Posts Tagged ‘Matt Humphrey’

The Smokin’ Barrels may not be a band that you are entirely familiar with. That’s because they’re ridiculously young and are yet to unleash their first full album.

One person you will have heard of is Noel Gallagher – a man who is so impressed with this fresh bunch that he’s granted them the coveted support slot at his forthcoming gig at Newcastle Arena. The boys will feel right at home in the venue, having hailed from the north and already nailed a memorable gig at the 1000 strong Newcastle O2 Academy. They’ve been grafting on the local music scene since 2008 and with the release of their new EP ‘Mindless Self Indulgence‘, 2012 might just be the year they become a household name.

Tribes have risen through the ranks of the crowded Camden music scene and emerged as contenders for the title of debut album of the year.

Formed a little over a year ago, they’ve propelled themselves into the mainstream after winning over last year’s festival crowds to make them one of the most promising bands of 2012.

The post Libertines meltdown in 2004 left a void which for a frustrating amount of time was filled with copycats and second rate rip offs. The city had been overrun with bands all clinging on desperately to the glory of those coat tails and a once promising time in music has now almost sunk without trace. Tribes are not the new Libertines, nor do they share much in common musically, but the parallels in their dramatic rise to stardom and strong links with Camden’s gig circuit will no doubt draw comparisons.

Lock, Stock, and Three Smokin’ Barrels…

Well, it’s that time of year again when everyone starts telling you who is going to break through and become the biggest thing since The Beatles.

Usually, such predictions fall short and never fulfill the grand expectations that are bestowed upon those special chosen ones. Brother were once hailed by some as the next Oasis but, in the end, they didn’t even scratch the surface. So what about 2012? We’re not going to insist on telling you who is definitely going to tilt the world on its axis, but a bit of gentle guidance never hurt anyone.

As we continue to endure the evil uprising that is being led by Simon Cowell, under no illusion that this onslaught of inane, uninspired pop ‘music’ will ever end, we should take a moment to appreciate the genuine talent we have nurtured organically (even if it’s not being rammed down your throat every Saturday night).

There is something monstrously unjust in a world that is captivated by throwaway, manufactured pop music and fails to recognise the wealth of joy that is to be devoured in an immensely talented band such as Young Knives. They certainly know how to craft a quirkly, sharp, infectious pop song and, with the release of their third album ‘Ornament’s From the Silver Arcade‘, they’ve proved they have staying power that last’s longer than 15 minutes.

When Filligar first introduced themselves to Live4ever via an impressive live display at London’s Good Ship venue last summer, our eagerness for the latest polished fruits of their labour was planted. The resultant album certainly didn’t disappoint, and the scope, creation and variety which is packed into ‘The Nerve‘ makes it one of 2011′s best exponents of US rock and roll.

Now, with the British release just around the corner, it seemed like a good time to catch up with the band to find out more about the processes which went into the creation of ‘The Nerve’, and their thoughts on making waves in the UK after a decade’s worth of toil and endeavour.

The Rifles muscled their way onto the British music scene at the peak of the atrocious bed wetting music trend that was in full flow by the early 00′s. The likes of Snow Patrol and Keane were waving the flag for a mediocre meltdown that had reigned over the first half of this decade, but our prayers were finally answered when a new crop of talent arrived.

Some even got as carried away enough to call it the second wave of Britpop. Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party and The Libertines (if not short lived) had injected some excitement back into British music and among this influx of fresh meat was The Rifles – the 21st century’s answer to The Jam and a steel toe-capped kick up the arse for the record buying public.

What a whirlwind of a year it has been for this ridiculously talented young man. A year on from his debut solo single ‘Inhaler‘, which breathed fresh life into a stale music scene, it’s safe to say that things have pretty much gone to plan. Where to start? Well, there’s the critically acclaimed album ‘Colour Of The Trap‘, support slots with the likes of Arctic Monkeys and Beady Eye, and more recently the announcement that he’ll be warming up for the mighty Kasabian on their forthcoming arena tour. Now that is ‘empire’.

Miles Kane channels the spirit of John Lennon and fronts it with the wardrobe of Paul Weller. Encompassing all the criteria that qualifies rock star status, as well as having the tunes to back it up with, Miles has become a household name this year. ‘Inhaler’, ‘Rearrange‘ and ‘Come Closer‘ might not have broken any records in the charts but they’re three of the finest song’s you’ll hear in 2011.

An army of Liam Gallagher lookalikes have descended on London’s Kentish Town, filling the pubs and spilling out onto the street. This was the closest anyone would get to seeing the man himself as tonight the spotlight was on his older brother, Noel. Talk of both himself and Liam – both now settling into their post-Oasis projects – was high on the conversational topic agenda and for many this low key affair was the first opportunity to see just what Noel is capable of on his own.

It’s not often you have the privilege of seeing Noel Gallagher play in a venue that is probably no bigger than his swimming pool, and the touts were rubbing their hands with glee as extortionate amounts of money continued to be exchanged right up until showtime. This was certainly not a problem for the man who Noel beat to the number 1 album spot last week, X Factor‘s Matt Cardle, who was spotted in attendance. Tonight’s masterclass in songwriting would have shown him exactly why Noel trounced him to that coveted chart position.

‘National Treasures‘?  There aren’t many bands that could get away with such an arrogantly named singles compilation. Then again, this is a group who released ‘You Love Us’, so it’s hardly surprising. The Manic Street Preachers are worthy of the album title because they are just that – national treasures, as are many of their songs.

There’s no escaping it – these are times of austerity, and the grim shitstorm looming over the world’s economy has taken a huge dump on the music industry in recent years. It’s a tune we’ve been whistling to for far too long. Buy an album? No thanks, I’ll just purchase the songs I actually like on iTunes for 79p a pop.

Better still, I’ll just download the whole thing for free from a link that’s circulating on Twitter. Not the views of the Live4ever Ezine of course, but a mindset now adopted by many music lovers simply due to the evolvement of technology.

The record business is not the gravy train it once was. Which is why musicians have had to work a lot harder to pay the bills, and who better an example than Chicago based outfit, Filligar? Recording 8 albums in 11 years and slogging it on a grueling touring schedule which has taken them round the globe and back again should earn them the status as America’s hardest working band. There is no questioning their determination and effort, but what about the music they’re producing? New album ‘The Nerve‘ is a confident record that may just open some doors and gain them the recognition they deserve.