Browsing Tag

Guitar Music

LIBRE – All Combined: Post-Punk Shoegaze with a Lush Surge of Platonic Romanticism

Posted on 17 January 2026
LIBRE

The debut single, LIBRE, All Combined, writhes with platonic romanticism and floods the bones with the kind of emotion Bowie channelled in ‘Heroes’, caught in a swirl of post-punk melancholy and shoegaze gauziness. With angular guitar licks slicing through the haze and a bassline that clings like memory, there’s an archive of aching devotion in every note that affirms your soul instead of trying to break your heart.

Instead of hiding behind a typical wall of fuzzed-out noise, All Combined lets the textures speak, lets the vocals bleed with a paradox of deadpan soul, and lets the shimmer sit close enough to reach without ever giving in to gloss. The mood simmers in dreamily sludged aesthetics, but LIBRE don’t let it drift too far from a tether of emotional clarity. The track hypnotically curls itself around you, echoing the kind of late-night thoughts that know exactly which memories have shaped you — and which ones still hurt to hold.

Copenhagen’s LIBRE have shown their hand early: this is a band intent on tugging souls in from the void with noisy delicacy. All Combined, mixed by Brian Batz, is for the melancholics who grew up backing The Chameleons over Joy Division, and for those who still want their post-punk adjacent releases served with a warm swell of affection rather than monochrome despair. With this debut, you can let go of apathy and hold on to something far more worthwhile.

All Combined is now available on all major streaming platforms. Find your preferred way to listen here.
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Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Jarred Garneau Group incited a fusionist funk rock riot in ‘Why Don’t You Beg for Me’

Posted on 22 November 2025

The Jarred Garneau Group incited a swanky funk rock riot with their latest blues reverent release, Why Don’t You Beg for Me. With the Hammond Organ making the energy of the release instantly infectious and playful keys assuring you that the fiery collective do not take themselves too seriously and neither should you while you are at the mercy of their guitar licks as they drift between funk and blues with the carefree abandon of jazzy freeform expression, Why Don’t You Beg for Me is a tilt awhirl of fusionist fire. The earworm is all tied together by the gruff magnetism of the strident vocal lines, which amplify the intensity of the track that is now always ready and waiting for you every time you need to be aurally picked up by a collective that sets the bar for artists looking to prove their euphoric mettle.

As a band led by guitarist, singer, and songwriter Jarred Garneau, the group has been building a reputation across New England for performances rich with groove and emotional honesty. Their lineup pulls from some of the region’s most seasoned players, musicians who thrive on instinct and tight-knit chemistry. Years of sharing stages with members of legacy acts and appearing at venues and festivals across the area have shaped a live synergy that spills effortlessly into their studio work. You can hear that lived-in experience in Why Don’t You Beg for Me, where their blues, rock, soul, funk, and jazz inclinations sit side by side, not as a stitched-together concept but as a natural extension of who they are as players.

Why Don’t You Beg for Me is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Blues got its bite back through Brad Dubay’s raw revival in You Did it to Yourself

Posted on 1 November 2025

Brad Dubay extended the lineage of old-school blues with his debut album, Planet 9. The way he orbits sixties and seventies blues rock reverence through traditional production and instrumentation, letting it all run raw, allows you bed into the soul of the genre as it used to exist, with no excessive polish, just the pure, unfiltered sanctity of swanky blues scales, the shimmer of organ keys, and vocals that refuse to let the rhythm take a back seat. That’s what gives the standout single, You Did it to Yourself, its semi-instrumental feel. It makes you submit to the timeless power of blues riffs. The vocals are there to bolster the narrative of the guitars as they glide through a vignette of redemption—the kind that follows someone asking you to rectify the consequences of their own reckless decisions.

Through Planet 9, recorded entirely through analogue processes between Boston and Nashville, Brad Dubay resurrects the live-band spirit of blues rock. With no pedals on the guitar work and reverb recorded through vintage physical units, Dubay proved his commitment to authenticity down to the last crackle of vinyl. With help from Max Chase on Hammond, Caleb Dyer on bass, and Mike Walsh on drums, he stitched the past into the present without pastiche. At 24, he’s resurrecting what made blues magnetic with new blood and wild-eyed soul.

You Did it to Yourself is now available on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

It’s all written between the (guitar) lines in Neil Potter’s alt-indie-rock tour de force, ‘Shipwrecked’

Posted on 22 September 2025
Neil Potter

Neil Potter feels like a rare exception in the era where revering guitarists for their skill is almost over; if we’re going to make one, it’s for him. His unique way of translating technical skill into vibrant expressive progressions in Shipwrecked makes the guitar lines a viscerally exhilarating force in themselves.

The supersonic arrangement was moulded to melt minds and rhythmic pulses at will through the monolithic interplay between indie, pop punk and classic rock, which results in a track that allows you to imagine what would happen if Guns N’ Roses, Jimmy Eat World and Suede met in the middle and waged war through sonic volition alone. You’ll either want to make sure you’re sat down or ready to dive into a frenzy-charged pit when you hear this when it is dropped on September 22nd, serving as one of the first hits from Potter’s upcoming LP, Out of the Fjords and Into New Found Lands – a 13-track release which swings from full-band and orchestral arrangements to stripped-back cuts that showcase what he does best.

After 14 years running a music tuition business and performing covers across the North West under agency contracts, Potter is finally stepping into his own. While he mostly plays live with an acoustic setup, looping vocals and striking his guitar for percussion, Shipwrecked proves how much electricity he can generate when turned up full-blast.

Discover more about Neil Potter via his official website & connect with him through Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Clay Goodman Injected Alt-90s Nostalgia with Hook-Heavy Shoegaze Swagger in Such Fun

Posted on 1 August 2025
Clay Goodman

Alt-90s nostalgia oscillates through Such Fun, the seminal hit from Clay Goodman, who brought hooky euphoria to dazed and reverb-drenched shoegaze guitars by intersecting the ethereal chaos with bites of cross-Atlantic alt-indie. There’s a bit of 90s Britpop swagger nestled into the mix with the infectious appeal of Teenage Fanclub; it’s the kind of track you hear and think, why the fuck hasn’t this been done before?

Goodman can sleep easy at night knowing he’s eked innovation from some of the most revered alt-indie genres without reducing himself to pastiche. If tracks with any substance went viral, everyone would be humming the ascending harmonies in the chorus that sweeten the frenetic drums that intensify the definitive alt-90s anthem.

With the Grandaddy-esque synths that peek into the mix towards the outro, marked by the distortion of casting aside a guitar, Clay Goodman ticked every alt-indie box with Such Fun, which carries just the right amount of semi-sardonic flavour to seduce misers out of their gloom.

Raised on rock royalty and driven by an obsession with songwriting, the Virginia-based artist knew early on he was meant to soundtrack the disillusioned daydreams of listeners craving something real. With this track, he more than delivered.

Such Fun is now available on all major streaming platforms via this link.


Review by Amelia Vandergast

Third Man Syndrome Set ‘Ikarus’ Ablaze with Frenetic Post-Rock Progressions

Posted on 23 May 2025

If you’re in danger of flying too close to the sun, slip into the latest progressive post-rock release, Ikarus, by Third Man Syndrome. The epic aural chronicle uses the chill of frenetic, angular, post-punk adjacent guitars to bring you back down to earth before building cinematic euphony around the progressions, lending melodicism to the release that is always waiting to flip the switch and launch you into a white hot classic guitar riff, a momentous tide of fervent energy, and whatever the soundscape demands of Third Man Syndrome to bring the saga back to life in the form of an instrumental alt-rock firestorm.

Third Man Syndrome was born from an Austrian artist’s renewed devotion to music after time away to focus on family, pouring years of reflection into the strings. Every motif in Ikarus is sculpted with purpose—balancing tension, ambition, and catharsis. The fretwork orbits myth, burning with the risk and release of flight, pushing and pulling through restless crescendos and abrupt plunges. With every passage, the track demands surrender to the drama of soaring and falling, capturing the mythos of Icarus in full instrumental form.

‘Ikarus’ is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Martin Packwood narrated a ‘Suburban Story’ with his cinematic instrumental rock panorama of ambience, awe and raw emotion

Posted on 20 January 2025

Martin Packwood’s Standout 2024 single, Suburban Soundscape, paints with sound rather than strokes, proving words aren’t always necessary to articulate raw emotion.

The Birmingham-born composer and instrumentalist, who rediscovered his creative spark after years away from the scene, channelled decades of experience into a dynamic instrumental track that balances nostalgia and innovation with unflinching precision.

The track opens with a pulse of 80s-inspired atmospheric reverb, gently coaxing listeners into its cinematic ambience. Then, angular guitar notes slice through the backdrop of shimmering synths, setting the stage for orchestral strings to swell and stir. Packwood’s love for rock is unmistakable as the guitar tones build with a classic fervour, only to be softened by meditative electronic motifs that tether the record to a state of hypnotic tranquillity.

The arrangement defies the boundaries of rhythm, offering a panoramic experience that shifts between introspection and awe, creating a sonic environment where stillness and movement coexist.

Packwood, who cut his teeth as a teenager playing across Birmingham’s live circuit, clearly honed his craft across genres ranging from heavy rock to jazz. After shelving his guitars to focus on family and career, the COVID lockdown gave him the space to build his own home studio and reconnect with his creative roots. That rekindled passion radiates throughout Suburban Soundscape.

Suburban Story is now available to stream on all major streaming platforms, including SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Alex Crick’s ‘Beltane’ Radiates Serotonin and Sidmouth Sunshine

Posted on 12 January 2025

With his latest instrumental single, Beltane, guitar virtuoso Alex Crick channelled the lazy warmth of a Devon summer into a masterfully rejuvenating acoustic performance.

Filmed in the picturesque coastal town of Sidmouth, where red cliffs meet serene shores, the music video accompanying the composition celebrates the laid-back, sun-soaked charm of British seaside life. Crick’s cultivated command of the guitar strings does more than simply display technical chops; in Beltane, he transforms notes into vivid strokes of colour that spill warmth and colour into every corner of the psyche.

Blurring the lines between classical reverence and new wave innovation, Beltane showcases Crick’s unique sonic fingerprint. The intricate fingerpicking evokes comparisons to Don Ross and Andy McKee, yet the romantic flourishes and light percussive fills add a modern twist. The result is a sparse yet satisfying orchestration, refusing to overwhelm but consistently delighting as it sweeps listeners into its panorama of serenity and bliss.

Drawing from a career that spans decades of teaching and performing across the UK, China, and Canada, Crick’s broad stylistic palette shines through. From heavy rock riffs to cinematic violin compositions, he’s no stranger to experimenting with dynamic soundscapes. Yet Beltane distils his melodic storytelling into pure acoustic joy—a testament to his ability to craft pieces that are as accessible as they are evocative.

The official music video for Beltane is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Chenzo joined the guitar greats with his instrumental score, The Greatest Adventure

Posted on 20 October 2024

Chenzo’s latest instrumental guitar single, The Greatest Adventure, is a dualistic triumph, an exhibition of technical skill, simultaneously standing as a testament to resilience. After a career nearly severed by hand surgeries, Chenzo returned from the brink to deliver a sound that fuses the intricacies of math rock with the timeless energy of classic rock, proving he’s earned his place in the riff-master pantheon.

The Greatest Adventure cathartically awakens your rhythmic pulses as the interwoven notes defy conventional time signatures while melt-worthy progressions strip the weight from your soul. The expansive soundscape surges with energy, punctuated by drum fills and bursts of momentum that give the track its pulse. Stick with the score, and you’ll be treated to riffs that echo the greats of the genre—proof that Chenzo’s shredding skills haven’t just endured, they’ve evolved.

Years of recovery have refined his sound, allowing for a more structured, concise approach to songwriting. No longer limited to shredding for shredding’s sake, Chenzo’s music now affectingly resonates through melodies that resolve with the clarity of a vocal line, creating a connection beyond technicality.

Stream the official music video for The Greatest Adventure on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Wagner Gracciano became the definition of emotional depth in ‘I’m Here’

Posted on 17 September 2024

Wagner Gracciano’s single, I’m Here, from his sophomore album, The History of Mark Beck, is a veritable smorgasbord of stylistic influence and innovative substance which will transport rock fans back to an era when Chris Isaak dominated the airwaves.

With soul-drenched production, sensual RnB touches weave through a tight mesh of rock guitar lines, classic pop harmonies, and the shimmer of organ keys, creating a unique gospel of pop rock. As diverse as the track is, the seamless cohesion pulls everything together in a sublime display of genre fluidity.

‘I’m Here’ makes a bold statement of passion and dedication, showing that romance isn’t as dead as we perceive it to be as Gracciano exhibits his forte in transcending the confines of genre labels and creating utopias of euphonia with his songwriting. With each listen, there’s a deepened appreciation for the superlative arrangement and emotive depth that defines the track.

As a multi-talented guitarist, composer, and producer, Wagner Gracciano has spent over 25 years mastering his craft across genres such as progressive rock, blues rock, jazz, fusion, RnB, and heavy metal. The History of Mark Beck (2024) showcases his affectingly immersive lyricism and Grammy-worthy compositions, with guest appearances from Cleveland P. Jones, Carlos Zema, and Rachael Da Silva. Supported by world-class musicians such as Charles Judge, Michael Webb, and Adair Daufembach’s pristine production, Wagner’s vision is undeniably realised.

I’m Here is now available to stream with Wagner Gracciano’s sophomore LP, The History of Mark Beck on Spotify and all major platforms.

Review by Amelia Vandergast