Sounds of an Eccentric

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...