9
© ISSUE 7 • MAY 2012 • FREE GUY LLOYD’S BLOG MUSIC REVIEWS LIVE REVIEWS MAKING A BAND AGREEMENT SKIEF PROMOTIONS

Brighton Unsigned - May 2012 - Issue 7

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

Brighton Unsigned covers all unsigned bands and artists around Brighton and beyond delivering the best of music talent you possibly never knew was there.

Citation preview

© ISSUE 7 • MAY 2012 • FREE

GUY LLOYD’S BLOG

MUSIC REVIEWS

LIVE REVIEWS

MAKING A BAND AGREEMENT

SKIEF PROMOTIONS

Editor:Jordan Thomas

Email: [email protected]

Cover Band Photography:Donna Clark

Design:Steven Probets

Writers:Cindy Cheng (CC)

Jessica O’Loughlin (JOL)Liam Devers (LMD)

Shaz Simone (SS)Charlie Barley (CB)

This Month

Summer is nearly here! Welcome to our seventh issue in which we have the awesome FitsRoy for feature cover. We have the usual pack of reviews and the second part of the legal editorial. And of course, our next monthly gig on May 30th, be sure to check it out as we have a new talented band on the block, Elk. Hope to see you there!

- Jordan (Editor)

GUY LLOYD’SBLOG

LAST MONTHS GIG

MAKING A BAND AGREEMENT

PAGE7

PAGE12

PAGE16

LIVE REVIEWS PAGE 4

MUSIC REVIEWS PAGE 14

Proofreader:Alex Clouter

Gig Photography:Simon Brice

PA

GE

8

FIND US ON FACEBOOK WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BRIgHtONUNSIgNED

FOLLOW US ON tWIttER @BtONUNSIgNED

For advertising enquiries please email Alex Clouter at [email protected] or call 01903 267770

AudioBeach StudiosBrighton & Hove’s Lottery Funded, Non-Profit, Professional Recording Studios

From May 1st to 31st

£150Recording Session

Everyday, 10am-5pm

£165Recording Session

Weekdays, 6pm-midnight

01273 252313 | [email protected] | facebook.com/audiobeachstudios.brighton

brighton

the UK’s leading popular music college

Courses starting September:

Saturday 12 May 11am or 1pm

Open Day

Apply now! Book your place: accesstomusic.co.uk / Freephone 0800 28 18 42

• MusicPerformance• MusicTechnology

• MusicComposition• MusicBusiness

Now using Brighton Electric Studios off Lewes Road

5

Genre: Acoustic / Soul

www.facebook.com/rotaitmusic

Brighton is the current location of Rotait, a musical duo that formed in Ireland in 2009. And we in Brighton should be thankful that they are currently pitched here. Jareth Tait and Rosanna Schwarzacher not only harvest music with a roaming sincerity, they also offer a sincere hand to the local music scene, running monthly acoustic sessions at The Pull and Pump. Under the moniker “Off the Cuff Sessions”, these monthly evenings witness a line-up of acoustic talents, who can be accompanied by Rotait’s improvising skills on drums or cello… or both. This almost open-mic approach to forming a

band beyond the artist generates a relaxed and intimate atmosphere, perfect for the duo’s own performance. Their set was delivered in two halves; an easy going, acoustic starter, followed by a warmly welcomed sonic main. Jareth’s vocal had a natural, compelling strength to it, for the first four songs being reminiscent of a David Gray and Thom Yorke medley. Complemented by Rosanna’s plucking good cello playing, the first half had an acoustic soul vibe. For the second half, Jareth traded his guitar for drums and Rosanna amplified the cello (this was the first time they had performed like this and any nerves were rightly pushed aside once the first notes were played). The acoustic soul vibe was exchanged for a more upbeat, sleazy rock’n’roll vibe, which suits their inverted White Stripes image. Similar to The Vines’ Craig Nicholls and The Subways’ Billy Lunn, Jareth’s vocal disclosed a raw attitude, as did the grooving cello, forcing everyone in the venue to nod and throw a sly pout. A very enjoyable set; two opposite halves both executed with conviction and modesty.

@ T

hE P

ull

AND

PuM

P

ROTAIT

www.myspace.com/thelanesuk

LIVE REVIEWS Shaz SImonE

Gen

re: I

ndie

/ R

ock

@ T

hE l

EcTE

RN

Supported by Tales of George and Oxygen Thieves, Brighton’s quartet The Lanes celebrated their recent partnership to local record label Overhead Wires by lassoing local music fans to The Lectern with their infectious gems of energetic indie dance. Opening their set with ‘Horror Show,’ frontman Graham Jones was an instant showman. His Gallagher brother image and confident swagger were convincing alone, but add rugged, striking vocals to the mix, and you get a notable performance. Bassist Joe Cobb gave The Lanes a vivacious live character, grooving and jumping non-stop to the band’s Kasabian fused sound. It was during their performance of ‘Phoenix’ that drummer Chris Elliot was given the chance to gleam. With the rest of the band stepping off stage, punters were treated to (as Graham confessed) “one of the best drum solos ever” – it was certainly a delight. Chris Wilkes’ key agenda was to deliver the synth, which he did with a solid performance from behind the board, especially during the closing song ‘Dirty Synth,’ which possessed everyone’s limbs and ignited a similarity to The Music. From jumping into the crowd and joining them for a gambol, to standing on the bar, to displaying unmistakable signs of having sheer fun, The Lanes solidly marked the beginning of their future with Overhead Wires. If there’s one niggle to make, such a band deserve a much larger audience than appeared to witness their show. If you see them listed to play, get your buttocks there. You and your buttocks will not be disappointed. T

HE

LA

NE

S

LIVE REVIEWS JESSIca o’LoughLIn

4

PREHAB Genre: Jazz / Ska

The many members of Prehab, like circus clowns piling into a mini, took to the “stage” at the Cobbler’s Thumb for another one of Analogue Underground Radio’s Thursday night “An Audience With…” gigs. Equipped with trumpets, trombones, clarinets, drums, bass and guitar the lads kicked off the show with the mischievous, dark and wistful tune ‘St. James’ Tavern’. The regretful story contained in the lyrics was sung to us by the lead singer in a deep, growly moan reminiscent of Tom Waits. As the set continued, the group mixed elements of the fox-trot, the circus march, polka, New Orleans jazz and ska. This up-beat and lively group of musicians seemed to have travelled through time from a 1920s Speakeasy bar and arrived in Brighton just in time to “liven all you stiffs up” (to quote Withnail from the popular cult classic). A previously sedentary crowd, upon hearing this music, suddenly leapt from their seats and went into a wild fit of dancing, as if under some kind of gypsy spell. One middle-aged woman, who could have been any of our mothers, even proceeded to climb upon one of the tables and lift the hem of her skirt in a sort of can-can. Just like in a clandestine dive bar of times gone by, the crowd could easily have been full of illegal whisky and opium. If you would like a more accurate depiction of Prehab’s style of music, then refer to ‘Alabama song (Whisky Bar)’, The Doors’ version for a better idea. Or alternatively you could come along to the next Prehab gig and taste a little bit of this musical drug for yourself.

www.myspace.com/prehabinc

@ ThE coBBlERs ThuMB

THIEVES BY THE CODEGenre: Blues / Experimental / Rock

Thieves by the Code kicked off a night of alternative rock and metal at the Hydrant this month. Also on the line up were the great In Dynamics who played at Brighton Unsigned’s March gig. Following a line-up change last year, the Thieves are currently re-finding their ground with an edgy, un-polished passive-aggressive sound… sometimes your best friend, sometimes your worst enemy. These young men swipe sounds from the sub-pop label era, alternative rock and blues resulting in a less screamy, more bulimic The Ghost of A Thousand. The outfit are a bit grimy and a bit grungy but they’ve painted over some of the dirt infested cracks with a shiny, glossy lick of harmony. Personally, I enjoyed the grimier stuff more but nevertheless, there is something in their set for all to enjoy. The set included a nice mix of newer and older tracks, allowing you to follow the growth in style this band has undergone in recent times. However, this does leave you a little confused as to what the band is all about and you can’t help feel that the band are still undergoing puberty. I have no doubt that once the acne clears up and the facial hair appears in full bloom, these boys-turned-men will be a force to be reckoned with. It must also be added that the trio would be given ten out of ten for energy. They leapt around the

stage as if, just like in the 2006 action film “Crank 2”, their lives depended upon keeping their adrenaline pumping. If they keep up the same passionate energy, they will be ones to watch.

www.facebook.com/thievesbythecode

@ ThE hYDRANT

Those closest to me would say I’m a twat. Dig a bit deeper and they may say that I’m an alright kind of bloke. Really delve and they may reveal that I’m a very deep, sensitive, spiritual person. That’s one side of me. There’s another side that’s shallow, superficial and a complete fantasist. Let’s explore this side.

A big part of the side that indulges in fantasy and revels in the detachment from reality, is my relentless ‘celebrity crush.’ This is a mild obsession with someone in the spotlight, which can differ from extremes of a respectful admiration to full-on stalking. Don’t do the stalking thing. Not healthy. Go see a therapist. They’ll be a perfectly acceptable explanation; something to do with your childhood. It always is.

I’ve indulged in the ‘celebrity crush’ all my life and I highly recommend it. I’ve even convinced myself it might happen on a couple of occasions, especially as I’ve been lucky enough to meet some of these fantasy women. Yes, I’m sure the wife would be upset if I told her I’d cheated on her but if I told her that I’d got off with Frankie from The Saturdays, she’s got to be impressed with that surely?

Things have been made easier over the years with the celebrity crush. What with facebook, twitter and the intimacy of the internet, you can actually contact your crush and correspond if you’re not too weird. My main reason for joining twitter was to eventually hook up with Lily Allen. I fell hard for Lily when she returned to the spotlight with her second album and after

meeting her at Glastonbury, my love for her was sealed. However, she has since got married, is pregnant and doesn’t return my tweets. It’s over Lily, if you’re reading this. I never want to see you again.

So who is my current celebrity crush? I would say it’s probably Amelle from the Sugababes. I’ve met her a few times and she’s stunningly drop-dead gorgeous. Lovely personality and yes, lets be shallow about this, a great bum. Amelle is closely followed by the ginger bird from Dr.Who and I’ll always have a place in my heart for Scarlett Johansson, especially after seeing the beautiful ‘Lost in Translation.’ (‘Snog her Bill! For god’s sake snog her!!’).

I can remember my first ever celebrity crush. I was watching Top of the Pops back in 1983 and the most amazing girl performed, with the most amazing voice. I was gone; totally mesmerised. She had me, hook, line and sinker. So who was it?

CATCH GUY’S BLOG AT: guylloyd.co.uk

TWITTER: twitter.com/guy_lloyd

GuY lloYD’s..

THE CELEBRITY CRUSH

‘Come and get me guy!’

..BloG ABouT sTuFF AND NoNsENsE

76

BAN

D PR

OFI

LE

What are your main musical inspirations for Godard?

GODARD

When did you guys form the band and why?

Is the process of recording material hard for an unsigned band in Brighton?

How many times have you played live as a band, and is it hard for an unsigned act to get gigs?

After their gig at the hydrant, Brighton, the opportunity arose to speak to Tristan Baker [Guitar & lead vocals], conall Jennings [Bass] and charlie

Reith-Pert [Drums] of Godard.

Tristen: We formed around the Summer of 2010 very briefly, but properly in the following Summer of 2011, There is nothing better Charlie & I like to do then write and play music, and after experimenting our curiosities with “Areyouawake?”. Conall: (Jokes) I sort of tagged along and drove “AreYouAwake?” to their gig, I was their little bitch.

Tristen: ‘Taking Back Sunday’ still influence how we try to write vocals. Charlie: Bandwise ‘Title Fight, Tigers Jaw’ and ‘The Get Up Kids’ have had huge influences on me.

Tristen: Not really, we recorded on the Isle of Wight and had tons of fun doing so. We were lucky to work with some cool guys and some sick equipment.

Tristen: The 3rd gig in Brighton at the Hydrant was so cool, because for me it was the first time we felt like a band. We arrived the day before, set up, played through our set a few times, and thought ‘yeah cool, everything is fine for tomorrow.’

- Interview: Liam Devers

How did you guys form?

Jordan: I went to college with Gary the drummer. We did a popular music course at City College and I used to try and constantly get him to join my band. I was a bit of a rebel and he was a good boy, he never had the guts to actually join. I got kicked out of college and didn’t see him for six years. I had formed various bands and my girlfriend at the time was like, “If you could have any drummer who would it be?” because my drummer was terrible. I said, “This boy I went to college with, Gary, he was an amazing drummer… really, really good”. Two weeks later I bump into him down the sea front, so strange. I was like, that’s mad I was talking about you, hoping we were gonna hook up, you know what I mean? One day you’ll drum for me, you know, eventually! He said, “Let’s swap numbers” and then we played together for five weeks just jamming. He really felt what I was doing musically and we clicked instantly. We decided we wanted to get a bassist in and we tried every avenue we could think of. Gary and I had come out of a studio at two in the morning and there was a load of proper Emo kids waiting to go in. I thought I’d ask them if they knew any bassists and one of these lads turned round and said that some bassist had just moved in with him and was looking to join a band - this was in 2005 - so I got his number. I’ve always had a soft spot for kinda posh, geeky, nerdy, toffey people and when I spoke to him on the phone, man, I fell in love. It was love at first hear! No it was really cool, I don’t like

talking on the phone but we had a really good chat. He turned up and I was so used to sort of explaining how I write my music to people so that they’d join in and he just turned round and was like, “Look just play and I will join in”. So I was doing my thing and he was playing a proper decent bass and yeahhh six years later here we are.Marcus: We gel well and that’s why we’re still playing.

Why did you choose FitsRoy as your name?

Jordan: Hmmm, ok, I won’t go too much into detail about this but basically to cut a story short… a ten-pound note yeh, Charles Darwin is on one side, there’s a little boat in the middle. That boat was called The Beagle and the captain of the boat was called Robert FitzRoy. We spell it with an s, as z looks shit.

How did you collaborate to find your bands sound?

Marcus: I think we all felt the same about Jordan’s song writing, it’s kind of about going out, having fun, getting on it, there’s terms of loss, there’s terms of not making it properly in a relationship. It comes down to the sort of technicalities and I’m probably from a bit more of a heavy metal background but I sort of push that aside and just play as much funky bass as I can. It combines with Jordan’s guitar and Gary on top. It’s probably a bit more towards Jordan’s area of music than mine but it’s quite fusioned and that’s how the sound comes out. Jordan starts with a melody, with even an aggressive chorus or a progressive chorus, then me and Gary sort of react to that.

You have 4 EP’s, how do you think the music has shifted from the first to the latest?

Marcus: The first one that we did was a four track. It was rawer, with a bit more obvious song structure. I suppose being our first it was actually when we were a four piece. Jordan: It was terrible, terrible recording.Marcus: I wouldn’t use the word terrible I think we had a different dynamic with a fourth person that did well and I thought it attracted more people when we were playing live. After Craig had departed we did kind of rise and rise, live wise as well. The second EP was actually, correct me if I’m wrong,

Interview: Donna Clark

Fitsroy first played for us back in March and entertained the audience with songs such as the patriotic “us We’re From Brighton”, which gave them their chance to play the song at AMEX stadium. With chances like these, we asked them

back to find out how FitsRoy got to where they are now and what they have got in store for the future.

8 9

Gary – Drummer / Marcus – Bassist / Jordan - Vocals & Guitar

Jordan, was produced…Jordan: ...at The Levellers’ studio Metway, but we spent a lot of money recording in that way. Don’t get me wrong I mean the sound guy was really cool and we got on really well with him but the next EP was done by recording for a few months with Gary in his room. We got pretty much a better sound doing it our way than spending nearly a thousand pounds on recording and mastering in the studio. No sly on Metway, I mean respect to The Levellers and all that, but we found we had more oomph behind our recording after the third EP doing it our own way.Marcus: YeahhhJordan: The thing is Gary who obviously is a drummer and also is a very good sound recording engineer. In terms of our music we have slightly changed in variation. With the quality and what Gary uses to record and edit has changed loads, has come on leaps and bounds. We get really excited about putting down as many tracks as possible even though there are only three of us.

Your song Us We’re From Brighton has been played twice during the warm up at the Brighton Amex Stadium recently, how did this come about and have you found the exposure has increased your popularity in any way?

Jordan: It’s a very kind of like punky, boyish, yobbish, pint-throwing kind of song, which wasn’t intended to be a football chant at all. Jordan Thomas was kind enough to give us a Brighton Unsigned gig, Guy Lloyd watched us and he was really behind what we’ve done. He passed our

EP onto the people at the Amex and yeah it got played twenty minutes before the game, apparently the last three home games. Our Twitter extended by some amount afterwards, it’s definitely made a difference. We’re getting like Bexhill football team, all these random people out of nowhere and loads of housewives following us now (laughs)… beautiful you know what I mean, whatever, we’re easy.

What’s your favourite super hero?

Jordan: I need time… I need to really sit and think about this one because I take this shit very seriously! I need to sit and go through my options its not something I can just shout out straight away. I like the idea of flying, freezing time, being invisible, there’s so many you know I can’t answer that one. Marcus?Marcus: I have to say Wolverine for the fact that someone can have spikes come out of his knuckles and basically get frustrated and tear through anything - I think that works.

What have you got coming up?

Jordan: May is a really busy month for FitsRoy. We’ve got a headliner at Sussex University on 4th

May. Apparently it’s the first gig they’ve had in the East Slope Bar since they came back off the holidays. On 5th May at Sticky Mikes we’re supporting The Coronas, who are on their UK tour from Ireland. They’ve got a platinum selling album and been around for a long time. They’re very different to us musically but just to be on the same bill as them is a good thing for us. Then thanks to Jordan T we are headlining Brighton

Unsigned night on 30th May.

www.fitsroy.com10 11

skief PromotionsGOOD MUSIC • GOOD CAUSES

www.skiefpromotions.org

EP REVIEWThere is a lot of hype going around at the moment about Brighton-based quartet Rising Tide. Comprising of Martyn, Adam, Emma and Frankie, their impressive live shows, unique style and strong musicianship has brought them remarkable progress in recent months: a spot at the Great Escape festival and a headline gig at the 300-capacity Haunt in Brighton are just around the corner; not bad for a band who formed less than 2 years ago. So does their new EP match the expectations? The answer is a pretty resounding yes, though maybe not in the way you’d expect.

The first thing that becomes abundantly clear is there’s no breakneck moshathon in the form of “Burn It Down” on this record. But while that could’ve ended up as a disappointment, Rising Tide more than make up for it in the sheer range of influences on display. Opener “The Lie” begins with a riff that could’ve come straight from Biffy Clyro’s early back catalogue, before transforming into a bass/guitar duel that sounds like Rage Against the Machine and Led Zeppelin fighting to the death. Meanwhile, the title track “Books, Boxes and Video Games” plays like a very English version of the Foo Fighters’ more mellow moments, with Martyn Wilson’s almost operatic voice hitting high and low notes with ease and punctuating each pointed note superbly.

So it might not cover ground in quite the breakneck pace of some of their earlier material, but by expanding their dynamics and improving their range of styles, Rising Tide have not just established themselves as one of the most vital bands in the South East right now, but quite possibly amongst the general UK indie and rock scene today. An immensely accomplished EP. - Joe Hesketh

www.facebook.com/Risingtideukwww.risingtidemusic.co.uk/ep

GENRE: Alternative/Rock/AcousticINFLUENCES: Radiohead, Biffy Clyro

ALL

MON

EY R

AISE

D GO

ES T

OWAR

DS P

RINT

ING

THE

NEXT

ISSU

E -

PLEA

SE S

UPPO

RT U

S!

The best time to get a band agreement is right at the start of the life of the band. Certainly, an agreement should be in place before the band signs any contracts with any third parties (think labels, distributors, management). The nature of the music business is that most agreements are made on a handshake and secured with the belief that the other party will honour their word. So long as this is the case, then everything is okay. However, like it or not, disputes do happen and it is much easier for everybody involved to resolve a dispute if they can simply turn to a band agreement for answers.

WHeN SHoUld We GeT oNe?

13

A band agreement is in essence a partnership agreement and is a handy document to have in place. The agreement deals with all of the peculiarities of partnership law and brings certainty to the band. each one should be tailor made to fit the needs of the band, but all band agreements should address several fundamental issues, including who owns the band’s name, how will profits and losses be divided, what is the process for bringing in new members and what happens if a member leaves.

BANd AGreemeNT

BAND AGREEMENTs.. ..EVERY BAND shoulD hAVE oNE!

ACUMEN LAW gives us advice on how to make a band agreement to cover yourselves every step of the way.

one of the most important things for a new band to do is to have a band agreement drawn up. No musician likes to get bogged down in the world of legal documents, but it is important to remember that the music business, as its name suggests, is a business just like any other. Take a look at the most successful companies in the business; the likes of Apple, Universal and Warner don’t do deals on a handshake and they are most definitely limited companies rather than unlimited partnerships. In fact, take a look at radiohead, a band with two limited companies and two registered trademarks to its name. There is no reason why a serious band should be treated any differently to a company. In order to be a successful band you need to have a business mindset and in order to be successful in business, you have to have a good grasp of the law.

Now in reality, it is not practical for every band to register a limited company as soon as they get together. What is important, is to appreciate the legal structure of the band and the consequences of this legal structure. When a group of musicians come together to form a band, what they are actually forming from a legal point of view is a partnership. This is because the law says that a partnership exists automatically, whenever two or more people carry on a business together with a view to making money. The important thing to know about a partnership is that in the absence of any written agreement between the partners, certain default rules apply. For instance, unless the partners agree otherwise, profits and losses are shared equally, which would be unfair if one partner has invested more or less in the partnership than the others. Also, in the absence of an agreement to the contrary, a partner cannot be expelled without the unanimous agreement of all the partners. In theory, this means that you couldn’t actually force a band member out unless you completely ended the band. Another important point to note is that every partner in a partnership is liable jointly and severally with his co-partners for every decision that the partnership makes and every agreement that it enters into. This means that any one member of the band is potentially liable for the full value of the commitment, so trouble will land at the door of the member with some assets.

PArTNerSHIPS

What happens if the band splits up and the individual members want to start new projects? Can any of them use the name of the band? Well if a trade mark hasn’t been registered in the names of the partners, then any one of the band members could be entitled to use the band name. This doesn’t sound very practical does it? Well a band agreement is very useful for managing what should happen in this situation. Perhaps nobody should be entitled to use the band name? Perhaps the band name should only be used by a new group consisting of more than one member of the band? The band agreement would lay down the rules.

BANd NAme

12

ACUmeN medIA lAW are specialists in legal and business affairs. For further information on how to go about registering a trademark or protecting your intellectual property rights and for all media and entertainment law requirements please contact us on 08458 678978 or visit our website: ACUmeN medIA lAW. our free legal Sound Check offers you the opportunity to meet with one of our specialists for no charge.

I first saw Tom Staniford at a Brighton Unsigned monthly gig at The Latest Bar where he was fine tuning his new EP ‘Lessons Still Young’. He has three tracks from it, ‘Lessons Still Young’, ‘Turning Pages’ and a Sophie Ellis-Bextor cover, ‘Starlight’.

Tom isn’t a stranger to covers – he puts his slant on it, as Simon Cowell would say, and has covered a beautiful version of Will Young’s ‘Jealousy’. In fact they are such good covers you don’t realise who sung the first version, you are just ‘lost’ in his voice. He has a soulful, clear and soft voice that you can listen to over and over again.

Tom penned both ‘Lessons Still Young’ and ‘Turning Pages’ and his buttery notes enlighten your mood even if the song is about the age-old saga “… man falls in love, man loses girl...”. While the subject matter is not uncommon, his lyrics are captivating and the music whisks you up and makes you want to travel the song’s journey with him.

Having spent a number of years moulding his experiences and been influenced by the likes of Jeff Buckley, City & Colour and The Cure, Tom best describes his music as acoustic folk rock. Even though Tom sometimes plays with a band, you hear his acoustic guitar and voice: they stand out and rightly so. A truly talented artist, so what are you waiting for? Go check him out! CB

TOM STANIFORD

ww

w.to

mst

anifo

rd.c

omw

ww

.face

book

.com

/tom

stan

iford

Genre: Acoustoic Folk rock

muSIc REVIEWS

14

This folk band boasts a singer with a voice a cross between the acclaimed Laura Marling and Kate Nash, with a touch of huskiness like that of Pixie Lott (whether or not this hampers the cool credibility slightly, it is still notable), whilst their harmonies and melodies can draw similarity to Boy and Bear.

‘I am the Wolf’ shows off singer Natassja Shine’s vocal ability, however I feel some of the growls are slightly strained and she doesn’t need to force something when her voice is naturally gifted, although it does help to create an animalistic power to match the wild mammal mentioned in the song title.

Catchy and truthful ‘When I Was A Child’ is definitely a favourite, charming acoustics and a mellow introduction slowly blossoms into something memorable and danceable. The festival period needs to hurry along so this can be played out while we join hands and jump about the campfire, buttercups on the ground and daisies in our hair. Meanwhile, borrowing from their own lyrics, ‘Laying Love’ is the definition of “effortless” and “beauty” – enchanting enough to send goosebumps over your body, it’s stripped down and vulnerable, before ending your enthralled trance with a powerful crescendo.

One of the best folk bands out there, Fickle Friends sing of experiences and have crafted exciting songs, contrary to the overly melancholy tracks that one can sometimes witness with this genre. CC

www.facebook.com/FickleFriends

Genre: Feel-Good Folk

muSIc REVIEWS

As spring has finally arrived, there is nothing better than listening to music to accompany the light-hearted mood of the season and there is just something carefree about this band. On ‘Playing Games’ the line “take my advice then smoke it away” expresses this; with the frustration of good words resulting in nothing more than whimsical, wisps of smoke. The lyrics and music jump out and are suddenly pertinent and visible in the real world, as you begin to picture a swinging tyre hanging from a tree branch where a fabrication is sat, barefooted and blowing out these very smoke rings.

The band members themselves are a dapper group of men - clad in tweed or velvet jackets exhibiting vintage or psychedelic patterned shirts beneath. But while a certain look is of importance, the Peppermint Beat Band ensures it is not a case of style over substance with them. Their music is quite funky and soulful, whilst still being of the rock genre. “Don’t pick the lemon from the lemon tree, in so many ways the lemon is as bitter as me”; ‘Lemon Tree’ is the perfect bittersweet love song. Despite not being a strictly folk band, there’s a Neutral Milk Hotel vibe about them, possibly executed by the smooth vocals, easy-listening tone and swirly guitar.

Their name had long been scribbled down on my notes as one of the bands to review but re-typing their name again into my search bar and listening to their more recent tracks from 5 months ago onwards, I knew I couldn’t wait a second longer and had to review them now. They were good before but now they are brilliant, almost as if a little peppermint plant had grown and burgeoned beautifully. CC

THE PEPPERMINT BEAT BAND

www.facebook.com/peppermintbeatband

Genre: Psychedelic / rock & roll / Soul

BULLItgUY LLOYD (HOSt)

BU

LLIt

tHE DENIM

tH

E D

EN

IM

tHE WAtERMELONS

JIPSY

MA

gIC

JIPSY MAgIC

JIP

SY M

Ag

IC

tH

E W

At

ER

ME

LON

S