Matthewjbutler has written the following articles:
For a band who once brilliantly sang "There's blood on your legs, I love you" as a chorus, it's hard not to feel slightly disappointed by the happy-clappy nature of this return from I Am Kloot.»
Beverley consist of, it says here, singer/guitarist Jimi ‘Danger’ Turner, bassist James ‘Maxwell Demon’ Maxted and drummer Kris Robinson who presumably joined the band too late to get a ‘cool’ nickname. As you might have guessed by their pseudonyms, Beverley aren’t a Christian folk band.»
There's something particularly disturbing about songs written by grown men who really should know better than writing music which says 'like, y'know, life, like totally sucks, man'. Black painted nailed sixth-formers no doubt find this soundtracks their suburbanised bedroom hell, but My Chemical Romance all have stable girlfriends, healthy bank balances and rather nice houses (probably).»
The Race explode off the blocks like a rocket on this single but manage an even stronger finish with the remote 'Raising Children'.»
‘If you can’t say anything good, say nothing at all’ goes the saying. Or perhaps that should be ‘if something sounds this good, there’s no need to say much at all’. Although They Don’t Sleep are sparing with vocals they let the music do the talking which thankfully loses none of its epic live beauty on these four tracks.»
Dead! Dead! Dead! stand in the dock accused of playing criminally underrated music, the intent to murder with a hedge-trimmer and, most seriously of all, having a band member who likes Mick Hucknall. Questioning uncovers all the sordid secrets of a Southampton group who really are to die for.»
It seems almost criminal to be listening to a record as summery as ‘Engineers’ on a day when the snow is building upon the windowsill outside. Everything about the album evokes feelings of dreamy days lying in tall grass and looking up at blue, cloudless skies. An incredibly warm and organic sounding debut, the songs all belie the band name of Engineers, who never feel manufactured or contrived.»
Okay so there wasn’t an exact day when the music died but rock music at one point must have been so alive when it was new. Mop tops, bisexuals on Top of the Pops and massacres of the national anthem all freaked out ‘the Man’ (or something.) While many new bands may claim to be the latest in line to be this generation’s working class heroes, are kids on council estates really listening to this sh*t anymore?»
"Words, they mean nothing” Doves once cooed, and while tonight’s gig is light on vocals, it’s definitely heavy on passion.»
"We’ve been around the country and nowhere has bands as good as Southampton at the moment. Keep supporting the scene.” So say Xavier Floyd Firebird at a SouthSCENE gig which feels like both a homecoming and a tearful goodbye, with three local bands playing together probably for the last time at such a small venue.»
The coolest act on the planet right now, apparently, is The Bravery. They've created a stir in the media after a string of high-profile support sets and an attachment to the current love of anything ‘80s. They join an Astoria bill alongside Willy Mason, Sons and Daughters and HotS...»
