‘Bring ‘Em Down’ is pretty much what you would expect from a Lostprophets song.  Sick guitar riffs, great catchy soaring chorus and f*** everybody else lyrics. That is what I’ve always loved about this band, they’re not afraid to write whatever songs they feel like and you can tell by the difference in all their albums. I must admit it’s definitely not the best song they’ve written, that title is of course taken hands down by ‘Shinobi Vs Dragon Ninja’. However I digress, this is another great song, musically and lyrically that seriously kicks ass!!  They are a great example of how talent and hard work will get you far in life. And speaking of kicking ass it’s seriously worth checking out their video in which Ian Watkins gets beaten up (haters take note!) then gets rescued buy his band members and all hell breaks loose. Fantastic!

For those of you who don’t know Lostprophets is made up of Ian Watkins (lead vocals), Mike Lewis (rhythm guitar), Lee Gaze (lead guitar), Stuart Richardson (bass), Jamie Oliver (synth, turntables, samples, backing vocals) and Luke Johnson (drums, percussion). If you want any more information on the band, want to check out their music, photos or simply stalk them on twitter you can check out their official page at (www.lostprophets.com), their myspace page at (www.myspace.com/lostprophets), and their facebook page at (www.facebook.com/lostprophets). The band’s UK tour kicks off in Dublin on April the 15^th and finishes at the 02 Academy Brixton in London on May the 4^th. Their single ‘Bring ‘Em Down’ is out to download now and their album Weapons is due for release on the 2^nd of April.

Louise Shirley

Archeo’s ‘Glass Half Empty’ track is awful. Whoever thinks that putting chipmunk voices on a track is a good idea, does not factor very highly in my estimations. This is just another classic example of someone creating a club track where they shove in all the sound bites they can find, without having to put any real effort in whatsoever. If I wanted a mish-mash of everything I’ve already heard, I would go out clubbing and listen to all the other songs that sound exactly the same. Not only does it lack any sort of originality, lyrical gems include ‘If you don’t have a drink, let’s fill you to the brim’ and ‘Can I get a witness, this girl is on my hit list, and I’m about to switch this, if you don’t like it mind your own business’. I cannot help but wonder whether people even listen to the lyrics in songs anymore. If anyone had the audacity to say this anywhere in my vicinity, they would get a slap!! To top it off three minutes in, the song morphs into what can only be described as the worst nineties dance track ever. Whether it’s current or nineties dance music it’s atrocious either way.

If for whatever reason after this review you would still like to buy this song, here are the details.

Archeo is a 21 year old London based singer/song writer. You can check out his music, photos and general information on his official page (www.archeoofficial.com). The song ‘Glass Half Empty’ is out for download on the 6^th of May.

Louise Shirley

There is never a dull moment with Katy Perry, when she is not dyeing her hair blue or entering into a bizarre marriage with Russell Brand she sometimes finds the time to make music. Her usual form is a catchy pop tune which normally catches my attention. ‘Part of Me’ comes from the re-release of her album Teenage Dream under the new title Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection. Just for the record, it really annoys me when artists do this as I bought the Teenage Dream album over a year ago but now if I want the bonus tracks I have to buy it again or wait for them to be released separately! If you want another version with extra tracks, release it at the same time and give people the choice! Sorry rant over, should probably talk about the song now…

Unfortunately her latest track is really disappointing. An attempt at a woman empowering theme song usually found in the catalogue of Beyonce just falls flat in my books. There is nothing particularly remarkable about the song which I feel is a real shame since she has released some real gems in the past but this is just a bit dull. It seems as if there was no real effort put into it, even the lyrics are a bit naff: “this is the part of me that you’re never gonna ever take away from me”. Although after a few listens that line does ring around your head like a mantra, perhaps that was the point? I’m not so sure, there just does not seem to be much point to it. This is not Perry’s finest hour, which is sad because I do like a lot of her songs but as always give it a listen yourself and watch the weird video which has the message: ‘when your boyfriend cheats you should cut off all your hair, join the army, buy this brand of watch and everything will be fine!!!’ I guess if this is the sort of extras Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection is offering I may not be missing out after all. ‘Part of Me’ was released to download on the 18^th March.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuwfgXD8qV8&ob=av2e

Holly Abbott

Eh?! I remember Reverend And The Makers, and surely this is not they! Last I heard they were a (good) indie sort of band, but ‘Bassline’, their new single and the first one from forthcoming new album @Reverend_Makers, is a different prospect. Jon McClure, lead singer and the Reverend of the band name, has said that the song began as a side project during the two year break the band have had away since the release and tour cycle of their last album, A French Kiss In The Chaos, and a tune which he initially doubted could be a Reverend And The Makers song, due to it’s harder sound, noisy guitar effects and synthesiser driven beats.

Wait, what?! Synthesiser driven beats?! And now we see the confusion, as this song sounds nothing like what Reverend And The Makers have made before, save for the distinct vocals of The Reverend. But a lot has changed in the years they have been away. The explosion in popularity of more dance based music as well as the international rise of drum n bass and dubstep has seeped into all aspects of music, and many bands are choosing to incorporate what some may see as more popular sounds, or are simply experimenting with exciting new styles they may never have come across before but now have been alerted to thanks to the mainstream’s shift towards those types of music.

All of which is a long winded way of saying that some bands are simply selling out, whilst others are experimenting with fresh sounds. It is of course totally up to the individual as to what bands are doing what, and arguments could be had for a long time over this, but it’s all about opinion, and since I’m writing this review, it’s my opinion that counts. And I say that Reverend And The Makers are no sell outs. ‘Bassline’ will surely split opinion amongst their fanbase and others, but what bands have not been accused of selling out? It’s such an easy criticism to level at a band, and often a lazy one. Reverend And The Makers are, for my money, being experimental here, and by all accounts much of the material on the forthcoming @Reverend_Makers is in a similar vein.

Anyway, all this talk of experimenting, selling out etc grows weary, as surely all that matters at the end of the day is if the music is actually any good or not? That’s always been my philosophy on the matter. So is ‘Bassline’ a good track? The answer is that it is! In fact it’s a very enjoyable tune. As noted previously, it’s driven by synth beats and has the guitars louder in the mix, yet still retains some essence of previous ‘Makers tunes, such as the aforementioned distinctive vocals, as well as the reliance on a driving, shout along chorus that is preceded by a shift down in tempo, that is in full evidence here. The guitar tones are instantly recognisable as the ‘Makers as well. It’s a short, jagged tune that delivers on the adrenaline and is hugely delectable tune, and a great prospect for their forthcoming album.

Reverend And The Makers have been rebooted and upgraded, and with a summer tour supporting the Red Hot Chili Peppers, things are looking very good for them.

‘Bassline’ is out now and is FREE to download from the band’s website (click here). @Reverend_Makers is scheduled to be out in May

Stuart Manson

Kilmarnock band Fatherson rolled into town to play The Tunnels, with plenty of support in the form of 3 other acts.

The first of these was Rambler, who is solo artist Caitlin Buchanan. Her folk stylings were a good start for the people who had turned up then. A gifted guitarist with a voice of gold, Rambler could consider this gig a massive success. Check her out around Aberdeen where she often gigs.

Next on were He Slept On 57. The tempo was immediately kicked up a gear or two, as they brought their rock driven tunes to the fore. Comparisons to bands such as Hundred Reasons have been made, and if they continue to deliver on stage like they did, surely they could achieve the success of that band. Tunes like ‘Childsmile’ show a band that are on top of their game, and this set closer went down a storm.

Last support act were Duke, an Aberdeen based band with a reputation for being loud, and tonight was no exception. They managed to almost deafen the crowd at times, and with their signature time and volume changes, it made for a brilliant experience, as just when you thought they had relaxed a bit, they kicked back up. Their recent single, ‘Hopes And High Horses’ closed out their set, and it received nothing short of rapturously.

Finally it was time for Fatherson to take the stage,  and they wasted no time in getting started, ploughing straight into ‘Hometown’, their most recent release. The bar was set high after this one, and the band never dipped below it. They gave the crowd tune after tune, and the crowd were solidly into it from the start. Fatherson would later say that this gig was one of the best, if not the best, so far on their tour, and it was easy to see why. The faster and more ‘rock-ier’ ethos of songs like ‘Sailor’s Son’, ‘Waves’ and ‘James’ clashed brilliantly with the softer approach of tunes like ‘43’ and ‘Where The Water Meets The Land’, although all were received just as well by the by now red hot crowd. This immense set was closed out by fan favourite ‘Gone Fission’, and it seemed like everyone in the crowd was singing along. What a gig! I’m sure I’m not alone in hoping that Fatherson come back soon.

Stuart Manson

Having begun to crack the mainstream with last years ‘Sunlight’, Modestep return with another slice of dubstep/pop/rock, ‘Show Me a Sign’, out April 29^th.

Having been perhaps surprisingly chosen by Lostprophets to support their UK tour, Modestep hope to bring electronic music and drum and bass to a market that wouldn’t normally be interested. They clearly want to emulate the chart success of fellow pop-dubsteppers like Nero and DJ Fresh.

So it’s no surprise that ‘Show Me a Sign’, aside from the original vocals, could quite as easily have been produced by either of the above artists. However, it’s actually still rather good. Bringing in the heavier, rock elements really adds something to the hook, and when the ‘drop’ comes in, it doesn’t accompany a sense of dread at what might be about to happen. There’s also a strangely dark bridge, which is quite interesting until it gives way to the first and only truly generic and unappealing segment of electronic ramblings. It’s the only blip in an otherwise impressive effort.

Modestep clearly have ambitions greater than ruling the underground dubstep scene. ‘Show Me a Sign’ possesses a big enough hook to put them up there with Nero as one of the most relevant electronic pop artists and potential commercial successes.

Alan Henderson

Well my first google search on this band did not go quite to plan, as I found my way onto a very obscure drugs website which was selling ‘white powder gold’… I did, however, eventually find my way onto a more appropriate MySpace link that portrayed four strapping young men – who you’d be forgiven for thinking were rappers. But oh no, the genre of music that these boys produce is not what you’d expect. White Powder Gold has a very Rage Against the Machine feel to them, but of course with a more Londoner accent than LA! The heavy Beastie Boys-type distortion that the track opens with sets the listener up for a surprise! And who would have expected a Johnny Rotten style voice?! It’s fair to say that this band is full of surprises…

The track that I’m talking about is ‘RockNRolla’, taken from their debut EP, and it certainly contains some cracking guitar skills… The band is obviously a big fan of heavy bass, heavy guitar, heavy everything! The chorus of the track is something that could make it very popular with those into mainstream Indie… the words “He’s a real rocknrolla” may become a familiar sound to many of us in the future. Despite the fact that the track is fairly concise (only 2:46 minutes), it’s snappy nature does not make it feel like it’s been cut short. And unlike many indie tracks nowadays, it is not incredibly repetitive, with a pleasing guitar solo along the way and a change in rhythm towards the end. Although I shouldn’t really say Indie, as the band are said to not focus on any particular genre. It seems that the genre depends on the track!

However, White Powder Gold does seem to combine popular culture with the Indie scene very well. For example, the inclusion of two remixes on their EP is something that I’ve rarely seen on any Indie record, but will appeal to a much wider audience. You can easily see the results of this, as the band’s previous single, ‘Can’t Stop Me Now’, gathered support from high-profile stations such as BBC Radio 1.

This band’s distinct sound is something that hopefully will bring them a breakthrough in the near future… But for the time being, keep it up boys!

Faith Thomson

Bastille is a four piece band from South London. Originally Bastille started as a name for the founding member and vocalist Dan Smith to perform his own songs, however after deciding that he didn’t want to be a solo singer-songwriter anymore Bastille has grown and evolved into a band.

Bastille’s new single ‘Overjoyed’ is simple and easy to get into with catchy lyrics, mainly- “words are all we have, we’ll be talking, we’ll be talking/these words are all we have, we’ll be talking.” ‘Overjoyed’ has very clean and graceful melodies that tinkle along with a melancholic undertone. ‘Overjoyed’ keeps you safe and wrapped up in its mellow tune before being abruptly cut off with a dramatic pause in the middle which is rather eerie and to be honest a bit unnecessary. It has the effect of having cold water dumped on your head, and supposedly this is what the band were aiming for as it’s at this point in the music video that the girl wandering the streets at night reaches a lake and the brightness of day creeps up on her.

However the song soon resumes the same pace, driven forward by the repetition of the lyrics, “I hear you calling in the dead of night.”  Dan Smith’s husky vocals are quite stunning and help to further emphasize the soft atmosphere. This song doesn’t so much capture being overjoyed, like it’s name suggests, instead it almost lulls you to sleep (in a good way!) and definitely doesn’t leave you feeling underwhelmed. ‘Overjoyed’ will be released on the 29^th of April, and is definitely worth a listen!

Bailey Johnson

Grouplove (yes it sounds like some kind of hippy orgy but bear with me) formed in 2009 in Crete when all the members were in an artist’s residency. Having dabbled in music they ended up recording an EP and then in 2011 their debut album entitled Never Trust A Happy Song was released. It is from said album that the song ‘Colours’ comes from. Hollyoaks fans may recognise it vaguely as it was part of the soundtrack for an episode of the angst-filled teen soap. The song does indeed have its fair share of angst but it has more depth to that with some harmonies which (I’m about to get a bit pretentious now, don’t judge me) have that affect where you feel them more than hear them. Ok so pretention over I’m going to be honest and say this is one of my favourite tracks I’ve reviewed this year. They are your standard indie group set-up but the track is more than that. It starts with a simple melody but gradually builds and builds and dies away only to build again keeping you listening at every turn. In a way it is quite reminiscent of Broken Social Scene (in particular their track ‘Ibi dreams of pavements’, listen to it and you can thank me later). The heart-aching lyrics are confidently sung by lead vocalist Christian Zucconi whose haunting voice stays with you long after you have listened to the song. It has a very upbeat melody with delicious hints of darkness which poke through the more you listen. This is definitely worth checking out as it is in a word fabulous. It is out to buy now, as is the album and I’ve linked the website below so you can have a sample of their work. Enjoy! I’m pretty sure you will.

http://www.grouplovemusic.com/

Holly Abbott

I absolutely love The All-American Rejects. This alternative pop rock band from America comprised Tyson Ritter, Nick Wheeler, Mike Kennerty, Chris Gaylor formed in 1999 and have since gone on to be very successful releasing some amazing songs over the years. I’m sure most of us have at least blasted ‘Move Along’ and ‘Dirty Little Secret’ on the speakers at some point in our lives; they are certainly counted among my favorite songs of all time. However I cannot seem to muster enough of the same enthusiasm for their new song ‘Beekeeper’s Daughter.’

The catchy line “You’re a pretty little flower/And I’m a busy little bee” really captures the overriding meaning of the song which is basically ‘I’m a player’. Which is fine, I’m all for songs with a bit of brutal honesty and what girl doesn’t like to think of getting her hands on a bad boy, especially when the idea’s packaged up and presented with a video of  the gorgeous Tyson Ritter gallivanting about showing scantily clad girls on the street what they can’t have. “Monogamy’s not a part of me/And I know I’m lying and it’s just a sin.”

Maybe if ‘Beekeeper’s daughter’ were to be performed by another band I would like it, however it’s the All-American Rejects and I’m still the 15 year old girl playing ‘Move Along’ on repeat clinging to their angsty and raw messages. Consequently when a new song is finally released I was hoping for this feeling to be rekindled, unfortunately they seem to have gone in a new direction to something that is essentially fun and a good pop song though lacking the originality of their old work which I crave.

All in all this is a good song, the melodies are flowery  it’s somewhat catchy and of course Tyson Ritter’s husky vocals are still great. I just can’t see me downloading this song anytime soon. As the first single of their new album, ‘Beekeeper’s Daughter’ is only a taste of what’s to come. So fingers crossed that the All-American Rejects fourth album ‘Kids in the Street’, which is expected to be released 26^th March, is more inspiring.

Bailey Johnson.