Caught Live: The Family Rain.

Fresh from supporting roles on the Jake Bugg and Miles Kane tours, not to mention the trip to Mallorca Rocks with Biffy Clyro, The Family Rain hit Reds Bar at Northumbria University on Friday night, and it was obvious these amazing opportunities had rubbed off well on the three brothers.  They oozed confidence during their performance and had a lot more stage presence and banter with the crowd than during their spring tour, and each track was delivered to an exceptionally high standard (which ironically can’t be said for artists a lot more popular).

For those of you unfamiliar with the band, The Family Rain are an indie rock group, reminiscent of The Black Keys and The Strokes, from Bath: twin brothers Tim and Will, and older brother Ollie. Having all been in independent fruitful projects, the brothers joined as a unit in 2011 and their success has snowballed from there, so much so the band practically had their pick of labels, including Lily Allen's In The Name Of.

The band opened their gig with much-loved track ‘Carnival’, and encouraged the large crowd to join in the performance and come alive, a welcome change from the support act! Aside from the crowd pleasers, The Family Rain played some never-heard-before tracks which were really interesting and brilliant rock-pop tunes. You know you’ve got a winner if the crowd are singing along to a song they’ve never heard before after a few minutes. These unknown tracks are all from the debut album, scheduled for release in February 2014. The reception they got in Reds Bar indicates that this is going to be one hell of a debut album.

The stand out track of the gig has to be ‘Pushing It’, which has been my favourite of the band since I first started listening to them at the beginning of the year. It has the kind of intro that inspires the inner rock god in you: cue lots of head nodding and arm raising as you sing along to the tantalising moody vocals. What I like most about this track is how it is almost completely reliant on guitar; the percussion is only really added to emphasise the dramatic vocal sections, the bass does everything else.

Despite the path their career has took them this year – rubbing shoulders with Miles Kane and Simon Neil over the summer – The Family Rain are still the same down-to-earth, friendly guys that I met during their spring tour. After their set, the band stopped back to sign merchandise and tickets, and were more than happy to get photos with everyone. It’s really refreshing to see a band so appreciative of their fans and easy to chat to. And with this winning formula, it’s difficult to not envisage a promising future for this talented bunch. 

Introducing: Young Aviators.

Young Aviators are a group of three lads born in Northern Ireland, but now embracing life past the border in Glasgow. Signed by student-run label Electric Honey, their commercial debut album, Self Help, offers a pop/indie collection of music that makes you smile; they're new to the music scene and with lots to sing about.

Hailed as a newer younger Snow Patrol, I couldn't resist a listen to the album. I bloody love Snow Patrol. And I'm so glad I did check the band out, although I have to disagree about their comparison with Gary Lightbody and co. In fact, the only thing they have in common with Snow Patrol is their Irish-ness.

After listening to the album in full, I realised the band reminded me of Kodaline, but a lot more upbeat and drummy. 'Forward Thinking', the second track on the album, is brilliantly upbeat with a lot of banging percussion and indie vocals. But it still has an important message, with comments on society at the minute, this song seems to be the anthem of a generation.

 

The album isn't all sunshine and rainbows;their bounciness is contrasted by sedate numbers such as 'Sunshine on the Motorway', which ensures you don't get overwhelmed by the upbeat tracks, to the point of annoyance. 'Sunrise on the Motorway' sounds very dramatic and melancholic, which is a bit of a shock as the first track, especially with the bright artwork suggesting just a lot of fun pop. This rocky edge of Young Aviators is intriguing, and probably my favourite 'edge' of the band. It manages to be energetic yet sedate at the same time. Crazy.

 

Despite the album being relatively short, it is jam packed full of promise and great indie tunes. Yes, there's a lot of bands around with a similar sound, but there's always room for one more. They're obviously onto a winning formula, and they're running with it (or should that be flying?).

Listen to the album online here. You can also find the band on Spotify.

The Return of Fresh Meat.

With the title of Fresher cruelly stolen from them, are the gang from 28 Hartnell Avenue ready to settle down in their second year studies? It doesn’t look like it. After all, second year doesn’t count too. Right?

Fresh Meat is such an agonisingly awkward, yet embarrassingly accurate, representation of what we all go through when we first experience complete freedom. We all know a guy who thinks with his dick; a friend who puts all their efforts into getting drunk and absolutely none into their studies; and a mate whose attempts to be cool are so see-through it hurts. This is what makes Fresh Meat such a winning formula – pulling in an average of a million viewers per episode - and this new eight-part series promises to be just as full of mishaps and bad decisions as the first two. With previous bad decisions ranging from shagging your professor, to changing your degree to drama to impress a girl, can the housemates get even more stupid this series?

I wouldn’t put it past them.

From the brains behind the brilliant Peep Show, Fresh Meat is hitting our screens for its third series this week. But just because the gang are technically no longer freshers, that doesn’t stop them living the freshers lifestyle. In fact, with new housemate Candice (a sheltered fresher) to take under their wing, the housemates pull out all the stops to look cool. Obviously, they fail miserably. Oregon (Charlotte Ritchie) and Vod (Zawe Ashton) peer pressure the poor girl to do drugs in her first few days away from home, leading to some pretty full on snogging and then, very shortly after, lots of vomming.

JP (Jack Whitehall) is yet again putting all his efforts into pulling, rather than actually getting a degree. Christening 28 Hartnell Avenue as ‘Pussy Haven’ and creating ‘Team Hard-On’ – which is arguably worse than the infamous Pussy Patrol à la The Inbetweeners – doesn’t seem to impress the ladies. Howard (Greg McHugh), on the other hand, seems to be a hit with one fresher in particular. Is love, or rather ‘fuckageddon’ (one of JP’s brilliant coinages this series), on the horizon for the socially awkward ‘pig man’. With a title like that, we can pretty much guarantee he will screw it up. 

The ‘Ross and Rachel of Manchester’, Kingsley and Josie (played by Joe Thomas and Kimberley Nixon), begin the series 9 hours apart as Josie was forced to transfer to Southampton after causing serious damage to someone’s face when operating dental machinery half drunk (we’ve all been there). But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t feature in this series. Oh no, we get to see her on screen, on a screen, as she seems to spend her second freshers’ week sat in her room talking to her old friends on FaceTime. With Kingsley admitting they are ‘over like Dover’, is there any chance of a reconciliation? If writing a novel for her over the summer doesn’t win her over, I don’t know what will. ‘Cos that’s not weird, or creepy. At all.

We’ve had the year of beer, the year of fear is still a long way off. Second year is the year of the spear. I wonder how much ‘spearing’ will actually take place this year. My bet is not a lot: let’s face it, they’re all awful at pulling. Women, not viewers, they’ve got that nailed. 

Caught Live: Tom Odell @ Newcastle O2 Academy

Having been an avid follower of the progress of Tom Odell ever since his breakthrough at the start of the year, the chance to see him live was an opportunity I was not willing to pass up on. Despite my love for his music, however, I was slightly wary that Odell wouldn’t put on much of a performance, and with only one album to his name, there was the worry that he didn’t have enough well known material to really draw in the crowd.

I was, of course, completely wrong on both accounts. The sold out show was a spectacle of musical talent and energy. There was no need for any showy stage design; a plain curtain bearing his name, a few lights, and a piano, was all the necessary equipment to provide over an hour of entertainment and excitement. The set list cleverly interweaved Odell’s big hits, such as ‘Can’t Pretend’ and ‘Another Love’, with less known tracks from the album, like ‘Sirens’. There was even a surprise appearance from The Beatles’ ‘Get Back’ and (my personal favourite track of the night) ‘I Just Want To Make Love To You’.

Yes. Really.

The shock encore rendition of the Etta James classic was an immediate hit with the crowd and had everyone in disbelief and hysterics simultaneously and showcased Odell’s personality; when listening to his album, it is sometimes difficult to remember that he is still a young lad with a sense of humour and that he doesn’t always feel so depressed over the state of his love life as his tracks imply.

Throughout the performance, Odell was spot on both vocally and on the piano. Passion and intensity oozed from each chord that was produced from his chaotic banging on the keys, and the crowded intimate setting was perfect acoustically to emphasise the dramatic percussion that complemented Odell’s energy.

 The stand out track for me was ‘I Know’, which was already my favourite from the album. Tragically melancholic by nature, this track transcended brilliantly in a live capacity and had everybody singing their hearts out to the chorus, despite being one of the lesser known tracks from Long Way Down. ‘Another Love’ was also a spectacle of a performance, with Odell almost jumping through the stage with enthusiasm as he magnificently hit every note on the piano.

The opportunity to see such a talent as Tom Odell in a relatively intimate venue and at such a low price is unlikely to arise again anytime soon. With his popularity soaring on both sides of the Atlantic – Odell has just finished a tour of the States – I anticipate that his next nationwide tour will be to much bigger audiences and at much higher a cost. Easily the best gig I’ve been to this year, I can’t wait to see what Odell presents us with in his next album and his future live dates.

Folky Fabulousness: Dave Pilla's 'More Than Hoped For' EP.

Today I stumbled across something massive. No, it wasn't just me being blind (although I am desperately reliant on my glasses); I mean metaphorically, dur. Scrolling on Twitter, an artist I reviewed way back when I first started my blog - Adam Geraghty - had posted a SoundCloud link for @DavePilla. I liked Geraghty's music, so figured he wouldn't recommend any old dross, and so clicked on the link.
I was truly blown away after the first 30 seconds of Pilla's EP More Than Hoped For.

Twitter Find Of The Day: The Sea The Sea.

Firstly, I would like to apologise immensely for my long absence from blogging! I've just got back from a girls holiday in Magaluf and recovery from that, along with a lot of shifts at work, have meant I have had no time or energy to even think about writing!
 I have however, been avidly listening to music still, and I recently stumbled across a band I think you might like. The Sea The Sea are an indie rock band hailing from Oxford who set themselves apart from their contemporaries such as The Maccabees with their 'trademark' of a dreamy atmosphere that contrasts yet complements their rocky guitar riffs.

The band, made up of Matthew Clarkson, Danny Crane-Brewer, David Freeman, Patrick Merricks and Stuart Norfolk. Their release of the Four Demos EP, for record shop day, has already gained much praise, and I would like to increase that praise ten-fold.
The first track on the EP, 'The Strait, The Narrow' has a real dream like quality which is easy to get lost in. The lead vocals are spectacular and meander seamlessly from the calm soft tones to the more edgy rock vocals which (maybe it's just me?) are reminiscent of Morrissey and The Smiths.
Second track, 'Waterfall', has a beautifully reflective introduction which is endearing and instantly calming. I love the music in this track as it just seems to carry you away, making it instantly my favourite track on the EP. The heavy percussion which seems, at first, a rude interruption in the serene landscape the track creates, is perfect in emphasising the passion in the lyrics. It's interesting how the vocals don't seem to be the most important thing in this track, as they are drowned by the emotion-fuelled music with its multitude of layers.
'Something Happened' is probably the band's most stereotypically 'indie' track, with a chorus which reminds me of The Wombats and Young Kato. The infectious guitar during the chorus sequence makes it a perfect summer tune, and with the addition of the consistent drum beat, I can imagine this track being the 'best seller' during a live performance.
The final track on the EP, 'Winter Parade', was the first song I heard from the band; after receiving a follow from them on Twitter, I looked them up on Spotify and randomly clicked on this track. I instantly fell in love with the track purely because of the chaotic guitar and drum sections which seem to burst from nowhere in the track and add a huge buzz of excitement.
It's not just the obvious talent of The Sea The Sea that make me enjoy listening to them, it's also the care they put into replying to fans on Twitter; it's disappointing that more recognised artists don't make as much effort in showing their supporters how grateful they are. After tweeting about the track 'Winter Parade', I received a reply from the band thanking me and then we ended up discussing parmos! (A local delicacy from Middlesbrough, where I'm from!). So thank you, guys, for cheering me up last night, as well as making brilliant music!

With a new EP release promised for October 2013, this band is definitely one to watch. I personally cannot wait to hear new stuff from the talented group! I will also be on the lookout for any live gigs in the North East in the upcoming year, as I HAVE to see this band live!

Listen to the band on SoundCloud here.

Like what you here? Learn more about the band through their tumblr page, click here to view the page.

Follow the band on Twitter, search @theseatheseaHQ. 

A Must See: Channel 4's 'Run'.

I've been so busy this week enjoying the sunshine and working that I have had literally no time to watch TV, which is so strange for me! But tonight I made the effort to sit down and watch the first episode of a British drama that I've been excited to see for over a week. Run is a compelling 4 part drama documenting modern life and the unseen dramas in Britain. Starring a multitude of famous faces, including Olivia Colman and Jaime Winstone, the drama promises to be gritty and captivating.

Album Review: Tom Odell - Long Way Down.

I've been an avid Tom Odell fan since first discovering him on Radio One at the beginning of the year. Having purchased tickets to see him live in October, the buzz of anticipation around his debut album was immense; I literally could not wait to listen to it!

I've now listened through the album a thousand times (maybe a slight exaggeration, but I have listened to it a lot!), and here I am going to provide a track by track review of Long Way Down. If you don't know much about Tom Odell, first of all, where have you been?! The Brits Critics' Choice winner has already featured on my blog a few months ago; the post includes all the key info you need to know, as well as numerous reasons why you should fall in love with his music! You can read the post here.

Summer Anthems: Is Tropical.

Yes, I understand the weather isn't exactly summery at the minute. But Is Tropical's new album I'm Leaving is so infectiously upbeat you can't help but feeling a bit summery, and they do have a very summery name!

Formed in 2009, I'm really surprised that I haven't heard of the trio until now; they're exactly up my street and have worked with some artists, such as supporting Mystery Jets and Klaxons on their UK and European tours.
Listening to their second album I'm Leaving, which was released in May 2013, I am immediately drawn to the track Dancing Anymore. The female vocals are captivating and reminiscent of The Naked And Famous, with the mellow tones revitalised by a punky edge. The overpowering synthetic percussion in this track gives it a futuristic feel which is perfect for 2013. The unignorable thumping beats clashing with the electro sections make it the most memorable track on the album,  But the band are also really talented at the traditional guitar and heavy drum combo; in Lilith, you're immediately drawn to the multitude of textures in the track created by the different beats working in unison.

The final track on the album is like the final explosion in a film which leaves you in awe for hours after leaving the cinema. Featuring Crystal Fighters' Ellie Fletcher, Yellow Teeth is actually a stunning listen, despite the ugly name!

It is clear that the band have matured and developed since their debut album Native To; the tracks are more refined and sophisticated, and in general, much more worthy of the 'anthem' tag. The band have firmly found their feet in the music industry, promising only better things to come.

You can find I'm Leaving, along with some really cool remixes, on the band's SoundCloud here. 

Have You Fallen In Love With 'Dates'?

A new channel 4 series has really caught my attention recently; Dates is host to a multitude of recognisable faces, including Will Mellors and Sheridan Smith. Each episode depicts the relatable cringiness of a first date: trying to impress the other; finding common ground to begin conversations; subtly flirting by playing with your hair.
I stumbled across the first episode on demand when I was sat on my sofa, bored out of my mind after finishing my A levels and having nothing productive to do. I really enjoyed the first episode, however, and after watching the following episodes, it is still my favourite so far.
The first episode showcases the first date of David and Mia (Will Mellor and Oona Chaplin). David is a genuine down to earth guy looking for love again after the tragic death of his childhood sweetheart and mother to his four children. Mia is a seductive singleton who enjoys the attention men give her because of her looks, but who runs at the sight of any true feelings. Initially, Mia plans on standing David up. She turned up at the restaurant, judged him on his outfit, and left him hanging for over half an hour until he finally clicked on. But his stereotypical northern attitude to her 'bullshit' captivated her - it seems she's not used to men standing up to her - and she stayed for the meal. Everything seemed to be going pretty well for a date that started off that awfully, and the sexual tension was evident from the offset. But, there's always a twist in TV, and of course, the lovable David couldn't find happiness in the first episode: Mia 'went to the loo' and didn't come back.

Twitter Find Of The Day: Village Green.

Classic British indie rock has been reintroduced into my playlist thanks to the brilliantly talented Village Green. The group (who are coincidentally from my hometown!) followed me on Twitter recently, and after checking out their Facebook page and SoundCloud, I am already excited to see them perform at some point in the near future!
Village Green are a 5 piece rock band, very reminiscent of britpop artists Oasis, who create tracks that are not only unbelievably catchy, but also music that makes you feel positive and inspired. It's the kind of music that you need to listen to before a stressful day to get you motivated; the kind of music which makes you want to sit in the garden with a union jack flag drinking beer; the kind of music which makes you want to express yourself the way these guys do.

Album Review: Scream Shout - Threads.

Scream! Shout! Say Nothing was first conceived in an Irish pub a decade ago; after previous "serious" bands for all five members - Ben Davies, Ben Street, Chris Hollis, Dan Magee and Jamie Dunn - this was always thought of as a project with no aim other than making music they all enjoy. 
 Within a year, the post-hardcore outfit were preparing to set off in a bus bought for £500 from a local pool team, to play gigs up and down the UK. Graffiti-style pool balls splashed across the side of their mechanically frail ride, with the help of their new label Scylla Records, and a large percentage of the staff of the RAC, Scream Shout played their first UK tour. The following four years saw two EPs, support slots with Hell Is For Heroes, Enter Shikari, Don Broco and Deaf Havana, and many more tours (in a slightly less catastrophic bus). 

Twitter Find Of The Day: Foy Vance.

I discovered the beautifully soothing vocals of Foy Vance thanks to possibly my favourite musician EVER, Gary Lightbody (lead singer of Snow Patrol), who tweeted a YouTube link of the track 'Joy Of Nothing'. I immediately fell in love with the harmony in this song, and how intensely it was stripped bare to just his voice and minimal instruments. With nothing but his rogue-ish irish tones and his acoustic guitar, Foy Vance captivated me within two minutes, so much so I spent the rest of my night trawling through YouTube to find any other tracks by him. Not only does he have a beautiful voice, he has a very impressive moustache to match! (seriously, it is amazing). 

Series Round Up: The Fall.

BBC Two's psychological crime thriller had me hooked from the start, and two days after watching the finale of series one, I am still in awe at the script and acting of the show, and unbelievably excited for series two!

The Fall followed Paul Spector, a grief counsellor, husband and father, as he planned and carried out disturbing crimes for sexual gratification. The main difference between The Fall and any other crime thriller of late is the fact you are confronted with the murderer from the very opening scene. Seeing Spector as a father is particularly shocking as you realise he is not a two dimensional monster, but a complex, twisted individual.

Caught Live: Musket (Supporting The Family Rain).

First of all, I would like to apologise profusely for my lack of posts the past week. The past week has been 'exam week' and I've been so busy revising for my A Levels I couldn't full dedicate myself to posting for you all. The good news is that my last exam was this morning, so I am now free! Normal blogging standards will commence straight away, hope you enjoy!

Last Monday I went to see The Family Rain in Stockton; I first discovered The Family Rain on Twitter thanks to @NME, and when I found out they were headlining a tour round the corner from my hometown, I couldn't resist! I've posted a gig review of The Family Rain for 'A Music Blog, Yea?', which you can check out here.
The support act at the gig was a local band called Musket, who reside in nearby Billingham. Their rocky vibes were perfect for getting us all in the mood for The Family Rain, and really added to the authentic mood The Green Room provided; it felt like you were a part of something special as you experienced new, raw music stripped to its core. 

The Great Gatsby: A Stunning Spectacle.

Yesterday afternoon I finally got round to going to the cinema to see Luhrmann's new film The Great Gatsby (Orange Wednesdays woo!). Since hearing about the film around Christmas time, I have been buzzing with anticipation: as a keen bookworm; Luhrmann fan (his version of Romeo & Juliet was breathtaking); and admirer of the beautiful Leonardo DiCaprio (a perfect casting for this role!). The Great Gatsby seemed to be made for me!

I first read the novella last October, as part of an A Level coursework. I immediately fell in love with the epicurean lifestyle of the roaring twenties; the excess, the glitz, the glamour. The whole era oozed seduction and sex appeal, which is why I was so happy when it was announced Luhrmann was directing the new film. Luhrmann is brilliant at bringing out the theatricality and cinematic 'wow' factor of classic stories by interpreting and manipulating them from a 21st century point of view.

EP Review: Cautioners - Conditional Identity.

I was recently contacted by Scylla Records asking if I would feature one of their artists on my blog as they had a music video premiere that night (you can check out the post for Hello Lazarus's video 'Stallions'  here). I'm now looking forward to building a relationship with the record company and featuring a few more of their artists on my blog. The first (of many, hopefully!) is Cautioners, and their debut EP 'Conditional Identity'.

Cautioners are a Bristol-based band who have caused shockwaves on the local scene without playing a single live gig. Yes, thanks to the internet and the broadcast of session videos the band have gained an initial strong following as well as gaining the attention of Scylla Records. 'Conditional Identity' will be released by Scylla Records on June 10th, and 4 days later the band have their first gig at Bristol Louisiana!

Pretty daunting for a band just breaking onto the scene, huh?

The Place Beyond The Pines: Beyond Underwhelming.

The Place Beyond The Pines depicts the catastrophic journey of Luke Glanton (Ryan Gosling, above), a motorcycle stunt rider who becomes involved in bank robberies after discovering he has a child with a former lover Romina (Eva Mendes). This risky decision puts Luke on a direct collision course with ambitious police officer Avery Cross (Bradley Cooper).

After seeing the trailer for The Place Beyond The Pines at the cinema last time I went to see a film, I was already underwhelmed and wasn't really fussed about seeing it. However, I was forced into it last night, with protests that it was 'brilliant'.
It wasn't brilliant.

My New Obsession: MS MR's 'Secondhand Rapture'.

I first heard of MS MR on BBC Radio One a few months ago, and I was instantly captivated by their debut single 'Hurricane'. Since then, MS MR have released a further two singles - 'Fantasy' and 'Bones' - both also phenomenal singles. Now that their debut album, 'Secondhand Rapture' is available on Spotify, I can't tear myself away from the computer!

MS MR consists of vocalist Lizzy Plapinger and producer Max Hershenow, based in New York. It seems that 2013 really is the year of the duo, with the likes of AlunaGeorge soaring in the charts also. There is a considerable difference between the two artists however; MS MR have a much more vintage sound whereas AlunaGeorge has a sweet naivety about their sound. Plapinger's vocals have been rightly compared to Florence Welch; the raw intensity of her voice is brilliant in conveying the emotion in the album, particularly in  'Think Of You' and 'Hurricane'. 

Series Finale: Doctor Who.

I have literally just finished watching the series finale of Doctor Who, titled 'The Name Of The Doctor'.

I found out a few weeks ago that the original title of the episode was to be 'The Funeral Of River Song', which devastated me! This seemed to be confirmed with the apparition of a tombstone for River at the start of today's episode. Although there was no physical death of River in tonight's episode, the emotional episode between her and the Doctor (shown above) was pretty heartbreaking and seems to signal an end to River Song's time in Doctor Who episodes.