Rhythm & Booze An online music webzine created by music lovers for music lovers.

4 March, 2015

Following Foxes-Following Foxes

Filed under: folk,indie,Recorded Reviews,rock — Tags: following foxes, New EP — willmunn @ 11:41

Guildford based four-piece Following Foxes are something of a new name to me, but apparently the indie rock band have been picking up plaudits from the likes of The Musical Melting Pot and BBC Introducing, whilst making a name for themselves for supporting the likes of Winter Island and Yearbook among others.

A couple of previous singles have picked up radio play on the likes of Eagle FM, Radio Warwick and the alike, with the band’s debut, self titled EP likely to see the band further enhance their reputation.

The band mix and match a combination of infectious vibrant indie, with a touch of folk and the harder hitting sounds of Biffy Cylro to create a sound that’s both unique and instant.

The opening track, Almost Like It, serves as a tasty introduction with frontman Gid Smedgwick emoting over a combination of laid back acoustic and electric guitars aside a barrage of meaty drums before winding up to a glorious harmony-enriched vocal hook and a passionate holler.

I Saw, You Saw Me Back is even better, opening as a somewhat folky number before a choppy guitar joins the mix, creating a jerky indie sound, reminding me of a harder hitting, Mystery Jets, whilst the brief middle section has a Floyd like quality. Waiting For Someone comes complete with the aforementioned vocal harmonies, a towering sing-a-long chorus, a number of interesting time changes and a lovely acoustic outro, whilst Mother Brother is an equally impressive genre straddling combination of folk, infectious indie and driving acoustics all topped with those aforementioned winning harmonies.

The self titled EP is an intriguing and infectious introduction to an inventive take on the indie genre, if Following Foxes can continue in the same vein you can expect the band to move onto to bigger and better things in the near future.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 9

www.followingfoxes.com

2 March, 2015

Kill The Romantic-Fight Or Flight

Filed under: alternative,post hardcore,Recorded Reviews,rock — Tags: fight or flight, kill the romantic, New EP — willmunn @ 18:54

Worcestershire based, three-piece alternative rock behemoths Kill The Romantic follow up their debut album (reviewed elsewhere on this very site) with a brand new four track EP (once again produced by Dave Draper), that sees them retain their combination of hard hitting riffs and infectious riffs, whilst adding a new found urgency, to create a punchier more immediate sound.

Each of the tracks have those impressive time changes and sudden twists and turns that compelled on the band’s debut, Collapsed Under Our Creation, but now the structures are condensed and instant, with the band moving effortlessly through the gears from melodic to raucous in the blink of an eye.

Bipolaroid Picture kicks proceedings off with a barrage of drums and an orgy of riffs before twisting into a glorious, melodic post hardcore/alternative rock monster, complete with intricate guitar twists, crooned and bellowed vocals, thrilling stop-starts and an all important killer hook, compelling the listener from the off.

A Great Day To Die is a fantastic showcase of the band’s vision, uniting crunchy riffs and battered drums with an almost sedate, melodic middle section that sees frontman Dale Tomkins unveil a delicate croon before the song twists again before its conclusion. The contrast of light and shade is stunning with the heavier elements seemingly hitting even harder after the more melodic passage.

The two remaining tracks, the intriguingly named How Tall Can A Midget Stand and the title track, Fight Or Flight add harmonies and oft kilter hooks to an already potent sound giving the band an almost commercial sound (in the same way that Biffy Clyro are radio friendly these days!!) yet still retaining their own unique identity and vision.

Kill The Romantic’s debut album was impressive, but the new EP sees the band progress to another level entirely, this is essential for anyone with even a passing interest in textured alternative rock or melodic post hardcore.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 10

www.killtheromantic.com

19 February, 2015

Finlay Morton-The Devil Ain’t Getting My Soul

Filed under: blues,folk,Recorded Reviews,rock — Tags: finlay morton, new single, the devil ain't getting my soul — willmunn @ 20:45

Singer-songwriter, Finlay Morton has a new album, Harvest The Wind out very shortly but before that, Finlay makes the unusual decision to release a single lifted from his previous album, Back To Basics, which was released a couple of years ago.

It would seem that somewhat belatingly Radio Two has got behind the track,  The Devil Ain’t Getting My Soul, with the likes of Janice Long, Jeremy Vine and Huey Morgan singing the songs merits and regularly spinning the disc, which of course should (and how could it not) whet the listeners appetite for Finlay’s forthcoming album.

The Devil Ain’t Getting My Soul is a brilliant bluesy number complete with some sensational searing guitar work, tongue in cheek lyrics about mortality, subtle yet affecting keyboards, gospel backing singers and Finlay’s evocative, gravelly lead vocal tones that bring to mind the late great J.J. Cale or a more passionate Chris Rea.  As singles go this pretty much has it all, a killer hook, inspired instrumentation and that winning combination of grit and soul, it’s no wonder that Radio 2 have picked up on it.

So whilst it’s a little unusual that Finlay Morton’s new single isn’t on the forthcoming album, not only should it help gain momentum and whet the appetite for the future long player, but it also more than deserves some attention and acclaim on its own merits, as well as showcasing of the irresistible  wares of one of the finest singer-songwriters around, checkout the single, buy up the back catalogue and wait for that new album.

 

Rhythm & Booze Rating 10

www.finlaymorton.com

Matinée-These Days

Filed under: indie,Recorded Reviews,rock — Tags: matinee, new single, these days — willmunn @ 18:34

Matinée are a four-piece indie rock band originally hailing from Italy but now residing in London, since the band’s formation they’ve picked up loads of support both back in their native Italy and here in the UK from the likes of XFM, Topman, NME and Q among others, previous single Missing Pieces made the top twenty over in Italy, whilst being chosen by Topman for their video jukebox.

The hard working band have also performed with the likes of Franz Ferdinand (who’s single they borrowed their monicker from), Mystery Jets, Futureheads and British Sea Power to mention but a few, gaining new fans along the way, including Chris Geddes of Belle And Sebastian fame who labelled them as “anthemic indie rock with electronic flourishes hints of Franz Ferdinand and the Britpop era abound”

The above quote does pretty much hammer the nail on the head when it comes to the sound of Matinée, they do indeed bring to mind the jerky indie patter of Franz Ferdinand and yes there is something of a Britpop swagger and yes on new single These Days, there’s an electronic flourish (particularly on the fizzy introduction), but despite perhaps lacking a little originality you can’t knock the band’s energy and enthusiasm, add to that, the track is pretty damn infectious, complete with a catchy vocal hook and a contagious repetitive riff that runs throughout the duration of the track.

Matinée may develop their own sound in the future but for now they let them pay their dues and make homage to those indie darlings that came before them, as long as they continue to write songs as infectious as These Days.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 7

www.matineeband.com

Symmetry-The Cure

Filed under: alternative,pop,Recorded Reviews,rock — Tags: hey, new single, symmetry, the cure — willmunn @ 17:46

Symmetry are a Los Angeles based four-piece that first formed back in 2013, they released their debut album the same year and since then have been hard at work building up a fanbase across the globe with their relentless gigging supporting the likes of Room 94 in both the UK and Ireland last year.

The band are heading to our shores again with Room 94 on their Dirty Dancing tour and coinciding with their forthcoming track the foursome have a new single out in the shape of The Cure.

Symmetry blend a big bold combination of rock and alternative pop, add some fizz, a little bit of bounce and then shake until frothing. The Cure is a brash head rush of rock guitars and precious pop sensibilities that’ll appeal to teenagers the world over, its fun, highly infectious and there’s probably no cure for that nagging vocal hook (and mark my words you’ll be singing along whether you want to or not!!!)

If one “wave your hand’s in the air like you just don’t care” anthem wasn’t enough the band back it up with the equally addictive Hey, which again blurs and smudges the boundary between purist pop and fizzy rock with an irresistible chorus and a fistful of riffs that are simply impossible to ignore.

Whether Symmetry are rock with a pop element, or a pop band with rock tendencies is still open for debate but either way the two tracks on here are pretty damn catchy and surely that’s all that matters.

Rhythm & Booze Rating 7

www.symmetryband.com

 

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