Sounds of an Eccentric

2016 took many great and iconic musicians away from us - from Bowie to Prince to Rick Parfitt. However a man in fabulous spectacles once sang and taught us about the Circle of Life. Although 2016 brought about a great loss, 2017 shall bring about a world of opportunity for up and coming musicians. There's an immutable abundance of talent in the North East, and it's time it got the recognition it deserves. So without further ado, here's my top tracks of 2016. COQUIN MIGALE - 'SOFT' Now Coquin Migale are a somewhat inconsistent group - their music either is a little lackluster or radiates an atomic bomb's worth of energy. However, it would be a crime to the local scene not to have this track in this piece. 'SOFT' is their latest and greatest work and I hope the band channel the vibe of this track in the new year and continue to grow and produce the incredible music they're clearly capable of. THE PALE WHITE - 'THAT DRESS...

The Black Sheep Frederick  Dickens eponymous debut six track E.P. is an undeniably theatrical composition. Although there are some moments of charming musicianship (such as the piano driven melodies and introduction to the opening track 'Sibling Rivalry' or the ebullient percussion in the fourth track 'Penny Buns and Gin'), the overall tone and feel to the E.P. is just self indulgent and a little hollow. The Black Sheep Frederick Dickens by The Black Sheep Frederick Dickens Furthermore the length of the E.P. is somewhat awkward and clumsy. Six tracks is just too long for an E.P.. The band should have opted for a four track E.P. or waited to have enough material to create a complete album. This is particularly cumbersome as the majority of the tracks are very similar and the whole E.P. does drag a bit. The only track with any engaging hooks or energy is 'Penny Buns and Gin' and it does salvage the E.P. slightly, but the distorted and over-prod...

Despite only forming earlier this year, cosmic-pop trio  The Old Pink House   have taken the Newcastle music scene by storm, becoming one of the coolest 'it' bands on the radar. Their debut single 'So Bad' is an infectiously catchy synth-pop anthem that'll see even the shyest of audiences singing and dancing along. The song is fuelled by falsetto vocals and peppy synth, heightened by the unique tone of the percussion, giving it tonnes of attitude without compromising its gripping catchiness. The track radiates a fun and upbeat energy, that's enriched by intricate melodies and sweet harmonies. The chorus revolves around the simple line of: "How am I supposed to love you now that it's over", making it accessible to all listeners, despite the quirkiness of the percussion. The track also featured on Spotify's 'Hot New Bands' playlist, alongside bands such as  The Pale White ,  Cape Cub  and  The Magic Gang . Their latest trac...

'Goodnight, Vienna!' is the latest single from dynamic indie rock group Nettles .  The Newcastle based trio gained popularity after they released their debut single ' What Did You Do' and have supported acts such as Colour of Spring , BLESH ,  and Trudy and the Romance . The track opens with a gritty yet oh-so-catchy lick  before welcoming front man Louis Gomes' reserved, suave snarl. The first verse serves as a dramatic, elongated crescendo; fuelled by an armada of lo-fi guitar, ebullient percussion and enigmatic vocals. The track then explodes into a bold fusion of powerful riffs, intrepid bass and herculean beats, engulfing the listener a colossal wave of ballsy attitude. The lyrics of the track are more light-hearted than 'What Did You Do', allowing the track to possess a more upbeat vibe, with the lines 'Cause you're the King of No One, Goodnight Vienna' and 'Boys you'll go far' resonating the most poignantly. Overall, it...

'Like You Do' is the latest single from Newcastle based singer songwriter Simon Taylor, who has recently performed acoustic performances for BBC Introducing and 2016's Oxjam Gateshead. Taylor definitely needs to tweak some of his lyrics to enable the song to sound like a sincere love song. The track opens with the line: 'is it indecent to say you turn me on in every day' , which when combined with a very synthetic sounding string and piano melody, comes across as quite sleazy and crude  (and most definitely 'indecent'!) It is particularly uncomfortable to listen to and temporarily distracts the listener for the first few lines of the first verse. Fortunately however, Taylor redeems himself buy featuring some quite sweet and sincere lines, allowing the track to actually sound somewhat romantic. The original line is repeated later in the song, however it doesn't sound so blunt and crass later in the song. Additionally, the song would sound more o...

'Be Forever Mine' is the latest single from Sunderland based indie rock group Social Room. Since forming in 2015, the six piece band have earned a loyal following, playing countless shows around the North East, as well as shows in Liverpool and London. The track opens with a pounding beat, before welcoming an engaging lick and front man Matty Smith's husky vocals. As the track progresses, it crescendos into a rich sound, fuelled by gritty bass lines, enigmatic riffs and bewitching harmonies, engulfing the listener in an impressive wave of bold indie rock. The balance of all the intricate riffs and enchanting harmonies is fantastic, showcasing skilled musicianship and creating a sophisticated edge that the saturated indie genre is so desperately craving. My only criticism of the track is that the vocals could be a bit more expressive, which would enable Smith to emphasise his gorgeously suave tones. Regardless, 'Be Forever Mine' is a great addition to their set...

'Baby Got Back' is the second single from Whitley Bay based indie group  HEDGES . The track opens with an ambient layer of lo-fi humming, before welcoming a catchy and upbeat guitar riff and ebullient percussion. The lyrics possess a poetic charm, and lines such as: 'I've had these visions of late, of dark skies storm clouds and rain and I know that people will change, but why couldn't you stay the same' or 'he's lost his home, scared of a future he doesn't know' or 'we need to go back to that place, but some things just can't stay the same', resonate in a captivating and arresting manner. In addition to the thought provoking lyrics, front man Sam Aves' vocals delivers a strong and confident performance. Aves' vocals have significantly improved since their debut single, showcasing a more controlled tone, making his voice more engaging and emotive. However, the most impressive element of this track is the dynamic instr...

Tell us a little about yourself and FLUXX Gigs .   I've been involved in the music business all my life really. My parents were always in bands when I was growing up, so I guess it runs in the family. I've been in bands myself from a young age, to the present day. However, I started FLUXX because I realised that there are a lot of young and upcoming bands in Newcastle and the north east who need somewhere to either start out and get some gigs. I really want to help bands progress and expand their fan base, as well as promote local talent! Why FLUXX? Is there a story behind the name?  There isn't really anything significant about "FLUXX". I really just needed to brand my nights so people knew who was putting on the gigs. I saw a back to the future meme which had the flux capacitor on it and I thought to myself, "hmmmm Flux". So it was more or less the first thing that came to my head. When I wrote it down it didn't look eye catching enou...

I caught up with Danny, Harry and Caz from Darlington bassed indie-pop band Apex, to chat about everything from Christmas singles to The Rolling Stones. For the readers not familiar with you and your music, tell us a little about yourself. A whirlwind biography of APEX if you like. H : I’m Harry, singer and guitarist in Apex , we’ve been a band for 3(4?) years now. We started out playing covers in a practice room at college, and now we’ve got our debut E.P. ['Smooth Talk'] out with more on the way and we’ve played gigs all over the north of England. D : Yeah, we started out as something to fill the summer holidays, we enjoyed playing together, and we got offered a slot at a gig and we haven’t really looked back since. Except Caz though, he’s new! Which musicians or experiences have influenced you the most? Both personal tastes and the band's sound. H : A lot of names sort of spring to mind regarding our sound, Little Comets and The 1975 are bands we really apprec...

After being criticised by my roommates for "only listening to crap North East music", I was enraged. Yes, I do indeed listen to a lot of local bands, but they are far from "crap".  I have made it my mission to convert them to fans of the NE Scene and all the glorious acts that make it so amazing.  My weapon of choice is a good old Souncloud playlist, filled with over 120 brilliant tracks. I've selected one track from each artist (bar ThemThings as their track wasn't available for embedding) as a taster for you lovely readers. #SUPPORTYOURSCENE Disclaimer: There are many more brilliant NE acts, however they're on Bandcamp or Spotify so I cannot get them all on playlist - Soundcloud was the best option for this article. LISTEN TO THE FULL PLAYLIST  

My September has consisted of: moving away for uni, excessive drinking, freshers flu and indulging in some fantastic new releases from the North East music scene. These new releases have kept my morale high and drowned out the sound of coughing and vomiting in university halls this past month and I genuinely hope you enjoy them as much as I have! The Pale White - That Dress The latest release from Newcastle's favourite indie rock trio; 'That Dress' maintains The Pale White's  formidable reputation for producing killer tracks that are as gritty as they are catchy. The track was released just in time to gain a wave of adoring support before their sold out gig tomorrow night at THINK TANK (with support from PLAZA  and A Festival A Parade)  and it's sure to be an enthralling and memorable night for the Newcastle music scene. MOUSES - THE MOUSES ALBUM The highly anticipated debut album from fruzzy-rockers MOUSES  was everything I wanted it to be - a...

'Warning' is the latest four track E.P. by Newcastle based singer-songwriter Savannah Betts. The album was produced by SoShe's Jamie Johnson and it's a beautiful marriage of two very talented musicians.  The gorgeously subtle electronic music perfectly complements Betts' powerful vocals, enabling her to showcase her range and technical skill through a series of stunning ballads. The E.P. opens with the title track; 'Warning'; is a catchy yet gloriously moody ballad that radiates a tranquil vibe and envelopes the listener in Betts' bewitching vocals. This style is mirrored in the third  track; 'Everything  For You'; a charming, sentimental love song. The following track 'Help' is the strongest on the E.P., as it highlights Bett's extraordinary vocal range, leaving you breathless with the power behind it. The guitar solo featured is also beautiful and goes onto facilitate her vocals, creating an engaging harmony.  The...

Kazoopa Festival is back, bringing you over 50 up and coming bands from across the UK in 5 buzzing venues. Kazoopa Festival was created by independent gig promoters  Double Denim Live , filling the city of Leeds with some of the best musical talent. As a blogger and music enthusiast new to Leeds, I'm really excited for what the festival has in store. It's a great opportunity to check out some new cool bands. So without further ado, here are my top five picks for Kapooza Festival. Young Kato I first heard of this group when Newcastle based band  Dalaro  supported them a couple of years ago and I'm excited to see if they live up to their hype.   The Jackobins If there's one way to my heart; it's a beefy bass line; and the Jackobins don't disappoint. Upbeat, hearty indie rock. The Velveteens 60's influenced, female fronted rock. What's not to love? The Barmines Gritty indie rock that's great to dance to and...

For those readers not familiar with you or your music, tell us a little about yourselves and your sound? Straight up Indie Rock, Sal. Like you kindly wrote for our Social Media bio, we just go out and play loud and fast and hopefully people will forget what they’re doing for that half an hour and have a good time. Don’t really go for gimmicks or a certain ‘Indie’ image (is that a gimmick in itself?) Which artists have inspired you the most? Both individually and as a band. It’s great to have artists that care about just writing good guitar music getting a name for themselves – artists like Catfish and The Bottlemen, Blossoms etc. We love what they’re all doing at the moment. Why  Vito?  Any interesting stories behind the choosing of the name? We used to just go under Tom Conway but wanted to change the name as we’re more of a collective than a singer-songwriter backing band, and genuinely couldn’t think of anything. No idea how people come up with original n...

For those readers not familiar with you and your music, tell us a little about yourself and your sound .  I'm Cal Ruddy, a Singer/Songwriter from Liverpool. I'd describe my sound as Modern Merseybeat, I've got a very vintage vibe to my material and I take influence from a lot of different genres as I listen to a wide range of music. Rockabilly, Blues, Soul, Jazz, Punk Rock and Country bleed through into my writing process quite a bit and you can hear elements of these styles on my new EP Communication!  Which artists and experiences have had the greatest impact on you? Both with you and your song writing? I've got a lot of influences from all sorts of genres as I have a really vast and eclectic musical taste. Top ones for me particularly in regards to forming who I am today as a songwriter would be Richard Ashcroft (both with The Verve and his solo stuff), Edgar Jones of cult Liverpool band: The Stairs. Also, James Skelly from The Coral with the more obv...

Despite only forming a few months ago,  BLESH  are the hottest band on the Newcastle circuit. The trio's sound resembles a bold, grunge version of Mac DeMarco, radiating a chilled yet exciting vibe. And it works oh so well.  Their ebullient stage presence never fails to enliven crowds, whilst providing a friendly ambiance through their genuine manner and witty banter. BLESH are at their best when they indulge in powerful drops and ferocious guitar solos, as it showcases the extent of their technical skill and showmanship. There's an incredibly bright future on the horizon for this group and I'm really looking forward to seeing how their sound develops and how they evolve as an act. E.P. REVIEW SUPPORT BLESH FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM SPOTIFY

When I decided to start a music blog, I never thought that I would have accomplished what I have. In just under a year and a half I've worked with countless talented musicians, been published online and in print, interviewed Wolf Alice and earned an Unconditional Offer to study Journalism at Leeds Beckett University. However, the next step of my writing journey means I will be leaving the area that has shown me so much kindness and support. The North East Music Scene will always have a place in my heart. It's a thriving scene with so many amazing artists and so much variety, that keeps me entertained both as a writer and as an avid music lover. Thank you to every musician, writer, editor, photographer and all the lovely folk who have read my blog. I wouldn't have been able to achieve any of this without you.  In celebration of the North East Scene, I have compiled a few of my favourite aspects of it. These are the bands I shall listen to when I miss home, or any ot...