13th July 2015
Listening Post
July 2015
It’s been a long time in the making! But here at last is our round-up of the latest recorded music from Leicester bands and artists. And a couple for not closer to home.
Listening to music in somewhat like eating. You have a menu: there are starters, some main courses and some desserts. Each listen could whet your appetite and make you want more, fill you with delicious flavours or even perhaps put you off your food.
If you yourself are a chef (in the musical sense), listening to what other have cooked up is always a learning experience. It might not be your favourite plate of grub, but at least it tells you something about what is happening in the culinary arts.
My selection of musical offerings comes from bands and singers working in Leicester and Leicestershire and a few from acts that have an established following now in the local area.
First of all, the starters.
A variety of singles and tracks have found their way on to my table.
Alpha State
Leicester band Alpha State is getting to unleash its EP on 2nd August at The Musician. They have a original metal tone (heavy, clean vocals, tunes that are melodic and catchy), and have begun to get recognized fairly quickly around the scene and are going strength to strength. The band has one track – Save Yourself – on Soundcloud
I had a listen; on the basis of that this is band worth listening to. If that one track is anything to go by, I can see this one being a hit with aficionados of quality metalrama. The vocals of Wayne Copper are particularly good. I can concur with what they say on their Facebook profile: ‘Prepare yourself for awesome Riffs, anthemic Choruses and Metal to make you eargasm…’
Follow Alpha State on Facebook
Now for the main courses
Poison is the latest CD from Leicester band Another Day Down. In a crystal case with a printed sleeve it has five tracks: Poison, Prove Myself, Dead To Me, PTV, Last Goodbye.#
We went to the launch of this.
Lord of Loops, Carlos Stein has a new release called Wild At Harp. On it Carlos performs the eight tracks he was devised including a 2015 version of his established classic Big Fat Bankers, along a series of new works. Carlos told me ‘This fast-paced tune encompasses many of my influences, including, Hawkwind, Bowie, there’s some post-punk in there, coupled with some Ska, and Drum & Bass! For the purpose of this song the genre shall be called…er….Skrum & Bass. Persevere and Strive: The lyrics to my latest project very poetically sum up the journey of an individual striving to get recognised on the music scene (among the other millions of hopefuls), and reasons that if you persevere you WILL strive. There is also occasional reference to a street named ‘Perseverance Drive’ and is probably the most fitting ‘Double Entendre’ ever!
Carlos is involved in a new project (in addition to the Lord of Loops solo show). It’s a rock covers band I named The New Dogz of Rock. We’ve chosen specific songs, he explained, that appeal to classic rock and blues – from AC/DC to The Beatles, Bowie, CCR, Cream, Doors, Yarbirds, ZZ Top etc. “We have a great dynamic sound with some really good players. The formation was the brainchild of “Mighty Gyrators” guitarist Sean Smith and fronted by Andy Lewis lead singer with Andrew Burnett on Bass, Dave Norman on Drums, and me on the harmonica section covering rhythm and some solo roles. I also do some of backing vocals and the vocal harmonies. Our first gig at The George and Dragon Broughton went down a storm and we soon had people at the front dancing along to stuff. The harmonica I think adds a real edge to our sound and it’s something which we don’t see much of in bands nowadays”, Carlos told me.
Carlos Stein is on Facebook
and on his Lord Of The Loops page
Bandcamp – download the album and pay what you like
Once Vagrant Souls
Leicester band Once Vagrant Souls has brought out a CD with the title Big Clean Mansion. This is a band that has been making a considerable impact, recently, on our local music scene.
More about Big Clean Mansion on Shebangs website
and watch the band talking on this YouTube
Once Vagrant Souls on Facebook
Scribble Victory
The eight songs presented by Scribble Victory, from Derby, are on their CD called Confidence. This band has been delighting audiences here in Leicester many times. Personally, I am a fan of this act, both live and as far as their recordings are concerned.
8MilesHigh
Shots is the release from Leicester band 8 Miles High and has five songs. Released on 24th August at The Soundhouse, this is the band’s second EP.
Prime
Before The After comes from the three members of Nottingham band Prime. The nine tracks on this impressively produced album comes in a shrink-wrapper crystal case with a sleeve setting out the lyrics for each of the songs. They played at the Shed on 9th May, at one of the upstairs/downstairs shows put on by DICP.
and check out the full min-album on YouTube
Sepia Sun
Photo Kevin Gaughan
We are very happy to finally let you hear our debut EP Who Scorched The Sky‘, says Leicester band Sepia Sun. They told us: “You can download it for free, or stream from our Soundcloud and bandcamp pages. Yes that’s right, FOR FREE!”
Suicide Bees
Suicide Bees has released its CD British Invasion.
Find out more about Suicide Bees on Facebook
The Bowbridge Band’s That’s As Good As It Gets features a special appearance by James Stafford. The film coated card cover opens out to reveal a slot in which the CD is placed. Very convenient.
The Bowbridge Band on Facebook
Preacher and the Bear
A similar product comes from Preacher And The Bear and their super blues sound and has four tracks. Fans of this group will recognise the names of Preacher Buck, Goodtime Greenaway and The Bear. Certainly one of the most remarkable acts on the local circuit.
Preacher and the Bear on Facebook
New Priorities
New Priorities is a band from Kettering in Northamptonshire and one that appeared at this year’s Glastonbudget Festival. Although their CD is undated, it’s three songs must be fairly recent. The band formed in 2010 and each time I have seen them, I have really enjoyed their music.
New Priorities is on Facebook and the band’s web site.
The Chase
Another band I discovered at live shows – The Chase (from Nottingham) – has released Prepare For The Inevitable. It offers four songs.
Follow The Chase on Facebook, Twitter and Soundcloud.
Flight15
Flight15, from Leicester, have issued a new track called End It Now. The track (uploaded on 28th June 2015, although originally released in December 2014) is available on YouTube
Fight15 gave me a copy of the physical CD – End It Now – inside the creatively produced cover are a set of engaging tracks.
Joe Connor
Photo by Peter by Treadwell
Joe Connor released his debut EP Opposites on 25th May.
Opposites is available on available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon MP3 and more.
See also:
Listening post for October 2014
