Chase Atlantic - 'Part Two'

If  you haven't already read our review of Chase Atlantic's 'Part One' you can find it here

In short, Chase Atlantic are an Australian twisted alt-pop trio now based in LA. After some time away, the band have come back strong with a collection of songs, 'Part One' and 'Part Two'.

'Part Two' begins with the band's debut UK single 'Triggered', a dark cinematic account of a young relationship. Building on the determined rhythms in 'Part One', 'Triggered' features pulsing beats with impatient vocals to detail a highly emotion charged, slightly reckless, drive to a girl's house in the middle of the night. A stand out part of the song is a moment of silence in the middle when you think things have calmed down, only to realise that this is the build up to an even more explosive chorus than the previous ones.

Introducing The Fall Of Ego

Picture Source: @TheFallofEgo1 on Twitter

Hailing from Nottinghamshire, Sven Fredriksson is the singer/songwriter for band The Fall Of Ego. With the release of a new album 'World In Disguise' coming soon we thought it would be a great time to introduce you to The Fall Of Ego by talking about two previously released tracks of the indie rock genre.

First of all, we have 'One of These Days' - a relatively slow paced yet uplifting track.

Cymbals and drum crashes punctuate the chorus with more mellow patterns providing a good contrast during the verses. The track starts off with these cymbal crashes mixed with the repetition of clean guitar patterns and bass lines to create an intriguing atmosphere. The raw, piercing, warm toned vocal enters with the line 'this is me' - a very striking beginning to the track.

Introducing INEGO

Picture Source: @inegomusic on Twitter

Hailing from Manchester, UK, INEGO are an alternative rock band with a knack for creating an infectious groove.

Today we're taking it back to 2015 with Inego's EP entitled 'What Are You Waiting For?'

A crash of drums, a flash of guitar and they're off - first track 'Talking To You' sets the scene for the EP with expansive vocals and an upbeat rhythm. This is definitely one to bop along to. Towards the end of the track sits a relaxed, clean sounding guitar solo which breaks down into a tribe like, pumping drum beat complimented by a rhythmic bass pattern. This finishes the track with an air of mystery that is built upon in the second song on the EP, 'Startin' Fires'.

'Ashtray Black' by Pete Gardiner

For fans of  Irish singer songwriter Pete Gardiner, this highly anticipated album has been a long time coming but let me tell you - the wait was worth it.

Featuring tracks mixed by Ash Howes and Mercury Award winning producer Tommy McLaughlin, 'Ashtray Black' builds on the success of singles such as 'Hollywood Lights' and 'Pretty Smiles' to create a collection of foot tapping, feel good tracks with emotive narratives.

The album kicks off with '11 O'clock', a relatively melancholic song with lonely lyrics layered over a conflicting uplifting groove.  The chorus of '11 O'clock' is infectious, with energetic drums and bright guitar melodies, combined with lyrics such as 'just got paid but it's 11 o'clock and I've drank it all away' that conjure up a picture of a crowd singing along in a bustling bar.

INTERVIEW WITH PETE GARDINER

Introducing Pete Gardiner, a talented singer-songwriter from Ireland. We asked Pete a few questions about his music and life in general so you could get to know the man behind the music ahead of his album release next month.

Let's start with a bit about you, what is your first musical memory?

There's a few that blend together. I remember Meat Loaf's ''Bat Out Of Hell'' album on cassette tape one Christmas and listening to it with my dad Saturday morning when I got up. I was only about six or seven but even then I had a strong sense that this was a great album to start the weekend to.

My older cousin let me hear the Guns N Roses album ''Use Your Illusions' when I was around the same age. I was captivated by that one for a lot of years after.

I can remember my parents playing Bob Dylan's ''Mr Tambourine Man'' and I was fascinated by the contrast between his version and the version by The Byrds. I would come back to Dylan many years later when I was ready to understand him...I never came back to The Byrds though. 

How did you get into music as a career?

Well I never really thought of it as a career, and I still don't. Songwriting was just something I got a high from and when I was in school it gave the class-clown smart-ass inside me an outlet that didn't get me into trouble - now it's just second nature, part of my identity. If I showed up to a party with a guitar people might think I was ill. Even if it did start to really pay off financially, I think I would always be too close to it to think of it as a career. 

How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it - in three words?

Worth a listen.

Where has been your favourite place to play and why?

The best nights don;t always transpire where you'd expect them to. I've played to five thousand people before and there's a certain trill attached to that, but then some of my most memorable evenings have been entertaining non more than eight or nine people in somebody's kitchen. A good night just depends on so many things that are out of your hands that you don't really know when it's going to come together. 

What is your writing process like?

It usually begins with a rhyming couplet racing through my head at a very inappropriate time, like when I'm busy or just about to fall asleep. Just one or two lines that are worth pursuing. When that happens, they'll be noted, and I'll look at them again the next time I bet a chance to sit down with the guitar. If I'm lucky it'll spark off a song. There's a balance and a compromise that happens because you have to sit and work at part of the song but another part has to be given to you from somewhere. There's a key component to a song that you can't find just from showing up and trying, it just presents itself when it wants to and sometimes it just keeps you waiting around.

New Music Monday: Singles Edition

This week I thought we'd do something different.

In recent weeks a few good singles have come to my attention from various bands around the UK who are in the middle of making new albums. As such, with no EP or album to review all we have are the singles so that's what we're going to talk about today. Welcome to New Music Monday - the singles edition.

First up we have 'Modern Times' by Pink Hotel.

Dangerous Animals: 'Thick Thieves On The Bricktops EP'

Based in New York, Dangerous Animals are a four piece alternative rock band. Today we'll be talking about their recently released EP 'Thick Thieves On The Bricktops'.

Intriguing guitar phrases are combined with fragments of drums to open the EP on first track 'Confusion'. After you've gotten used to the quiet guitar, the track bursts open with the crash of drums and a roar of added guitars. Layered on top of this is the raw vocal of Mike Holler. In the band's words, this is a song about waking up not knowing where you are and trying to piece together what happened the night before. The chaotic melodic mix of guitar and drums on this track demonstrate this inner turmoil very well.