Four for Sunday

Four songs to make your Sunday a little bit easier;

1. Kathleen // Catfish & The Bottlemen 

You may have heard this beauty from up and coming four piece Catfish & The Bottlemen, on Zane Lowe's show on Radio 1 earlier this week.  Granted the pristine place of Zane Lowe's 'hottest track' , The Bottlemen's new tune 'Kathleen' is a scorcher!  Starring classic guitar riffs that lope off into a sweet electrified atmosphere, the song creates the perfect summer day lazy day tune. The song however, is even better live than the recorded version - listen to it below

2. I See You // The Horrors

The Horrors, with their powerful reputation to change direction on every album (if you don't believe me check out Farris Baldwin's hair on 'Strange House' compared to 'Skying') need no introduction into 2014. Their brand-new track 'I See You' was also premiered on the Zane Lowe show earlier this week and my god is it amazing! Classic Horrors lyrics of philosophical standards croon and escape around the heavily psychedelic-influenced track, meanwhile your existence is taken to another planet and you seriously have to consider "how did I survive without this track before?" Believe the hype, The Horrors are back.

3. Houses On The Plain // Superfood

When Superfood release a bad song, I think the world will eat their tongues.  Another song that can only be described as a 'fucking tune' released from their 'Mam EP', means that Superfood have managed to become one of the biggest unknown bands in the UK, and with their album completed - it's not long until the band rise and take over the indie clubs and abolish the name 'Swim Deep' forever.  Houses on the plain has some killer lines and kooky vibes, not to mention a sense of relaxed freedom to do whatever the fuck they like. Listen to the almighty 'Houses On The Plain' on their soundcloud page as it's so modern and fantastic it hasn't even made it onto YouTube yet.  There'll be no doubt in your mind that Superfood are about to take over.  The 

https://soundcloud.com/superfood

4. Hold The Line // SBTRKT

Featured in last weeks Smiths anniversary issue of NME, SBTRKT's new instrumental track 'Hold The Line' is a Sunday masterpiece to relax and contemplate the meaning of life.  Haunting synthesizers that make you feel the dreaded emotion of watching the rain fall around you outside, is something that has been captured so delectably on SBTRKT's return to his electronic roots.  If this is a taster for the new album then the world is waiting in anticipation.  

Big Things For 2014

I have 3 bands that are going to smash it in 2014; watch this space.

1. The Orwells
The Orwells have already had huge commercial success this year, with 'Who Needs You' and 'Dirty Sheets' being on loop from prodigy Zane Lowe and they've also secured slots of the mighty  Jools Holland television show - but this is the year everybody knows their name. The lead singer resembles Fred from Made In Chelsea; so if that alone isn't a reason to fall in love with the band then I really don't know what will be. The Orwells, hailing from Illinois infuse punkie garage rock with a twisted, raggedy edge to their vocals. Arctic Monkeys have also announced they'll be the main support on their American tour YOU MUST LIKE THEM NOW

2. Darlia
NME are already paving the way for this band to be 2014's Palma Violets. If the success of Swim Deep and Peace are anything to go by; all three bands would be struggling up the chain if it wasn't for The New Musical Express. So welcome to 1 of three bands about to be blown into oblivion Darlia. The three piece from Blackpool have a sound like no other; a mixture of elongated vocals hitched in between heavy guitars with a punch of teen spirit. Song 'Napalm' had been massive in 2013 and in 2014 the band are only going to get bigger, and bigger. Catch them in un-known tiny venues this January while you have the chance; because come November there'll be the slimmest chance of getting a ticket.


3. Circa Waves
All hail NME for introducing the world to bands that are actually really good, surprisingly coming from a magazine that sometimes knows absolutely nothing about music, but occasionally (occasionally) they find something truly amazing. Luckily, Circa Waves is definitely one of those bands you're going to stop your car to listen to and thing "fuck". The band are the purest form of indie pop; supporting Swim Deep on their most recent tour back in September and also being the warm-up act for Two Door Cinema Club at the O2 in London must mean they are doing something right doesn't it? They must be areet really. They're going to be massive in 2014 watch this space.

Peace Live Review

Band: Peace with support from Drenge

Venue: Newcastle's Digital

Date: Sunday 1st December

Sunday: traditionally the day of rest. For many, the 1st day of Advent heralds an un-remarkable horrifically cheap chocolate from a 99p Advent Callander. However, for four piece Peace, Sunday night was definitely not a night of rest.

Situated in the heart of Newcastle's gay scene 'The Pink Triangle', Digital is a music venue with a twist. Entering through the modern front door, down a short gloomy passage; and the room lights up in a blue haze. Blasting music far out of the age range of the audience crowded, the small stage is poised and ready for Drenge.

It's not often you're more pumped for a support act then the main act. Drenge, made up of two brothers, are on the complete other end of the spectrum compared to Peace. Dabbling in heavy indie rock and their own spin on a power ballad ('fuckabout') - they're not even on the same planet as the headliners but this is why they work! 

Brothers Drenge deliver a phenomenal performance to the wide-awake crowd. Clusters of voices can be heard arising from the pit when Drenge scorch into 'bloodsports'. For Drenge fans; there was no disappointment floating from their instruments; this was the one.

Following the fantastic support act seemed a struggle; but a loved-up-drugged-up Peace seemed to slide in and steal the show effortlessly. Sporting a skin-tight black and white polo neck long sleeved top, Harry and the gang's image and presence was overwhelming.

Peace's set list could be condemned as a masterpiece. Incorporating songs from their debut album 'In Love' earlier this year; the band switched between crowd pleasers like 'Lovesick' and 'Follow Baby', and even preformed 'Delicious' in it's entirety.

Grasping onto a jacket held out as a gift from the crowd, Harry and co. create an atmosphere so personal it feels as if you're the only soul in the room. 

An suprise encore of their cover of Wham!'s 'Last Christmas' fits the feminine image so well it seems as if the song was written personally for the quartet. Finishing on an emotional 'Calafornia Daze' evokes such powerful feelings grown men are seen weeping. 

'She tastes like sunlight / and she's always going to be there in the back of your mind' 

Peace are a band that after you've experienced the sensation once; you want to re-live it again and again. A breath-taking set preformed by one if 2013's biggest bands - not an oppertunity to miss! 

Palma Violets // Live Review

Band: Palma Violets

Date: 22nd November 2013

Venue: Newcastle University Student Union

Newcastle University's Student Union is renound for creating the most intimate, (not to mention sweatiest) gig atmosphere available to avid music fans. With touchable ceilings and a 30-second manoeuvre from the barrier to the bar; the little venue is perfect for lining up the icons. And now, on a Friday night, the hidden venue opened it's door of welcome, to none other than Palma Violets.

If you haven't heard of Palmas, then really where the fuck have you been in 2013? Releasing their debut '180' earlier this year, the Violets have been traveling on a whirlwind of destruction; bagging large fonts on the UK's most prestigious music festivals, such as Glastonbury and only Reading and Leeds. 

They're best friends with  (arguably) the three most shagable girls in a band ever; (I'm obviously talking about Haim here!) Surely they must be doing something right? 

So..were Palma Violets worth the £12.50? Or should you avoid them like the plague of sweets nobody dares to touch?

Two words: fucking class

The night started with a roar from Scottish band Babystrange; who play electric indie rock with a kick. Loping onto his guitar, front-man Johnny leers down the mic to soon-to-take-the-country-by-storm single 'Pure Evil'. A tribute to Chilli Jesson actually sees the Palmas bass player jumping into the small crowd - a band for 2014 for definite 

The crazy atmosphere intensifys as second support act 'Childhood' take to the stage. The lead singer adorns a 'fro so funky you'd kill for looks like that! Slightly mellowed songs pierce the roudy masculine crowd; subduing them slightly, before Childhood roar into songs that make the hairs on the back of your neck almost touch the low ceiling of the hidden venue.

Finally, after due waiting; none other than Palma Violets grace the saucepan-sized stage. To say the least there was really nothing like it.

The Violets shredded their way through a killer set list of songs; perfectly harmonising with each other. Crowd pleaser 'Best of Friends' saw grown men holding hands with one another; bouncing around in a drunken haze. While 'Chicken Dippers' found a mass sing-a-long churning it's way through the venue.

Palma's had so much energy and sophistication to their proformance, you would've thought they'd been perfecting this falace for centuries; not just forming in the late 2010! 

Ending on a valiant chorus of 'oh fourteen, oh fourteen take me home', the neurotic Jesson flips his way into the crowd and finds himself being hurtled forward into the belly of the beast. But Jesson seems to be cool and collected when girls (but mainly boys) have a cheeky feel of his crotch. He doesn't mind; he's becoming a rock star!

If you're looking for an un-forgettable night of live music, with an atmosphere that trickles perfection; then you've picked the right band to go see.

16/11/13 Music Haul

This mornings music haul;

Arcade Fire (Discography)
Funeral (2004) -
he album that changed the game, any Arcade Fire fan needs this in their collection
Neon Bible (2008) -
a completley different spin coming from the Canadian giants, a whole world away from Funeral, if you haven't heard the ablum... Have you been living under a rock for the last 5 years of your life?
The Suburbs (2010) -
needs no introduction. Easily Arcade Fire's best work
Reflektor (2013) -
read my Reflektor review here - http://www.gigslutz.co.uk/arcade-fire-reflektor-album-review/

Metronomy
The English Riviera (2011) -
a must have album for lovers of anything obscurely synth

MIA
Matangi (2013) -
the prodigy has returned from flipping the middle finger at the Superbowl and has aimed it at Drake

Tribes
Baby (2012) -
a band splitting up calls for celebration, not commiserating

Lorde
Pure Heroine (2013) -
does Lorde want to be in Pete Doherty's gang with this pun? The album's music itself creates the same thoughts as the abysmal title does - awful

Lady Gaga
Born This Way (2011) -
self-explanitory, everybody should own this album
Artpop (2013) -
contrasting with the album above - nobody who loves Gaga should own this album

King Krule
6 Feet Beneath The Moon (2013) -
filled with pure beauty and melancholy lyrics; 6FBTM is worth all of the hype that has surrounded King Krule for the past couple of years ; simply mesmerising artwork

Azealia Banks
Fantasea Mix tape (2012) -
Azealia Banks is known more for her rage on Twitter that her album (which still hasn't appeared.) But the Fantasea mix tape is everything that we love Azealia for ; her real truth and her exaggerated use of describing her vagina

The Fratellis
Costello Music (2006) -
a mammoth of an album coming from a band that'll always have a place in our hearts, especially the Scottish
We Need Medicine (2013) -
a controversial album that was never going to live up to Costello Music, but it's a good try boys

Tame Impala
Lonerism (2012) -
arguably 2012's album of the year - even Tyler, The Creator likes it 'IT FEEEEEEEELS LIKE WE'RE ONLY GOING BAAAAAAAAAAAACKWAAAAAAARDS'

White Denim
Corsicana Lemonade (2013) -
2013's hottest band of the year for definite, already snagging their way onto the Radio 6 Music's play list. One to watch and not miss out on

Drenge
Drenge (2013) -
This band have had a serious whirlwind of a year; hailing from fields full of beer to being discussed by politicians. Self-entitled album Drenge seriously pushes the boundaries out for what's next - catch them on tour with Peace this December