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Video of the day - The Cribs Ryan Jarman gets interviewed by a cute kid.

Not much else to say other than that this is a great little video and proves that Ryan Jarman is a top chap! New Cribs record out this week, review on the way!

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Tune Of The Day: Thrice - Words In The Water

This is an epic song taken from 'Major/ Minor', the most recent album from Californian outfit and alt rock heroes Thrice. The quartet announced late last year that they would be taking a break from being a full time band after 13 years of touring around the world and the release of 7 albums and play their final UK show (for now) in London tomorrow evening. I can honestly say I'd only really gotten into Thrice properly when hearing this record, and what an album to get aqquainted with, it's just a really powerful piece of melodic rock music and Words In The Water is the album's only 6 minute epic and is just a beautiful song.

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Album Review: Joyce Manor - Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired

Last year Californian quartet Joyce Manor released their 18 minute debut album which was a lesson in creating short and sweet indie-punk-garage-pop song's and left us all leaving for more. Now their back with their second 'album' which clocks even at an even shorter 13 minutes and is rather a eclectic affair ranging from loud and proud punk pop (there's a brilliant cover of 80's classic 'Video Killed The Radio Star'), to lo-fi acoustic's ('Drainage' being the key example here) to straight up indie pop ('Bride Of Usher' sounds heavily inspired by 'The Smiths'). It's a real mixed bag that we have here and it's unpredicability makes this an absoutley joy to listen to; what I like about short albums is that they get to the point straight away, and although Joyce Manor have many different points to make across the array of styles that shift between each song, they still manage give us a pretty spot statement of intent in the most exhillirating 13 minutes your likely to hear from the Lo-Fi in a while! Fuckin' A!

Rating: A*

Key Tracks: If I Needed You There / Video Killed The Radio Star / Bride Of Usher

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Just under a year ago, Scottish quartet Twin Atlantic released their magnificent debut album onto the world, entitled Free. This record is full of huge sounding rock songs with big hooks, even bigger choruses with plenty of riffs and strong melodies throughout! I felt the need to tell all of those that have yet to hear this brilliant record that you can get it on iTunes at the moment for the crazy price of £3.99! Now that is silly cheap! I'm sure your'll have heard the singles by now; Edit Me, Time to Stand Up and Free were all huge hits of last year in the world of rock and recent single Make A Beast Of Myself has been doing the rounds nicely on radio stations across the globe. So do yourself a favour and go find out what all the fuss is about! GO BUY FREE! INVEST IN TWIN ATLANTIC! mcTRUST ME!

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Video Of The Day: Heights - These Streets

These Streets is one of two new tracks that British hardcore outfit Heights have just released as a free download for fans. Showing a more melodic side to the bands epic take on hardcore, this is still as heavy, loud and energetic as ever but with a killer riff and soaring guitar work, it look's like album two is gonna turn some heads! The video is pretty simple yet effective performance video of the band, well, taking to the streets!

Download this tune and another awesome epic jam called 'Gold Coast' fo' free at www.weareheights.com

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Video of the Day: Tellison - Freud Links the Teeth and the Heart

Tellison made one of the best guitar pop records of last year 'The Wages Of Fear' and are very much a treasure of the British indie rock scene, I dont think I'm only the guy who thinks that they deserve to be huge! 'Freud Links the Teeth and the Heart' is the lovely mid-album pop ballad, which has been re-worked with extra twinkle which re-enforces it's simple, twee romantasim. And with a quirky little video to go with it, this should be a hit!

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Tune Of The Day: Alabama Shakes - Hold On

It seems that everyone is talking about Alabama Shakes right now and rightly so.  Haven't just made the top five in the UK with their debut LP 'Boys And Girls', it seems that big things are in the pipe line for this Athens based outfit. 'Hold On' is a song that has been knocking around for a little while now and I believe was the bands first single, but I've gotta say, I've only just heard it and I totally see what all the fuss is about! This is a soulful indie rock song that sounds timeless; its just a real laid back little ditty that is catchy, groovey and full of soul. I say: Believe the hype.

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Video/ Track of the Day: Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - Daylight Robbery

Daylight Robbery is the second track we've from Get Cape's foruth album 'Maps' which is due out next month and is a fuzzy piece of simplistic indie pop. This is a fun song with a just as fun video as Sam pays homage to videos from the likes of REM, Tyler The Creator, Beasite Boys and The White Stripes. If you want to feel uplifted check this out, its got a hook you'll be humming all day. Welcome back Sam!

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Video/ Track Of the day: Shoes and Socks Off - Tork Sport

I've been pretty obbessed with the many musical projects of prolific songwriter and musicianship Toby Hains but his Shoes And Socks Off project is probably my favourite in all it's unpredictable glory. Flitting bewteen gentle acoustics to electronica soundscapes, Toby has not been affraid of experimenting with this project and as about to unleash his 5th album in 5 years. 'Tork Sport' is the first offering from 'Miles Of Mad Water'; which was once a stripped back acoustic number but is now a minimalistic piece of electronica with a strong bass strong, flittering drum beats and sumptous harmonies and is very reminisant of Radiohead's more electronically infused work. The sign of awesome things to come!

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ALBUM REVIEW: Now, Now - Threads

Been meaning to write a few words about this record as it's been in my ears since the start of last month and is a real ace and lovely little listen. Now, Now are a three piece based in Minneapolis who make melodic indie rock and in my eyes are like a female fronted 'Death Cab For Cutie' as both bands have the knack for writing sumptuos melodies wrapped in romantised yet melancholic lyrics. 'Threads' is their second LP but I guess you call it their debut as it is their first album as a three piece and under the name Now, Now (they were previously known as Now, Now Every Children) and is a more expansive and dynamic effort than their previous efforts which results in a deeply moving and passionate record. From short, sweet breezy pop, slow burning indie and passionate rock songs, the dynamics of this record really draw you from the atmospheric sonic's of opener 'Pull', to the epic, fuzzy keyboard soaked build of closer 'Magnet', this is very much a emotional rollercoaster of an album which shows off the band's musicanship and songwriting skills to great effect. Now, Now are a band should welcome into your life.

Rating: A

Key tracks: Prehistoric / Dead Oaks / Seperate Rooms

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ALBUM REVIEW: Maps & Atlases - Beware And Be Grateful

Maps and Atlases were once described by my younger sister as 'musical wizards'. I strongly agree with the statement as this Chicagco based outfit have been blowing my mind for quite some time now with their unique brand of twiddly indie pop; starting life as a techy, math pop band on their debut EP before inovling into a even more complex beast experimenting more with melodies, harmonies and acoustic textures on their excellent debut album 'Perch Patchwork'. Now we have their second LP, 'Beware And Be Grateful' which is another intricately structured set that see's the band experimenting with the sound sonically, incorpating electronics and more simplistic melodies which makes for some of their most instant, pop hit moments to date ('Fever','Winter' and 'Vampires' acting as prime examples here). But for the fan's of their earlier, techy sound, fear not as 'Bugs' has a super slick little acoustic riff, 'Old As'h is packed full of sweet little guitar licks looping round each other and 'Silver Self' is a wonderfully groovy little tune full of ace little guitar trinket's over lapping one another. In short this album is an abosoutle joy to listen to, it's got pop hits, funky grooves and all these wonderous little layers that build up every song for just a glorious outcome; listen and be uplifted.

Rating: A*

Key tracks: Silver Self / Bugs / Old Ash

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TOUR OF THE WEEK!

I've been really hyped about this tour since it got announced late last year. Your Demise seem to go from strength to strength on each record they release and with their latest LP 'The Golden Age' they've made a straight up, infectious skate punk record that is full of future punk pop hits; latest single 'These Lights' in particular is one of the best punk pop jam's I've wrapped my ear's around  this year. I've yet to properly get into both Trapped Under Ice and Man Overboard but both bands seemed to have really recpetions on this tour so far and from I'm looking forward to seeing what their show's are like, particually with Trapped Under Ice bringing a heavier and more hardcore flavour to the evening while Man Overboard just pump out simple, catchy pop punk songs. And then there's Basement who have become one of my favourite UK rock band's in recent times, combining punk, pop, rock and grunge to make a winning combinion of catchy melodies and heart wrenching energy. I have been rinising both their debut EP and LP that have been about for a while and they both excellent records, so all in all, it's shaping up to be a good night on Wednesday in Manchester! See y'all there!

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Album Review: Blood Red Shoes - In Time To Voices

In 2008, Brighton based two piece Blood Red Shoes unleashed their fantastic debut album 'Box Of Secrets' and took the indie scene by storm with it's big riffs, super catchy pop hooks and grungy undertones. In 2010 they followed it up with 'Fire Like This' which was still full of chunky riffage and infectious choruses but was an ultimately more darker, louder and grungier affair. So here we are in 2012 and on their third LP, Laura-Mary and Steven have created an album that is eclectic, dynamic and thier most ambitious set to date. Opener and title track starts in true BRS fashion, intstant meldoies, building throughout the verses before an explosive chorus of crashing drums, beefy guitars and passionate dual vocals; but with the use of additonal backing vocals and guitars this is the sound of a band pushing the boundaries of their simplistic two piece set up and trying to make their sound fuller and bigger but still retaining the rawness and urgency of their previous records. Elsewhere theress a fiery punk song in the form of 'Je Me Perds', 'Two Dead Minutes' is all eerie backing vocals and simpistic synths with an electro pulse, 'Night Light' and 'Slip Into The Blue' both bring out the haunting acoustic tones and 'The Silence And The Drones' acts as the album's dynamic centrepiece that builds and builds with a climatic strings-infused ending. In Time To Voices is an album that reveals a new twist in every song and sees Blood Red Shoes at the peak of their powers as both musicians and songwriters; an incredible comeback!

Rating: A

Key Tracks: Two Dead Minutes / Je Me Perd / Stop Kicking 

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Gig review: Saturday 24th March - InME @ Moho Live, Manchester

Alot of people will remember InME as three young lads who made emo-rock in the early naughties but what you may not know is that they have now evolved into four grown men who make melodic metal and have just released their fifth album entitled The Pride. Tonight they rip through their extenstive back catalogue showing how far they've come from the straight up riff rock of 7 Weeks and Underdose to the more metallic guitar work of Saccharine Arcadia and Cracking the Whip. But with tonight being as part of an intense two month tour around the UK in support of their new record, the band treat us to a big chunk of The Pride which sound's just as epic and mystical as it does on record with A Great Man offering a huge, crowd friendly chorus, while Moonlit Seabed gives us a killer dance-infused breakdown and Legacy acting a emotional, power-ballad esque ending to the main set. With a perfomance like tonight, InME have proven that they truely are one of British rock music's most treasured and passionate bands.

Grade: A*

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Track of The Day: Breton - Ordnance Survey

Breton are a collective of film makers and musician's based in London who formed a band in order to soundtrack their visual works and in the process have become quite the buzz band. Their debut album 'Other Peoples Problems' is out tomorrow (March 26th) has been recieving very postivie reviews and everyone seems quite excited about them. 'Ordance Survey' is the lead track from their recently released free EP 'The Blanket Rule' and is an super slick slice of indie-dance-pop with a Foals-esque guitar lines, a super groovey disco beat and a very catchy chorus and has to potential to become a hit at indie disco's all over the shop. Today is probably the best day to get into Breton, as I had yet to hear their tunes and I'm loving the EP, really looking forward to hearing the album, out tomorrow and they're also hitting the road in the support of the album, playing the uk leg this week, so go check em' out! To download this ep and for info on the band, the album and their tour check out their FB page: www.facebook.com/bretonlabs

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When you play pass the parcel with human bodyparts, Somebody might get head but someone will get hurt....

We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives

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