Review: Bleached - Welcome The Worms

In recent times, a cluster of bands have sprouted up from the sun-drenched Los Angeles ground and began defining the sound of the city. Green shoots full of life are definitely growing from Bleached. Whose second full length album Welcome the Worms is full of life and vigour.

If there was an album that sounded like the embodiment of a city, then this would be it. ‘Welcome the Worms’ explores the depths of punk-pop and embraces the whole stoner-rock vibe. And it does all this whilst sounding like a sunny day on the west coast of America. Heavily influenced by bands like Nirvana and Hole, Bleached have a knack of putting together heavy, swashbuckling songs that feel like a cruise along an LA highway.

Sisters Jennifer and Jessica Clavin are the real driving force behind these songs and this album. Jennifer’s lyrics are – at times – very personal here, which is refreshing as their previous album ‘Ride Your Heart’ felt a bit like it was drenched in cliché’s. ‘Trying to Lose Myself Again’ details previous experiences about nights spent in LA “fooling around” and on ‘Wasted on You’ she calls out somebody who she believes treats her badly “Take some friends just to go to your show, and watch you sing about another girl” but, the vocal delivery clears up what she thinks of the matter. She just doesn't care. Her vocals are full of attitude throughout the album but on the particular track she’s basically saying “fuck off”.

The first half of the album see’s the band at their strongest. ‘Wednesday Night Melody’ is without doubt the stand-out track with its booming intro and vocal hook. The song is centred around a bone shaking drum beat, enough to wake the stoner rockers from their naps. However, as the midway point passes, Welcome the Worms becomes a tad predictable. There is no change on the journey the band are taking us, apart from a slight left turn provided by the heavily Nirvana-inspired ‘Desolate Town’  (even the name sounds like the place where Kurt Cobain grew up) but from then on it fizzles out.

Without doubt there are clear signs of progression which is evident in the sense there are some real hits in the making on this album. But, it couldn't quite be sustained long enough over the 34 minutes. Bleached have the songs, the look and the sound (which is now really polished and tight) and they definitely aren't pulling over just yet. 

7/10

Kurt Vile - B'lieve I'm Goin' Down

Kurt Vile 

B’lieve I’m Goin Down

Kurt Vile the singer/songwriter from Philadelphia is known for his blend of folk and psychedelic rock. This mix of genre is at the forefront of his latest record ‘B’lieve I’m Goin Down’. Opening track ‘Pretty Pimpin’ is a very summery song you can imagine hearing walking down an American street bathed in sunlight. However, once it finishes, the energy level – which isn’t too high to start with - drops dramatically in tandem with Vile’s vocal delivery. Once this energy is lost the album loses impact and slowly drifts away.

The vocal delivery sounds lazy and low key almost as if no effort has been put in. It’s very subtle and feels like it’s been pushed to the side. The issue with not only dropping the energy level lower is putting Vile at the front of these songs. He doesn't’ come across as the most riveting guy in the world. In no way does the music leave a lasting impression. However there are at least a handful of moments where the lyrics are very telling in a personal way. For instance on the song ‘Lost My Head There’. Musically it’s very easy going which is all well and good but it needs to be topped with better vocals.

Lyrically, it’s very empty and meaningless. Even on ‘Kidding Around’, which is arguably the most poignant moment on the album. His song-writing process is clear here. He appears to say something meaningful but actually he’s just kidding around. At no point on the record is there a stand-out line that makes you react and take note. It’s very casual. And it doesn’t make any lasting impressions. 

5/10 

Rock Werchter Review: Part 4

Rock Werchter Review (Sunday)

As the sun peeks its head through the clouds, it bathes the festival site in sunlight and it's clear that the past three days have been one huge party. But there is still one day left and it turned out to be another day of superb sets. 

We begin with a stage change. British band The Vaccines are due on The Barn at half past three, but Jessie J cancelled her set on the main stage at the very last minute to the shock of some of the younger members of the audience. This meant that The Vaccines are now moved to the main stage. It's the second time the band are playing at Werchter and keen to impress once again, they begin with something new from their third album "English Graffiti". The song 'Handsome' is typical Vaccines, its fast paced, and simple setting up the set perfectly. Front-man Justin Young is another singer who puts on an accent when introducing his songs which some may not care about but it is rather irritating. Credit to him though as he is clearly a passionate front-man, regularly falling to his knees, showing emotion and walking around the stage so that both sides of the audience can see him. Their set is well polished but rarely shows signs of variety, Their songs have great live presence and they create a distinctly positive atmosphere among the audience. Songs like 'Wetsuit', 'If You Wanna' and 'Norgaard' all go down a treat as The Vaccines light up the main stage. 

It's a long wait for Kasabian who are the main support act for Muse's set when they headline later. They are the perfect warm up act and play a storming set albeit in front of a crowd who were there for Muse, but Kasabian are a sensational live band and this performance showed exactly that. After seventeen years of experience you would expect Kasabian to have mastered the art of live performance, and you'd be right. They also have such range in their songs, from the bombastic "Bumblebeee" to the nod back to the 90s rave scene "Treat" (a sound which Kasabian said inspired their recent album 48:13) and the song that gave them their unique and commanding sound "Club Foot". As well as their own songs, Kasabian couldn't resist throwing in a couple of covers including 'People Are Strange" by The Doors which they cleverly added in to then end of "Thick As Thieves" and before their final hurrah they dedicated "Praise You" by Fatboy Slim to the days headliners Muse which led them perfectly in to set closer "LSF". They did find it hard to get the crowd going but eventually they fell under their spell of bullish rhythms and began emulating front-man Tom Meighan's dancing on stage.

Rock Werchter Review: Part 2

Rock Werchter 2015 - Review (Friday)

After the excitement of the first day at Rock Werchter, the Friday had a lot to live up to. Arguably, it was the weakest of the four days as day tickets hadn't even sold out. Nonetheless there were still some acts definitely worth seeing. 

The first act of the day was the Scandinavian five-piece Of Monsters And Men who are still riding on the wave that is (arguably) their only hit 'Little Talks' which has brought them staggering popularity. It would be interesting to see if they have any other songs that can match or beat the folk-pop anthem. Sadly the answer to that it is a resounding no. Even when they finally got round to playing the hit, it left the audience with a sour taste as the performance felt tired and it seemed that even the band themselves were tired of the song too. They left the stage to tame applause which was an appropriate match for their set. Unless you're a die-hard fan, Of Monsters And Men might not be the best band to see at a festival.

Over in The Barn, the temperature was about to rise substantially as Alt-J were about to bring their wonky, complex music to the people of Belgium. Anticipation grew rapidly as the the lights went down and smoke began to fill The Barn and the introduction to Alt-J's 'Hunger of the Pine' rang out. The four-piece walked out on to the stage bathed in lasers and neon lights as if they had just walked out of a spaceship, which is very appropriate as their music at times can sound like its from another planet. They stormed straight in to a set full of tracks from both their albums to date. And the first thing you notice when they perform is how much  talent all four members have on stage and with their instruments. Secondly, you will notice that their songs played live have such power and are delivered so effortlessly, they may not strut around the stage but that is not what Alt-J are all about.

All their songs also have the ability to take you on a journey in to the unknown, not only that, the songs were all received with thunderous cheers which show just how popular the group have become. 'Matilda' and 'Left Hand Free' went down an absolute treat and 'Taro' from the debut album "An Awesome Wave" was performed to such perfection that it felt like Alt-J were issuing a statement to all encased within The Barn stating that "we are here". They have become a well-polished live act, this combined with their phenomenal musicianship and front-man Joe Newman's diverse lyrics signal that Alt-J are a force to be reckoned with. And don't be surprised to see them playing in stadiums across the world in the future. 

Rock Werchter 2015 Review

Rock Werchter 2015 - Review (Thursday)

After nearly 40 years of entertaining people from all over Europe, the organisers of Rock Werchter  know how to put on a good festival. And in 2015 despite various bands dropping out and having to shuffle the line-up on one of the days of the weekend, the festival delivered a fantastic spectacle. 

Arriving a day early, we set up camp for the next five days in the sweltering heat (believe it or not) and prepared for the first day. Thursday's line-up had been altered as the Foo Fighters had to pull out due to Dave Grohl falling off stage a breaking his leg. Faith No More replaced them. The festival site itself was a lot bigger than expected, and the first band of the day were British alternative rock band Marmozets. The band's debut album "Weird and Wonderful Marmozets" had been voted as Kerrang's album of the year a couple of months before, however they played in front of a half empty main stage. That didn't stop them from producing a raucous and wild set as vocalist Becca Macintyre ran around the stage frantically like she had been given electric shock treatment. Despite the hot conditions, she kept running around the stage for the majority of the set, and the performance was still excellent. Playing songs like 'Born Young and Free' and 'Why Do You Hate Me' the five-piece would have left a strong impression on the audience members who didn't know them and were the perfect opening act for Werchter 2015.

Having given Eagles of Death Metal a miss on the main stage (definitely a good move) the next band I saw were Swedish duo First Aid Kit who were bringing their latest album "Stay Gold" to Rock Werchter. They put on an extremely melodic and intricate performance in one of the indoor stages The Barn. This provided the perfect atmosphere for the duo's brand of folk-pop. It was very well received by the crowd and even caused mass sing-alongs to songs like 'My Silver Lining' and 'Emmylou' much to the shock of the duo themselves as they looked at each other in disbelief, but full of smiles. As debut performances at festival's go, First Aid Kit passed the test with flying colours with a well polished and glittering set. 

By now The Barn had turned in to a sweat-box as temperatures reached 30 degrees and with no air-conditioning it was a tad uncomfortable. But the music was sure to take your mind off the heat. Up next in The Barn was Hertfordshire-based singer-songwriter James Bay, who's debut album the chaos and the calm (released earlier in 2015) had reached the top 10 in pretty much every country in Europe. This lead to him drawing one of the biggest crowds of the day - at least 14,500 inside The Barn. Bay's performance was nothing out of the ordinary, but the crowd seemed to absolutely love his every move and listen to every word he sang. The set was good in the sense that it was well-rehearsed and very clean, but it lacked a bit of heart and the fact that he could have been any other singer-songwriter who has found fame in the past twelve months didn't give his performance any originality. But it's clear that Bay is an artist in demand and don't be surprised to see him at many festivals in the future. 

Last but by no means least, Florence and The Machine played a blinding set on the main stage. It was a performance full of energy and anthemic songs. Florence has the type of voice that most singers dream of, powerful, forceful and recognisable. However, when the song-writer addressed the crowd for the first time her voice was so soft and delicate. Which showcases how brilliant her voice actually is. She and the band won the approval of the Werchter crowd who were left disappointed after the news tat the Foo Fighters had cancelled their set, this approval was helped in part with the catalogue of great songs that Florence has to draw upon. She also looked like she really enjoyed the performance. She was beaming from ear to ear after every single song especially when her song's 'You Got The Love' and 'Dog Days Are Over' got the crowd going in a mass sing-along. She repeatedly ventured in to the crowd and put on a flower garland offered to her, and demanded that the crowd get as much people on one another's shoulders during 'Raise It Up' also asking if Werchter wanted to get high, to which a good percentage of the audience cheered. Despite being asked to perform at a later time than billed, Florence enjoyed every minute of the performance and musically the band were completely in-sync. Perfect for rounding off the first day. 

The Wytches - Wasteybois

The Wytches unveil new song entitled 'Wasteybois' from their new EP 'Thunder Lizard's Reprieve' which arrives in late August.

The Brighton-based surf doom rock trio are preparing to release their new EP which is entitled 'Thunder Lizard's Reprieve' and they have released their new single 'Wasteybois' which can be downloaded for free.

The track is a three minute tirade of heavily distorted guitars, rapid drum beats and deafening howls from front-man Kristian Bell. The opening to the track is wild and chaotic and then suddenly slows down only for a split-second as straight away the drums kick in and the guitars explode into a heavy, whirlwind sound. This pattern repeats likes a never ending helter skelter and the music becomes even more frantic just before the climax with the guitar sound we can easily distinguish as The Wytches.

The track is a fantastic show of strength and power that the band have, its as if a switch has been flicked, and suddenly they take off like a rocket.

Thunder Lizard's Reprieve Tracklist:
1. Wasteybois
2. Gettin' Lucky
3. DADFAC#
4. If Not For Money

Download the track for free HERE.

Festival Preview: Rock Werchter

Preview: Rock Werchter

Since 1976 Belgium has hosted a festival which has won the Arthur award for best festival in the world an impressive seven times. That festival is Rock Werchter. This year from the 25^th to the 28^th of June the four day festival will play host to various acts spanning many genres and nationalities. Topping the bill on Thursday night is none other than multi-award winning critically acclaimed rock five-piece Foo Fighters (pictured) who with a new album to show off will be drawing in one of the biggest crowds of the festival. Elsewhere, the headliners are Mumford and Sons, The Prodigy and Muse. On Thursday, The Chemical Brothers who have recently unveiled a new track will be bringing their spectacular live show to the fields of Belgium and they are sure to give the crowd something to remember. Florence and the Machine, Elbow, Patti Smith, Eagles of Death Metal and Brit award winner James Bay will also appear on the Thursday of Rock Werchter.

Friday sees the ever-popular Mumford and Sons (pictured) headline. The four-piece have their new album Wilder Mind to show off and as they have played at the festival before you will expect a performance that is precise and well drilled. Another band who will follow suit with their intricate and precise performances are grammy award nominated Alt-J. As the festival has the word “Rock” within its title, you might think that the festival is genre specific. You would be wrong. Friday has the likes of Pharell Williams, FKA Twigs and Roisin Murphy to appeal to a wider audience. Friday seems to have the feel of a pleasant day, Ben Howard and Of Monsters and Men will also feature creating a relaxed atmosphere around the site.

Saturday is the day of the big hitters. Another group who are out to show off their new album are The Prodigy who are Saturday’s headliners. Known for their on stage power and diversity, the trio will no doubt prove a hit at this year’s Rock Werchter and with ‘The Day is my Enemy’ added to their repertoire they are a force to reckoned with. Another big hitter is none other than multi-award winning Lenny Kravitz who will be returning to the festival after releasing his tenth album ‘Strut’ in 2014. Noel Gallagher and his High Flying Birds are also returning to the festival having first played there in 2012. British rock duo Royal Blood (pictured) who rose to fame after securing number one album on the UK and performing a series of storming performances in 2014 will also appear on the Saturday of Rock Werchter. The War on Drugs and Hozier are another two stand-out performers on the day.

The final day of the festival sees a celebration of musical diversity. Muse who have reignited the world of rock music take the final headline slot along with their immense live show and blistering songs. Their British counterparts Kasabian still riding high after headlining Glastonbury in 2014 join them on Sunday. Pop band The Script are another group to return to Werchter in 2015 along with Jessie J. Maxi Jazz – famous for dance group Faithless – will also be at this year’s festival along with the E Type Boys. Alabama Shakes, The Vaccines and Enter Shikari, who will also take to stage. This year’s Rock Werchter 2015 is full of diversity and range. It’s not one to be missed. 

Live review: Dolomite Minor at the Joiners November 20th 2014

Dolomite Minor Live at the Joiners in Southampton 20/11/14

After announcing their first European festival date for 2015 and playing a series of gigs across the UK, Dolomite Minor return to the Joiners arms in Southampton with support from Spynes, Elxir and Bully Bones.

Twenty minutes after doors opened the joiners begins to fill up with what look like college students which is what you might expect, however, when the support bands start playing it turned out that those (what might have been) college students take to the stage and start playing which shows that Dolomite Minor are keen to give up and coming bands a chance to play at a venue like the Joiners but unfortunately the bands and in particular the second support band Elxir were below par in their performance sounding like a band who had been drafted in last minute to fill a hole. Bully Bones had a 70s pub rock feel about them and Spynes were old-school sleazy rock and roll with a front-man who was (very clearly) up his own arse.

The anticipation grew rapidly when the audience of a nearly sold out Joiners saw Dolomite Minor take to the stage and almost blow the roof off the venue as they launch in to their thunderous opener ‘Girl of Gold’ the crowd begin jumping almost instantaneously as the duo follow up the opener with the bone crashing ‘Talk like and Aztec’ which was part of an XFM feature entitled great expectations for 2014. There is then a pause for the first time during the set as guitarist and vocalist Joe Grimshaw says “It feels good to be back here” which is met with cheers followed by a distorted noise from Grimshaw’s guitar as he begins ‘Hypnotise’ a heavily riff based blues rock blast which vibrates the floor of the joiners and leaves your ears ringing.

The set ends with ‘Watch Yourself’ a song so full of brilliant guitar riffs that it’s enough to make any guitarist want to go and write and song, and ‘Let Me Go’ a song that builds and drops ferociously. It’s clear that Dolomite Minor have a lot in their arsenal to give guitar music new vigour and they have the potential to put Southampton on the music map.