fans favourite Electric Love isn’t too far away.

Buy it. That’s all I can say. Bands like this don’t come around too often and this one needs supporting to the bigger things they deserve.

 

 

Never To Be Tamed is one of the most complete debut albums you would have heard in a long time.

8/10 – rock on lads.

 

SLYDIGS (pictured) are:
Dean Fairhurst: Vocals and rhythm guitar
Louis Menguy: Lead guitar
Ben Breslin: Bass
Peter Fleming: Drums

The Evening Chill Out Session

How these dance CD’s that sound like a geezer smashing 10 bells of shite out of his new culinary equipment can be released as a ‘chill out session’ is beyond me.

If I’m listening to a set of songs to chill out with, have a sup of ale with, you can bet your boots none of these ‘chill out’ CD’s will be anywhere near my sound system.

So I got to thinking, what would I pick as my chill out tunes? Well, here they are. Agree or not I’m sure you’d love to chill out with them deciding!

So top ten, leading to our victor looks like this……….

Number 10 – Kate Bush.- Running up that hill.

Ouch, this song is sharp. Beautiful fucking song, one most definitely to chill out with.

Number 9 – Alabama Shakes – You Ain’t Alone

Sleepy time. Giddy gum drops this one is a dream.

Number 8 – Stone Roses – Adored

It’s a tune. A massive fucking tune. It’s also calm in its way too. Love it.

Number 7 – The Smiths – I Know It’s Over.

A depressing number for the chill out zone? Fuck off this is Morrissey. He’s magic and this tune is deep, slow and massively listenable. (Is that even a word?)

Number 6 – Beady Eye – The Roller

I want these in the selection list because I think Liam and co have done a marvellous job here. Massive band in my eyes and this is a subtle one to make the list. There are others on the album but this is just huge right?

Number 5 – Oasis – Let There Be Love

Touching hey. It’s fabulous and it’s by Oasis. Enough said.

Number 4 – Arctic Monkeys – Mardy Bum

Can these little rockers really make a chill out session? Cause they fucking can. Have you heard this one? It’s a sing-a-long hit, it’s still relaxing and it’s a jib at everyone’s mrs. Love it.

Number 3 – Stone Roses – Mersey Paradise

They make it a second entry. They are that good and this is one of their greatest hits. Why a b-side I’ll never know. Enjoy it as it takes you into our top 2.

Number 2 – The Verve – The Drugs Don’t Work

It’s a fabulous, fabulous song. The magic on The Verve is driven at you by the majestic tone of Ashcroft’s voice. This is a must for the chill out zone.

….and number 1? Them again?

Number 1 – The Verve – Lucky Man

Our number one is from my number one. Richard Ashcroft has a voice made for chill out sessions and Lucky Man is arguably The Verve’s greatest work. I love it, you should too.

The Book Club – Book Mark Them

Fans of the Arctic Monkeys would have no doubt stumbled across Sheffield counterparts Milburn in recent years, (Milburn covered in an earlier blog). Well since the demise of the latter, what has become of their sound?

Joe Carnall, the lead singer of Milburn, took his melodies to a new band, grabbing former Arctic Monkeys bassist Andy Nicholson In the process and developing his modestly named four piece ‘Joe Carnall and The Book Club’. That Sheffield steel Milburn and the Arctic’s ooze(d) was back. Carnall eventually dropped his name from the band title and POW The Book Club voyage begins.

If you haven’t downloaded some of the sounds this band produce then do so. ‘What Was Said On The Landing’ to ‘Cautious Cavalier’ all melt into the beautiful tone of Carnall’s voice. The Book Club’s sound produce plenty of power to back it up too.

Fans will relate to the sound of this band, jump with them, surf with them and sweat fucking bucket loads with them. Their modern, stylish and beaty demeanour is one that could propel them to heights Milburn didn’t believe they could reach.

The feedback coming from recent gigs are all positive too and there’s a real buzz around these boys and the future many see them embarking on.

No need for silence, The Book Club are coming.

Burning Condors - Unique Personified

Burning Condors. A flaming hot vulture? An ignited plane? What ever the name sake these lads are bloody hot and they’re bang in your face too. You simply can’t ignore their sound.

I’ve enjoyed listening to snippets of their work, in particular ‘Love On The Rocks’ which gets firmly imprinted on your brain for the next day or two.

The Burning Condors are London boys and are anything but the stereotypical band. They’re edgy, unique in their ways. There’s no attempt to copy bands up T’North and there are certainly no apples and pears getting climbed.

The indie trend is such an easy one to fall into for up and coming bands looking to make their name heard. Condors say no to that. They say it fucking loudly too.

The boys already have part of America on side with Producer Mark Robertson inviting them to his Nashville studio to work on their debut album ‘Round Our Way’. I find it all a little fitting considering their sound was compared to what Blur would have sounded like if they grew up listening to Nashville Tennessee’s own Carl Perkins.

The American influences are pretty clear to hear in the Condors sound but Marcus, Rory, Matthew and Chris are blighty boys and their sound will be leaking from the capital for more to hear.

Those who aren’t familiar with these lads need to be and the ones that are will know just why.

Their credibility is outlined by being chosen to support renowned US rock act The Legendary Shack Shakers at their 2010 London show. They’ll be more of these chapters to write in time too, you mark my words.

They are a band to look out for and one you should certainly listen to if you’re looking for something to break the mould. So many bands can get lost in the generic façade of ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’ but the Burning Condors go as far to almost define it.

Alabama Shakes - Boys and Girls - THE REVIEW

Alabama Shakes debut with Boys and Girls and gosh. This album is beautiful and one I highly recommend.

Rock n rollers no, beautiful musicians, gosh yes. Two gosh’s? Must be good.

If you’re after some beat, track 9 Be Mine will accommodate you. If you’re after quality, well the album oozes it.

Hold On sets the tone. Britney Howard screams her talent right down your earhole. Listen to me you son of a bitch. Listen to me good.

If you don’t fall in love with her tone throughout Hold On then track 5 You Ain’t Alone will do it.

This was the first Shakes song I heard. I watched them live at T in the Park in Edinburgh and Howard stood motionless, effortless at the mic for You Ain’t Alone. When she sung it, well it was like she grabbed my heart, squeezed it and vacated my chest to continue.

Beautiful doesn’t do her tone justice.

This album is a chilling one but its beauty rocks you. It’s so fucking cool I’ve ran out of superlatives.

Buy it, live it and most of all, enjoy it.