Owls – I’m Surprised


A super group who have been away from our ears for far too long, Owls have announced they will be releasing their sophomore album, simply titled ‘Two’ via Polyvinyl on 25 March. A little indicator of what to expect comes with the release of ‘I’m Surprised’. Opening with the admission that: ‘I’m surprised and I…

Skaters – Miss Teen Massachusetts


One of our favourite new bands at Reading Festival last year, Skaters’ brand of post-punk brought back memories of the refreshing wave of US bands that came about in the early 2000s while also offering a nod to the UK and the likes of The Jam, The Clash and the Buzzcocks. They also confused the…

Introducing: Fatherson


Coming recommended by the likes of BBC Introducing’s Ally McCrae and Clash, Fatherson are all set to be the next Kilmarnock band to become one of your favourites. Having already developed a passionate fanbase in their native country, it’s now time for the rest of the country to wake up to their songs of hope…

ArtClassSink – Illa


For as long as we can remember, Oxford has been home to some of the most dynamic, exciting and interesting bands around. After the huge success of Ride in the early 90s, shoegaze still holds a delightful hold over many of the bands formed in OX. And it’s in this genre where we find ArtClassSink,…

Wild Beasts – Wanderlust


A New Year and not only do we already have a new Springsteen album on the way, but now Wild Beasts have made a most-welcome return to the music scene with the announcement of their long-awaited fourth album, ‘Present Tense’ (out 24 February on Domino Records). 2011’s ‘Smother’ saw the band effortlessly seam into the…

Albums we’re looking forward to in 2014


With a New Year comes a new batch of albums to work your way through and 2014 is already looking exciting. Below, we look at some of the bands whose albums we believe will be soundtracking our 12 months ahead… Spring Offensive A long time coming, but with their previous releases, Spring Offensive have already…

Top 5 gigs of 2013


We haven’t been to as many concerts this year as in previous times, but still managed to get out to at least one a week. We’ve been entertained by many bands, both on major labels and unsigned, and without further ado, here’s our Top 5 favourite gigs of 2013! Three Trapped Tigers, Tall Ships, The…

Top 5 albums of 2013


In our second batch of ‘Top 5s of 2013’, we take a look at the long players that have soundtracked the past twelve months. Again, they’re featured in no particular order. Dutch Uncles – Out of Touch in the Wild It was third album lucky for Dutch Uncles as this release finally got them the…