Record Store Day has finally arrived! If you’re based near Manchester there is plenty of stuff to be doing today!
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Piccadilly Records in the Northern Quarter are stocking a large number of record store day releases (see list here) and also have some DJs in store:
After conveniently bumping into Sam McGarrigle after their Manchester show, we had a chat about the beginnings of the band and their influences.
This new band got in contact with me a while ago, and I was really interested in their sound which seems similar to the bands Golden Glow, Spectrals and Black Tambourine. Back then they were called Imaginary Friend, but since being signed to Bleeding Gold Records (who Golden Glow are also signed to) they are now Tear Talk.
I’ve been a fan of The Vaccines since the beginning, and they’ve certainly churned out tune after tune. ‘Disposable’ might be a little too strong, but after the 100th listen to Norgaard I started questioning whether the band are substantial enough to last.
When Jenny contacted me about getting coverage on Lunar Music, I instantly knew she was something special. Even by just looking at the stunning press photos for the release of her debut EP The Swan, it’s clear that the art direction is elegant, ghostly and ethereal. It’s almost impossible to tag the band’s music to a particular genre; but there are certainly parallels to be drawn between the atmospheres and emotions dealt with in The Swan, and Florence and the Machine’s Ceremonials.I spoke to Jenny to hear about what she had to say about the band and how she started making music.
After over 1,000 plays of ‘Electro Track’ in just one month, the band from Kent have gone on to gain success with their electro-pop sound. Conor Rowlan talked to me about what inspired the track and what the band are all about.
Let’s face it, boy/girl duos are doing particularly well at the moment; take Big Deal, Cults and Jenny and Johnny, meeting your every desire for cliché-packed pop punches. What makes Summer Camp stand out from the rest? Well firstly the almost unnerving ability to reference 80’s teen movies in practically every song, but also unlike most new bands releasing albums today, the songs are actually fantastically well written, perfect pop wonders.
Packed full off bubblegum-sweet vocals swamped in attitude and with pop references a plenty, you’re mistaken if you thought that Summer Camp would have settled for releasing a middle-of-the-road indie album. The opening track ‘Better Off Without You’ is an 80’s inspired classic.
Dirty Hands formed in January 2011 and originate from London, drawing inspiration from 50’s America and modern rock and roll bands such as The Strokes, The Cramps and The Clash. I spoke to front-man Johnny Ryan to find out more…
So how did the band first meet?
We formed in January 2011 but all three of us knew each other from before that. I’ve known Jonah (bass) since we were kids. We went to school together and skated together and learned to play our instruments at the same time by playing along to his dad’s old blues records. We’ve been in bands together ever since.
It’s another grim autumnal night in Manchester as a gathering crowd venture down into the depths of The Roadhouse, a legendary independent music venue which has seen the likes of thousands of bands, (from The White Stripes to Biffy Clyro) head to the stage. Tonight it’s time for Spector, freshly signed to Luv Luv Luv Records, to win over the Mancunian crowd.
It’s a stereotypical dreary night in Manchester as an ordered silhouette of music fans (most of which are too self-obsessed and ‘indie’ to even consider talking to anybody else waiting in the queue) wait in line to catch some of their favourite bands perform in an intimate yet painfully familiar venue. Yes, this is the night that the NME Radar Tour hits the Manchester Club Academy. Niki & the Dove have dropped out last minute but the show will continue without them… with the line-up remaining featuring Wolf Gang and S.C.U.M, the night ahead has huge expectations to fulfil.
I caught up with Brooke Fraser before her show at the Manchester Academy to find out more about her music, touring and the inspiration behind her award winning third album ‘Flags’
Chalk and Numbers are an exciting new girl-boy duo from New York, and a significant part of the growing innovative indie movement emerging from Brooklyn (listen to The Antlers and Soda Shop to get more of an idea). Seeking inspiration from 60’s groups such as The Shangri-Las and The Beach Boys, Chalk and Numbers have managed to churn out some perfect twee indie pop songs to form their debut ‘He Knew’ EP.
Soda Shop is a new project by Drew Diver and Maria Usbeck, a boy and a girl who met by fate at a concert in Brooklyn, New York City. Finding inspiration from days gone by, they have created pop songs which are tainted with nostalgic tones reminiscent of Shangri-Las and The Ronettes. Their dreamy sound is also perfect for fans of The Cardigans, The Raveonettes and Summer Camp. I spoke to one half of the band, Drew Diver to find out more.
After performing a stunning set at the BBC Introducing stage this year at Glastonbury, Two Wounded Birds are set to release their new record ‘Summer Dream’ just in time for the long summer months. Embracing twangy guitar riffs and euphoric vocals from Johnny Danger, their sound is the perfect soundtrack to everyone’s summer.
