The Lodger
Flashbacks
Out Now

This is the third album by the Leeds quartet and the group began in 2004 and I remember booking them to play the cooperage in the mid 00’s. The band have always been on the fringes, playing Cool indie nights but missing out on the mainstream crossover. This album is produced by Richard Formby (Spaceman 3, Wild Beasts) and features diverse range of collaborators and cohorts. Which broadens the pallet of the outfit and gives them a bigger sound. There is a thin line between a Maximo Park and indie also rans. Sadly this sounds like the latter but in the later 1990’s, at the bitter end of Britpop. Of course it will find a loving audience but this is just a bit too twee and very old school Indie and doesn’t excite me. It is always important to evolve but the band will be a cult act who are viewed as saviours by some and boring retro indie by others.

thisisfakediyrecords.co.uk

Club Chernoble EP
Bear with Me Records
Out now

The mysterious creative entity known as Foist is not recommended for chidren.it is a nightmarish early in the morning post club freakout. Special mention for the truly amazing and very long titles as well. It is a relentless onslaught of beats, genuinely scary sounbites. It’s shiney pop music fed through with distortion and remixed into an entirely new beast. I suppose this is postmodernism at its best. If you like your music exciting and challenging like Chris Morris and David Lynch working on a nice play. This should be the new Nightmare on Elm street soundtrack, now that would get people scared!

bearwithmerecords.co.uk

We're All In This Together
Gift Of The Gab

Gabby Young a classically trained and from Wiltshire is backed by her 8-piece band Other Animals covers a wide gamut of the musical genre. As they successfully combine pop, folk, and indie pop laced with succulent jazz flavours. ‘Whose House’ for one has not produces a varied sound as a carnival-esque feel is added to the usual hustle and bustle, complete with rousing harmony vocals to go with her expansive vocal tones.

Leaves Lo
Five Records

Australian-born Ben is a natural singer-songwriter talent. After touring with the band Ruby’s grace, alongside his brother Sam and making two albums and two EPs down in he moved to Glasgow in 2006 and has been there ever since. In some ways he reminds me of Scottish act James Grant, only thing the young Ben is easier to listen to, and through his intimate production and gliding vocals breaks down barriers others don’t.

Wonderful easy on the ear pop folk that enjoy engaging qualities that border on addiction make you want to check out the album from which the single hails.

www.myspace.com/bentdmusic