Craving some loud, rowdy music is like wanting a pizza or something else that’s apparently bad for your gut. You want the music to hit you in the gut and give you tummy cramps right after you’ve consumed too much of it- utterly gluttonous but exactly what you need at that time. This is where the debut record from Snarling Dogs comes in. It’s the kind of music that, if it came out when Dead Boys did- your folks probably would have been disappointed or kicked you out. I’ve got a cool mum, so she’d probably say this wasn’t for her, and let me carry on.
As far as debut records go, this one is a real ripper of a record. It feels like a thousand kicks to the face in the most majestic way possible. Snarling Dogs are the kind of band who you just KNOW put on a hell of a show. They’ve got this beautiful and rowdy feel to their sound. Does it feel like you’re listening to Dead Boys for the first time? Yes. It’s got that edge to it, it’s got that bite of Young, Loud and Snotty. One of the finest records of all time. Perfect from start to end. That’s exactly what you get with Snarling Dogs. Put on your battered leather jacket and go cause some trouble! This record, although it came out in November, is the antidote to those January Blues we’re all hearing out. Hey, don’t let anyone tell you that you need to have a bad time- or good time for that matter!
Only one song just goes over the 3 minute mark, and if you’re like me and have a really bad attention span- this band will give you all you need. I’m playing it quite loud, and my cat is happily sleeping away next to me. Is this what joy is? I think it just may be! If she can sleep through the noise and not run off scared, then it’s fair to say that Snarling Dogs know where it’s at. They’ve got such a chaotic sound, and honestly, this record makes it hard to accept this is their debut. It’s truly something else.
I’m An Animal has a real Stiv Bators feel to the vocals mixed with David Johansen (New York Dolls) to it. There’s a lot going on on this record, but that’s not a bad thing. Every song serves a purpose, and that purpose is to play the bastard really, really loud.
The adrenalin on this record is divine; imagine being in the same room as the band as they recorded this monster of a record?! I love the ferociousness of every single song, but the one that oozes it the most has to be Sniper and it then goes smack into Highway Of Hurt. Come on now! This is so good; it should be illegal! I feel they’re a band that need to be seen live, and this record was made for two things- to be played loud and to be seen live. Can someone get this band to the UK? It’s so easy to love a band like this when you’re already obsessed with Punk. As someone who does need/like quiet in their head, having music like this go through my bones and soul calms everything. Do I know why? No. Do I want to know why? Nope. Snarling Dogs have been influenced by so many bands I love and have taken that inspiration, and made something really remarkable. It’s the kind of music you’d chain smoke to (I don’t smoke but go with it) and probably down about 20 beers (I can only drink one before I feel sick!)
You can easily imagine bodies being thrown about in the pit at their shows, and people leaving covered in beer and sweat- none of which may be their own. I just love the sound they have, and I hope whatever comes next for them is just as big as this record. Like I mentioned above, this doesn’t feel like a debut record but you can tell it’s been a long time coming this record, and that hard work has truly paid off.
The record is filthy in the best way possible. It’s rebellious, it’s loud, it’s smutty, it’s all the things we were warned against. It might even be bad for our health, but that just makes us want it even more. And louder too. Their debut record is like a rabid dog gnawing at your leg, and will not let go at all. This band won’t let you; they need you to listen.
In 2005 I found a band that instantly won me over. I listened to them religiously. 2006 I went to uni, and this band became EVERYTHING to me. I had their posters on my wall, I had cuttings from magazines of them on my wall. They got me through my first year when I felt homesick. They became everything and more. They got me through a lot, and as luck would didn’t have it- I never saw them live. No correction- I never saw them do a full set. I saw them once support Florence And The Machine at Ally Pally a good few years ago, and I cried. But last night was IT. Last night I saw them in a tiny venue in Manchester. No other venue could hold them like YES. No other venue would be better- well actually, SOUP would have been amazing. ANYWAY. I was absolutely beside myself to FINALLY see them live.
Sure, the line up isn’t the original but who cares? The songs are what matters here. They play a solid range of old and new (nothing from Strange House sadly!) The set had all the hits from Primary Colours and Skying of course. Hearing everyone belt out the words to Mirror’s Image (this song was my LIFE at one point) and Still Life was so beautiful. The newer songs were loud, and unreal. They were like a drill to the skull and released everything you’d been keeping locked in. Whiplash opened the set, and you knew right away you were in for the best night possible. The smoke machine and stage lighting did overtime last night, it was perfect. Faris reminds me a little of Lux (The Cramps) with how he towers over the crowd and throttles the mic stand. Rhys’ face paint kept making an appearance throughout the intense smoke machine and lighting. Also, is there a better guitarist in this country than Josh?
To see the band that I’d essentially grown up with and go through my teenage years into adulthood was something really special. I still don’t know how I managed to get tickets to this one, and it may just be the best purchase I ever made! That and the £30 I spent when I got my cat! Three Decades and Mirror’s Image follow each other, and they honestly couldn’t have made a better setlist. Well, maybe, if they gave us something from the Strange House record. I’d have probably passed away to be honest. Hearing songs like Little Victories live would have blown my mind! I don’t think I’d recover.
On record, The Horrors ALWAYS sound fantastic- you cannot fault them at all; you can hear the hard work and passion that goes into what they do. I had no idea what to expect in a live setting, especially with the slight lineup change. Whatever I was expecting was exceeded a billion and one times over- I just don’t think I’m going to feel this way about a gig ever again now, am I? They’ve ruined it, in the best way possible.
The new songs that they treated us to are divine live! More Than Life, Trial By Fire and The Silence That Remains are exceptional live. The Silence That Remains is haunting as hell live- it’s one of those songs that when you hear it on record, you are left a bit speechless because you can’t get your head around what’s going on. But when you hear it live, it doesn’t something else. Every single song was heightened by how brilliant the band are live. Amelia’s vocals on The Silence That Remains really make it as haunting as it is, and it’s one of those songs that when you witness it live, it massively changes how you appreciate it on record. Going by these 3 new songs from Night Life, I reckon it may just end up being the best record of 2025 and maybe THEIR best record.
I can’t write about last night without mentioning how euphoric and healing it is to hear Sea Within A Sea live. I remember where I was when this was released. I was in the house I was living in during my 3rd year in Stoke on Trent. I had their website open counting down to the video as it was a live stream of the music video, and I made sure I was home to watch it. I sat and stared at the screen for 7/8 minutes as this song was playing and this hypnotising video was taking over my brain. I felt something shift in my head. I knew I was facing a LOT of change in 2009 (some good and some bad) and this song became my comfort blanket. I’d play it over and over, and everything would be alright. I still feel that way about it. It’s that one song I can play and just zone out to. It’s honestly one of the best songs of all time. Witnessing it live was like a dream where you feel utterly weightless and safe. Floating through space and time without a care.
Still Life needs mentioning because again, another masterpiece. I don’t think the band are given enough credit for their ability to create such heavenly music but in a heavy way. Still Life is a gentle song, and again, is another comfort song. Everything feels better and safer when you listen to this.
Faris is an exceptional frontman. He doesn’t need to talk endlessly to the crowd with pointless chat at all. He says something between songs, and only an idiot would disagree: “Free Palestine, and fuck anyone who thinks otherwise.”
The encore consists of Endless Blue and Something To Remember Me By; and what a beautiful way to wrap up the most perfect gig. I honestly have no idea how I’ve managed to sum up last night as clear as this, but when something makes an impact on you, you find the words. From messaging Faris on MySpace in 2006 to see if I could interview him for my first ever article at uni (he did!) to seeing them play YES, and seeing their career grow and grow. I couldn’t be prouder to be a fan and to have been in that room last night.
Last night was The Horrors at their very best, and if you’ve got a ticket for this tour then you are very lucky (in every sense of the word!)
Some bands are put here to make a difference. Some go beyond making a difference, and you wonder how we managed to get this far without them. The Battery Farm aren’t just a band; they’re something else. Something that we need, something we’ve needed for so long. There are messages and meaning in every single song. You don’t need to be told what they are, use your ears to work it out. You’ll get there. I don’t think they realise how powerful they are. There are some bands that just make a difference- think of bands like Benefits. The messaging is clear.
Dark Web is a fighter of a record. It’s rowdy. It’s angry. Really angry, and we’ve got a lot to be angry about. Ben’s vocals on Hail Mary start soft in comparison to how gritty his vocals usually are, but you can hear the rage. You pick up on that rage. The whole record feels like a smack in the face but also a call to change. His vocals really kick in on this song, and it’s that raw and gnarly tone that really pricks up your ears. You HAVE to listen.
You can really sense that this was a cathartic record to make, and you feel it may have taken a fair bit out of them to make. It’s a record that HAS to be heard live, I don’t think it was made for any other purpose other than getting it heard by as many people as possible wherever they can. Dark Web starts gentle, like Ben’s vocals are light on this but the last 30 seconds or so- his voice is still light, but there’s something really menacing about it- and it’s so beautiful.
Icicles is the oddest sounding song on the record, and I mean that in the best way possible. Musically, its brilliantly all over the place. The guitar has NO business sounding that slick and that good on the record- you can move to this one. But the heaviness of the lyrics creates this collision of worlds and what you get is a song that just stops you. You have to really sit and listen to this one; it pulls you in different ways and that’s not a bad thing at all.
For me it’s all about the passion, fury and honesty on the record. The most open song on this record is It’s A Shame, Thanks A Lot. The way Ben speaks about his experience and his mental health on this really, really hits you. I’ve had to stop and start this one a few times. Anyone who has had to carry around having really shit mental health will get why this one hits the gut very hard. I don’t see a need for me to write about this song because it is SO personal and so vulnerable. Just, there was a time where this song would have summed up everything I was feeling, and I’d have turned it off. I think the band have created something here that will help so many.
As far as second records go, they’ve nailed it and then some. They’ve surpassed all they did on their debut. Dark Web shows us exactly what they band are made of. How loud they can do, how fearless they are musically and lyrically and how much they have grown from then to now. They’re a band that Manchester is proud to have and claim. They’re just everything we need, and so much more. This is The Battery Farm at their finest, but we know they’ll keep getting better.
Bands that challenge their fans and those who listen are to be treasured, and we need to treasure The Battery Farm with all we have.
That feeling of a band you absolutely love and adore putting new music out never ever gets old. Last week Bambara announced a UK/EU tour for April 2025, and I cannot wait to see them again. They’re one of those bands that when you see them live, they change EVERYTHING. They become a band that you don’t just see once and that’s enough. They’re a band that you have to see, no matter what. They put on a show that goes beyond being put into words- you HAVE to witness it. You HAVE to be in that moment. It is the most euphoric thing and you never want it to end. I cannot liken it to anything else.
And with a tour comes a new record, and a new song to lure us all back in. We never went anywhere, we’ve been waiting for this for so long. They’re back with a new song called Pray To Me which is 3 and a half minutes of heaven. It’s Bambara at their very best, and of course that happens with everything they do. They’re a band that get better every single time, and how on earth can they top anything else they’ve ever done? They’re a criminally underrated band for sure. Reid has one of the most calming voices I’ve ever heard. You could be having a really tough day, and the second you start playing a Bambara song, it all feels okay. The lyrics are dark and unholy, and that’s why I love them. I love how dark, poetic and twisted the lyrics are. Reid could easily write a novel with these lyrics. Not a poetry book- I’m talking a super eerie novel that messes with your heard, and you cannot help but go back to it. Think Tony O’Neill, Arthur Nersessian – the good stuff. Pray To Me is violent and haunting; there’s no way you can get enough of it.
The video fits the mood of the song perfectly. The close up of Reid’s face as he recites these beautiful and chilling words to the camera- this band couldn’t be any more perfect if they tried. If you go back and listen to every song in full, you’ll hear just how their sound has developed and gotten firmer. They have such a distinctive sound, and it’s one that may scare the listener a little bit but there’s the dark romanticism in the songs that make them so divine. We don’t need those boring and artificially sweet love songs. Give me the dark and eerie ones. They make more sense.
Bambara will be releasing the record via Bella Union (what a sign!) and the tickets for tour go on sale tomorrow. Everything you need is here: https://www.bambaranyc.com/tour
The best Geordie lads are back! Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs (I have to count every time!) are thankfully back with a beautifully heavy number, Detroit.
Detroit, in their words is about, “a ghastly, needy and controlling man.” And the world knows we have plenty of them- especially at the moment! This is Pigsx7 at their loudest, at their utter best. If a new record is coming (let’s be honest, it must be because a tour’s been announced too) and this is the sound they’re going with, then I think we’ve found the record of 2025 already.
To quote the band, “Detroit’ is massive slab of striking noise rock about a hideous man with even worse behaviours. Better we let Matt take it from here: “Detroit reflects on the worst manifestations of male jealousy and resentment, and the ways in which the deliberate avoidance of accountability can lead to deflecting responsibility in exchange for blaming external forces like fate or God for perceived injustice”. And if I couldn’t love this band anymore, all the money the streaming of Detroit generates will be donated to domestic abuse charities prior to the tour. THAT is how you do it.
The new song is heavy and rowdy. You can feel the aggression and the story-telling really makes it, you feel the rage too. You almost feel as pathetic as those types of people who behave this way, and that’s what makes Pigsx7 such a bloody incredible band- they put you in the position of others, even when that position is really unsettling in every way possible. For me, Pigsx7 are a comfort band. I love nothing more than just being on my own, wandering round or at work with their music blasting worryingly loud in my ears. I find the whole sound just makes me feel really safe. I cannot explain why, it just does. I’ve only seen them live once, and I remember being stood at the back but I could see EVERYTHING and even though the room was packed- I felt like it was just me in the room. Easily one of the loudest and best bands around, and the gig was definitely up there as being one of my favourites.
A new tour for 2025 has been announced, and the dates are:
UK – APRIL 2025: 03 – Brighton, UK – CHALK 04 – London, UK – KOKO 05 – Bristol, UK – SWX 07 – Nottingham, UK – Rescue Rooms 08 – Birmingham, UK – The Castle & Falcon 09 – Birkenhead, UK – Future Yard 11 – Manchester, UK – New Century Hall 12 – Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club 15 – Edinburgh, UK – La Belle Angèle 16 – Glasgow, UK – St Luke’s
EUROPE – MAY 2025: 17 – Paris, FR – La Maroquinerie 22 – Cologne, DE – Gebäude 9 23 – Düdingen, CH – Bad Bonn 24 – Munich, DE – Strom 26 – Leipzig, DE – UT Connewitz 27 – Berlin, DE – Säälchen 28 – Hamburg, DE – Knust
So, if record number 5 really is on the way then I think it’s safe to say it’s going to be nothing short of divine!
Last night I saw again, the best band of my generation, live. I’ve been thinking about what makes Amyl and The Sniffers so great and it’s down to the live shows. It’s the energy, it’s the band, it’s the fans. From seeing them at the Deaf Institute in 2019 to last night at the Academy; I can safely say that every time I’ve seen them, it’s made you feel like it won’t be long before they become a band that play stadiums. Their sound is THAT big. Their energy is even bigger.
From the second the band step on stage to Mobb Deep’s CLASSIC Shook Ones Part II (any band that walk on stage to that are excellent!) you know that you are seconds away from greatness. Amy steps to the mic and tells the crowd to pick anyone up who falls, don’t touch anyone who doesn’t want to be touched and to get rowdy. I think we can apply those rules to daily life. The setlist consists of 22 songs, and you feel it isn’t enough. You want more and more (I’ll ALWAYS want Stole My Pushbike back on the set along with 70s Street Munchies!) but the new record live is insane. They start with Doing In Me Head which is one of the best moments of Cartoon Darkness. They absolutely rip through the new record, and it’s that energy that is so rare, is what makes the night.
One of the things you spot at an Amyl and The Sniffers show is that there are no age limits- the crowd is so diverse and I think the older people in the crowd lasted longer in the pit than the younger ones. It was so beautiful to see. Amyl and The Sniffers are beyond being a Pub Rock/Punk band; there’s something else there, and it honestly above any words I or anyone could write down. You know what was the seller for me? Having the show projected on a screen behind the band because this short-arse can’t see anything! But I saw it all. I got the tickets as a birthday present to myself, and I think, even though I dislike my birthday, celebrating it like this was alright. Mainly because it wasn’t ON my birthday, but you get my point.
There are tender moments in the set such as Knifey and every female person sang that song as if their life depended on it. I remember hearing it for the first time, and I bawled. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been moved by that song. Bailing On Me nearly had me crying, but I remembered being told that no one is worth crying over so I stopped myself. It felt good. For me, hearing Motorbike Song live was all I wanted. That was the new song I was looking forward to the most. It’s so loud, it’s fast and it’s just a dream of a song. Of course, songs like Hertz, Guided By Angels and Security are belted out by everyone- how could they not be? They all created beautiful moments, and show why Comfort To Me is one of the greatest records ever made. However, I reckon every record they ever make will be the greatest so we’re fine. This is a band to put all your faith, love, and energy into. Pretty sure I had goosebumps from the second they stepped on stage to the very end of the set. The encore was Balaclava Lover Boogie and GFY- excellent way to end the show! There are SO many moments during the show that just blow your mind. Me And The Girls live absolutely dicks over the album version. The song rips anyway, but live? My god!! U Should Not Be Doing That holds a very special place in my heart as does Chewing Gum. Oh man having Maggot and Some Mutts in the setlist is a dream too! Every song deserves its place!
I adored how everyone was having the time of their lives last night. Sure, drinks were being lobbed across the room and being dropped, but that’s because everyone was busy dancing and screaming along to the words. A personal highlight for me was someone coming up to me to tell me something but I had no idea what they were saying, so they then said “Don’t listen to me, I’ve just got me tits out!” And that pretty much sums up the night. Freedom for all. Fun for everyone. It was a blast, and I hope they come back soon because their live shows really do give you a kick up the arse.
The new record hasn’t been out long, but everyone knew every single word and shouted along with Amy. Her voice has become so much stronger over the years, and I think you really hear it on songs like Chewing Gum and Big Dreams. As for Dec- show me a better guitarist right now, because you absolutely won’t find one. He’s something else. Gus is THE coolest bassist. Bryce is just exceptional. Together they show exactly why Amyl and The Sniffers are the best band around. This band are for us underdogs, the weirdos and the ones who do not want what you’re selling.
I’d like to end this by saying a very personal highlight of the night was me turning to my best mate during Jerkin’ to try tell him something important and he stopped me because he HAD to shout “WANK WANK WANK” during the song. I’d have been disappointed if he didn’t. The joy on his face was heavenly!
If you’ve never been to an Amyl and The Sniffers show, you are missing out. It’s as simple as that. I adore everything they stand for and how they treat their fans, and also- how the fans treat them. Amy Taylor has that Patti Smith quality about her, and I hope when Amy gets to 75, she’s still shouting the words to Jerkin’ every night in a different city. We need bands like this so badly- especially at the moment. At the start of the show, Amy gave a little speech about the state of the world and how shit it is, and the words hit. The world is absolutely terrible but there is more of us that want to do good and help, and we just have to be a lot louder now.
So, in short, this was an amazing show and the atmosphere was beautiful. If I could go to an Amyl and The Sniffers show every night, I bloody well would.
PS- This is one of the lamest reviews I’ve done but I hope you take away from this that Amyl and The Sniffers are the best live band around. Thanks!
Some bands make the world better by making music that you truly feel in your gut. Their music becomes the voice in your head that you need when things feel a little too much. That’s the thing with music- it’s always there. People aren’t. They come with conditions and at times, demands you cannot meet. Music doesn’t do this. So, what does this have to do with the new Amyl and The Sniffers record? Absolutely everything, and more.
Cartoon Darkness is THEIR record. The record they were always destined to make. It could have been immediately, or it could have been in 15 years’ time- but it’s now and thank god it’s now.
The record opens with the latest release, Jerkin’. It feels like it’s a much-needed dig at male journalists who objectify Amy. We’ve all seen it- not just with Amy, but countless of other female musicians. They seem to think talking about what someone is wearing is far more important than the words coming out of their mouth. That isn’t journalism, that’s being a total prick. But what do I know!
We then go smack into Chewing Gum, which is lyrically, one of my favourite Amyl and The Sniffers songs. They’ve come a long, long way from being a little pub rock band, but it was so obvious that this was going to happen. Some bands are destined to make it, and this band are one of them. I won’t focus too much on the songs that have already been released, but I do want to mention that hearing Big Dreams in between Tiny Bikini and Its Mine is so beautiful. Big Dreams is THAT song you go to when you feel awful, and it just makes everything alright again. Then, you go back and play Chewing Gum. That’s when it all clicks, and you feel alright.
Over the past 8 years or so, they’ve been making their own noise and on their own terms. I remember hearing the Giddy Up EP and it blew my mind. I felt like a kid in the 70s hearing Punk for the very first time. I found the band I was always was meant to find, and it’s been a wild ride since. Everything they’ve released has been magical; how can a band be this good? HOW? For them, it’s easy. Each of them has this glorious style and sound that just has you hooked. Bryce is an insane drummer; Gus is THE coolest bassist, and Dec is just a monster on the guitar. Amy is one of the best frontwomen around. Actually, fuck gender. Irrespective of gender- Amy is one of the most charismatic and divine singers I’ve ever seen. The way she holds a crowd, how she can control them and just have everyone hooked on the band? Effortless. If you’ve seen them live, you’ll know exactly what I mean. This band have it all, and then some!
Cartoon Darkness is a treat for us Punk fans. It’s 13 songs and just over half an hour long. As someone with awful attention span and cannot sit still for too long- this record feels like every single thought bouncing in my head. Like a pinball machine in the corners of my mind- back and forth, then a bit chaotic in the middle. It’s a fucking great record. Right now, my favourite song on the record is Doing in Me Head closely followed by Pigs and maybe Motorbike Song. I think Doing in Me Head may be my solid favourite; I don’t think I can change my mind on that (this isn’t counting Chewing Gum or Big Dreams.) The record is fun, and sure some of the topics are heavy, and Amy has said the record is about a range of things such as war and climate crisis- but there’s fun on this record. It’s got an innocence to it, and you find that in everything this band do. There’s this beautiful gentleness and fragility on Bailing on Me- it’s heartbreaking, and hearing her voice so delicate on this will cut through it. It’s such an easy song to relate to. We’ve all had someone who constantly lets us down, and when you get to the point of realisation of it and let it go- that’s the biggest relief. Trust me. Letting things and people go that just let you down may feel tough, but when you do it- everything feels lighter. It’s one of the quieter moments on the record, and it then goes right into U Should Not Be Doing That (the bass reminds me of Psycho Killer, and it’s SO good!) Me and the Girls wraps up the record- it’s a chaotic night out with a description of the morning after; the perfect way to close a phenomenal record. Also, don’t overlook the power of the song Tiny Bikini- that song will also be incredible live. The whole record is a fervent work of art.
I guess in short, we can say that this is their best record so far. Their finest release. I’ll always, always have space in my heart reserved for Giddy Up- it started everything for me, and to hear the band go from songs like Stole My Pushbike to all they’ve created on Cartoon Darkness is a joy to see and hear. There’s no other band quite like them, and I honestly don’t think we’ll ever get another band like them. Bands like this are so rare, and we’ve got to treasure them whilst we have them. The band will ALWAYS have that rowdy and raw sound, and it’s so clear on It’s Mine. That song is going to be WILD live. The whole record is going to be insane live; I cannot wait. Imagine witnessing It’s Mine and Motorbike Song live! It’s going to be unreal.
Their debut self-titled record to Comfort to Me, then to Cartoon Darkness- you can definitely hear the growth. The production, the way the band play, the writing and the strength in Amy’s voice is unreal. This record is their first on a massive label, but it’s not changed their sound at all. They’ll always have that beautiful raw sound we all fell in love with many years ago.
The energy on this record will set you up right for the day. I think I’m on my fourth or fifth listen now, and I just keep picking up on more things to love about the record. There’s so much to love and appreciate on this record. The second part of the record shows a more vulnerable side to the band lyrically, and I think Going Somewhere may be their biggest sounding song to date. This live is going to rip. I cannot wait to hear these new songs live; their songs are all made to be heard live-that’s the kind of band they are.
Every song on this record deserves its place and needs to be played so loud. It’s one of those records that makes you so proud to be a fan of the band.
For the past few months or so, I’ve been obsessing over a singer that is based in the city the city that I too, call home. I should have written this months ago, and now I’ve got a list of records I want to write about that’s longer than I intended to have. I’m not one for prioritising things (life is too short for order and structure) but this should have been done months ago. I guess the best time to do it is now. On a Tuesday afternoon as my cat has another nap next to me, occasionally moving when she thinks a bird is flying past.
Jasmine.4.t is everything you could want from a singer/songwriter. She’s honest, relatable and has a beautiful way with words. For the most part, I listen to music that could be loud enough to wake the dead but we all need balance. Jasmine is that balance, and she does it in the purest way possible. She recently supported the equally stunning Tom Rasmussen at their Manchester show last week (I couldn’t go and I feel I will regret this forever) and you can only imagine how beautiful that would have been. Jasmine’s voice is there to comfort anyone, but there’s something else to her beautiful sound that feels like home. Her voice is so delicate, so gentle; you cannot help but feel connected to the words she sings and how she sings. How can someone so wonderful create such beauty? Turns out, pretty easily. Her voice feels like the comfort you need when everything is really heavy. It’s like a protective cloak.
Jasmine’s new song, Elephant was released today and if you listen to it in passing, you’ll just think it’s a really good song. That’s absolutely fine, but if you want the meaning, here you go: “I wrote ‘Elephant’ very early in my transition about my first t4t love. It’s about when it hurts because you’re trying to be friends but you both want to be more. My life in Bristol fell apart when I came out and, having no safe place to live, I was staying on queers’ sofas in Manchester, traumatised and in no place to start a relationship.” When you read that, it changes how you hear the song in the best way. It shows this vulnerability that we may not get often, and I guess that’s why you really feel every word, right? No one should ever feel unsafe, and I think as Queer people, we do find it hard to feel safe and when you find a safe space- you cling onto it. I think that’s why I stay home a lot- my safe space is wherever my cat is. I cried when I played Elephant earlier because it is such a beautiful and honest song. I keep using those two words to describe Jasmine’s music, but I don’t think there are any other words right now I can think of. Initially I was going to write about their music in general, but Elephant is too an important song to not give attention to. There’s light and heaviness on this song, and in Jasmine’s sound in general. The tender moments are to be treasured and the louder moments are there to be truly felt and be turned up. You get a real sense of community in her music, and that feeling doesn’t come around often. It is to be treasured and to be kept close.
The video shows Manchester in all its glory, and why it’s such a beautiful city. Even when it’s pissing it down (all the time, we get it. We hear it all the time!) it’s still the best place, and it’s still home. I’m so happy that Jasmine calls this city home and feels safe here. It’s important to mention that Jasmine’s band are also trans, and having that support on tour for each of them must be such a relief to know you always have someone there who understands and again, keeps you safe.
Jasmine’s debut record, You Are The Morning will be out 17th January. The last song on the record, Woman sees Jasmine backed by the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles. I reckon that’ll be the song that makes me cry like an absolute baby. If Elephant is anything to go by, I’ll probably weep listening to the whole record anyway! I am SO excited to hear the record and to see what’s next for Jasmine and her band (Phoenix Rousiamanis and Eden O’Brien.) They deserve the world and more.
I also want to mention that Jasmine does a lot of work for/with Trans Mutual Aid Manchester. They’re a grassroots organisation based here, and they do amazing work in the community. If you have a few minutes to spare (which you do, because you’ve read this! Please read up about the work they do and how you can help here: https://linktr.ee/tmamcr )
Last night I went to my first gig of the year. I tried to work out why I’d left it so late in the year, but I don’t think I wanted to see anyone so far. Everyone I want to see is towards the end of the year, so I guess it worked out. It was also the first gig I’d been to in 7 years totally off sertraline. After 7 years, I stopped taking it in May. There were days where I forgot to take it, then I decided I didn’t want another summer of sertraline sweats! I know you’re not supposed to just stop, nor would I tell someone to do what I did, but it worked for me. I went to the Crows gig last night, and I felt. I felt more than I had in a while, and it felt like every bit of work I’d put into myself to “get better” had finally paid off. But that doesn’t mean all is okay; nothing and no one ever fully is, and that’s absolutely okay. It’s more than okay. Sometimes you need to go see your favourite band play in one of your favourite venues and listen to the songs that fixed parts of you no person or medication could ever touch.
Before I get into it- let it be known that headline bands starting at 8.30pm is delightful. More of that please! Home by 10.30pm- BLISS! I mean I’m still tired now, but it was absolutely worth it. It always is.
The band glide onto the stage and immediately annihilate the room with the opener, Reason Enough. That song live something else, truly. This band live are something else. You don’t just see them once and feel it’s enough. The setlist was divine, and of course in an ideal world they’d start at 6 and do all 3 records, but we don’t want to tire them out! The setlist is all I could want. Hearing songs like Room 156 and Healing live will ALWAYS make everything better. I thought they’d be the songs that would make me sob like a child that’s lost its favourite toy, but I held it together. If any song was going to ruin me, it would have been Vision of Me but again, I held it together. I think hearing Vision of Me live takes you to a different place where it doesn’t hurt so much to hear it, you know? If anything, it was an honour to see the new songs live and hear them the way they should be. Each of them owns the stage in their own way, and at times you don’t know where to look. For the most part I think I had my eyes closed and just took everything in. It felt like home, and it’s a hard feeling to find and keep. Music is always a constant. It’ll always be there.
High praise needs to be given to Jack Milwaukee for his exceptional sound talents. I’ve never heard a band so loud at this venue, and as soon as I got home, I was fully aware that my hearing was not that great. Would I sleep through my alarm in the morning? Nope. But the worry was there. If you don’t leave bruised or slightly broken, and in this case, unable to hear- than you’ve had a good time. The sound was so good! It was so slick, so loud and just perfect.
There are so many moments during the gig where you can’t believe you’re witnessing a band so bloody good play a room so small. These songs would sound perfect in a stadium with us all belting them out, but you also feel at home in these small venues singing your heart out with a few hundred people, to the songs that have saved you many times. And continue to save you. Just before they played Every Day of Every Year, James gave a little speech about having anxiety and it getting better; I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated something so much at a gig before. It was one of those things you needed to hear at that moment; and it made a world of difference. I think that’s part of why I love this band and why their songs mean so much. Also, I forgot just how divine Wednesday’s Child is live. Holy shit! James’ vocals on this are unreal, and live? Live it is INSANE. They all make this song sound so big live. When James shouts “Blame me for all your mistakes” it just takes you on this wild ride. It’s up there as being one of the best songs I’ve seen live. Demeanour was insane live too. Under 2 minutes of chaos- perfect!
A couple songs into the set and he goes wandering round the crowd and at one point later in the set, he extends the fancy mic (you know the one!) to someone in the crowd for them to sing into. Tiny moments stick with you, and my god James’ voice is STRONG. Anyone who has seen them live knows how slick their set is and how strong they all sound together- but maybe it was down to Jack being an exceptional sound/tech person, but they sounded heavenly last night. Sometimes, you go to a gig, and you want to stay in that moment for the rest of time because it’s so comforting- last night’s show was exactly that. Way more than that.
There was a solid mix of old and new songs, and every song just felt like a rush to the body. Like you were being jolted back to life. I know I’ve mentioned it, but I’ll never get over the power Room 156 and Healing has live. With every listen, regardless of the setting, those two songs just seem to mean more and more to me. I think I feel the same about Every Day of Every Year; there’s reassurance in those three songs that you cannot get anywhere else. You’ve got the classics such as Slowly Separate, Garden of England and Closer Still; but when you witness The Itch live- my god! Something hits you. There is something about this song live that can correct every uneasy feeling you have. You can’t help but allow your eyes dart across the stage when this song kicks of- Steve goes wild on the guitar, Sam destroys the drums, Jith makes the bass sound like a demon and James brings it in with his vocals. This happens on every single song, but The Itch live does something else to the mind and body.
The night ends with Is It Better? I don’t think there’s a more fitting Crows song to end the gig with. It’s hopeful but cautious, and I think because it has so much power live- it makes you want the gig to start over again and you witness and feel all of this again and again. They aren’t a band that you see once and that’s it. Absolutely not. They’re a band that you keep seeing because watching them grow in every way is joy to witness and hear.
I’m doing this all again on Tuesday evening, and it cannot come round quick enough.
I have stopped and started writing this more times than I can admit. I have deleted, deleted, and slammed my laptop shut, then tried again to even start this. How do you even start writing about this record? It’s pretty obvious that Crows have never (and will never) release a bad song or record. The 3 singles from the new record have all been exceptional (I don’t think any song has truly moved me like Vision Of Me has, and I’m sort of able to listen to it now without having a little cry! That’s growth 😉) and sometimes when a band releases such strong singles, you feel the rest of the record may not match up. There is nothing to worry about on Reason Enough. I have no idea how many times I listened to it yesterday, but I didn’t feel ready to put my thoughts down. But I am now.
The record opens with the title track, Reason Enough. If you’re looking for the best opener for a record this year-it’s this one. The drums and the bass? HOLY.SHIT. It’s got this heaviness to it that is on a Stoner Rock level. Jith and Sam truly shine on this one. The drums feel like a crashing into the ear drums and the bass feels like someone is possessing your body with electric shocks, and you’re not mad about it. When it all comes together and gets heavier, and heavier- as a Crows fan, you feel this relief. Relief that this record is FINALLY here. Inject this song right into my eardrums. I don’t care about the damage. James’ vocals on this are simply perfect, and Steve’s guitar on this should be illegal. In fact, it should be a crime for a song to be this euphoric. The way it changes for the last minute or so, and the song comes alive in a different way altogether- are you kidding me?! This live is going to be wild.
I’m going to skip over Bored, Is It Better? and Vision Of Me because I’ve already written about them, and I think my feelings towards Vision Of Me are very clear. In 30 years’, time, I will still be calling it as one of the most beautiful and honest songs ever written. I want it tattooed on my skin and carved into my brain. It’s a reminder. It’s a crutch. Much like Healing and Room 156. I think they’re my holy trinity of Crows songs; I’d play them to someone who hadn’t heard them before, but I don’t think I could handle a negative reaction! Anyway, let’s move on because I will go into why Vision Of Me is probably one of the best songs ever written again!
Land Of The Rose is a perfect anthem declaring how shit this country is. Turn on the news and all you see is pain, poverty and politicians repeating their nonsensical lies. This is why we need bands like Crows. This is why we need music or any form of art- it’s an escape but also helps you to see how awful it all is but can give you a little bit of hope that it might get better. Maybe. The way James writes and sings about shame, despair, and every emotion possible. The lyrics on this record are heavy; but with aspects of sadness flowing throughout. That isn’t a bad thing at all- it just makes you think, and it also makes you feel less alone, and odd for feeling the way you do. The songs on Reason Enough feel a lot more personal and tougher. There is still that beautiful gentleness in James’ writing that we lean into and cling onto. I guess at the heart of it, when you find a band that you truly get and they get you- it becomes a safe space, doesn’t it? This record definitely feels like a safe space. As far as political songs go, this one holds some true weight and given how awful this country has been; we need songs like this to really hammer home that things HAVE to improve.
Every Day Of Every Year is another one I’m excited to see live. I love the way the lyrics take you on a journey of every thought you’ve probably had, and by hearing someone else say it- you feel this connection. It’s a connection you won’t get from friends, lovers, families- it’s one from music and sometimes that’s the biggest and most permanent connection we’ll feel, and that’s absolutely fine. I’d be lost without that type of connection, and this song is a really solid way of expressing that. Every single day this feeling repeats and every single day you fight with yourself and the world to keep fucking going. It’s hard, I know. But I like to think it can and does get a little easier. What do you have without hope? I think this song is on the same level as Vision Of Me- there’s something about the lyrics that really get you in the gut. The guitar on this one is of the best moments on the record.
There’s such a natural growth on this record, and I don’t mean from Silver Tongues to Beware Believers to Reason Enough. I mean every single song in its own right is a step up from the song before, and that’s how you know you’ve found a truly special record. The way we get to Lie To Me from Bored is a whirlwind, and it’s heavenly to hear. You can hear the band grow with every song on this record, and you can really feel it in every single element of the songs. The production on this record is unreal too. It always is with Crows isn’t it. Lie To Me is exceptional, and the way we go right into Living On My Knees? Who gave the band permission to be this great? They just took it. Over and over again. The line, “I’m not strong enough for self defense” cuts through you, my god! What a line!
Living On My Knees is my favourite. Of course, I’ll change my mind in a week or so. I’ll call Vision Of Me as my favourite Crows song ever (please see holy trinity a few paragraphs above!) but Living On My Knees is something else. It makes you want to write; it makes you want to get every raw feeling out there; it makes you want to have this song on repeat for hours. It just gives you something that you can’t put into exact words, but you know you’re listening to something truly remarkable. There are heavy moments on the record, but there are also lighter moments, and it’s found on Silhouettes.
James’ vocals on Silhouettes will blow you away. It’s a different side to what he can do, and I think it’s one that will leave us Crows fans in awe for a long, long time. The bass on this is divine- again, it should be a crime for something to sound so perfect. I feel bad for any band about to release anything after next Friday because Reason Enough is THE record of the year. From around 2 minute 20 on Silhouettes, you cannot help but let every part of you feel smacked about from what’s going on in this song. When James sings, “You don’t find peace when you’re older” my god it gets you in the gut. This song truly shows the growth in the band in every single way, and how they have a distinctive sound BUT you can hear they’ve pushed themselves on this record. Go back and listen to their earlier stuff, then listen to Silhouettes and you’ll hear how stronger they all sound- both together and separately.
Reason Enough ends with D-Gent, and it reminds me of their earlier sound. The record starts heavy and ends heavy, and what more could you ask for?! This record is made up of their best work to date, and the opener and closer of the record are the backbone of it. What happens in the middle is that you get a mixture of soft, loud, gentle, vulnerable, anthemic and healing songs. Every emotion possible is in the middle, and you may feel all over the place but the closer, D-Gent brings you back to where you need to be. Where you should be. This record feels like home.
Record number 3 is THEIR record. Sound-wise it is full of moments that will make you realise why you fell in love with the band at the start. For new listeners, you’ll probably have found a band that will become your life. Crows have completely nailed it with this record, and I couldn’t be prouder to be a fan if I tried. The record is honest, political, brutal, heartbreaking, hopeful and an ethereal work of art. It’s the band at their best and I love so much how they have experimented with their sound and made something really out of this world.
The first few listens, I had to stop what I was doing and really take in the record and what was going on. Then with more and more listens, I was able to really get into what spoke to me on this record. It’s obviously everything, and honestly? The 3 singles we’ve had so far don’t do this record justice. There’s so much creative freedom on this record. Everything is heavier and you can really hear in the songs that not everything has been overthought- it’s just a natural progression, and like James said- “This is Crows in high definition.”
Beat In My Bones. 