A Shot Splits The Air And I Am Found...

So the buzz has been a little quiet around here for a little while. I wish I could give you a reason other than 'we were really really busy'but that really is the truth after arriving back at the station to find a pile of discs up to my shoulder (I'm 6'3" or so and not exaggurating at all) as well as college work. The original plan was to write 3 work reviews of everything we have had in. That may still happen at some point (just to show you how much there was) but here's a list of the best stuff that is well worth hunting out:

Stateless - Bloodstream (Oh ye gods this is beautiful - sparce and haunting)

The Delta Fiasco - Paperhouse (big old 80's style pop - yeah!)

Elle Milano - My Brother, The Astronaut (like a british Panic! at the Disco with a Forward Russia chaser)

Paramore - Crushcrushcrush (not so guilty pleasure)

Remi Nicole - Rock N Roll (Acoustic stumalongs should not involve DJ scratching and work goddamit)

Laura Marling - My Manic And I (this lady can do no wrong. stay tuned for the rundown from myself and Chiara on her very very soon. Next years big thing without a doubt)

there's proably a few more - I'll add them when I remember them....


Anyway, on to more recent matters. Chiara, Louis and I were lucky enough to catch a band called The October Game down at the Portland Arms last Tuesday. We've been playing them on Breakthrough for a while now and about a week ago I finally got to hear their album - Box of a Billion Lights.

And it's one of the best things I have heard all year

Blending the complexity and beauty and scale of the best post-rock with fantastic vocals, accesable tunes and a rare sense of vulnerability these guys are superb.

We've been playing 'Gatherers Hands' with its brooding feel and explosive choruses for a while now on Breakthrough and it still shines but what is wonderful si that every single track on this album manages to come close to it's heady heights in some way or another. Take 'Blue Shift' with it's dual personalities, 'No Time For Feelings' and its contrasting strummed and twisting guitars or any other track here and there is something superb to latch onto and all the while there are crisp, desperate vocal and scything, incisive guitars that wring every last gasp of triumph and despair out of the songs. It's a massive and yet accessable listen, a trick that is isanely hard to pull off yet is done time and time again here without ever repeating itself too much.

Not only this but for a band to self record a record that sounds as good as this in their own homes is astounding. The sound is great and the production so deft I was convinced until a couple of nights ago that this was done in a studio with a professional producer rather than being a complete DIY job.

As you can imagine I was rather looking forward to this gig then

Live they guys were great as well, very tight and atmospheric with those shining vocals really taking centre stage on tracks like 'No TIme For Feelings'and forthcoming single 'Heartlines' to great effect. However it was a massive extended rendition of 'Satellites' that stole the show for me with it's stadium sized chorus, sweeping solos and massive bassy underpinnings that lit everything up.

Anyway the moral of this story is: give this band a listen and stay tuned because hopefully we'll be bringing you more from them soon

Remember where you heard it first kids!

Sandy

ps. that's here in case you're wondering :D