contents

4-7Rock 101: the 60s

8-10why The Music

Oscars MaTTer!

11-13Question time:

the calling caRd

14you me at six

@ caRdiff uni

15-16does it offend you,

yeah? @ the globe,

Plus album Review

18ocean colouR scene

@ caRdiff uni

19Red jumPsuit aPPaRatus

@ clwb ifoR bach

20gay foR johnny dePP

@ clwb ifoR bach

22Reel big fish

@ caRdiff solus

24-26 funeRal foR a

fRiend inteRview

27man oveRboaRd

inteRview

28-29Question time:

maRs PatRol

30-32Mind MuseuM

Track by Track

33-36cd Reviews

By Justin E Percival

Contributors A-Z

nadine ballantyne, alex brady, Paul esp,

joshua hammond, justin e Percival, hanna-jane Roue,

anneka sillitoe, ed townend

Rock101

welcome students, today’s lesson is all about

the ins and outs of our fantastic music genre rock!

Now whether you’re new to this or not, there’s

a handful of bands who influenced the music

industry so much that we wouldn’t have the bands

or sounds of today without them.

some of these you may of heard of, some of them

maybe not, but all of them should be listened to if

it at least only one album each to get a sense of

where they have influenced some of your favourite

bands of today (some of them may even be your

favourite bands still and ya know what? That’s

cool too!)

So come with me as we embark on this crazy journey that I like to call... Rock 101!

The year is 1960, the swinging sixties are about

to hit full force. Taboos are gonna go out the

window, racism and sexism don’t seem to matter

anymore and neither does how you talk. space

exploration is at it’s height by the end of the

decade when humans land on the moon. regional

accents are sbout hit full force in the media and

that of course is where we start our journey.

ThE yEaR IS 1960

soundscape 05the beatles

Words: Anneka Sillitoe

swingingsixties...the Beatles

enter John, Paul, George and ringo from

Liverpool. Now you may or may not like The

Beatles, but you will definitely have heard of

them. Now personally i’m not a massive fan of

their work, but their earlier stuff i feel is better

than their later stuff (but that might just be cause

their later stuff makes no sense, i mean honestly

“we all live in a yellow submarine”... and what

drugs were you on at the time guys?), but either

way they were a major influence on the face of

music and were the start of teenage influence

with music media. No longer were girls mini-

versions of their mother who wanted to just grow

up to be the perfect housewife. No, they wore

mini-skirts now and screamed like no one has

ever screamed before. all because of these four

guys from Liverpool. so if you wonder why that

girl is screaming next to you at the singer of the

band you’re watching, who you both know is old

enough to be her dad... blame The Beatles.

Album you should check out: A Hard Day’s Night (it may

not be there most popular, but I feel it shows what they were

capable of truly before the 60’s and all it’s drugs got a hold

of any of them)

the Rolling stones

in 1962 came along Brian, ian, Mick, Keith, Bill

and charlie who started to bring rhythm and

Blues or r ‘n’ B as it became known to the masses

(yeah that’s proper r ‘n’ B, not that bullshit that

they call it these days). Of course these days their

line up is different and features ronnie wood, but

this is 1962 and he weren’t around then when

they first hit. These were my mum’s favourite band

as i was growing up and i used to change all the

words to their songs as i’d sing along. i became

a stones fan thanks to my mum early on and have

seen them in concert a couple of times (which is

amazing!). They can still move like they used to,

even at their age, and they’re sTiLL rocking out 50

years on, it’s amazing! Most of our bands these

days barely make the 10 year mark, so to have

5 times that is shocking! One direct influence i

can think of from this band is adam Lazzara from

Taking Back sunday doing Mick Jagger’s ‘chicken

step’ on stage, something i love to watch.

album you should check out: sticky Fingers (this was a truly hard choice cause some of my favourite songs are spread across so many of their albums. a greatest hits album like ‘Forty Licks’ might be a good way to go). anyway this album was released in 1971 and contains two of the bands most fantastic songs and i love it!

swingingsixties...the who

One of england’s finest rock bands to have ever

existed. Known for their instrument destruction

and energetic live performances, The who shot

to fame pretty quickly. They were the nasty boys

that were the juxtaposition for The Beatles over

niceness. Keith Moon was an amazing drummer

but he ruined himself with drugs as soon many

great musicians did. But at least in his life time

he could be part of such an influential band

who also started the rock opera with Tommy and

Quadrophenia and influenced countless over

genres away from just the rock.

album you should check out: My Generation. This is the album that shot them to fame and brought about mayhem to Britain and the rest of the world. you’ll have probably heard the title track used in an austin Powers movie and countless other things the world over, but it’s worth checking the whole thing (and after that, head into some other albums, maybe a greatest hits. There’s a host of amazing songs from this band).

Jimi hendRix

considered to be the greatest electric guitarist

in the history of music. Not only was he a lefty,

but he could play the guitar with his teeth. whilst

creepy, pretty impressive. i just wanna know

what made him go “i know, i’ll put it in my mouth

to play”. anyway, he developed some notable

techniques that are used the world over today

such as amplifier feedback because he favoured

raw overdriven amps with high gain and treble.

he also popularised the use of the wah-wah pedal

in mainstream rock.

album you should check out: are you experienced. contains some of his most well known songs including ‘Purple haze’. This album is so good it’s been permanently preserved in the National recording registry at the Library of congress in the us.

Well that’s the swinging 60s!

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soundscape 08

why The Music oscaRs MaTTeR!

Unfortunately at all award ceremonies, there are the BIG awards. Whether the ceremony is for films, music, TV or your pet there will always be those awards that dominate the headlines the following morning. At the Academy Awards there are the “Big Five” Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Original Screenplay. This year The Kings Speech took 4 of these 5 awards (Natalie Portman took the Best Actress Award). The press flock to the winners of these awards or focus solely on which films have won the most awards. This emphasis on the “Big Five” and the “Big Hitters” however, reduces the importance of other crucial accolades that the Academy gives out. The most prominant of these “Overlooked Oscars” are the Academy Awards for Music, Best Original Score and Best Original Song.

From 1995 to 1999 there were two awards for Best score; Best Dramatic score and Best Musical or comedy score. as such in those four years, three of the four films awarded Best Picture also won a Best score Oscar. in the late

90’s the academy seemed aware of the power of a good score to enhance a film and add to the performances and editing. Over the last decade it appears that The academy award for Best Original score has been used to award the films that the academy knows are not likely to be successful in later categories. since the change in categorisation back to “Original score” the only exceptions to the rule have been slumdog Millionaire and The Lord of The rings: The return of The King, all other recipients have not received an award for Best Picture.

This year is no exception. The social Network won Best Original score and The King’s speech won Best Film. This year the five nominees for Best Original score were The social Network, The King’s speech, inception, how To Train your Dragon and 127 hours. Five films with five very different scores, amongst them the only score that had a considerable effect on the final film was for The social Network. Trent reznor and atticus ross’s electric score elevated The social Network

(and why ThEy Should BE TakEn moRE SERIouSly)

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Words: Joshua Hammond

as scenes literally buzzed with tension. compare the understated beauty of reznor’s score to the overblown work of hans Zimmer on inception. how many times can we we see things move in slow motion whilst the Brass section go “BrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhMMMMMMMMMM”? Thankfully the academy recognised the reznor and ross’ tremendous score and gave them the award for Best Original score. unfortunately following the recent trend in giving the award for Best Original score as an almost “pity” Oscar, it is surprising that the award was given with a full awareness that the majority of academy Voters were not voting for The social Network as Best Film.

The situation regarding the Best Original song is almost exactly the same, since 1999 the only two films taking both Best Picture and Best Original song were slumdog Millionaire and The Lord of The rings: The return of The King. Though the effect an Original song has on a film is not the same as it’s score, due to the song only appearing once to a few times during the film,

it is revealing to look at what Original songs tend to be nominated and which triumph at the academy awards. Traditionally, existing figures in the Music industry are well received in the Best Original song category with, eminem, Bob Dylan and Bruce springsteen all winning in the past. This emphasis on celebrity lyricists makes it seem odd that Beck has been ignored for his work on scott Pilgrim vs. The world and Daft Punk’s work on Tron: Legacy.

since the creation of the academy award for Best Original song 77 years ago, Disney has taken over 10% of all awards. This year, Disney hold two of the four nominations for Best Original song, one for “we Belong Together” from Toy story 3 and one for “i see The Light” in Tangled. The other two nominations are for “if i rise” from 127 hours and “coming home” from country strong. recently Disney has fallen out of fashion with the academy considerably, being nominated nine times since their last win in this category. a. r. rahman the man behind “if i rise” won the same award two years ago for “Jai ho” in

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slumdog Millionaire, however 127 hours did not sweep the board in the same fashion as slumdog Millionaire.

Disney returned to winning form again with “we Belong Together” by randy Newman. Though in accepting his award Newman found time to raise a few questions about the awards itself. Newman said on the night, “i’ve been nominated 20 times and this is the 2nd time i won.” how is it that a musician as prolific and creative as randy Newman has only won 10 percent of his nominations yet stevie wonder has won 100 percent. Newman also raised issue with the number of nominations, “No wonder they only nominate 4 songs, what about cinematography. so there’s 5. They could find a fifth song from someone” Newman is on the money with this last comment. in 2008 and 2005 there were only 3 nominees. it would be incredibly easy to standardise the nominations add a fifth song to the shortlist and in doing so, stopping the allusion that Best Original song is less important than the other awards.

in the aftermath of the Oscars all anyone is talking about is The King’s speech and the dresses on the red carpet. The academy awards for both Best Original score and Best Original song are valid and important awards that commend the great work done by composers over the last year. The music found in films is often beautiful, often enhances the film and when revisiting the music it has the power to revive the feelings experienced whilst watching the film. it feels a shame that the press coverage seems to either focus solely on the Big awards or the Big hitters, leaving the winners of important awards such as Best Original score and Best Original song, and their crucial work, by the wayside. it seems unjust that Gwyneth Paltrow’s hideous metallic dress has got more column inches than randy Newman.

Question time

callingthe

caRd

soundscape 10

Benj – This is Benj and i am the singer and chief songwriter (also cracker of the whip!)

how did you get started?

Hob -  i landed into playing drums really. as kids you always wanted to be in a band, so some friends and me got together and soon i found out they all had guitars and basses and knew how to play them so i was left to buy a drum kit and learn how to play. after about a year of annoying parents and neighbours, bashing out songs by ear. i was ready for world domination with my school friends. The first songs you write and the first gigs you play aren’t going to be the best ones but you love every part of it and that’s what keeps you going. so like every musician its rare if you haven’t been in different bands before. after a few years and a few more bands i was left band-less and bored which led me to nag Luke squibbs Bens brother to see if he was up to anything because i knew he loved song writing, music in general and performing. Luckily at the same point Ben was looking to expand into a full band instead of his acoustic show and that’s how the calling card got started.

what have you got going on at the moment?

Benj – we’re making an animation Video (courtesy of hob) and another two videos ready for release later on in the year. we have a few local shows already booked with touring bands and hopefully will embark on our own first tour within the next six months as well as playing a few summer festivals. Defiantly not sitting back that’s for sure!

uestion time The Calling Card (from the depths of Newport South Wales)

although only being a band for a relatively short amount of

time have already achieved so much. From supporting the

likes of Ian Watkins, Zebrahead, Attack! Attack!, Alkaline Trio

and Deaf Havana, to having their song ‘Let’s Stay Young’

chosen as song of the week by Adam Walton on his BBC

Radio Wales show and have already built up a hardcore

network of fans and moulded them into a crack street team

ready to spread the good word of The Calling Card, and

all this done totally DIY. The band are preparing for their EP

release and we managed to catch with Benj and Hobnob so

they could fil l us in on the band.calling

Hob - i’m Lewys hobden or hobnob; i play drums for The calling card.

Hob - The songs are sounding huge and cant wait to get the final cut sent back to me so i can listen to its hundreds of times. if you don’t love listening to your own music what’s the point of doing it anyway!

Favourite music and why?

Benj – Band wise i’m a big fan of Oasis, u2, ryan adams, Taking back sunday, and loads more. we all listen to lots of types of music which is probably the reason we don’t sound like anyone band out there at the moment. we just take the best bits from all of our favourite bands.  hob - hard question i love all types of music. if the guys in the band had to pick one for me it would have to be rush because i keep telling them how good they are and trying to convert them all, having four rush t-shirts a library of DVDs, books and cDs doesn’t help. i love them for the pure musical talent and musical diversity over their discography and Neil Peart also being one of my favorite drummers. But with music it depends on what mood your in my play lists change all the time i have the strangest itunes library from alice copper, The Beatles, slayer, Foals, God speed you black emperor, Greenday, Manic street

Preachers, Mötley crüe, The Police to sister sisters.

Favourite book and why?

Benj – “heavier Than heaven” was an amazing book! i thought i knew quite a lot about Kurt cobain anyways but this book showed me a lot more. also love anything by Mick Foley. will probably get stick for that since a wrestlers biography isn’t typically the coolest or most intellectual choice but the way he can make you laugh, cower, or cry is fantastic. also the poetry books by Marc Bolan and ryan adams are something to keep going back too.

Hob - The animator’s survival kit by richard williams, its not a real book as in a novel but as i am in university studying my masters in animation its for me the greatest thing ever to be put in book form!. written by the great richard williams who brought to life one of the coolest animated films of all time ‘who Framed roger rabbit’. explains in depth his experience, knowledge and craft.

Favourite film and why?

Benj – well i’m a huge Film buff so could go on for hours! i’ll do my best to narrow it down though! Let the right one in, high Fidelity,

the exorcist, eternal sunshine will always be high up on my list. as will The star wars films and The Back To The Future trilogy! Hob - you would of thought it to be an animation but i would have to say spinal Tap. it’s so true! i have met people who complain about small things like tiny bread or have the best gear money can buy and know noting about it. Favourite moment in the film is where Nigel Tufnel rejoins the band, just gives me the best feeling ever i nearly cried. F**k Bambi’s mam this is real. i had it on Vhs but watched it so much it died. i’ve seen it about ten times with the audio commentary its the funniest thing you will ever hear. Best experience in the business?

Benj – ummm either playing with ian watkins in cardiff solus last year or our headline show at LePub back in the summer. i know selling out LePub in Newport isn’t the biggest thing a band will achieve in their lifetime but it was the first time that i thought “wow people actually are coming to the gigs to see us”. and playing with ian watkins was a cool thing to add to our list! we are all such big fans of the Lostprophets so to play with him was like a teenage dream come true! he didn’t comment on our

music but said he liked my outfit. i guess thats a good start right? Hob - Defiantly playing with alkaline trio. Being one of my favourite bands as a kid and dreaming of supporting them one day and it finally happen. it blew me away, its still a shock to me that we actually done it and not even being together for a year just shows how far we can goas a band.

Tell our readers an interesting fact about yourself and band?

Benj – well i’m straight edge for start. People always seems to think that’s interesting. also i was in a National chess tournament as a kid. actually don’t print that! Hob - well i have a degree; i have a Ba hons in animation and currently studying for my masters. i am also working on a music video for the band and its going to be for ‘weight Of The world’ the artwork for it is fantastic so cant wait for you guys to see it.

Best thing about coming from wales?

Benj – The best thing is that over the last 10 years we have seen so many bands make it from here! if that’s not a positive influence

i don’t know what is. i put on gigs for The Blackout and Kids in Glasshouses back in 2006 and now look at them? The shows weren’t sold out but you could see the potential even then. hopefully we’ll follow in their footsteps. Hob - we obviously have magical music infused water here with massive bands like Manic street Preachers, Lostprophets, stereophonics, Funeral For a Friend, Kids in Glass houses and Tom Jones. sounds strange but i love the weather, i like it when it rains its comforting but when its sunny we make the most of it.

who are your role models/idols?

Benj – i have loads again! Noel and Liam Gallagher, Kurt cobain, ryan adams, David Bowie. if i get anywhere near them i’ll be happy. also have you seen the film anvil? The guy in that is in his 50’s and still thinks he is going to be a huge rock star. he will never let go of that belief and everyday he works his arse off to make it happen. That what it’s all about

Hob - with drums i would have to pick Neil Peart, John Bonham, Bill ward and Ben Johnston all hearty power drummers. But need to give it up for the Gallagher brothers, it’s a shame they spilt. But music needs

more dicks! They where hilarious, out spoken and didn’t care.

hardest thing about the current business?

Benj – Getting noticed i guess. There is so much naff music out there at the moment that sometimes it makes it harder to shift through it all to find some genuinely good music but it always shines through in the end. and we will too!

Hob - Money! it’s everything these days. it’s not about making loads all you want, as a band at the early stages is petrol money. But with promoters trying to make quick money and hustle you out of your share it’s hard to survive and keep going. Best thing to do get an e.P out there get some merch and sell it you put in the money and you’ll get it back.Well, I for one cant wait to hear the EP so keep an eye out for that in Feb. You can check out the band here www.facebook.com/thecalingcard

soundscape 13

words: Paul esp

Does It offenD You, Yeah?You me at sIxCardiff Uni

6th JanUary

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PluS: Not AdviSed, CANtebury

although this show had only been on sale a couple of weeks it was very close to a sell out and that’s testament to surrey band you Me at six’s popularity these day., i’m a big fan of the band, and have been since see-ing them back in 08 supporting The audition in cardiff’s Barfly (riP) and it’s great to see them doing so well.

First band on tonight are not advised. i’m a big fan of the bands debut mini album ‘after The Fight’ but hadn’t seen them live so was well looking forward to it and they did not disap-point. Kicking off with ‘right Now’ i was obviously not the only person familiar with the band as large sections of the crowd were singing along. They sounded great, as good, if not better than the album. it was a very energetic performance and singer Jim Thomas is a very likeable frontman and his voice was spot on. They played the whole of the album and by the last song ‘The worlds Not ready’ pretty much the whole crowd was on the bands side. a

great band, check ‘em out. Next up were Canterbury, a band i’m not familiar with but they put in a solid performance. some of the songs were very samey and a couple i felt the arrangements were all over the place, but the duel vocals and energy of the band were really good and the crowd seemed receptive to them.

The lights went down then.....nothing, well not for a good 10 minutes anyway, then you me at Six took to the stage to massive screams and cheers with an in-tro piece then straight into ‘save it For the Bedroom’. The crowd singing every word, which was lucky because Josh forgot a few lines early on! The band sounded tight and although it took Josh a good few songs to warm up; once he hit his stride he sounded great. The set list was pretty spot on with ‘safer To hate her’, ‘Kiss and Tell’, ‘Find-ers Keepers’, ‘if i were in your shoes’, ‘Take Of your colours’. you sometimes forget how many great songs the band has. There was even a little acoustic set in

the middle consisting of ‘you’ve Made your Bed’ and ‘always attract’. it was cool but some people need to learn to shut the fuck up at gigs when the band are playing (if you want to talk....don’t, or piss off outside).

The guys had a great light show and stage set up which added to the whole event, Josh and Max making the most of the walkways, with Max being the best gurner and face puller of the night! The band played ‘The rumour’ an old track they hadn’t played for good few years and the crowd, quite rightly so, went off. Josh was urging everyone to crowd surf and during ‘The consequence’ instigated a circle pit around the sound desk which was pretty impressive. The crowd were well up for it and hanging on his every word. They ended the set with a stellar version of ‘Fireworks’; a song i love. after a short wait the band returned to finish up with an en-core of ‘stay with Me’, ‘Liquid confidence’ and a killer version of ‘underdog’. a great show, that i really enjoyed. 8/10

words: Paul esp

Does It offenD You, Yeah?the Globe, Cardiff5th febrUary

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PluS: triPWireS, love PArry iii

Does it Offend you, yeah? have been associated with some pretty big names as a support act. Bloc Party, Nine inch Nails, The Prodigy and (most recently) Linkin Park have all had the band on their bill for tours all over the world. They’ve also played the NMe awards Tour in the uK and pulled off a sold-out headline tour in the us. yet , in cardiff, they asked the audience to buy their new cD ‘Don’t say we Didn’t warn you’ as well as any merchandise with as much desperation as any other struggling independent band – and unfortunately that’s because they are such a band.

Opening for them in cardiff were local act love Parry III. Out on a limb from the headliners, the band did include some samplers but their music was brought across in a far more calmer and twee way than the wanton noise and aggression displayed by DiOy,y?’s set. Their songs held quite a bit of interest for just featuring samples, a steel guitar and three vocals, but misguided lyrics and

an uneasy aura left the band a bit off kilter. The single ‘Toybox’ is definitely a cleverly written song (and has a brilliantly messy video to look up), but if the entire set had been to that standard they would’ve come across far stronger than an out of place three piece. They ended their set with a nod to the final band “Does it Offend you, yes?” which drew a surprised and off-guarded laugh from various band members watching in the crowd.

Next up was again an oddly chosen sound, but chosen by the headliners, so perhaps an intentional change from the main band’s sound. Tripwires’ music could be considered as a mix between the stoner rock of Queens of the stone age and the powerful post-rock of bands like explosions in The sky. however as the noise washed away and the songs began to take shape in recognisable form, a glint of indie nuance came through similar to The cribs or The Vaccines. however, the sheer noise and power of

Tripwires washed away any initial critic comparison and for a while just were able to deliver a sense of awe.

Finally, and after a drawn out introduction which felt a little flat and ridiculous in length, does It offend you, yeah? emerged from (what i found the next day to be a very small) backstage. a little too much showmanship perhaps… but when the band dived headfirst into new track ‘wrestler’ all was forgiven. heavily laden with vocal samples, the main attitude comes across with the line “fuck you you’re wrong/fuck you we’re right” and immediately the overwhelming chorus line kicks the crowd into movement. The crowd’s enthusiasm for a song that shouldn’t be released until the next week shows how obvious the leak of their new album spread and Does it Offend you, yeah?’s singer addressed this all night. Further tracks from the new album included the brilliant ‘we are The Dead’ (already released as free download)

which was met with unashamed chorus from the crowd and ‘Pull Out My insides’, a tender yet electro-grounded ballad. The set also included the huge tracks from the first album ‘Let’s Make Out’, ‘we are rockstars’ and ‘Doomed Now’.

each song had every band member visibly putting their

all into each track, with rests between songs leaving the band looking exhausted before they launched into yet another fast-paced and explosive track. The set ended with ‘The Monkeys are coming’, a dig at being dropped from their label from not adhering to the pop music label they were beginning to adopt.

The song itself is a rejection of everything pop, laced with crazy foul-mouthed samples and blisteringly loud synth sending the crowd into their last frenzy. Does it Offend you, yeah? certainly know how to bring a gig of flailing limbs and chaos, leaving the stage as trashed as they could on their budget.

‘we are The Dead’ has a quiet start before the spiral of noise to come, playing acoustic guitars before a synth kicks in with the bass riff. The song continues with indecipherable chants and uncontrolled electronica before breaking back into the intro’s quiet and then exploding again. The second track ‘John hurt’ however does not hold back, sounding menacing from the start – maybe like an alien threatening to burst forth from the stomach – with lead singer launching into a barrage of ‘Move out of my fucking way!/cause i’m coming through again’. Dropping in weirdly appropriate 90s samples against the sinister and downright aggressive modern thrash definitely makes it the lead track of the album. ‘Pull Out My insides’ despite its name

lends itself to a slower pace as a electro-backed ballad with sweet harmonising. ‘yeah!’ then amps up with the crazy with indistinguishable instruments creating a multi-layered danced track much anticipated by those keeping an ear out for bootlegs of new songs. ‘The Monkeys are coming’ is strange, yet actually after a while an incredibly infectious pop song, with a keen lead vocal line. The sample from the track apparently is a sample from an internet meme of a man complaining about a group of skateboarders. ‘wrong Time wrong Planet’ is a grooved up bass-led low-key track that explodes towards the end in a brilliant way before going right back to the groove. ‘wrestler’ is a crazy sample-led song about nihilism and ‘wondering’ makes excellent

use of special guest Trip showing the brilliant production that led the band’s lead singer to co-produced ‘Omen’ by The Prodigy and sampling ‘sly’ by Massive attack in an awesome way. ‘The Knife’ harks back to the previous album’s more indie-leanings including some very LcD soundsystem-sound percussion and interesting choral arrangements. Final track ‘Broken arms’ is a downright acoustic-guitar based slow-song that marks the expansion on just the dance-punk sound on the first album. Does it Offend you, yeah? have definitely progressed into the realm of the musician, and not just the producer with ‘Don’t say we Didn’t warn you’… be warned, you might be impressed. 8/10

words: ed townend

album RevIew

soundscape 17

next stop atlanta

RanDom questIons

wIth

StrangeSt gig you’ve ever played?

georgia: We played a show in More-cambe during the summer, as a two piece! ant: yeah, nik dropped a flight case on his hand so i had to drive him to hospital while georgia and Blake did a bass and vocals only show!Blake: the audience really wanted to hear us, despite the fact that it was only me and georgia performing. it actually went better than expected!

if you could chooSe one Super poWer What Would it Be?

nik: to turn water into wine. is that a super power?Blake: X-ray vision.ant: Super strength.georgia: the ability to fly.

if you Won the lottery WhatS the firSt thing you Would do?

Blake: i would have a huge party for friends and family.

nik: invest in a recording studio/music venue, and run workshops for young people wanting to get into the music business. ant: i would go on holiday with my girlfriend.georgia: Quit my job!

What do you Want on your graveStone?

nik: Wow, that’s uplifting! “here lies the n-Bomb; lover, player and into Slayer”. Something like that.ant: “loving me was easy cos i’m beautiful”. nah i’m kidding! not sure, not something i have ever thought about.georgia: “ow, you’re stood on my boobs?”.Blake: “Blake Sale, preSton north end fan! dirty mosher!”

favourite BatMan actor?(all) christian Bale!

MoSt eMBarraSSing thing to happen to you While in the Band?

nik: Breaking my hand at a show was both painful and embarrassing!Blake: Swinging my bass around so furiously and accidently cracking geor-gia on the head with it.

WhatS the BeSt and WorSt part aBout Being in a Band?

ant: playing live is awesome! and working in the studio is great fun too!georgia: Meeting loads of cool people and hanging out with my mates. Worst part, going back to my nine to five job!

What Would you rather Be: ninja or vaMpire?

Blake: a vampire. i could just pretend to be a ninja and have the best of both worlds. you cant really pretend to be a vampire.nik: ninja. i need the daylight in my life. and i love garlic too much!georgia: yeah ninja, vampires are just so over rated these days.ant: vampire without a doubt. you never get old! Win win situation.

words: Paul esp

soundscape 17

ocean colouR sceneCardiff Uni

11th febrUary

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The crowd tonight look like they’re here for the whole ride and aren’t just making an appearance to hear hits ‘The riverboat song’ and ‘The Day we caught The Train’. amongst these folk, who don’t even look like they’re at a concert, nor acting like it as a few beer cups are flung towards the stage. which brings up the question, why would you throw something at a band you like? Perhaps it’s because these alcohol filled, fancy dressing, older folk are ready to get down to Ocean colour scene.

The term ‘Britpop’ gets thrown out there a lot and not particularly in the best way. Often commercial remedies, indie looking young men with an attitude to match. Now forgotten amongst the newcomers, Ocean colour scene break that barrier as reputable profes-sionals, and by the sell out show to-night still remain in the hearts of many. They’re relaxed aroma and charming frontman lead the crowd on through the night. Dancing commences and they only get more and more rallied as the night progresses. On tune and tight,

extorting every rock move they’ve got to keep the crowd moving. even for a band that’s been around the block many times and near a point where they’re reaching that ‘age barrier’, there’s no love lost in what they still do, and they show that playing live.

The show probably brought back nostalgia for many, reacquainting them with their love for Ocean colour scene. The band maybe lost to the newer scene but they sure as hell deserve to

be a higher status than they are. 8/10

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the ReD JumpsuIt appaRatusCardiff Uni8th MarCh

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it’s been a while but The red Jumpsuit apparatus finally make it over seas to play a handful of intimate shows. Perhaps more known in their homeland, they’re following here dwindles but conjures enough followers to sell out clwb ifor Bach.

yashin are main support and throw a tremendous amount of ballsy rock around the room. Two singers is always a daunting thought, one sings one screams and that seems to be the way it goes in the rock world, but they pull

it off despite the one (american) singer tipping the scales into an arrogant act who no doubtably know they’re going places. The room goes from an energetic twist of frenzied bodies for yashin to a groove-less row of young girls who spend the whole night capturing every second and movement of singer ronnie on their cameras. Despite the charming charisma of rJa, gratifying vocals, moving melodies and drum beats to shake your ass to the crowd remain static, although unseen to those at the front it really

puts the show down and what could have been an extraordinary night. even with the added bonus of an extra song spontaneously added on the crowd still remain reluctant to show their appreciation, except a few minors who get the hunch within last gut wrenching empathy ‘Grim Goodbye’ to finally step up. even after a smashing set yashin appear on top tonight, as if they were truly the headliners. Their tight sound and commitment to get the crowd going

paid off. Keep an eye out for them. 7/10

soundscape 20 words & Photos: nadine ballantynewords & Photos: nadine ballantyne

soundscape 20

GaY foR JohnnY DeppClwb ifor baCh16th febrUary

PluS: the ComPuterS

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The last time we saw these hooligans was back in cardiff Barfly where a measly 20 or less people stood sparsely around and witnessed GFJD. This time sees them in clwb ifor Bach, what’s the difference? an up and coming (english) main support act The computers and an up and coming (welsh) support act exit international. each provide us with their own wicked and dark entertainment - jokes, crowd harassment and best of all, great music that others would call ‘noise’ and easily dismiss after hearing one song (especially those conforming to anything that NMe would hail). They’ve got us eating out of their hands, noise plus some tasty chaos and a rather excited crowd who’re up for a bashing is going to be a good night.

The computers in their usual form play in white suits. having caught these on many occasions they never fail to please and the singer never fails to rummage around the floor and give some by stander an earful. Their music feels a little safer to home than GFJD’s, perhaps not as intense and into the hardcore genre.

The night just gets better when GFJD waltz on stage. smirks appear when singer Marty Leopard strolls on holding a microphone stuck onto a wooden crucifix. “i’m glad the Barfly closed down” spouts guitarist sid partly through the set. if we’re being honest, he has a point. For starters, it doesn’t feel like an empty soulless prison cell in clwb. The atmosphere is friendly and there’s a hell of a lot more punters than last time who’re willing to engage with singer Marty and his over-friendly (somewhat erotic) encounters with anyone who dares sing along. The jokes are thrown out like candy from these lads and angels by robbie williams is slipped into their set, but the biggest sing a long of the night comes as they end the set with ‘cum On Feel The Boize’ and Marty is hoisted up in true fashion to climb the poles above. hardcore punk just got good. how

about a tour with amen next time? 9/10

Reel bIG fIshCardiff SolUS24th febrUary

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PluS: SuburbAN legeNdS

Leading the way tonight is suburban Legends. They’re one of those bands even on mute would be entertaining to watch. The band plays in a synchronised manner, being that the members on certain moments swing their instruments in the same direction, dance, and pull many a face as if acting out a theatre play to children.

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it’s somewhat comical and doesn’t over power their music live. They bounce around the stage and leave a high bar for reel Big Fish to jump over, and for the majority of the set i really didn’t think rBF could, despite the singers humour onstage, but that all changed

when they broke out ‘the many versions of’ the song sr, which covers a blues, disco, country/western and death metal style which is led with words along the lines of ‘Ladies and gentlemen, for this next song, which is the same song’ each time. having never witnessed

this it was a real delight and one that really perked the night up. They’re celebrating having been around for twenty years, i’m sure they’ll be around for much more. who ever said ska was dead obviously hadn’t of heard either of these bands. 9/10

we caught up with drummer Ryan Richards

and bassist Rich Boucher on their recent

tour to get the latest from the Funeral for a

Friend camp.

why dId you dECIdE To RECoRd an EP whEn you RElEaSEd ‘ThE young and dEFEnCElESS’? waS ThIS a way To Fully announCE ThE “nEw” F4aF?

Ryan: yes, a way to introduce rich. hello, this is rich. RicH: This is the nordic looking viking whose taking over the role of the bass.Ryan: That was pretty much it. we started writing the new album round

FuneRal FoR a FRiendinterview

words: anneka sillitoesoundscape 24

about then and we knew we wanted to take a while on the album and make sure it was right. But we didn’t want to leave it too long without show people what we were up to getting up to. so we just picked a few songs from the writing that summed up where we were going with the full length record and get that out in the mean time to keep things ticking over and keep the interest up.

dId IT FEEl lIkE ComIng homE To BE BaCk on youR old laBEl good FIghT muSIC?

Ryan: yeah. The first time we went over to the states, it was Ferret back then, but it’s Good Fight now, but it’s the same team. They were were the first people to really believe in the band outside of the uK. Got us over there and put a lot of faith in us

and did an amazing job for us on ‘seven ways To scream your Name’ and ‘casually Dressed’. so when we were writing the new record, we spoke to carl, who is the main guy at Good Fight and Ferret, he was really excited to hear the record and he loved it. and it just came together really quickly and it feels like a good place to be, like we’re back home like you said.

F4aF’S nEw Sound haS an oldER STylE FEEl To IT. do you ThInk ThIS had anyThIng To do wITh BEIng BaCk on ThIS laBEl? oR waS IT JuST a dIRECTIon you FElT you Should hEad In?

RicH: i think having two friends and fans of the band join probably was a big influence on that. we basically just spoke to the band and said what we thought the strengths were and what we loved about the band. Through that i think is where the record came from.Ryan: i’d say so yeah.

ThE alBum haS JuST BEEn RElEaSEd, To anyonE who haSn’T hEaRd IT, whaT Can ThEy ExPECT?

Ryan: if you’ve never heard Funeral for a Friend played before then great songs played heavily

RicH: with a wonderful sense of melody.

Ryan: and a wonderful sense of power. if you have heard of us before, then if you were into the ‘casually Dressed’

or ‘hours’ records this look upon it as the natural follow on from those; after doing something a bit different with ‘Tales Don’t Tell Themselves’ and ‘Memory and humanity’

you’vE uSEd PlEdgE muSIC FoR youR laST 2 RElEaSES, why dId you ChooSE To ThEIR ThIS SERvICE aS a way To dISTRIBuTE youR RElEaSES?

Ryan: you’ll notice with every different record we’ve done, we’ve tried different things. whether that was different producers we worked with, what we did with ‘Memory and humanity’ we put it out on our own label and we did that thing. This Pledge was a new thing at the time that was starting to get going and we’ve always been pretty interactive with our fans anyway and keeping them up to date and involving them in what we do, so it felt like the ideal thing to do and get them really involved in it something and make them feel part of it. it’s not been without it’s problems, it’s been really hard to fulfil a lot of the things on there, but being one of the first bands

to do the pledge at this level we’ve been guinea pigs really. But it’s had it’s good points too.

whaT Can wE ExPECT FRom F4aF In ThE FuTuRE?

RicH: Longevity is a word i like. Just wanna keep playing great music, keep touring and being around for a long time to come.

IF you Could go BaCk To any ERa, whaT would you PICk and why?

RicH: Probably the 70’s cause i love all that sort of Pink Floyd era. That sort of experimental/psychedelic side of rock. Big fan of blues guitar as well, so i think actually holding Dark side of the Moon for the first time and listening to it would be amazing back then. i envy people who did that.

Ryan: 1955. i’d go back like Marty McFly. i’d gatecrash somebodies prom night and play Johnny Be Good cause i’ve seen how well that turns out.

man oveRBoaRd

interview

Tell our reader’s a bit about yourselves.Justin: i’m Justin, this is Zack. we’re from Man Overboard. we’re a pop punk band from New Jersey.Zack: south Jersey... near Philadelphia

why did you decide to write an EP rather than another album?Justin: when we signed to rise that was in the fall and we’re not gonna record our new LP until May. so we thought it’d be cool to do like a single/7 inch. Put it out on rise. i guess around the time we signed to them, just for shits and giggles.

what was it like getting signed so soon after you started this band?Justin: we signed to run for cover like a year or so after. But we were friends with Jeff for a long time,so it wasn’t like “oh we’re signed to this label”, it was like “now we’re on Jeff’s label”. i mean not that it wasn’t awesome, but we were already friends with him, so it wasn’t that crazy.

Zack: it was nice to be on a label too where the majority of the other bands are friends of ours. so that was cool.

Justin: with rise is was kind of strange cause like we started talking to them 10 months before we signed to them. we were going through the whole process of everything dulled down. and then we finally signed.

Zack: By the time you sign you’ve been thinking about it for almost a year. so then you’re like “finally!”

Justin: and then it got announced and again you’re like “yeah!”

Zack: Then it gets cool again.

how does it feel to be right up the top of the pop punk ladder and beating some of your heroes in the field?Zack: Beating? i don’t think we’re beating anyone in our field. it feels good to be on tour with bands like senses Fail and to be able to play

shows with bands like New Found Glory. and other people that we grew up listening to. i don’t think we’re beating anyone, but the fact that they wanna bring us on tour here and then in america, that definitely means a lot to us.

Justin: Definitely.

what is the meaning behind ‘defend Pop Punk’?Justin: it started as a t-shirt and it kinda like caught on. Kids really took a liking to it, so we kept it around. i don’t think it’s really personally about defending pop punk but it’s encouraging people to play honest music.

Zack: There’s a hardcore band called ‘Most Precious Blood’ that had the same shirt as us, long before us that said ‘Defend hardcore’ and it was kinda a play on that. as well as not a super serious message but like, don’t bullshit people. Go up there and sing your little heart out and be real.

words: anneka sillitoe

soundscape 26

maRs patRolQuestion time

words: Paul esp

davina divine of

soundscape 26

words & Photos: nadine ballantyne

how did you get started?i have been singing since i was little, initially with a broom handle being my mic stand! My Dad is a folk singer and i have always been around music. My uncle was also in a brilliant band called ‘The headboys’ so i was always encouraged to be creative. The Mars Patrol started a few years back as just an acoustic duo with myself and guitarist ross and it’s now devel-oped into a 6 piece band. what have you got going on at the moment?right now we’re spreading the word about our new eP called ‘Landline’ that we recorded out in Nashville, TN. we shot a video too for the lead single, “That’s what you Get” which has been getting a great reac-tion! we’ve been doing loads of radio interviews too including some great stations in wales.

Favourite music and why?i appreciate tunes with a good chorus, especially when getting ready for a night out. Or even just listening to a film score, really depends on mood. i like music to make me feel up. i sup-pose when i listen to music it is to escape my own thoughts. Favourite book and why?i read ‘Memories of a Geisha’ recently, then watched the movie. it’s true when folk say ‘it wasn’t as good as the book’. imagination is a wonderful gift! Favourite film and why?One of my fav films is ‘stand By Me’, it’s just great in lots of ways. Plus i always had a big crush on river Phoenix. Best experience in the business?There was a gig in Birmingham that really stands out to me. There were 1000 people there and they were all on our side. it’s an awesome experience to

hear a whole room of people singing your songs back to you.

Tell our readers an interest-ing fact about yourself?i tried on the original Darth Vader helmet. Best thing about playing in wales?The beautiful landscape. Oh, and the road signs!

who are your role models/idols?Big Bird and my parents taught me well! also, people who give up their lives to work to save endangered animals as a result of other humans’ selfishness.

hardest thing about the current business?Making enough money to be able to make music in the first place. Being yourself and stick-ing to your guns is tricky too; but it’s something we have always managed to do and will continue to do.

The UK is in the throes of a full force rock

explosion. There are literally so many great bands

releasing amazing material and The Mars Patrol

are certainly one of these. The band, originally from

Scotland, now London based, consist of Davina

Divine (vocals/ songwritng), Ross Nelson (guitar/

songwritng), James Williamson (guitar),Stephen

Parker (bass) and Mat Baker (keyboards). They

are well known for being one of the hardest

working bands on the scene, having self funded

tours through America and building up a huge

worldwide fan base. The band released their latest

EP ‘Landline’ at the end of November (recorded in

Nashville, Tennessee) and is led with the amazing

new single and video ‘Thats What You Get’. It’s an

accessible slice of catchy pop/rock which is sure

to propel the band to greatness. We caught up

with the bands vocalist Davina to tell us all about it.

mind museum

01. Rat RaceThe opening track on the eP is a fast hard hitting song with lots of guitar delays and solid Bass lines that has ended up being kind of the single. we made a music video with a guy called Daniel peters from anemic studios here in Bristol, who has done a great

job and the video can now be seen on Lava TV and youTube. i would say lyrically, it’s kind of about escapism in a way and not being completely happy with how your life is panning out with the 9-5. The lyrics elaborate more on those themes throughout the song. i think this song came together

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Bristol new guns, Mind Museum are set to make their own mark on the currently buoyant Brit-rock scene with their uniquely alluring sound that merges earnest alternative rock, underpinned by probing guitar rhythms and engaging emotive vocals, with potent post-punk Diy ethics. Pulling from an eclectic array of influences from the likes of Biffy clyro and story of the year; Through to the likes of The cure, The Police and rush, the band have created an engrossing sound that genuinely commands your attention.

comprised of Justin e Percival (vocals/bass), will slater (guitar) and beatmaster chas Bacon (drums), Mind Museum, although only formed in august 2010, were actually born from the ashes of ‘i am The Door’ and

‘Full scream ahead’. Both iaTD and Fsa had good underground successes, notching up national radio airplay on BBc radio 1, critical acclaim from the likes of rocksound & Kerrang! and also extensively toured the uK, chalking up slots with the likes of Get cape wear cape Fly, enter shikari, Minus the Bear, attack attack, and straight Lines, to name a few.

Mind Museum now stride forward in their own right and are geared to step up to the plate; the dynamic trio are already picking up national exposure for their debut video ‘rat race’, which is presently gracing screens via Lava TV, and the band are also racking up great radio airplay on BBc introducing. The Bristol tunesmiths are now set to officially serve up their debut eP ‘rat race’ for national release this May. The record is jam-packed with sturdy riffs and hooky cuts, layered with classy anthemic melodies and thoughtful up-tempo arrangements. The alt-rockers wield a sharp knack for killer melody and have unveiled a powerhouse debut offering that is sure to propel the band to giddy heights for the remainder of 2011 and beyond!

tRack By tRack

By Justin E Percivalwww.mindmuseum.co.uk

pretty quickly as far as lyrics and music go, which is nice. For us, it feels like magic when everything comes together without forcing it. it’s really a special kind of feeling.   

02. Everything EventuallyThis was the first song will & i wrote as Mind Museum – it was a few weeks after we decided to call it a day with Full scream ahead so i guess there is a lot of hidden frustration in this song and when i listen to it now it reminds me how i felt back then, a bit angry, let down but optimistic.  i think this song also shows the band’s faster/punkier melodic-hardcore side as the entire thing is punk beats and super-fast guitar work. 

03. The Secret of happinessi originally came up with ‘The secret of happiness’ lyrics when i was recovering from an operation last year and it’s based around the little things that make us happy – it also happens to be my personal favorite on the eP. when i was jotting down words i was quite un-happy due to being ill and bed rid-den so i needed something positive

to focus on – so what better subject to focus on than ‘happiness’. This is probably the most ‘different’ song on the eP, just for the instru-mentation and the vibe. we want-ed to write a song with a bit of a groove and it’s a really vibey track and huge fun to play and every time we play it, it reminds me of ‘eye of the Tiger’ by survivor 

04. Seal the CracksProbably the heaviest track we’ve written as Mind Museum and again, a lot of fun to play. it’s also one of the more technically chal-lenging songs to play. Lyrically it’s a song based upon insecurities in relationships and how they start to show. i think everyone has a stage in a relationship like that – where they have to ‘seal cracks’. The song takes you through a whole host of different riffs, sections and moods, bringing you out at the end of a song somewhere completely different from where you started just like how a relationship can be i guess?

mind museum Rat Race EP Released 23rd may.

whaT would jesus dRive fragile mansions 8/10

in these dark economic times where the government’s ideas to make the country better seem to revolve around making people poorer, we need something to cheer us up; a silver lining to the storm cloud. Behold! what would Jesus Drive and their four track eP “Fragile Mansions”.

This four piece indie band has not produced something folksy, jingly and innocent. you can’t quite place your finger on it but each track sounds fun and cheery even at their darkest, which is confusing as they are quite dense in their music with strong cockney accents which border on an Oasis single rather than a ray of sunlight but that is where the wonder lies.

The title track “Fragile Mansions” is an audio embodiment of this cheery and fun nature and the majority of this eP follows the same plan, except “Victory”. This last track is a haunting, vocal centre piece punctuated by a looming bass guitar which comes very close to sounding like a P.J. harvey piece and is thoroughly hypnotic.

There isn’t much to go on with “Fragile Mansions” only serving up four tracks but what they have provided is promising and very alluring. it certainly brightened up this grey, rainy day for the short time it was playing and healthy space to welcome whatever they produce in the future.Words: Alex Brady

aaRons agony lost inside myself 6/10

My first italian band and i’m quite taken by elements of aaron’s

agony. The 12 track album kicks off with ‘chapter One’ an instrumental opener track, just filled with breakdowns and melodic guitar. it’s like i’ve found the band to fill the hole that still remains left behind.

The opener leads straight into second track, ‘is it the real Beginnin’ ‘, which is littered with melody and riffs. The album follows in a similar vain to this throughout.

if you’re a fan of still remains, then this album is totally for you. i like the mix of styles throughout the whole album, but i’m not a big fan of vocals that i can’t hear. it’s alright when the heavier vocals are clear, but there are points where this is lacking and the guy could literally be saying anything. so with a bit of work, that could easily be cleaned up. i also don’t like the shouty vocals with no music behind it, which is similar to that of a Day to remember, and to me it feels very unnecessary and takes the band in a direction that they don’t need to head. But other than that, there is little to fault with this record. One thing i quickly found myself loving is the guy’s proper italian accent coming out as he sings in english. Words: Anneka Sillitoe

cd Reviews

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Thousand auTuMnscity of sun

On the eve of Thousand autumn’s first Birthday as a band, the five-piece have released their debut eP. “city Of sun” has real ambition, the band seem to be aspiring to a style similar to smashing Pumpkins and Funeral For a Friend, through merging both harsh playing and uplifting singing to create invigorating music.

The tracks on “city Of sun” are not typical of any bands earliest work. The songs are taught and invigorating, they are not self indulgent, self obsessed or experimental. Thousand autumns just get the job done, and it is done well. Thousand autumns seem to be working hard to make their music sound original and the band have perfected their image and style before releasing an eP. it is unfortunate that it is this style that makes every song on the “city Of sun” sound the same. as individual songs each track holds up on it’s own merit and it is easy to see

that the band has a wealth of talent to offer. as an eP it becomes somewhat monotonous, the guitarists play in the same fashion on every track, the vocalist sings well and then indulges in hardcore screeching on every track and there is the inevitable slower, quiet moment of self-reflection ON. eVery. TracK. it’s good to have a style but it appears to dominate everything Thousand autumns are doing.

This should not detract from the band themselves, Thousand autumns are clearly very talented and very ambitious. as mentioned earlier, each song stands up on it’s own. it’s just a shame that as a collection of Thousand autumns’ work it does begin to feel a little formulaic. Words: Joshua Hammond

fRancesqawe lived ep 8/10

‘Ghosts’, the first track on Brit-rock hopefuls Francesqa’s ‘we Lived’ eP is a bit of a corker, i love the way it kicks off, then straight in to the atmospheric verses which leads on to a great chorus. The band’s sound is a cross between

modern rock and indie rock. The songwriting is top notch throughout this eP. ‘years’ is a cool song, a slow burner with some great hooks. The sound on this eP is crystal clear and the band are great musicians and can definitely rock it up. check out ‘hopeful’, an excellent song with a great guitar riff and my personal favourite. Francesqa are touring the uK in February and i suggest you go to see them because they are tipped for great things. Words: Paul Esp

noT advisedafter the fight 9/10

at the risk of sounding a little biased, i love this Mini album, but this whole review thing is about opinions so i’ll give you mine. if you like catchy, melodic, shouty, and just plain awesome pop/punk then you need this record in your life. First track ‘a red Light situation’ kicks off the album in style, a huge, huge chorus, hard hitting and melodic. ‘right Now’ has one of the biggest, catchiest,

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shout-a-long choruses i’ve heard this side of New Found Glory, a genuinely great tune. These southampton boys cant half pen a song, ‘The hope Killed The hype’ is a massive track, full of great vocals and another trademark huge chorus. The album was produced by uber-producer romesh Dodangoda right here in cardiff, and it sounds great. romesh’s trademark crystal clear production makes the songs really shine and the performance of the band, Greg Day (Bass), Jack Fairbrother (Guitar), ash Oliver (Guitar), Jim Thomas (Vocals) and andy white (Drums) is flawless. My favourite track on the album ‘The worlds Not ready’ is a bona fide pop/punk classic and i had this stuck in my head for months and it seems like it’s not going anywhere anytime soon! you really should buy this record, that is all.Words: Paul Esp

above The undeRgRoundthe fight we won

above The underground are the latest in a long series of promising, spirited

synthcore bands headed initially by enter shikari. The Fight we won is the band’s second eP and gives us reason to keep an eye on the Band.

From the introduction to the final track enter shikari’s influence can be felt, the frequent switches from loud to quiet, from fast to slow all seem borrowed. The introduction even has similar qualities to the beginnning of Take To The skies. The hazy dream like qualities of something for The weekend sucker you into thinking you might be listening to something by Moby, it soon thrusts you head first into Ordinary. unfortunately it appears as though Ordinary has a ronseal-like quality, it does what it says in the title.

what follows is the standout piece of The Fight we won, yours sincerely. in yours sincerely listeners can actually hear some passion in the voice of vocalist will Kirkman. The synth transcends the rest of the song giving it a unique quality. The cheeky little acapella at the end is also likely to surprise. Though the remaining two songs on the eP never reach the heights of yours sincerely, it never loses tempo and importantly it never loses your interest. above The underground get you hooked and keep you there even if though you are always chasing the high of yours sincerely.

The lyrics, generic tales of parties, fights and sex, seem to be an afterthought not doing justice to the music. Occasionally the melodies are left in favour of angrier, heavier playing which is good, just not as good and can be heard done by a

million other nameless, faceless bands. it could just be the case that the band as a whole aren’t sure which direction to move into and what to prioritise.

This eP has a lot of promise, the band work well together and play as a unit. when the band are playing music less indebted to their influences they soar. when they try to emulate another band they inevitably fall short. Words: Joshua Hammond

fRoM a ciTy in Ruins fin! fin! fin!

From a city in ruins alternative rock youngsters, From a city in ruins are attracting a solid fan base in much anticipation to their upcoming album. The Lincolnshire quartet contain zest and captivation which will have you subconsciously crooning along to their tracks by the second listen. a snappy junior Bloc Party with crispy edges. Their debut single Fin! Fin! Fin! and extra track introverts are made up of weighty riffs, clapping drums and rasping vocals. Like shattered glass in a mud pit, their industrious style is innovated with sharp dynamics. The guitars are equipped with a touch of reverb and the vocals sound vaguely strangulated and occasionally distorted, but with refreshing gusto. Their overall sound is raw and punchy, making it almost impulsive to shuffle and nod along. Words: Hannah-Jane Roue

MiMi soya i can’t stand pop bands 9/10

we have a lot of love for MiMi soya here at soundscape Magazine and this new eP will tell you why. This is the Brighton based 4 piece’s first eP with singer Jorja and was produced by romesh Dodangoda (FFaF, The Blackout!, yashin) at Longwave studios, cardiff. it kicks off with ‘Millionaire’, a new version of a song which will be familiar to fans. also ‘should have called in sick’ which was released as a single earlier in the year, the song is a near perfect pop/punk classic, great riff, catchy vocal and chorus with clever lyrics. The same can be said for each of the other 3 tracks on this eP, it’s well played and written, very catchy powerpop and the production is spot on. The band definitely have some musical skills and Jorja is a great singer, especially on final track ‘Doctor! Doctor!’ where her voice just shines. i really hope the band get to record an album very soon as 4 tracks just isn’t enough and i would love to hear what they would do with an album worth of material. if

you are a MiMi fan you’ll love this, if not, buy it and you’ll still love it! Nuff’ said. Words: Paul Esp

The MaRs paTRollandline 8/10

The Mars Patrol are a female fronted pop/rock formally from scotland but now based in London and ‘Landline’ is 4 tracks of well written, accessible and catchy as hell pop/rock.

Lead track ‘That’s what you Get’ is a bona fide hit, with a great accompanying video. it has a great melody and huge chorus and would definitely not be out of place on daytime radio. second track ‘say it To My heart’ is a slow burner, with great lyrics and an excellent vocal performance from Davina. ‘Pride’ is an unusual track, hard to define, whilst a very catchy track with a strong, very ‘80’s pop sounding chorus. Final track ‘shake it up’ has a much more darker, new wave feel, with a driving tempo and dark guitar work and could be my favourite track on the eP. The Mars Patrol

aren’t your average rock band, each track on this eP is different but one thing they have in common is the great song writing and band performance. Definitely a band to look out for. Words:Paul Esp

The Missivetmsv 8/10

The Missive, from aberdare/rhondda, are quite a young band but right from the start of the first track on this eP, ‘Look Me in The eye’ you would never tell. it’s such a good song, full of crunching guitar work and a strong vocal from emma Louise. in fact the whole band, Tom Brookes (Lead Guitar), Mitch Ponting (rhythm Guitar/Vocals), chris Bell (Bass/Vocals) and Jeff wasley (Drums) sound excellent and the sound of the eP, recorded at Mwnci studios with Jethro chaplin, is spot on. The bands sound is pretty heavy modern rock, catchy and melodic with some aggressive vocals thrown in and it works really well. The songwriting here is the key thing, the 3 songs on this eP (one track is a short instrumental intro) are all really well written and very memorable and get better with every listen. Just check out ‘Built On sand’, a really well crafted song with another cracking vocal from emma. The eP is up for download from http://themissive.bandcamp.com/where you can pay as much or little as you want so i suggest you download it then try and check out the band live and get some merch to support them, they are worth it. Words Paul Esp