The Indie Scene

The well-versed indie veterans, who have been earning their stripes for the best part of a decade, premiered their latest offering on Annie Mac's Radio 1 show. For Wolf Alice fans alike - or anybody who has missed them just as much - it's been a three year wait (we're not counting Ellie's feature on Mura Masa's Teenage Headache Dreams ) that has felt drastically long, no thanks to the current pandemic.  PHOTO: JORDAN HEMINGWAY To no surprise at all, Ellie Rowsell once again proves how astounding she is when it comes to writing in such an effortlessly confessional and intimate way; giving a glimpse into her diary per se. Not to mention the accompanying sublime sounds of strings and the backtracking of Joel and Ellie's vocals layered to sound like a choir, The Last Man On Earth is an endearingly beautiful and harmonic introduction to a new era for the London rockers.  As if today couldn't get any more exciting, the announcement of a third album, Blue Wee...

Since I was first introduced to the rock outfit hailing from Swansea, I've been hooked on their incredibly good back catalogue so, naturally, I was pretty excited to hear they would be releasing a new song and a re-recording of an old favourite of mine.  'Rainbow Sands' is a step in the right direction, showing exactly why Taxi Rank are one of the most exciting young bands to come out of Wales since Stereophonics came to prominence. Not only is it a tangible, easily digestible alternative rock song, it goes hand in hand with the b-side: a re-recording of 'Handprint'.  The production level with the re-recordings and the brand new songs are impeccable; where you could perhaps notice tiny flaws beforehand with previous recordings, they've smoothed them over and showed their progression by giving 'Handprint' a crystal clear new spin.  It's not just the songs that are captivating, but the striking and vibrant artwork that goes along with it. However, thi...

After the release of their debut album ‘Dogrel’ last year, Dublin based indie rock band Fontaines D.C. had a lot of expectations to live up to with ‘A Hero’s Death,’ which they released on July 31st. Having studied at BIMM in Dublin, the five-piece band have gone on to achieve some incredible things, not to mention releasing two full-length albums and now being nominated for a Grammy (which, by the way, is quite a big deal, especially for these guys). First up is enigmatic and powerful ‘I Don’t Belong,’ that sets the mood for the rest of the album - it’s unforgiving, the statement they’re trying to display doesn’t struggle to be conceived. In my opinion, this is the perfect opener to the album and they couldn’t have chosen a better song to begin with. The music video to go along with it captures the dynamics of the song perfectly and leaves you wondering if there's anything this band can't do. Guaranteed, if you haven't already, this song will be stuck in your head by the e...

Clearly a talented singer and all around musician, George Hennessy is a bright new talent on the Northampton music scene. His debut album, 'Whatever,' vocalises that with ease. The album starts with 'Walking On Sunshine' (not to be confused with Katrina & The Waves tune of the same name), a song that hits all the right notes in terms of an opener. An opener has to be special, memorable and set the tone for the rest of the album that follows. 'Walking On Sunshine' does this almost effortlessly. 'Weekend' depicts, well, a weekend with a fast beat and engaging lyrics - the chorus is catchy and will stay stuck in your head. 'Won't You Stay' shows a more vulnerable side to the album; a slow paced song that is perfect for when you want to sit back and relax. 'Will Never Care' is reminiscent of The Smiths' attitude; hazy guitar carrying the song as the last one on the 9 track album. 'Weather' has to be my favourite out ...

This gig was no different from the others; as soon as I looked at the nearest venues by my university and saw a gig that fell on my second day, I was sold. Although, we had to stay in Sheffield till 5am to get the next train (the last train was at 7pm, when the gig hadn't started yet), we would definitely do it all over again. It's insane how good the prices are for bands who should be on the main stage at festivals and it's always good when you don't have to travel that far. We'd never actually been to Sheffield before but we knew it was renowned for it's venues; Plug, The Leadmill and many more. It's safe to say I was excited, especially when I found out that Get Inuit (now Indoor Pets) would be supporting and I had recently discovered them. Thankfully, just like we had done before, we managed to get to the front after both grabbing a drink and waited patiently for the first act, Babe Punch, to arrive on the stage. Neither of us had heard any of their mu...

After not having an Arctic Monkeys album for five years, they had a lot to live up to for their sixth album, 'Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino'. I had no idea what to expect from this LP, the only thought I had was that, from the tiny preview clip, they might've gone down the Tame Impala-inspired route. I was wrong, very wrong and the album is completely different from what I initially thought it would sound like. At some points it reminds me a little bit of their fourth album 'Suck It And See' but most of all it sounds like nothing they've ever put out. It doesn't even sound reminiscent of Alex Turner's solo escapade for the film 'Submarine' or any of his past ventures as the duo The Last Shadow Puppets.  At first, when Alex Turner's voice first releases that familiar vocal chord, I am not sure if I actually like it. There's something about the way the backing music supports the vocals that I'm just not sure about at first. But, aft...

Although The Magic Gang weren't playing in our usual gig spot, knowing they would be playing only an hour away from us in such an intimate venue wasn't something we could let slip through our fingers. I knew I had to see them live and, most importantly, nab myself some funky Magic Gang merchandise. They were, and still are, the band I had on a constant loop and one of the bands high-up on my must-see list. The first band we were saw were an all-male band from Liverpool (which we could tell by lead singer Kevin's very strong Liverpudlian accent) and they impressed us with their stage presence and intriguing lyrics. Personally, my favourite song was (and still is) 'Losing Your Love' for it's relatable lyrics and a beat you can't help but nod your head to. However, all the songs were performed amazingly and Paris Youth Foundation is a band I definitely recommend seeing live. They remind me of Circa Waves mixed with a little bit of The Night Cafe due to their...

Unsurprisingly, as soon as I saw an advertisement for Vant's Esquires gig, I knew I had to go. No matter what we had planned for the 31st of March (now over a few months ago), we were going to that gig. I was pleasantly surprised to see the tickets were cheap for such a quality act - especially as we had sustained the bargain of seeing three amazing acts in one night. As I had previously listened to Tangerines, the only act left as an unknowing surprise were 'Timeless Lizards'. With the promise of two headliners for the price of one, I knew the night would be better than either of us could anticipate. If you've ever been to see one of your favourite bands, especially after they've played the likes of Reading and Leeds, then you know the feeling you get from the intimacy, the sweaty mosh pit, but most of all the pride. However, it's an indescribable feeling - knowing that the band you're seeing in this epically cozy venue will probably never play to such a ...

After releasing their debut single 'Lost and Found' on the 14th April, the second single to come from Sheffield indie (self-proclaimed as 'indie glitter' - they're not wrong) six-piece The Seamonsters is aptly titled 'Wonderland.' Since coming together as a band in 2013 to selling their own merchandise, you can clearly tell all of their best efforts have gone into this invigorating summer soundtrack. As I have had this on repeat since Sunday and have familiarised myself with the lyrics, not to mention the rip-roaring riff that makes the song that certified summer anthem, I've had the catchy hook stuck in my head all week. Even when you listen to this once, you're definitely going to have the enigmatic chorus "baby, baby, take me to wonderland / show me crazy things I don't understand" stuck in your head someway and somehow. This new tune is definitely a massive step in affirming the groups place in the current indie scene, creat...

Once the chance to see such a promising upcoming band in an intimate venue arose, it would've been a crime to miss out. With Freak also performing, it was almost like seeing two headliners for the price of one. However, we hadn't heard of Superego before, but they did not disappoint in proving they had the capability of headlining their own gig soon. This was definitely a night to remember and all great bands to get into, whether you already like Black Honey or not. Superego got the night under way, showcasing their supreme songs during their 30 minute support slot. They have a unique, dynamic sounds that got everyone dancing, up until the moment when the amp blew and the set had to be stopped temporarily. However, they recovered from the interruption quickly and continued to deliver a powerful set, which left the crowd wanting more. Definitely a band to look out for in the months to come, as are Freak and Black Honey. Freak then took to the stage and got the crowd goin...