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From Tuesday 10 July 2018

Real Friends – ‘Composure’

Pop punk regularly gets a bad rap from alternative music purists, mostly because it’s often aimed at a younger audience and therefore seen as a lesser medium. Every so often, though, a band releases a record of such undeniably high quality that the gatekeepers have no choice but to

Monday 09 July 2018

Century Thirteen – ‘Century Thirteen’

In making their self-titled LP Glaswegian punks Century Thirteen went against their previous conventional wisdom and enlisted the help of a producer. The decision to move away from self-recording was said to have been taken to provide an extra sense of freedom in both arrangements and performance.

Asylums – ‘Alien Human Emotions’

It’s generally acknowledged that music and society are closely intertwined. From Lou Reed and Warhol’s Factory to Dead Kennedy’s ‘Holiday In Cambodia’, they reflect the landscape around them. Given the somewhat tumultuous state the world is in, both politically and societally, perhaps this is what drove London four-piece Asylums

Friday 06 July 2018

The Devin Townsend Project – ‘Ocean Machine – Live At The Ancient Roman Theatre’

Since the completion of the initial four album DTP series in 2011, Devin Townsend fans have grown somewhat accustomed to being treated to ‘one off’ performances; the four ‘By a Thread’ shows were followed by ‘Retinal Circus’ a year later in 2012, with Ziltoid Live at the Royal Albert

Monday 02 July 2018

The Gaslight Anthem – ‘The ’59 Sound Sessions’

Ten years after the initial release of their album, ‘The ’59 Sound’, The Gaslight Anthem are offering fans an insight into the process behind its creation. The new release, which consists of eight demos and one cover from that time, comes with an accompanying booklet filled with photos and

Tuesday 26 June 2018

The Interrupters – ‘Fight The Good Fight’

Gone are the days of Courtney Love, Shirley Manson, Brody Dalle and Gwen Stafani holding the light up for women. Women now hold a much stronger position in punk than before, from big punk labels like Fat Wreck Chords putting a spotlight on Bad Cop/Bad Cop and The Bombpops,

Sunday 24 June 2018

Panic! at the Disco – ‘Pray For the Wicked’

It can’t have been easy to write a follow up to the Grammy nominated Death of a Bachelor, but Brendon Urie – now known for his determination to keep Panic! at the Disco alive – has persevered. While ‘Pray For the Wicked’ might not have the same pizzazz of

Tuesday 19 June 2018

State Champs – ‘Living Proof’

Drop. Everything. Now. Sound the pop punk sirens, dig out your backpack and get your dancing shoes ready (preferably chukkas but we’ll let you off with anything vaguely skate-shaped) – State Champs are back! It’s only five years since the New York band released debut album ‘The Finer Things’, but

Monday 18 June 2018

Proud Parents – ‘Proud Parents’

Some bands are rooted as a job. Take Kiss for example. Half the members of the original line up joined after responding to an advert in Rolling Stone. Essentially, applying for a job. Other bands are formed as friendships that slowly progress into something more substantial. Proud Parents are

Friday 15 June 2018

Blue Heaven – ‘Volume One’

Spawned from the ashes of their previous bands, Maryland natives Blue Heaven have traded the pounding sound of hardcore and punk to become a more delicate and polished band. Bordering between jangle-pop and surf rock, there is a freeing, laid-back element to the record that settles nicely within the