EP Review ~ Friar's Lantern ~ The Moments That Define Us: Part 1

Welcome to this weeks EP review, today I have a band who have featured on this blog twice already! They're popular with Love Life, Love Music! They're called Friar's Lantern and they have recently released an EP to follow up from the hype they've received from previous releases. Each release has been reviewed on my blog and a link to those will be at the bottom of this review. 

Friar's Lantern are a electronic ambient duo from Brighton, UK. They have really stepped up their game from their first single release. This EP is one for headphones to really let your ears listen to everything that's going on in the music. The introduction really gives the listener a feel for what is to come. A driving and heavy electronic drum beat accompanied by some quite enthralling bass. 

Friar's Lantern's persona in their music is stamped by the way they use quotes from films as part of the music. A cinematographic outlook on their music is the way to approach this one of a kind style that isn't being done anywhere else. Each quote they use has a very interesting meaning behind it. My favourite quote out of all of them is in the last song "Telos" and the quote is "Music is more than a matter of playing the right notes".   

For the interlude in the EP, they have taken parts from the track before called "Voices". I really like the way they've done this, it takes you back to the track before and makes you remember what was played. They made it sound slightly 'Doctor Who' like within the track that is very atmospheric. 

My personal favourite is the final track on the EP, "Telos". It really displays what Friar's Lantern are capable of and Hayden's guitar skills are demonstrated throughout this song. From simple delicate tones to using pedals to make it sound harsh and brash for what the song needs. Though the song does end quite suddenly, which was a bit of a shock considering it keeps building towards then end, its definitely the stand-out track on the EP. 

I really enjoyed this EP and I'd like you all to go check it out and see what you think of it yourself. Friar's Lantern's music is nothing I've heard out there and certainly has made a long lasting impression on me. I look forward to Part 2 of their EP coming in 2015 and you can be sure there will be a review of it too. 

Thank you very much for reading and until next time. 

Lewis 


Listen to the EP - here


Reviews:

Possessive Voices

Introduction

Links:

Facebook

Twitter

Album Review ~ Honeyblood ~ Honeyblood

Hello!

Welcome to this weeks album review, today I have a glaswegan female duo that have been impressing the industry within their rock/alternative sound for the past two years. They go by the name of Honeyblood who are signed to Brighton indie label FatCat Records. 

The opening track "Fall Forever" gets things going with a bang, some really nice guitar rhythms and melodies being worked into this song along with very distinctive vocals from vocalist and guitarist Steena Tweedale. I really like the way the actual song is quite simple, but because the way they have produced it, the sheer noise just keeps reminding me that this is only a duo making this music.

The other half of Honeyblood is the drummer who goes by the name of Shona McVicar who really seems to have some solid beats laid down on this album. I really like the little breaks in "Killer Bangs". It could be something little like changing the drums onto the floor tom and snare, but it changes the whole complexity of the song. Some parts are just a second long like in the chorus where the lyrics are "I don't wanna go, go go go on". On the three 'go's' the duo come together and really accent those words which sounds great and keeps the energy throughout the track.

The track after the two very fast paced, but brilliant songs comes "Super Rat" which slows things down. Gives the listener a little break and is the song where you can really appreciate Tweedale's vocals that really stand out and are like nothing ive heard before. I can't think of an artist that sounds remotely like her. In some parts it sounds like she is talking the lyrics,  but still with some notes sung and I really like how she does this.

The new single that comes from the duo is a tune called "Biro". The middle of this album seems to have brought the energy down a peg or two, but that doesn't mean the power has gone. This song keeps the flow of loud alternative rock, but with more of a dynamic shift between the verses and chorus. Though having the dynamics still pretty high in the song can make the hi-hat really pierce the sound which can be a bit uncomfortable at times. Though on the flip side of things it gives their sound something to feel harsh about, its not all games and fun when listening to this record.

The song "Joey" brings out the best in the vocal harmonies from the duo. The song isn't the most energetic in the album, but it gives the listener a chance to hear both vocals without the guitar and drums taking charge of the song which happens on quite a few of the tracks. For a duo you need a lot of things happening at once otherwise it can sound quite empty, but for "Joey" it works well.

The song "Choker" is one of the strongest songs on the album and is the song that really defines who Honeyblood are compared to other bands of their genre. It was the first single that was put out from the duo and got a massive backing from BBC Radio 6 Music with the single being on the A list for a considerable amount of weeks. Its a very catchy tune that lets the backing vocals take the leading melody for the track. The main vocals lead with the melody line in the verses and breaks. I like the way the song is structured and doesn't seem to long winded.

By the time youve got to the track "No Spare Key" you've got a good idea of the Honeyblood sound. The next song "Fortune Cookie" is possibly the 'happiest' song on the record, using major chords and even a xylophone to keep things sweet. Though this sweetness doesn't get annoying because its different to the rest of the album, so it ads a nice texture to the record as a whole. I really enjoyed the guitar solo at the end of the track too and shows off how good Tweedale is on the guitar.

Honeyblood have just come off the back of the NME newbreed tour where they toured the country with the band Superfood and was a great success. I can only imagine there are a whole bunch of better things to come for the duo in 2015 and I look forward to following their journey for the coming year.

The tracks to check out are "Fall Forever", "Killer Bangs" and "Choker".

Thank you very much for reading and until next time. 

Lewis

'Fall Forever'

Website: www.honeyblood.co.uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/honeybloodeatitup

Twitter: https://twitter.com/yumhoneyblood

*BONUS* Single Review ~ Friars Lantern ~ Introduction

Hello!

Welcome to this bonus post for this week about a band that I have mentioned in the past that now have some new material out that I want to share with you all. Friars Lantern are a duo from Brighton who are aspiring to produce music that is inspired by certain programmes ans films such as American Horror Story and others alike.


Last time I presented to you a single called "Possessive Voices" which was a different tone of music I hadn't heard of that uses a womans voice that is layered ontop of guitar pedals and drums. It produced a quite atmospheric but exciting sound and the duo have now released an Introductory piece to their EP which will be out in 2015.

Titled "Intro" the duo seem to be heading down the same path with their sound and using voices over different instruments. Though the specifications of the sound are the same as the previous single, they have managed to use their instrumentation and knowledge to create something fresh and new.


Is introductory to their EP gives the listener a flavour of what's to come in 2015. Its not too long for an intro and its not too short to not give an idea of their sound. The length is 1:45 and is about right to really give people a chance to question about what they have in store next.


They have released a clever little video to go along with the single which involves footage from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. Where you see Charlie open his chocolate to find the golden ticket which everyone knows. Though they have put a dark, but unseemly simple twist to it where they make it out as if Charlie never opened his chocolate. Rewinding the memories and pausing the moment to make it stop happening. A really clever concept for a video.


I look forward to hearing their EP that comes out in 2015. You can be sure I will be reviewing it in the near future. Make sure you check the band out and support them too.



Thanks for reading and until next time.


Lewis

Facebook: www.facebook.com/friarslanternband

Album Review ~ Royal Blood ~ Royal Blood

Hello, 

Welcome to blog post 37, today I have a Brighton based two piece band that are rocking the music business to high hell and back! If you haven't heard of Royal Blood yet then you've clearly been cooped up in your room all summer. Their debut album took the summer music scene by a storm and I'm here to tell you why. 

Royal Blood are a two piece rock band formed in 2013 that have a rounded rock sound that is unusually distinctive compared to most rock bands out there. I heard a lot about Royal Blood before they released this album, I'm pretty sure they were practising at Brighton Electric Studios when I was there a few moths beforehand. Their name was floating round Brighton like a black rain cloud that was sure enough to turn into a storm.

Mike Kerr (Vocals, Bass Guitar) and Ben Thatcher (Drums) have released an album that is now at the forefront of rock music. These guys are now the new generation of the rock genre and I wouldn't want it to be any other band. 

The powerful might from "Out Of The Black" to introduce the album really gives you a flavour of what you're in store for. "Come On Over" uses a simple structure but really keeps the tempo going for the album to give listeners like myself a lot of hope for rock in the next few years. "Figure It Out" is the most popular track from the album that has been played a lot on BBC Radio 1 and 6 music. With the catchy riff line to work through and the double time section at the end, its no wonder its the most popular track. 

Once you get to "Blood Hands" you are already halfway through the album surprisingly. The time for the half way mark is 15 minutes and 50 seconds which to most bands is not even onto track 4. The total time for the album is 32 minutes and 42 seconds, very short for an album, but this could be the reason for its success. Brilliant short songs, keeping the listener entertained throughout with no messing around. The longest song is 4:12 and is possibly the weakest song. This could be because its the longest and isn't keeping to the way Royal Blood have recorded the rest of the album.

With the band only being a two piece band, I was worried about there not being enough within the sound to keep the album's momentum up. With the use of space between the guitar and vocals, catchy riffs and heavy drums the band have done a fantastic job. I cannot express how difficult it is to create such an emphatic sound with a 3 piece let alone with bass and drums. 

Mike uses distortion and other pedals alike to create a guitar tone on the bass. This then creates a tone that sounds like its coming from two different guitars.  Ben's hard hitting drums and tight fills compliment the overall sound. 

The one thing I was worried about with this album was that the songs would sound the same. Luckily this doesn't happen and each song has its own characteristics which really made this album for me. Each song doesn't follow the same structure as the last, but every song is still heavy and high tempo. I believe this is one of the reasons that this album has done extremely well this year. There are no sad or slow songs, its all go go go from the word off and its exactly what the rock industry has been needing for some time now.  

In conclusion this album is one to remember for some time and hopefully will be around for many years to come rocking out the industry. Even though it has not been long since their newest release, I look forward to what they hold in store for us next in a few years to come! 

Thanks for reading and until next time!

Lewis

Website: royalbloodband.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RoyalBloodUK

Twitter: twitter.com/royalblooduk

Google+: plus.google.com/+royalblooduk/posts

EP Review ~ Scribble Victory ~ Confidence

Hello!

Welcome to blog post 35 and happy 1st October too! Today I have a two piece from Derby called Scribble Victory. These guys have been going through the ranks of the business with numerous tours with some big artists and with the EP coming out next Friday, I'm expecting these boys to go to great heights. 

Recently the business has been overtaken with two piece bands such as Royal Blood and Honeyblood taking over BBC Radio 1 and 6 Music. It still baffles me how such an incredible sound can come from a duo and its the same with this band. 

Scribble Victory are:

Jamie Thompson - Vocals, Guitar
Tomas Ward - Vocals, Drums

Scribble Victory are an acoustic folk-rock duo that blend their harmonies with melodic rhythms and meandering guitar licks. For two people to create such an authentic sound is very impressive. In some stages of the EP it sounds quite minimalistic, but still keeps that aura about the band that they give throughout the EP. 

One of the stand out tracks to me is "Stalemate", its just such a catchy tune from just a few instruments. The acoustic guitar brings a lot to the table with the rhythm that you could hum along to easily. This track is a great example of the harmonising between Jamie and Tomas. Both blend together to make a really nice tone. 

The song writing for each song has been well thought out. I give credit to both members of the band for creating rhythms and tones that keep each song flowing. Give this EP a few listens and you'll start to really listen to the acoustic guitar especially. I think after about 4 runs through the EP I really got to know the songs so I could appreciate and take in the great guitar skills. 

Scribble Victory have been touring with a lot of names to shout about such as Johnny Foreigner, Tall Ships and Laura Stevenson. If they are securing fantastic opportunities such as this before this EP has been released then I am looking forward to following the band in their new adventures. 

The songs I would recommend to you if you haven't got time to listen to all 6 tracks are "You Wouldn't Change A Thing" and "Stalemate". The others are just as good, but these are the clear stand out tracks on this EP. 

In conclusion I really like this EP, I haven't heard a duo sound quite like this before. Its something I can't quite explain apart from saying the acoustic tones and strong drums keep the energy throughout with the distinctive vocals keeping the drive. I hope you all take the time to listen to the EP when it comes out on October 10th because these guys deserve a lot of support!

To get a flavour of the band, I'll leave the bandcamp link which has their last self-titled EP on there. This too is a fantastic edition to their overall music collection. Also a quick special thanks to Angela from Muddy Paw PR who introduced me to the band and asked me to review them. 

Thank you for reading and until next time.

Lewis

This is a song from their last self-titled EP called "Baby Steps"

Website -  www.scribblevictory.com

Bandcamp - http://scribblevictory.bandcamp.com/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ScribbleVictory

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/scribblevictory (Warning! Profile picture may contain Chuckle Brothers)

Soundcloud - soundcloud.com/scribblevictory