Sounds of an Eccentric

'Honey' is the latest track from Liverpool six-piece Red Rum Club . Known for their brazen brand of 'Scouse Americana', the group have had a busy twelve months. From recording their debut album to selling out Liverpool's O2 Accademy, to winning the prestigious Pirate Prodigies and subsequently playing Reading and Leeds Festival - it's clear that the group are set for a bright future. Joe Corby's trumpet fronts the brief intro of the song, with a bold, gutsy sound that captures the listener. Like all of their previous singles, the gallant trumpet melody elevates the track, providing a warm air of theatricality. The trumpet continues to add character throughout the track, but the song could definitely carry an even heavier emphasis on the trumpet. This would compliment Doran's rawer than usual vocals in the undeniably catchy chorus of: "Honey we've got a history, Honey you'll be the death of me". The peppy bass line provi

Artwork by Kat Willaims Welcome to the first episode of our brand new music podcast: Contra Cast. This week Ben and I will be showing you our inner madness and reviewing music from: DUDS, Hello Operator , Sam Fender, Red Rum Club and KOYO. Check out our Patreon Page and any spare pennies would be greatly appreciated, so we can continue to create the show. So without further ado, here is the show. Let us know what you thought either in the comments or on Facebook .  (Here's our Twitter and Instagram for good measure!) Big Love, Sal and Ben x Download it hear!

Grimbsy indie band MINT have launched a charity campaign in protest of the of Air Strikes in Syria.  After claiming that Hulk Hogan had tweeted about their latest single, the band announced that it was all an hoax . The group wanted to illustrate how easy it is to create Fake News and to coerce the public into believing a skewed message.  The band have since announced that they have created two 'Mintamania' t-shirts. All the profit made from the shirts will be donated to Save the children. I caught up with their front man Zak Rashid to find out more. Now you've caused a bit of a stir on social media recently. Talk us through the whole Hulk Hogan tweet scenario.  Basically, the idea stemmed   from us being so sick of seeing fake news. We assumed that if people saw it was a joke, its comical and harmless. And if they believed it then point proven. So we were scratching our head thinking how we could make it relevant and useful. Y

Soma Fest hits London venue The Cellar this Saturday - with performances from Sisteray, The Garage Flowers, The Barrats, Feral Family and many more, you'd be mad to miss it. The all day festival is ran by promotions company Modern Age Music, an organisation that goes above and beyond to showcase and nourish the UK's independent music scene. Doors are at 1pm and bands will be performing until 1am - so wear your sturdiest dancing shoes. Tickets are priced at £6.60, and with 15 bands performing, that means that you're only paying just over 40p per band you see. The festival coincides with Independent Record Store Day, meaning that you can really indulge in the best of what the independent music scene has to offer. When you support your local bands and stores, you give them the ability to flourish, injecting a sense of community and culture to your area. For the price of two pints (or maybe one - it is London afterall!) you can make a difference and have an &

Photos by Jack Herron I caught up with J Smirk ahead of his show at Newcastle's O2 Academy to chat about his slot at Hit the North Festival and his new exciting side project. It's been a while since you've been on the blog. Welcome back! You've not been making music for very long but you've already achieved so much! For the readers not familiar with you and your work - give them a whirlwind introduction. I'm J Smirk, I'm a Newcastle based hip-hop/rap/r'n'b artist. I started making music seriously about a year and a half ago and it's just flown over. I've already had the opportunity to work with so many amazing people. At the moment it's all abut pushing forward and experimenting. You've been selected to play Hit the North Festival. Although it's only in its second year, it has established an indie-centric sound. How do you feel about playing a the festival as an urban artist?  It's going to be interesting.

Happy Easter y'all. This week's additions to the SOAE playlist come from: Hello Operator , Velvela, Purple Thread, The Pale White and Avalanche Party. FOLLOW SOUNDS OF AN ECCENTRIC FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM

Photo by Alethea Shephard This year is flying by! Don't be a fool this April - go support your local music scene. 1st - Arcades with support from The Americas, Bad Bug, Follow the Giant at The Lending Room 2nd - La Rissa, Mutabase, Cynthias Persiscope, Work, Tom Bramfoot at Wharf Chambers 3rd -  Veda at Hyde Park Book Club 4th - Ivory Wave, Northern Comfort, The Brackets, Spearmint Tongues at The Lending Room 5th - SG Lewis at Belgrave Music Hall and Canteen 6th - Tuesday's Secret, The World Keeps, Elastic Waste, Fudge at The Lending Room 7th - Double Denim Live Presents: The Brazen and Neon Dolls Co-Headline at Key Club 8th - Myles Manley at The Carlton Club 9th - Queen Zee at The Castle 10th - This Feeling Presents: Trampolene, Himalayas, Sophie and the Giants at The Junction 11th Keyon Harrold at Brudenell Social Club 12th - Goat Girl at The Shipping Forecast 13th - Orielles at Brudenell Social Club 14th - Double Deni

Photo by Alethea Shephard Sounds of an Eccentric is three years old! When I spontaneously wrote a review of a Little Comets gig three years ago, I never thought anyone (apart from my mam) would read it,   and to see how the blog has grown over the past few years is incredible and really humbling. I want to thank everyone who has supported me and my writing. Every band, artist, photographer, promoter, writer, or live music fan - you let me indulge in my two greatest passions in life and for that I am so grateful. In particular I'd like to thank Cath Wilcox (my darling Mama Soul and Number One fan), Jack and Carly Bowden, Shaan Sira, Ben Marcano-Olivier and all the Tranqua Lite Boys,  Russel Poad, Karl Hodge, Martina Topic, Richy Southern, Phil Mitchell, Mick Dolman, Chantel Littlewood, Arianne Jessop, Nathan Robinson, Alethea Shephard, Adam Gallagher, Cal Ruddy and all the team at Spotlight UK and Indie Central Music. You're all fabulous and have given me

Photo by Ant Adams This week's 'Track of the Week' comes from Kent trio Glass Peaks . The dynamic three piece have taken a bold DIY move with their latest single; '(Don't) Ask Me To Dance', as they've independently recorded and mixed the track.  Their ballsy move has definitely paid off, as the track is arguably their most creative work to date. It's more mellow than their previous tracks, radiating a warm, endearing ambiance, that illustrates a cooler, suaver side to the group. Their older tracks use more synth and dance melodies, whereas this track has a more prominent guitar sound and showcases the range of front man Alfie Jefferies vocals, which flit from gravelly rock cries to dreamy lilts. As the track progresses bold riffs and drops gives the song a refreshing grit that's sure to be a 'wow moment' when performed live. The final instrumental incorporates a more upbeat vibe, providing the song with an engaging vigour and end

Photo by Hayley Rawlings Last Friday Manchester based psyche-folk artist Solis christened her debut E.P, with an intimate and profoundly charming gig at Leaf on Portland Street. From the hand-painted tapestry to the feather scattered floor, the evening radiated a quintessentially bohemian vibe. The interluding chatter was minimal due to the hypnotically captivating energy of her performance. She was able to orchestrate the room, simultaneously summoning a gentle sway and raising the hairs on the back of your neck. Supporting the enigmatic artist was fellow Mancunian groups  Plume ,  Hark  and  Different Oceans , all of which amicably played stripped back versions of their set, heightening the tranquil aura of the evening. The eponymous E.P. features four of her most celebrated tracks: 'Spirits', 'Home', 'Osmosis' and her stand out track 'Be Together'. Fuelled by lilting vocals and an ethereal chorus, 'Be Together' is a dreamy

On Sunday night Nottingham musician Jake Bugg played an intimate, acoustic gig at Leeds Grand Theatre. All the dates on the tour are at seated venues, creating a relaxed ambiance from the get go. Bugg has established a prestigious brand for himself. The mainstream commercial success of his debut album has provided him with a wide fan base, which has consequently allowed him to be more creative with his later albums, earning his stripes with the critics. Kicking the night off was singer-songwriter Georgie, known for her soulful vocals and witty lyrics the young artist captivated the room with her charming stage presence. The highlight of her set was her track 'Too Much TV' (the title track of her upcoming debut E.P.), a gritty, tongue-and-cheek ballad with a punchy chorus. Bugg then graced the stage, playing a ninety minute, stripped back acoustic set. It was a bold move that highlighted his skilled musicianship and demanded the full attention of the audience.

This week's Spotify playlist additions come from Glass Peaks, The Blinders, Dream Estate, The Old Pink House and Twilight Driving . Give them a listen and keep your eyes peeled for upcoming reviews and articles.  FOLLOW SOUNDS OF AN ECCENTRIC FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM

Photo by Alethea Shephard March is nearly upon us and with so many exciting independent gigs on the horizon, it's the perfect time to discover your new favourite band. 1st March - Contagious Courageous and In The Tune Presents: Scribble Victory, Rascalton, Emaze and Cameron Sinclair-Harris at the Sitwell Tavern 2nd March - Solis Debut E.P. Launch at Leaf on Portland Street 3rd March - The Harriets at Belgrave Canteen and Music Hall 4th March - Farfisa Single Release at Aatma 5th March - Here Lies Man at the Brudenell Social Club 6th March - THE WORLD IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE & I AM NO LONGER AFRAID TO DIE at Brudenell Social Club 7th March - Deep.Sleep at the Lending Room 8th March - Spotlight Music Presents: International Women's Day Showcase At Independent 9th March -  Sauvage, Mosaic Sun & Noah Noah at Tynemouth Surfcafe 10th March - Double Denim Live Presents: Avenoir Single Launch at Key Club 11th March -   Tranqua Lit

Photo by Sam Shaw 'When Love Goes Wrong' is the second single from Brighton indie-pop quartet Twilight Driving .  A heavy 80s pop and early 00s indie influence meanders throughout their music, radiating a wholesome, tranquil sound. Imagine The 1975 met Switchfoot  - you'd get a track like 'When Love Goes Wrong'. The simple melody is nostalgic of 00s indie-pop - it wouldn't be out of place in the background of a Hilary Duff Rom-Com. And that's not a bad thing, it just channels a soundtrack vibe. However, the charming synth harmonies gives it a modern edge and lovely ambiance. Intimate lyrics ('we're losing ourselves my dear', 'am I making you happy any more?') provides the track with a warm candidness that gives the track an honest intimacy. As the track conclues they incorporate some unusual distorted riffs. Unfortunately they just sound clumsy and obnoxious and distract from the sweet, twinkling synth and endearing vocals

On Thursday night Sheffield indie group SHEAFS kicked off their debut UK tour with a bolshie gig at Oporto in Leeds. Kicking the night off was new kids on the block Manuka Hive . A glitzy fusion of gritty riffs, proud harmonies and beefy bass. After opening with a somewhat lackluster track, they erupted into a gutsy, theatrical song that combined 60s rock with 00s indie.  They need to ditch the first track - it's the weakest in their set and they're capable of packing a far bigger punch. Their front man was a bit O.T.T. in parts, with some of his facial expressions just  looking odd or as if he was in pain. It was just a little self indulgent and there needed to be more connection with the crowd. However the bromance between the guitarist and bass player; paired with their big, catchy sound; did redeem their set. Considering they only formed in October, their existing set is admirable, and the weaker elements of their set are just growing pains. There's a lot of