Browsing Tag

rock

Ralph Bishop’s ‘Photographs’ is a snapshot of rock theatre

With Photographs, the standout single from Ralph Bishop’s debut LP, The Path, the 18-year-old artist from Dorset threads theatrical intensity with classic rock sophistication. Far from settling into well-trodden territory, Bishop carved a distinct niche by pairing his histrionic harmonies with an unapologetically dramatic arrangement that would be equally at home on the airwaves or the Broadway stage.

The track’s emotional depth is as vast as Bishop’s awe-inspiring octave range, which soars alongside the cabaret piano, chamber strings, and searing guitar solos that nod to the golden age of 80s rock. Rather than overpowering the melody, the instrumentation leaves space for Bishop’s theatric vocals to command attention, balancing subtlety with unrelenting intensity.

Lyrically, Photographs transcends rock’s usual fare by delving into the poignant fragility of our relationship with mementoes, inviting listeners to reflect on how memories can simultaneously comfort and haunt. Bishop’s piercing poetry only amplifies the visceral weight of his performance, proving his talent isn’t just in the notes he hits but in the stories he tells.

Having cut his teeth in front of crowds as young as 11 and sharpened his musicianship at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Bishop brings a maturity beyond his years to his solo career.

Stream The Path in Full on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Denim Dan sought sanctuary in his latest seminal 70s folk-rock single, ‘Circe’s Song (Save Me)’

With another album to round out the year, Denim Dan has served the airwaves once more with his tender harmonies, nostalgia-beckoning instrumentals and lyricism that always knows which emotive triggers to aim for.

As the standout single on Circe, the 70s-inspired orchestral folk-rock ballad, Circe’s Song (Save Me) exhibits Denim Dan at his most affecting; while he never comes in heavy-handed, the delicate ornate grace of this release allowed the singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist to reach his diaphanous zenith.

The way the chamber orchestral strings pull against the steady rings of the acoustic guitar beneath Dan’s organically aching timbre ensures this plea for sanctuary resounds with raw humanist realism.

Between the reflections on existential plight and the poetic projections of a need to find a soul to bolster your own, everyone can find a fragment of themselves within Circe’s Song (Save Me); the lucky will meditate on the single with gratitude for kindred spirits and soul mates, while the lonely will find consolation that they’re never as alone in their alienation as they feel they are.

Stream Denim Dan’s latest album, Circe, in full on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Todd Michael Chapman is the lyrical cheerleader everyone will want in their corner with ‘Celebrate It’

New York-born-and-raised singer-songwriter Todd Michael Chapman reached his uplifting zenith with his latest melodic Americana rock single, Celebrate It.

Covering the all-too-relatable phenomenon of chasing dreams and overcoming adversity for the promise of an emotional payoff and never finding any serotonin at the end of the endeavour, Chapman uses the single as an opportunity to remind his fans to reflect on their wins as much as their losses.

Joined by a female vocalist who effortlessly complements his stridently euphoria-painted harmonies, Celebrate It is enough to strip the weight of ennui right off your soul and rose tint the way you perceive your impact on the world.

The country-twanged classic rock melodies paired with Chapman acting as the lyrical cheerleader everyone will want in their corner transform Celebrate It into the ultimate anthem to slam through your speakers every time you need an intravenous shot of optimism.

Stream Celebrate It on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Commüne pierced the punk-rock veil with their vignette of ennui-soaked suffering ‘Alive, ok’

Slick with ennui-soaked suffering, the latest single, ‘Alive, ok’, from the Athens, Georgia powerhouse, Commüne, leads you into a vortex of existentially scuzzy philosophical enquiry.

If you think the lyric, “And we’re alive, and I know that it’s fine and I’ll tell you that’s great but what about the pain?”, hits hard, brace yourself for the impact of the hypersonic punk rock hooks which, when paired with the Kathleen Hanna-esque bratty vocal delivery, is hard enough to bruise.

Commüne pulled all of the punches with this kaleidoscope of dissonance, which efficaciously depicts the intensity of emotion when you attempt to find tangible reasons to endeavour through relentless chapters of comfortless anhedonia.

With guitar strings, which may as well be live electrical wires burning white hot buzzsaw riffs into the track over the frenetic pulse of the percussion against the ferociously honeyed harmonies, ‘Alive, ok’ is so much more than a testament to the fire-branded power of Commüne; it’s a monolithic monument standing in the punk rock pantheon.

Stream the official music video for ‘Alive, ok’ on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Animal Objective’s ‘Irregular Handshake’ Shakes Up Rock’s Stagnant Foundations

The Animal Objective cast the first stone in the rock revolution that the airwaves have been crying out for with their debut EP, featuring the standout single ‘Irregular Handshake’. By pulling the amplified and overdriven roots of rock into frenetically electric obscurity, the prodigal sons of avant-garde riffs ensure their experimentalism is accessible enough for anyone determined not to see their ’70s and ’80s rock records gather dust. Innovative enough to demand novelty-seekers firmly affix this release to their playlists from the first groove.

If it’s been a while since your mind was sonically fucked and demanded a cigarette afterwards, hit play and prepare yourself for the psychedelic climax that allows you to imagine what Soul Asylum would have sounded like if they’d brought an arsenal of acid and some Mike Patton influence into the studio.

Conceived by British musician and graphic artist Tim Naish, The Animal Objective began as a solo venture before evolving into a four-piece ensemble after Tim relocated to France. Joined by fellow musical misfits Sylvie Pichard (bass), Tonyo Chauveau (drums), and Jojo Pannier (guitar) in 2019, the band became a labour of love that fully realised Tim’s eccentric vision.

Their debut EP, ‘Creature Law‘, released on 11th October 2024, showcases their eccentric mix of angular grooves, hypnotic melodies, and infectious energy that recounts surreal tales from this world and beyond. If you want to expand your mind, this EP will blow the hinges off the door to your psyche.

Irregular Handshake is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Turquoise Willie brought the Southern rock funk in ‘Gonna Make It Alright’

Turquoise Willie funked up Southern soul-rock in a way that sets them apart from every other vintage-toned entity gracing our speakers. ‘Gonna Make It Alright’ is a freewheeling escape into euphoria. With sonics to repair the soul, it’s hard to think of anything that this track couldn’t remedy.

From an intro that echoes the legendary vibes of the Stone Roses or Happy Mondays, the single explodes into a Southern soul-rock groove that’s nothing short of infectious. The track testifies to the power of feel-good rock ‘n’ roll, doing exactly what its title promises. Turquoise Willie riffs with an unholy amount of talent, aiming solely to deliver sonic serotonin to rock enthusiasts everywhere. Embed this timelessly gasoline-soaked hit in your playlists and say goodbye to your dark days for good.

Jason Young and Chris Schiltz, the dynamic duo behind Turquoise Willie, formed in 2015 after a long journey as studio and touring musicians, including stints with the legendary Steve Azar. They found their synergy in a shared passion for keeping vintage roots rock not just alive, but amplified. The result is music that reverberates across the vast expanse of roots music with unwavering authenticity.

Gonna Make It Alright was officially released on November 22; stream the single on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Elegant Chasers is set to deliver a kaleidoscope of hope with their politically-charged Britpop-Grunge mash-up sophomore LP, To Live in Colour

The Elegant Chasers

The title track of To Live in Colour, the sophomore LP from The Elegant Chasers, is a vestige of sanctuary for those still searching for hope and resilience amid chaos.

As we sink ever deeper into a textbook definition of dystopia, the visceral fusion of grunge and Britpop, which rages with hook-rife rancour, is a livewire lifeline from an artist who has always sought solace in sound. With the hypersonically grungy hooks injecting adrenalised vindication into the mix, the one-man powerhouse beckons listeners into a tumult of nostalgia. Not to morosely reminisce on what is missed but to dare to fight against the backdrop of a disillusioned world after being reminded of the volition and connection we historically sourced from sonic redemption and calls to action.

Influenced by his own struggles, the track wrestles with darkness but refuses to succumb. The juxtaposition of anguish and upbeat, infectious melodies mirror the internal battle Maz faced growing up—bullying, trauma, and later, the hangover of rock ‘n’ roll’s recklessness.

With backing vocals from his daughters Penny and Phoebe and drums from the ever-present Lloyd “Keith Moon” Pritchard, the track taps into familial warmth and raw, gritty sound. Maz’s gift is to prove that while the world may be descending into madness, we can still choose to live in colour. The firestorm of sound that is To Live in Colour demands your attention and ensures you’ll never feel isolated in your apathy again.

The To Live in Colour LP will be available to stream on all major platforms, including Bandcamp, from December 6th. Connect with The Elegant Chasers on Instagram to stay up to date with news of the release.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The New Old Became This Generation’s Answer to the Cramps With ‘Ain’t Dead Yet’

Detroit rock n roll heavyweights The New Old delivered one of the raunchily reverent hits of 2024 with their macabrely infectious single, Ain’t Dead Yet. Accompanied by a cinematically shot Day of the Dead-themed music video, which has racked up over 115k streams to date, Ain’t Dead Yet injects swaggering rock n roll nostalgia into a modernised and stylised production.

If you can imagine what the Cramps would sound like if they spawned in this generation, you’ll get an idea of what the devilishly debauched prodigal sons delivered with this radio-ready anthem that retaliates with resilience as a form of resistance, offering vindication to anyone who has been counted out prematurely.

However The New Old follow this scintillatingly serpentine earworm, it’s clear that they’re a band on the brink of a stratospheric ascent. If any band can stop Stonesy rock n roll from fading into obscurity, it’s them.

Stream the official music video for Ain’t Dead Yet on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Topdown – I Feel Everything: An Intense Alt-Rock Odyssey Through Empathetic Angst

Topdown’s eponymous debut LP is a hit-after-hit tour de rancorously evocative force, starting with the scathed opening salvo, I Feel Everything, which will make a bruisingly vindicating impact on anyone who knows how much of a curse empathy can be.

With frenetic frustration coursing through every hook-decorated progression of volition, I Feel Everything is a candid outpour of the desperation to chemically numb yourself to the weight of the world that bears down on the psyche as it conflates with introspective scars.

It’s impossible not to draw thematic comparisons to Dinosaur Jr’s ‘Feel the Pain’, but there is no refuting that Topdown are blazing their own trail through their eagerly anticipated LP which fuses the ferocity of post-hardcore, the emotive intensity of pop-punk and the aesthetics of 00s rock anthems.

I Feel Everything is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jay Jones spills rock n roll attitude in his swampy country single, Drinkin’ in a Hotel Room

Look at life through the lens of a country-rock renegade on the road with Jay Jones’ latest hook-driven anthem, Drinkin’ in a Hotel Room.

Memphis’ rough and ready chart-topping award-winning artist is no stranger to clocking up the miles as he blazes through the states, electrifying rock fans keen to get a taste of his sound that pours smoother than a shot of whiskey, so if anyone knows how to implant you in the raucous experience of a rockstar, it’s Jay Jones. With cheeky touches here and there within the swampy radio-ready hit, it’s impossible not to get swept up in the vignette.

With pornographic tones spilling from the guitars as the crunchy overdriven chords meet winding country licks, Jay Jones has the perfect platform for his raw powerhouse vocals that sweep you up in the hedonistic earworm. No one would blame you for dancing on a pool table while this single gyrates through the atmosphere.

Stream the cinematically shot official music video for Drinkin’ in a Hotel Room on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast