48 – ‘Krossbreed’, ‘Bletchley Park’ and ‘The Insight’
Krossbreed:
“KROSSBREED stands for non-compromising metal. It’s a mixture of 4 different minds and 4 different ideas about metal formed into one hard and heavy unit, in other words a crossbreed of their own creativity.
KROSSBREED was formed in 2003 in Antwerp, Belgium. KROSSBREED has no real boundaries, what leads to a style of metal that is hard to name. But one thing we can agree on is that it’s a band that will take you to every corner of the metal world. Going from fast ripping riffs to catchy mind breaking tempos, KROSSBREED has it all.”
(Biography info obtained from the band’s facebook page)
“
Check out Krossbreed‘s Music video for “Ashes of Tomorrow” – a song from their album “3 Cheers for the Misery”:
Bletchley Park:
www.myspace.com/bletchleyparkband
“Bletchley Park is growing to become a high-aspiring band in the indie scene. Highly influenced by bands Editors, Interpol and Bloc Party amongst others, the female-fronted quintet has produced a distinctive sound that continues to catch the interest of many.”
An indie rock band with a particular sound in mind, one you are to discover.
Bletchley Park first took its novel tunes out of the garage during the Rookie’s Battle of the Bands of June 2009 which brought together (or against each other) twelve bands from contrasting genres. The band made its way through to the finals until it was announced winner of gigs in Copenhagen, Denmark and of a production project with renowned British producer Paul Powell.
The band started off its in-studio experience with David Vella, from Temple Studios Malta, who left a trail of his musicality in five original pieces: ‘Alien’, ‘Dust’, ‘Hold The Trap’, ‘The Last Star’ and ‘Fake Smiles’.
The first single released – ‘Alien’ – was in the Maltese charts for over 12 weeks and hit the number 1 spot on XFM’s Homegrown chart and Bay Radio’s Malta’s Top 10 chart. ‘Alien’ is currently being aired on UK Radio 10 – The Varmint show:www.varmintshow.net
In the mean time, the band was promoting its music through a number of public appearances on TV shows and radio interviews while having press releases published in the printed media.
Bletchley Park’s second single ‘Hold the Trap’ has also made it to the top place in the local charts – Bay Radio’s Malta’s Top 10 & also those of the Malta Music Charts(Smash).
Bletchley Park have been nominated for the Best New Artist Award of the Malta Music Awards 2009 honouring their achievements in just a few months.
The band has myriad plans for the coming years, the nearest being rocking Copenhagen and production of an album with Paul Powell during Summer 2010 in Ibiza.”
(Biography info obtained from the band’s facebook page)
The Insight:
“The insight est un groupe breton, de rennes plus exactement …le style musical est dans la lignée de The Cure, Joy Division, Interpol.
La nouvelle vague bretonne écume à nouveau les terres arides de nos platines. Et Rennes retrouve son statut de scène innovante quelque peu égarée depuis Marquis de Sade. L’intermède des Transmusicales ne faisant qu’importer une fois l’an un savoir faire trop bien caché. The Insight a en revanche choisi la langue de Shakespeare pour convoler en juste noce avec la créativité. Une différence de taille qui pénalise d’entrée toute diffusion radio, trop dépendante des quotas « chanson française ». Oui, côté musique, il ne suffit pas de naître en France pour être français. Et si The Insight chantait en Breton, ils seraient français ? Allez savoir… Côté influences, la bonne pioche serait les cartes Cure et Joe Division à n’en pas douter.”
(Biography info obtained from the band’s facebook page)
42 – ‘The Lost Boys’, ‘The Doll Mechanics’ and ‘Sam Batt’
The Lost Boys:
www.myspace.com/officiallostboys
“Witty and catchy Indie Pop from Southampton. If you like your music short, sharp, quirky and yet touching, then hopefully you’ll like ours.”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
The Doll Mechanics:
“The band was formed by lead singer/songwriter Lauren James. Drummer Sam Wilmott and Lauren attended music school together and had been playing in various band formations in London over the last year. In February 2011 they welcomed new guitarist Daniel Jones and bass player David Rudin to their new identity… The Doll Mechanics!”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
Sam Batt:
“Her songs have an unusual quality of honesty, depth and humour very much belonging to the craft of songwriting and what it takes to move someone, mixing heartfelt story-telling with catchy melodies and clever quirky lyrics that make you smile and stand strong enough alone to carry a solo acoustic performance.
Her voice is emotive and charismatic, sweet seductive tones that can break your heart, make you laugh and turn you on all in the space of 20 seconds.
Live she makes you feel that the songs are written and performed just for you, even in a crowd of thousands. Sam Batt’s unique sound lives in the spaces between Chrissie Hynde, Jamiroquai, Manu Chao and more traditional acoustic flavours of artists like Jack Johnson, Joni Mitchell and Mouse – her voice also has a raw, dynamic quality more akin to Cerys Matthews or Stevie Nicks.”
(Biography info obtained from the artist’s website)
40 – ‘Fjokra’, ‘Houdini Dax’ and ‘Brave Yesterday’
Fjokra:
“Earnest singer songwritery balladeering? NO!
Retro revivalists? NO!
‘Hip’, urban funkateers? NO!
‘Queen on crack’? Perhaps. Chuck in a liberal dose of Mike Patton/Mr Bungle, Todd Rundgren, Prince, Rachmaninoff interludes and metal riffs the size of skyscrapers and you’re halfway to describing the musical smorgasbord that makes up Fjokra’s music. Oh, and there’s some Latin grooves and some monstrous Dubstep chucked in as well. Five guys, two girls and a lot of facepaint.”
(Quote obtained from the band’s website)
Houdini Dax:
“Summer 2011. And the nippers are still making good honest rock ’n’ roll. Take Cardiff’s Houdini Dax, who have an average age of 19. What are they doing digesting records, writing songs and rehearsing when they could be playing Xbox or texting friends from the back of the bus? Weren’t “the kids” supposed to have tired of analogous music? Wasn’t the house music craze of the late ’80s supposed to have killed rock? Heck, thinking about it, weren’t the synth bands of over 20 years ago viewed as the only way forward?
No my dear music lovers, valves are not dead, rock ’n’ roll is blossoming and “the kids are alright” (as Pete Townshend so neatly put it 46 years ago). The Noughties has seen great success for young bands. The Libertines and then Arctic Monkeys paved the way post-Brit Pop and now still barely out of the shadows come Houdini Dax, your soon to be favourite new band.
Hearing ‘The Magicians’ for the first time it’s impossible not to think of Alex Turner and his band in their early stages. Jack Butler’s edgy vocals, sharp wordplay and the stop-start, spiky New Wave tendency of the playing certainly share similarities with early Arctic Monkeys, but it’s not what defines them. A video of a live acoustic performance for Huw Stephens’ Swn Festival ‘Swn is Sound’ video series of ‘Struggling In The Sand’ show Houdini Dax playing in a stripped back setting with acoustic guitar, bass, brushed drums and harmonies to the fore. It’s tight, honed and timeless. Yes, they have major talent. They can sing splendidly, they throw in some deft bridges and could very well sound like one of those great old acts. Yet they don’t! And when quizzed about their favourite bands, ’60s touchstones (The Beatles, The Kinks, The Sonics, The Stooges) meet latter day acts (Blur and Supergrass) and new bands (The Black Keys, The Raconteurs and White Denim). Yet You Belong To Dax Darling sounds nothing like any of them. It’s the sound of teenagers discovering what they can do.
“Recording the album was amazing,” Jack reveals. “Having Rich from The Method [another of the See Monkey Do Monkey coterie] as producer was special. We’re friends, so he won’t shy away with his opinions. And he always got the best out of us.” Mentioning how the production had elements of ’60s guitar heroics, post-punk rhythms and an element of My Bloody Valentine about it, Jack beamed back at me as if their mission statement had been achieved.”I’m glad you hear those things clashing,” he eagerly states “because we love that retro ’60s style, but it’s been done so much before. It’s important for us to mix older styles with newer ones… We were aiming for a really strong debut that doesn’t really let up in energy and excitement,” closes Jack. “We tried to capture this by recording in a really live way.”
And live and exciting is the order for the day for the teenage world view of Houdini Dax. Their second album may well feature strings, ballads and mellotrons but for now let the revolution begin as these youngsters play it their own way with what they have learnt from Hendrix, Syd, Gaz and co. They should be famous! ”
(Quote obtained from the band’s official website)
Brave Yesterday:
www.myspace.com/braveyesterdaymusic
“We are Brave Yesterday, a rock band from Jersey. Not the one immortalized in rock mythology by the Boss. The other Jersey, the one in the Channel. Knowing this, you could also be forgiven for thinking that we are nearly French. We’re not. We’re nearly Canadian-ish.
Our frontman Nutter’s authentic North American Rawk voice gives us our mid-Atlantic twang. Mention us in the same breath as Rival Schools, Jimmy Eat World and 30 Seconds To Mars. We’re cool with that.”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
37 – ‘Eliza Jaye and The Tarts’, ‘Codes’, ‘Air Castles’ and ‘The Good Suns’
Eliza Jaye and The Tarts:
www.myspace.com/elizajayeandthetarts
(No biography info available on the artist’s website)
Codes:
“C O D E S . are an alternative/electronic quartet from Dublin, Ireland. Expansive yet melodic. Powerful yet delicate, their music colours the void between the ambience and longevity of soundtrack music and the energy and immediacy of live music..
Soaring vocal harmonies, dreamy arrangements and a calculated cryptography of electronic beats, piano, glockenspiel and analogue synths permeate their sound.
Codes debut album “Trees Dream In Algebra” which was recorded in Gloucestershire UK & mixed in Auckland, New Zealand with acclaimed producer Greg Haver (Manics, SFA) and mastered in NYC by Greg Calbi (U2,Interpol,Kings of Leon) is out now. It was the winner of Best Album 2009 in Phantom FM Dublin’s annual awards, is featured in hotpress magazine’s top 200 Irish albums of all time and was nominated for The Choice Music Prize 2010.”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
Air Castles:
“Air Castles is a London based band led by Swedish born singer-songwriter Max Mansson.
Starting off as a home recording project in 2008 by the then 19-year-old Mansson, Air Castles has since recorded an EP and an album together with Magnus Lindberg of Cult of Luna.”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
The Good Suns:
(No biography info available on the artist’s website)
36 – ‘Ronit’, ‘Lunch’, ‘The Broken Tea-Set’ and ‘Israel Cannan’
Ronit:
“A passionate and captivating musician, Ronit has developed a devoted following around Australia that grows with each performance. Audiences are drawn to her strong vocals and emotive honest lyricism, while being floored by her fiery guitar playing. Her sound is a melting pot of soul, roots and rock with hints of Middle Eastern inspired melody, due in part to her Israeli heritage.
Before emerging as a solo artist, Ronit cut her teeth in several established Melbourne bands and toured with popular Reggae/Dub band The Red Eyes as a backing vocalist, gaining vast live playing experience around the country. She is now accompanied by a six piece live band featuring some of Melbourne’s finest musicians, who compliment and embellish Ronit’s catchy songwriting perfectly. Whether playing with her band, or performing intimate solo concerts, Ronit has fast been creating a reputation as one of the city’s premier and most exciting live acts. Just as comfortable playing in large venues as she is playing in smaller jazz clubs and classic Australian live music pubs, she has performed supporting such iconic Australian acts as The Whitlams, Tim Rogers, Renee Geyer, Mark Seymour, James Reyne and Vanessa Amorossi.
Ronit’s music has been used exclusively in the internet based advertising campaign for the established ‘Nevenka’ brand fashion line, and quite recently was used in a successful short film called ‘The Wake’ directed by Gemma Lee. ‘The Wake’ was selected to screen at Palm Springs Short Fest in June 2009 to critical acclaim, and was recently chosen for the prestigious Tribeca film festival in New York.
Ronit released her debut EP ‘Heavy’ through MGM in June 2009. The past couple of months she has been on a whirlwind Summer tour of the US and the UK. ”
(Quote obtained from the artists’ Official Website)
Lunch:
“The product of four years writing music together in differing projects, Lunch is the collective masterpiece of songwriters Tom Cale & Josh Jackson, merging the boundaries of as many genres as possible.
Together with bass player James “Mull” Mulligan, the trio are crafting the future sounds of your afternoon mealtimes that will have enough resonance to keep you hungry for more all day, no matter what course of the banquet you find yourself indulging. ”
(Quote obtained from the artists’ facebook page)
The Broken Tea-Set:
Israel Cannan:
“In 2010 Israel Cannan travelled 20,000 kilometers around his homeland Australia singing songs in the streets and capturing hearts in the process.
This year he decided to trade the streets for the stage and headed to the UK armed with the new album “Walk” in which he wrote, recorded and played all the instruments on. After only a week in London Israel was showcasing at Cargo alongside fellow Australians The Jezabels, Little Red, Luluc at “The Aussie BBQ”.
From there came shows at some of London’s most prestigious venues including The Troubadour, Borderline, The Bedford where Israel continued to wow audiences with his heartfelt melodies and powerful lyrics.
Meanwhile back in Australia National Broadcaster Triple J were featuring Walk on their Unearthed podcasts and The AU Review even named “Walk” as #19 on the top 40 Albums of 2010 (Worldwide).
With shows and festivals being confirmed in the UK & Europe over the summer including Groundswell festival (France) alongside Jason Mraz and Newton Faulkner Israel’s Walk looks like its just getting started..”
(Quote obtained from the artists’ facebook page)
34 – ‘Jax Walker’, ‘Chaser’, ‘Some Skeletons’ and ‘Wyndham North’
Jax Walker:
“A culture clash, Jax Walker is a musician / producer & illustrator interweaving a deadly combo of classic Hiphop with sprawling, electronic indie. A brain blast of Pulsating Basslines, Bulletproof Beats, Trashy Keyboards and Human Voice, the most fun you can have with your own ears!
Backed by his head turning live band, Jax regularly packs out some of the most notorious haunts across the country, recent gigs include the Waterats, The Deaf Institute, Nottinghill Arts Club, Antwerp Mansion, Proud Camden, the Night & Day et al. With future ear bursting releases on the agenda, expect big things over the coming months.”
(Quote obtained from the artists’ myspace page)
Chaser:
(No biography info available on the artists’ website)
Some Skeletons:
(No biography info available on the artists’ website)
Wyndham North:
(No biography info available)
33 – ‘Cult With No Name’, ‘Evaney’, ‘SpyGenius’ and ‘Statuesque’
Cult With No Name:
“‘Post-punk electronic balladeers’ Cult With No Name, comprise the East London duo of Erik Stein and Jon Boux. Having been the first international signing to LA label Trakwerx in 2007 (founded by Jackson Del Rey of Californian punk legends ‘Savage Republic’), ‘Cult With No Name’s two studio albums to date – ‘Paper Wraps Rock’ and ‘Careful What You Wish For’ – have been met with considerable critical acclaim.
Leading UK music journalist Mick Mercer proclaimed the band his discovery of 2007 (with both albums sitting in his subsequent annual top ten lists), Blaine L. Reininger of genre-transcending legends ‘Tuxedomoon’ collaborated on their second album, Don Letts spun tracks on BBC6, and more recently Brett Anderson (Suede) asked ‘Cult With No Name’ to open for him for the launch of his new album.
Having provided the music for two blacker than black comedies at the Edinburgh festival (‘Moz and the Meal’ and ‘Bored Stiff’), it’s fitting that ‘Cult With No Name’ turned their attention to cinema for their first DVD release, ‘Lightwerx: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’. Cult With No Name’s compulsive and compelling soundtrack extends their ability to instantly create evocative moods over 51 breathtaking minutes, on a journey that takes in mystical ambience, nerve-shredding distortion, popular and unpopular song, electronica, and vast, futurist soundscapes. ”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
Evaney:
SpyGenius:
“An electric 4 piece band who use a 60s vocabulary to craft 21st century music with a postmodern twist.
If you appreciate the jangle-meistering of the Byrds and Beatles, the harmonies of Crosby, Stills and Nash and the lyrical wit of Robyn Hitchcock, you’ll love Spygenius.”
(Quote obtained from the band’s Official Website)
Statuesque:
www.myspace.com/statuesquemusic
29 – ‘The Touch’, ‘Vetoes’, ‘The Recusants’ and ‘Pharaohs From The Grave’
The Touch:
“The Touch initially made a name for themselves with their party inducing Dance-Punk sets around Adelaide in 2008. Since then the band has expanded their sound adding ethereal vocal hooks, multi-layerd washes of synth and intricate guitar interplay whilst loosing none of their energetic delivery. The band has played numerous high profile Australian festivals (Big Day Out, Parklife and One Movement) and supported bands like Phoenix, Ladyhawke, Miami Horror, The Swiss and many more. ”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
Check out The Touch‘s music video for ‘SHOT’:
Vetoes:
(No biography info available on the artists’ website)
The Recusants:
(No biography info available on the artists’ website)
Pharaohs From The Grave:
www.myspace.com/pharaohsfromthegrave
“An alternative punk rock band of London musicians Emily Wolf O, Katharine Kibela, UJ and Par Mahn. Formed in 2009. Set to release their EP ‘Machines’ in June 2011.”
28 – ‘Mishima’, ‘Les Aus’, ‘Junkyard Choir’ and ‘Allies’
Mishima:
(No biography info available on the artist’s website)
Les Aus:
(No biography info available on the artist’s website)
Junkyard Choir:
“Junkyard Choir are a London-based alternative rock band formed in 2006, whose original lineup had previously played together under the name “Dirt”. Currently comprising of guitarist and lead singer Mark Woods, bassist Kevin Hiscox and drummer Tom Herbert, the band are known for their unique blend of rock, blues, punk and waltz, having been described as “swampy rock’n’roll” [1], “gypsy punk” [2] and “mariachi-esque polka-rock”.[3] Frontman Mark Woods was, for three years (2003-2006), one of the main vocalists in Do Me Bad Things.”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
Allies:
“Formed by Brothers Andrew and Steve Murphy, and joined by Drummer Alex Ribchester and Bassist Simon Walsh, Allies are a modern Alternative Rock Band combining Big Riffs, intense melodies and classic song writing, to produce powerful and at times “haunting rock” . ”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
26 – ‘A Genuine Freakshow’, ‘OK’, ‘Alvin Purple’ and ‘Radio 9’
A Genuine Freakshow:
“A Genuine Freakshow. An artful blend of experimentalism and pop sensibility from Reading comprising the traditional rock ‘n’ roll facets of guitars, bass and drums but augmented by the less obvious additions of cello, violin and trumpet. A band that embrace the icy soundscapes of Sigur Ros but remain entranced by the possibilities of the pop song.
The genesis of this multitude is, as you would expect, less than straightforward. A question as to how the band came into being brings forth a plethora of answers and a volley of disagreement. Various members’ recall of history blurs between fact and (assumed) fiction. What can be said for sure is that by 2008 the current line-up was settled and the previous experiments which saw them begin as “too pop to be challenging” and then swing the opposite way until they were “too post-rock to be fun” had been amended and developed to hit the sweet spot that remains their raison d’etre to this point.
Prior to that settled point, the band had already made their mark in the world with the release of a debut EP that all those still in the band from that time (those changes of personnel again) agree was the “too pop” point. In what would become standard AGF fashion, the follow up ‘0.008%’ EP was, naturally, the “too post-rock” response. A musical equilibrium was found with the release of ‘We Are The Undercurrents’ in 2008 and its follow up ‘Holding Hearts’ in the same year. By the end of that year another equilibrium was achieved with the permanent recruitment of the final pieces of the band, drummer Jack Bryant just making it in time to play the band’s autumn dates by fast-tracking the set in a hectic three week period of cramming on his part.
Plaudits followed for this settled unit. ‘Holding Hearts’ made Tom Robinson’s ‘Best Of 2008’, Word magazine’s Mark Ellen fell for the band, leading to their recent appearance on the magazine’s CD for October. Meanwhile, the seven settled into a touring schedule that saw them build a healthy evangelical fanbase leading to a sold out Bush Hall show in February of 2010. In tandem with touring throughout 2009 and 2010, the band entered the studio with producer Jordan Fish to completely re-record the album that had been taking shape throughout these single releases, so unhappy were they with the final version mark one. A brave decision, some would say foolhardy, but one that is vindicated by the now complete debut album, ‘Oftentimes’ that finally ended its gestation on 8th November 2010.
The journey of this firmly bonded septet – despite the notices from media names – has taken place through the old-fashioned world of word-of-mouth and touring. In keeping with that ethic ‘Oftentimes’ comes to you via band-owned Peartree Records, all members making a firm decision to retain their ownership of their music and complete control over their musical destinies. In support of the album A Genuine Freakshow returned to the touring world for an extensive run of dates from September through December 2010 with plenty more to follow in 2011.”
(Quote obtained from the band’s official website)
OK:
“Welcome to the bright and colorful world of OK! …Four Cardiffians with a love of pop, truly terrible jokes and generally jumping around like idiots.
Having been obsessed with depressing music as a teen, singer Joe Paine decided he would dry his tears and form a band that would make people feel good again! Rounding up good friend and bass player Adam Barrah, the two waved their West-Walian hometown farewell and, with wonder in their eyes and love in their hearts, set sail for Cardiff.
After a few months playing acoustic shows and generally getting very drunk, the two quickly be-friended guitarist Oliver Miles. The technical whiz-kid hit it off with the boys and was soon on stage performing with them.
In desperate need of a drummer, the band coincidentally bumped in to ex ‘Inner-city Pirates’ sticksman Dave Powell. With their notoriously weird sense of humour, the four got on like a series of terrible house fires and soon released their debut record ‘Under The Weather But Over The Moon’ at a frantic launch party in Cardiff’s renowned ‘Buffalo Bar’.
It wasn’t long before the band had begun to transform Joe’s old-fashioned ‘Libertinesian’ sing-alongs into faster, tighter and dancier full-band pounders. OK have since played a string of packed-out shows, which have left audience and band members alike in sweaty heaps!”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
Alvin Purple:
(No biography info available on the artist’s website)
Radio 9:
“Radio 9 is a collective (usually 3 live members, not including the laptop) that plays electronic music that isn’t boring. Augmented by real drums, guitar and bass and even some vocals, their energetic, melodic Krautpop kicks arse. varying from subtle, mellifluous atmospherics to harsh postpunk whiteouts, the band frequently improvise live in extended rhythmic bop. previously based in the UK, now Oslo, the band have worked with Paul Epworth (Florence and the Machine, Bloc Party) and Gareth Jones (Depeche Mode, Sons and Daughters). The band have just released an album, ‘Endless Streams of Light’ on Oblong.”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
19 – ‘Arms of Atlas’, ‘LeCarla’ and ‘Eat Off Your Arms’
Arms of Atlas:
Arms of Atlas‘s ‘Hour of the Night’ Official Music Video:
LeCarla:
Check out LeCarla‘s Official Music Video for their debut track ‘DILLIGAF’ which was released in May of last year:
Eat Off Your Arms:
www.myspace.com/eatoffyourarms
Check out Eat Off Your Arm‘s video for their song ‘Sit and Grin’:
14 – ‘The Savage Nomads’, ‘The Method’, ‘Hi-Life Wedding’, and ‘Letters To Fiesta”
The Savage Nomads:
www.myspace.com/thesavagenomads
The Method:
www.myspace.com/methodofficial
Hi-Life Wedding:
Letters To Fiesta:
www.myspace.com/letterstofiesta
London Unsigned Music 