If you’ve never listened to InMe before, ‘Jumpstart Hope’ is a perfect starter for ten… literally. The record is made up of ten tracks of soaring highs and intricate lows; powerful vocals, meticulous instrumentals and emotionally-charged lyrics, fueled by lead vocalist Dave McPherson’s own experiences with mental health. Likewise, a seasoned InMe fan wouldn’t have anything to complain about either – McPherson himself suggests that it’s the first time the band has realised their true potential, as bold as that may sound.

After spending the band’s entire career as a quartet, InMe welcomed a fifth member for the first time last year; John O’Keeffe on rhythm guitar. Perhaps it’s his influence that was missing – not to discredit InMe’s stellar discography to date – but O’Keeffe is potentially just that pinch of salt that’s drawn out and enhanced the flavours and talents within the group.

‘Jumpstart Hope’ is a showcase for each band member; Dave and Greg McPherson’s’ vocals complement each other perfectly, with an incredible range from raspy and angry to clean and smooth. The guitar work from Gazz Marlow and Greg McPherson is flawless across the different genres within the album, and Tom Dalton’s drums offer everything from toe-tapping rhythms to progressive, explosive climaxes.

With what is arguably InMe’s strongest lineup to date, and years of passion to channel into an album, ‘Jumpstart Hope’ is the resulting journey through a multifaceted musical landscape. There are upbeat tracks with gorgeous melodies like ‘The Next Song’, ‘For Something To Happen’ and ‘Rogue Waves’, while tracks like ‘Blood Orange Lake’, ‘I Swear’ and ‘Shame’ stay true to their heavier, riffier roots. ‘Clear History’ and ‘Ancestry’ are more gentle and raw (while ‘Alone’ and ‘The Leopard’ are just solid tracks that fall somewhere in the middle).

There’s darkness and hope in almost equal measure, making this album unexpectedly strong and replayable; a powerful record that will surely mark a new milestone in the band’s career.

CATIE ALLWRIGHT

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Starting a new series in August? The sun must have melted our brains – and you’re quite right. What with the heat and festival season, it’s been a struggle. But as always, it’s the music that’s got us through and these tracks are warming our hearts more so than the blistering heat.

So grab your headphones, unwrap that Choc Ice and settle yourself in for the inaugural Punktastic Presents: Playlist.

Oh, and don’t forget to follow the playlist to keep up to date with our additions as we go through the month.

Blondie – ‘Dreaming’

Channel 4’s recent screening of Trainspotting 2 gave us a reminder of how good Blondie’s ‘Dreaming’ is. As Renton, Sick Boy, Spud and Begbie continue to scheme and search for their place in the world, 20 years on from the original, Debbie Harry’s angelic vocals speak of always wanting something better. Despite its 1979 release, the escapism of the words “dreamin’ is free” still resonate in the shitshow that is 2019.

TOM WALSH

IDLES – ‘Mercedes Marxist’

I’m a late convert to IDLES. I’ve always been pretty dismissive of them. They felt like a psuedo-political gimmick at a time I was actively avoiding politics. But, much like how i can’t get away from politics, I can’t deny IDLES. They’re just too fucking good. There’s a subtlety behind most tracks – both lyrically and sonically – and Joe Talbots delivery is stunning, as he spits out every venomous word. Angry, anthemic and angsty, ‘Mercedes Marxist’ follows that formula and its clear that IDLES remain on top form.

ANDY JOICE

https://youtu.be/IoxivC5GVAU

Solence – ‘Death Do Us Part’

The follow up to the equally cinematic ‘Heavy Rain’, Solence are rapidly proving to be one of the most exciting up and coming bands of 2019. Death Do Us Part is as dramatic as the name implies, bringing both darkness and light together with a driving beat and gigantic chorus. Bring on an album (soon, please).

GEM ROGERS

Northlane – ‘Talking Heads’

I’ve always been a big fan of Northlane, but there’s something about this track in particular that left me speechless after the first listen. They’ve always been heavy and groovy, but not quite like this. It’s sinister, unpredictable and brimming with hooks – this is one of Australia’s finest exports on top of their game.

DAVE STEWART

Tiger Army – ‘Devil That You Don’t Know’

I want to live in the America that Nick 13 imagines. A country populated with Cadillacs, diners and endless dusty roads. Tiger Army’s ‘Devil That You Don’t Know’ is a jiving, swinging slice of Nick 13’s patented pychobilly punk. Whether Nick is referencing the current political climate when his howls of “they say that the devil that you know, is better than the one you don’t know”, or whether it just comes to him on those long drives through California plains. Either way, it lays down the marker for the bands forthcoming sixth album.

TOM WALSH

InMe – ‘The Next Song’

‘Overgrown Eden’ was my ‘Hybrid Theory’. It was my gateway into alt music. Comparing ‘The Next Song’ to anything off ‘Overgrown Eden’ is like comparing apples and oranges. What it lacks in obvious angst, it makes up for in subtly, depth of character and a technical prowess that comes with fifteen years of experience. Silky, soothing and soaring high enough to crack a seagull in the beak, Dave McPherson’s voice is as strong as it’s ever been. There’s something delicate but punchy about the melodies that melds itself perfectly to the incredibly versatile vocals.

ANDY JOICE

Sleep Token – ‘The Offering’

No one knows who Sleep Token is or when he’s going to release new music, but when he does it’s nothing short of spectacular. This track in particular is stunning, effortlessly weaving soft and sultry vocal tones with delightfully heavy guitars and groove-soaked drum work. I’m addicted to the mystery, and you should be too.

DAVE STEWART

The Menzingers – ‘Anna’

The Menzingers are back and ready to build on the success of 2017’s cathartic ‘After The Party’. ‘Anna’ is classic ‘Zingers with instantly catchy hooks, schmaltzy, twee lyrics about wanting a beloved friend to return home and endless references to their beloved Philly. For a band that kind of meandered for a number of years, they are finally making their mark as every millennial struggling with getting older’s go-to driving band. Album number six is due out in the autumn and we’re already goddamn pumped.

TOM WALSH

The Rocket Summer – Blankets

Gem Rogers

Bryce Avary is one of a kind. When it seems impossible to put your emotions and deepest feelings into words, Bryce is able to step in and make even the most impossible and tumultuous places in our minds make sense, and new single ‘Blankets’ is one of his most beautiful creations yet. Evoking the kaleidoscope of colours that accompany seventh album ‘Sweet Shivers’, it is a foot tapping, gliding electro-pop song, loaded with delicate harmonies and hopeful joy. The world would not be the same without The Rocket Summer, and ‘Sweet Shivers’ is set to be just as defining as the albums it follows.

InMe, Sonic Boom Six, Devil Sold His Soul, MC Lars, Tragedy (A Metal Bee Gees Tribute Band!), Wallflower, The Bad Flowers, Nervus, Shields, Koo Koo Kanga Roo, The Hyena Kill, As Flames Rise, DD Allen and Home Wrecked will join headliners Feeder and Ash, with more bands to be announced soon!

Day, weekend and camping tickets are available now from https://teddyrocks.co.uk/tickets/

For more details check out:

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/TeddyRocksFestival

Twitter: TeddyRocksFest

Instagram: teddrocksfest

The latest releases from either band are as follows; Gun’s latest album is 2015’s ‘Frantic’ on Caroline Records, whilst InMe self-released their sixth LP, ‘Trilogy: Dawn’, that same year.

DECEMBER
08 MANCHESTER Club Academy
09 LONDON Electric Ballroom

The festival, which saw headline performances from Lonely The Brave, Young Guns and InMe, will stay in the same location at Scald End Farm in Bedfordshire but is due to take place on the earlier dates of 4-6 August.

Festival director Jon Hewitt has said:

“We are really excited to be working on Fort Fest 2017. The feedback that we received from our inaugural festival was amazing – so we just had to do it again!”

Keep your eyes peeled for line up news in the future and, while you’re waiting, take a look at our review of this year’s festival.

The dates arrive as the band work on the second installment of their concept trilogy. InMe released ‘Trilogy: Dawn’ last year, with ‘Trilogy: Sentience’ on the way.

OCTOBER
17 LEEDS The Key Club
18 BIRMINGHAM The Rainbow Venues Live Music
19 NEWCASTLE The Cluny
20 GLASGOW G2, The Garage
21 MANCHESTER Sound Control
22 LONDON The Dome, Tufnell Park
24 BRISTOL The Fleece
25 CARDIFF The Globe
26 READING SUB89
27 SOUTHAMPTON Engine Rooms
28 BRIGHTON Patterns

The offering this evening is nostalgic, but a tad confusing. New and exciting, alternative rock outfit The Dirty Youth initiate the proceedings in the already packed out room. A few numbers into the set and you understand why this band have been put on. It’s a sound much akin to that of InMe and Alien Ant Farm. There’s gritty guitars, exaggerated vocal lines, and angsty lyrics. Don’t get me wrong, this would have been fantastic ten or fifteen years ago, but it doesn’t bring anything new to the table.

InMe suffer the same fate, despite having 20 years of experience up their sleeve. If you can get the image of middle-aged men in slacks and jumpers crab-coring out of your head, they sounded great. Dave’s vocals land like dynamite and that guitar sound on ‘Faster The Chase’ sounds as thick as it used to. A band who’ve fought the test of time and come out of it healthy and sounding just like they used to, InMe were a very welcome surprise.

Alien Ant Farm come on stage to an old recording of some ambiguous and muffled speech. It already feels like 2005, where every band from living rooms to arenas were coming on stage to some sample from the sixties. All the clichés aside, let me remind you that this tour is sold out and the venue has been upgraded, TWICE. ANThology obviously meant a lot to a whole generation and that is very apparent when the band arrives on stage. The guitar line on ‘Courage’ kicks in and everyone loses their minds. From the 154th floor(KOKO has a lot of floors) it’s hypnotising to see how packed out this place is with the crowd swaying in every direction.

The crowd’s voices fill out the venue and the surprise on the band’s face is obvious. After selling out the same venue the year before with a co-headline tour with P.O.D and Hoobastank, I doubt they believed they’d be able to do it on their own, yet here we are, 2,000 people offering their hands and voices in the name of nostalgia.

I’ve been waiting to see ‘Movies’ live since I was ten, so it brings a tear to your eye when hear that first neck slide. Moments like this come up throughout the evening, especially on ‘Summer’ and ‘These Days’ which receive a big response from the very appreciative crowd. Aside from this, you can’t help but feel like something is out of place.

There are certain points where the band look bored and almost void of feeling. The tongue-in-cheek humour that comes with the band can only cover up so much. These songs were written so long ago and now they’re all grown up. Tonight is simply a gift, a token of appreciation, and because of this, the performance felt inauthentic. Transitioning between songs felt like you were listening through the actual recording, as did the songs themselves. Live, it needed something raw, something real, anything to prove that this band is still the same, but maybe that’s the cold, hard truth of it. Nostalgia doesn’t work both ways.

MAX GAYLER