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Liverpool

Luke O’Hanlon’s ‘The Parrots of Lark Lane’: A Feathered Alt-Folk Elegy to Liverpool’s Hidden Magic

Posted on 7 April 2025

Liverpool alt-indie folk singer-songwriter Luke O’Hanlon becomes a conduit for naturalism and catharsis when armed with his acoustic guitar and warmed vocal chords. Released on the 31st of March as a teaser from his upcoming LP, The River Only Flows One Way, the standout single The Parrots of Lark Lane allows listeners to witness his infatuating sensitivity—his rare ability to perceive what we usually overlook.

As the track unfurls, it evolves gracefully into a Neutral Milk Hotel-esque lo-fi arrangement, with O’Hanlon, the poet of melody, gripping his pen firmly as he writes calligraphy with his affecting sonic signature. There’s a touch of James Yorkston in the observational clarity of his lyricism; its gentle grandeur inspires listeners either to adopt a similar macro lens or simply indulge in the reverie of his unique perspective. His innate gift lies in tying personal experience to wider phenomena, creating tenderly affectionate parables of everyday existence.

O’Hanlon, known for weaving poetic storytelling with evocative melodies, continues to delve into nostalgia, survival, and the quiet poetry found in ordinary life. His latest single gracefully blends sharp observational songwriting with surreal beauty, honouring Liverpool’s iconic Lark Lane with affectionate authenticity. Through O’Hanlon’s lens, even the smallest details feel monumental.

The Parrots of Lark Lane is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Liverpool’s Luke O’Hanlon Dissects the Wreckage with ‘Alcohol and Sodium’

Posted on 28 February 2025
https://soundcloud.com/lukeohanlon/alcohol-and-sodium

There’s no glamour in self-destruction on Luke O’Hanlon’s single, Alcohol and Sodium. The first cut from his forthcoming album, The River Only Flows One Way, carries the weight of every regret that lingers long after the bottle’s empty and the neon lights have lost their warmth. O’Hanlon’s lyricism, steeped in stark poetry and weary wisdom, doesn’t romanticise the rough edges—it lays them bare, exposing the loneliness in bad decisions and the inevitability of time slipping through cracked fingers.

Sonically, O’Hanlon leans into the mesmerising guitar work of Kurt Vile while pulling from Modest Mouse’s raw alt-country grit. When the composition fractures into garage rock territory, Strokes-esque vocals carve their way through the stripped-back instrumentation, ensuring every line lands like an unfiltered confession rather than a performance.

There’s a whisper of Tom Waits’ barstool storytelling and Richard Thompson’s cutting clarity in the delivery, but O’Hanlon’s voice is entirely authentic—ragged yet resolute, with a cynicism that never topples into defeat.

Rather than framing hedonism as rebellion or a necessary rite of passage, Alcohol and Sodium offers a different perspective—one that doesn’t ask for sympathy or redemption, just recognition. If this is just the first glimpse into The River Only Flows One Way, the full release in April 2025 is set to be an unflinching, razor-sharp reflection on survival itself.

Alcohol and Sodium is now available to stream on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

‘Ghosts’ by Liz Owen: A Luminous Hymn to the Shadows of Memory

Posted on 28 January 2025

With her hauntingly seraphic ballad Ghosts, the Merseyside breakthrough singer-songwriter Liz Owen delivered an introspective piece, marked by diaphanous instrumentation that cradles her powerhouse vocals, which soar with an ethereal resonance while grounding the listener in the emotive weight of her lyricism. Exploring how the spectres of memory can obscure our clarity, Owens turns a personal reckoning into a universally affecting experience.

Hailing from Wirral, Merseyside, Liz has already carved a name for herself on the national stage, touring with icons like Midge Ure and Joan Armatrading. Her extensive BBC Radio features and reputation for rhythmic, fingerstyle acoustic guitar work lend an air of accomplished artistry to everything she creates. On Ghosts, the neo-classical elegance of the arrangement intertwines with an accessibility that nods to her ability to straddle the mainstream without compromising her craft.

Released as part of her debut LP Beautiful Beasts, which arrived in October 2024, Ghosts stands as a glowing testament to her lyrical and vocal talent, which deserves to be revered as fervently as the works of Tori Amos and the Anchoress.

Between Ghosts and her recently released festive single It’s Different This Christmas, Liz Owen is laying the groundwork for a career defined by her ability to amalgamate vulnerability, technical skill, and storytelling in ways that resonate beyond sound.

Stream Ghosts on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jamie Beth shines in the fading light of intimacy in her latest single, Streetlights

Posted on 6 November 2024

Imagine the space on the sonic continuum where the commercial potential of Taylor Swift, the raw sting of First Aid Kit and the vivid vignettes of Phoebe Bridgers meet; that is exactly where you will find Jamie Beth in her latest single, Streetlights.

The aching timbre of her ethereal Angel Olsen-esque vocal lines effortlessly complements the simple yet all-consumingly affecting instrumental arrangement as the singer-songwriter paints a narrative of bitter-sweet affection. The melancholic delivery of the scenery leaves you living and breathing the dwindling vestiges of intimacy shared in the vulnerably candid track, which exhibits how fearless the Newcastle-born, Liverpool-based luminary is when it comes to wearing her heart on her sleeve.

With plaudits from BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio, Jamie Beth isn’t just making an impression on the airwaves; the 19-year-old is well on the way to making an everlasting impact.

Streetlights was officially released on November 5th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Photo by James Grant

Rhine Valley prescribed nostalgia-tinged serenity in their indie summer serenade, Instincts in the Red

Posted on 24 July 2024

If you want respite from the artists driven by delusion and to tune into an artist who grooves to the sound of his own nostalgia-licked mellow melodies, hit play on the latest single, Instincts in the Red, by Rhine Valley and discover one of the most underrated artists on the airwaves.

The 21st-century answer to the Zombies’ 1965 hit, Summertime, filters through a sepia-tinged lens which captures the heat of the sun-soaked season within the rhythms which ebb and flow beneath the artist’s idyllic vocal register; the harmonies easily reach euphony while injecting soul into the soundscape that is as laidback as Elliott Smith on Xanax.

Rhine Valley, easily one of the most self-effacingly grounded artists in the music industry, used his bedroom-recorded lo-fi number to candidly reflect on life and the embarrassment of his streaming numbers. By using the tribulations of operating as an independent artist sans a trust fund or nepo connections, he spearheaded the indie music movement with unflinching authenticity.

The song’s mellow indie vibe is perfect for fans looking for something genuine and grounded, it is a true reflection of an artist who can capture the beauty in the mundane and the plight of grassroots music with swathes of tongue-in-cheek panache to spare.

Instincts in the Red will be available to stream on all major platforms, including SoundCloud, from July 24.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Welsh Singer-Songwriter, Samuel Evanson, changed the indie anthem game with ‘She Was Blind’

Posted on 5 March 2024

Samuel Evanson’s sophomore single, ‘She Was Blind’, is an intricate weave of sharp instrumental hooks and indie rock melodies that echo the infectious energy of The Vaccines. Yet, Evanson carves his own niche with a vocal performance that is both evocatively charged and endlessly affecting. His voice, rich in vibrato, effortlessly traverses a wide range, carrying the weight of heavy emotion with a finesse that is as haunting as it is exhilarating.

The track is more than just a wounded love song; it’s a raw, emotional outpouring that rages with a fervour akin to Sam Fender’s passionate narratives. His ability to convey deep-seated emotion while maintaining a distinct sonic signature is a clear sign Samuel Evanson has everything it takes to cut through the noise and climb the charts.

As a prelude to his upcoming debut LP, We Are Meant to Break the Rules, which is due for release in June 2024, ‘She Was Blind’ is a tantalising glimpse into Evanson’s artistic soul which was born in the heart of Denbighshire and honed in the vibrant music scene of Liverpool. Evanson’s journey resonates through every note of this emotionally charged anthem.

Watch the official music video for She Was Blind via YouTube or add the single to your Spotify playlists.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jacki Jones – Just See Me: Plaintively Poignant Pop

Posted on 29 July 2023

The up-and-coming Liverpool-hailing singer-songwriter Jacki Jones has unveiled the plaintively poignant alternative version of one of her seminal indie alt-pop singles, Just See Me.

The minimalist instrumentation beneath her melancholically poetic verses makes the intimate introspective pleas for recognition all the more magnetically compelling as the single artfully unfolds to her raw candour.

With the gentle new wave indie guitar chords punctuating her vulnerable vocal lines, which work around the compelling reprise of “just see me”, your soul would need to be paralysed not to stir under the evocative force of Just See Me.

Stream the alternative version of Just See Me on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mark Docherty rode the crux between new-wave and no-wave in ‘Reckless Abandon

Posted on 3 June 2023

Liverpool’s Mark Docherty created a brand-new wave somewhere between new-wave and no-wave in his latest defiantly distinctive single, Reckless Abandon, which is set for official release on June 3rd.

By bringing distortion-heavy buzzsaw riffs into the post-punk arena, the innovator, who will undoubtedly become renowned for the dualistic tendencies in his vocal performance, succeeded where very few artists of this era do; by drenching the airwaves in originality. From Nick Cave-ESQUE croons to raw rock magnetism, it all lingers in Docherty’s vocal arsenal.

Fans of Pixies and Depeche Mode alike will want to clamour all over Reckless Abandon, which is a sonic depiction of just what it says on the uninhibited tin.

Stream Reckless Abandon from the date of release via SoundCloud, and stay tuned for the debut LP, which is set to drop on June 16.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Holy Joe has made an eponymous indie debut and enriched Liverpool’s cultural tapestry once again after his THE DECEMBERISTS legacy.

Posted on 2 June 2023

After taking what was left of the city of Liverpool by storm after the Beatles tore through the cultural fabric of it in the 80s outfit, THE DECEMBERISTS (no, not the American band who coincidently go by the same moniker), the guitarist founded his new project, Holy Joe, to prove he still has what it takes to make an audience shake, rattle, and roll to the sound of his ingenuity.

In the wake of working fret magic in several revered indie bands, the integral part of the UK indie landscape has stepped to the centre of the stage and established himself as a stellar singer-songwriter in his own right with his self-titled single. The rambunctious record has all the making of a perfect indie-pop release and plenty more in its arsenal.

With the quintessentially affable air of Half-Man Half-Biscuit fused with melodies that will grip the nostalgia-loving senses of the La’s and the Seahorses fans, the single is rhythmic raconteurial earworm which leaves enough room in the indie tapestry for a nuanced Americana folk twang.

Stream the self-titled debut single on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Liverpool’s most Machiavellian post-punk jazz outfit, Laz Berelow, did Friedrich Nietzsche proud in God is Dead

Posted on 15 May 2023
Dives by Laz Berelow

Laz Berelow’s latest single may decree that God is Dead, but Glenn Branca lives and breathes through the histrionically cold feat of post-punk capable of giving your speakers frostbite.

The complex time signatures of the guitars with the obscure jazz nuances and polyphonic chaos is a pairing that ensures God is Dead is a sonic deliverance of comfort to the disturbed. If you’re pious to the Machiavellian experimentalism of Mike Patton, you’re sure to get your kicks from God is Dead. Friedrich Nietzsche would be proud.

When GetIntoThis were tastemakers on the scene before Peter Guy shamed himself during my tenure as an editor, Laz Berelow was dubbed one of the best acts of 2020; they easily lived up to that accolade with God is Dead.

Stream and purchase God is Dead via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast