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FREEDA @ Deaf Institute 23/11/2019

After forming in 2017, Freeda have already put their mark on the Manchester music map, after initially watching them grace the main stage at Cotton Clouds festival, I knew these lads were on to something.

Supported by the fabulous ‘Unomas’ and ‘Twentyeight Club’, Freeda had sold out the Deaf Institute just 5 days before their headline gig, something these lads should be proud of. They played a wide range of their backlog from their first releases such as ‘Plug it in’ to their latest single ‘Wash’ all of which were eagerly lapped up by the crowd to the point of a ‘moshpit’ forming throughout their heavier songs during the set, much to my amusement. They also treated the crowd to their cover of ‘Redbone’ which is as good as, if not better than the original, the lads had really gone to town on giving that song a ‘Freeda’ style twist.

The band have gained quite a dedicated fan-group who stood at the front never taking their eyes of main singer Sean who captivated the audience with his amazing vocals and equally amazing pants… I am yet to find a pair to rival his. The rest of the band (completed by Cameron Meekums-Spence, Adam Jackson, Adam Barton and Callum Hignett) all appeared to enjoy themselves, almost humbled by the crowds reactions to their music.

A Highlight of the evening was definitely watching these lads play their song ‘Voodoo’ A personal favourite, which combines Sultry lyrics and a slow tempo with an amazing lead guitar, It almost makes you want to give a strip tease to the song it is so powerful, however I’m sure the people next to me were glad I didn’t indulge in this idea.

Freeda are definitely a band to watch out for in the near future, as they are currently working hard releasing their music and making a name for themselves. I would recommend anyone to go see them as they put on a spectacular show.

Freeda: Replay

Song Review: Freeda – Let Me Down- 08/05/2020

Freeda

The Freeda boys are back at it! Uniting a nation who are separated during this bewildering time upon us, is made to look easy by the 5 piece from Mossley.

The Song Let Me Down is the latest release by the lovely lads. The song introduces a synth into their instrument range which has allowed Freeda to develop their sound further than just the typical, yet now outdated, indie rock band. The Vocals in this piece, as usual with Freeda, are off the scale, quite literally. Sean’s Vocal range is simply amazing which goes beautifully with with rest of the band who are perfected and polished sounding.

The one criticism I have with this song isn’t the song itself but the way it is mixed, I just feel the guitars and bass could be so much louder as they seem to sound slightly lost within the mix. (Don’t be scared to turn it up to 11 lads!)

A total bonus to this top track is the music video. The lads have choreographed a beautiful and hilarious piece that’s guaranteed to make you smile whether it be Sean singing in the bath or Adam spending a penny. It will perk up anyone’s day who is stuck in the ludicrous lock down.

The single is out now on all major platforms so give these lovely lads a listen .

Album Review: No More Moves – The Dirt

The Dirt is a colourful collaboration duo made up of Jack ( AKA Leon The Pig Farmer) and his partner in crime Sachiko, one of the most creative guitarists around.

‘No More Moves’ is the first set of material released by the duo which incorporates psychedelic looped guitar riffs with gritty true-hearted poetry. It is the perfect combination to get your blood pumping and mind running.

The 7 track album is compromised of 5 songs as well as an intro and outro. As poetry I believe the meaning of Leons words is open to the interpretation, however, one cannot ignore the underlying theme of the tracks is that of ‘the grass is always greener’, determination and kaizen. My favourite 3 tracks of the material is what I will cover although all the pieces are genius in their own right.

The 5 tracks start with the self-descriptive piece ‘Bully.’ The association of ideas in this piece is that of resilience, a destructive choice of words in the opening is tied into a jaggedy western fight feel guitar loop which builds tension well up to the ‘release’ onto the other side of victory and self-defense.

‘Parole’ starting with a monotone simple guitar loop and Leons words of a created self-ego building self-worth. My views on this track are mixed. Trying to decipher the true meaning of the track takes me back to GCSE English Literature, (a place I’d rather not think back to) but your mind cannot help but wonder along with the track and listening to this track over again, it is easy to get lost in the imagery of Leons words, He is a very strong poet.

‘Treadmill of the tortured’ the start of this track is so big it gets you pumped like its the opening of a stadium concert waiting for an artist to come on stage. Sachiko’s guitar work in this track is second to none, giving off a delirious,heated state; it takes your ears and mind to another planet. Leon’s words intertwine so well with the music creating the perfect illusion of confusion, unknowing and uncertainty. This track is the most refreshing piece to listen to, the piece is so easy to get lost in and then so abruptly leaving you wanting more from it.

Overall The Dirt have created an absoloute masterpiece of brilliantly balanced spoken word and psychadelic trance guitar work. For the first material released by the duo, they are starting off strong, leaving us all in anticipation for what comes next.

Artist Review – Jake Fletcher

Jake Fletcher; almost a household name in his hometown of Oldham has made leaps and bounds in the music industry over these past few years.

I was first introduced to the musical prodigy that is Fletcher when I was 14 through his first notable band ‘The Gramotones’. I will never forget the first time I listened to the tracks ‘Money, Girls and Life’ and ‘Victorian Town.’ It was as if a light bulb appeared in my head ( as a side note I was an avid hard metal fan before discovering The Gramotones) The harmonies that they produced were second to none along with Chintsy guitar hooks, Jake and the lads had produced a 60s vibe with a modern twist. I was like nothing I had heard before. Watching them perform live for the first time at Band on the Wall was almost a religious experience for myself and my then-boyfriend, I thank this gig for being the turning point in my music taste as it opened a whole genre of music for me to discover.

The Gramotones – Victorian Town.

Fast track a few years and Jake is now in the music industry as a solo artist but he is far from on his own as he has a cult following of fans who are all equally in awe of this amazing bloke and his raw talent.

Fletcher’s first solo album was released in December of 2019 at Night People, Manchester and the venue was packed full of fans of all ages. The album consists of 9 songs each as beautiful as the last with my personal favourite being ‘Cover in a storm’ (the more devoted of Fletcher fans will know this song has been around for a while before it was officially released.) Jakes songwriting is unmatchable as the songs overflow with emotion and passion, he truly is musical boffin. It is as though Jake is always working on something bigger and better than his last venture and so far he hasn’t disappointed! everything he produces is like nothing I have heard before, It is truly refreshing to have a musician that has his own unique sound that breaks free from the current sad state that is the ‘solo male and guitar’ act.

I would recommend anyone who hasn’t seen Jake Fletcher live to go see him whether it be at one of his gigs with his band or at his solo residencies where he takes requests ( Wednesdays – The Swan Inn – Diggle, Thursdays- The Shoulder of Mutton- Slaithwaite.)

Song Review: Little Strange – Loving Only Gets You Down – 14/02/2020

Little Strange; the hottest space cowboy band you will ever lay your eyes on with their new single ‘Loving only gets you down’ did the complete opposite of the title, with it’s ‘ T-Rex’ Esque psychedelic rock feel, it will not fail to get your feet tapping.

Opening with a simple driving guitar riff and your classic 4/4 drumbeat the song is off to a great simple rock start, with this song the lads have found the beautiful sweet spot between simple yet effective, a ballad you just want to tap your feet to with a beer in hand.

The vocals on this track are hard to compete with, they ooze with lust and desire yet somehow leave you wanting a little more from them as you crave for a slightly bigger more exciting sound build up which isn’t achieved, but maybe is still as effective.

Overall this absolute banger of a track exudes sexiness and passion, making you want to run your hands through your hair and feel the vibe. Its everything you need for a valentines day release yet lacks the romantic expressions, which is what the song is all about.

Afghan Sand Gang @ The Rose and Monkey Hotel 17/12/2019

Afghan Sand Gang (Credit: @AfghanSandGang Twitter)

Afghan sand gang, the Krautrock group from Mossley that produce hypnotic, niche crafted beats, that you will inevitably get sucked into after only a minute of listening.

The Rose and Monkey Hotel is not the place you likely expect to find a band such as Afghan Sand Sang due to its quaint cosy nature. It was comfortably filled with people of all styles, from the lady in the Hawaiian dress and bobble hat to the lads in full suit attire. Although a niche band, they do not attract a similar audience type. The crowd was already pumped for the lad’s performance as the tiny venue was packed after watching the likes of Leon the Pig Farmer, Patrick T Davies and Chloe Monaco; a variety of acts all of whom supported the band.

Afghan themselves, comprised of Matt Burgess, Patrick Neville, Will Owen and Johnny James, graced the tiny 2 man size stage of the Rose and Monkey, yet somehow made it work and absolutely owned it (even if this meant Will was unfortunately hidden at the back of stage).

Playing a number of their tracks from the solid first songs such as ‘Decension’ to their new material ‘Glistener’ the lads had the crowed awestruck with their music no matter if they were a loyal fan or listening to them do their thing for the first time. Even with a few technical hitches throughout the night and their own set, the lads kept poised and pulled off a belting show, every song as infectious as the last. The set didn’t quite last long enough in my opinion (maybe that’s my bias of wanting to listen to the band for longer) but in doing so they left everyone infected by their psychedelic beats craving more.

Overall the whole evening was a success leaving everyone in a great mood, something they always manage to-do. Maybe next time they hopefully play a venue that lets their music reach full potential and big enough for the crowd to dance.

You can find Afghan Sand Gang’s Music on Spotify and Youtube.

Song Review: Play Along (Play Dumb)- South Island Son

Image: Facebook Left to Right: Dan wiebe, Jonny Woodhead, Tom Rothery, Ben wiltshire

South Island Son… The tropical Manchester boy band making indie anthems that won’t fail to make you tap your feet.

Play Along (Play Dumb) is the latest track by this beautifully talented indie band. This single is more fast-paced and upbeat than the majority of their previous releases that you cannot help but sing along to. From the get-go, this song has every element it needs to become your next go-to summertime jam (it’s just a shame they decided to release it in the dead of winter, you missed a trick there lads).

The song starts with a belting stripped back, almost tumbling drum beat which is filled by the heavy rich bass line which in my opinion carries the whole song (Ben must have a big weight on his shoulders).

Followed by the vocals, the lyrics deliver the idea of being ‘care free’ in the sun, it recalls of the better, sunnier days we rarely get here in Manchester. All in all, Johnny’s voice never fails to impress, with his clarity and vocal range he could captivate an audience and make them eat out of the palm of his hand.

Moving to the guitar in this piece, it is simple yet packs a punch; standard yet silky. The chord progression which fills just that little bit of space at the start of each bar, is exactly what is needed, Tom never seems to deliver a bad performance when it comes to guitar..

In summary, this track is definitely one for the summer time pool side playlist, the lads are on to something and whatever that something is, it’s gonna be huge.

LOASTATE @YES 16/11/2019

LOASTATE is the new project of the wonderful Manchester based lads previously from Gramotones and Ethan and the reformation.

The Pink room in YES charles street is filled to the brim, I struggled to find a place to dump my coat as the crowd waited in anticipation with background intro music from the likes of Jurassic park and Star Wars. For their first ever proper headline show it was completely sold out. An amazing fete for the lads behind the music.

The music they create, is hard to fit into one genre. One can only describe it as twenty one pilots mixed with some Guerrilla style marketing and music on more drugs than Hunter S Thompson could handle (however my brother likened them to a take that 2016 style tribute band where they ‘all pretend to be mark owen’ … I don’t think he clicked on the right spotify link on our Whatsapp family group) . As bizarre as it sounds , they are fantastic. The front men, Sid Cooper and Luke Denvers took no time to get the crowd pumping playing their releases ‘Why Me Why?’ and ‘Love as you want it’ along with more songs which are yet to be released, although this didn’t deter the crowd from going wild as it would when most bands play unreleased songs. Throughout the gig the fans were almost drooling at the mouth, I can only come to the conclusion that this is from how beautiful Sid is and not at how great the overall atmosphere is that these lads give off. The Aesthetic the guys had created was absolutely brilliant. The band Themselves, completed by Tom Gorton, James Cardus and Ryan Comac looked so comfortable on stage together despite this being the bands 2nd ever live performance. The music was well rehearsed and the frontman-ship of the lads absolutely made this performance.

Their Latest single ‘Gross Domestic Happiness/Create Great’ Is out now on Spotify, It’s Simple synth repetitions and brilliant Harmonies in front of the band Gel together with lyrics that speak momentous truth of today’s society to create Possibly my most played song on Spotify this month . https://open.spotify.com/track/63MBWBjnqiwHEAQFBRh4Hx