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South Yorkshire has brought us many great bands, from Pulp to Def Leppard, and Bring Me the Horizon. More recently, it’s brought us WNSDY AT 7, who are set to release their debut single Shadows Got Darker tomorrow, 12th September.  

Formed at the start of the year, WNSDY AT 7 are made up of Ryan on vocals and guitar, Tom on guitar, Rob on bass and Joe on drums. They are evidently influenced by the likes of Green Day, Blink 182 and Yungblud. They are for fans of the classic pop punk and rock sound, but also more modern emo and goth music, other bands coming to mind being Ashestoangels, Rocket Pengwin and Pierce the Veil.  

Shadows Got Darker begins with a drum fading in, before the rest of the instruments play for a few bars, then it calms as the vocals come in. It is fast paced and fun sounding, despite the lyrics being about dark topics such as trauma from former relationships that now create anxiety with future ones, a topic that I find myself relating to. I particularly like the line ‘I’m not scared of the dark’ before the chorus kicks in. Although it’s not much in itself, it’s a classic trope of the genre and the isolation of the line creates a hopefulness around such a dark time.  

It’s a well-written song, and it shows that the band has dedicated time and effort to writing, recording and all-around perfecting it before the release, and makes me look forward to future releases from WNSDY AT 7. If you’re enjoying the pop punk renaissance that has appeared in the last few months, you’re certainly love what you hear from these.  

Shadows Got Darker out 12th September! 

I am late to the Paramore party, but this week I sat down and finally had a listen to their latest album This Is Why, which was released this year on the 10th of February.

This Is Why is Paramore’s sixth studio album, and one that fans have been waiting for, for six years! It is an album that fuses styles of music new and old, both in Paramore’s discography and in a wider context of genre. There is a largely 80s synth pop sound to the album, and in the first few seconds had thinking “hm, this sounds like something Bowie would do”.

It’s a good album, but it could have been great, and this is why...

The album covers the feeling of making mistakes and learning from them. It’s an album that captures personal growth in a whimsical fashion, with the use of repetition with both lyrics and instrumentation. Each song is crafted incredibly well and is equally as enjoyable to listen to individually. However, when you put them together, there’s eleven tracks that are mostly the same sound. A repetitive album is somewhat tedious to listen to, and it’s hard to properly review an album when you have the same thing to say about every song.

However, repetition is a definitive feature of some genres, such as punk, and is something that’s becoming prominent in modern pop music. When it’s done right can be effective. The songs on This Is Why that use repetition well are You First, Figure 8 and Thick Skull. The reason why it works better in these more so than the others is because these songs take time to tell a story. The verses have been thought out and express what the songs are trying to say.

Figure 8, for example, has lyrics that touch on issues such as changing and losing yourself for the sake of someone else. The repetition is used to expressed anger at yourself, being fully aware that you have a toxic habit, wanting to control the urge, and then being annoyed that you did it again.

Thick Skull has a change of tone from the rest of the album. The music is less bouncy, but softer to begin with. It talks about being caught up and figuring out where you’re going wrong. The music then kicks in fully, and although it’s still not as positive as the rest of the album, it’s still got the bounce in the rhythm. The lyrics continue to tell the story. The repetition only covers breaks the parts of the song apart and then goes to a slightly heavier crash in the song, making it an effective bridge. It’s one of my favourite tracks on the album, and a strong one to end with.

Liar is song that stands out most to me. It’s a lot softer than the rest of the album. The feeling that is gives is melancholic nostalgia. It keeps the whimsical instrumentation and walks me through a story of self-sabotage. I find it not only to be a well-written song, but an honest one.

As said before, This Is Why is a well-written album. I find elements of old songs such as Monster, Brick By Boring Brick and Playing God appear throughout multiple songs. However, it keeps to the new sound of Paramore, which reflects where they are as a band now. I appreciate that about the album.

Although each song is a good song, the similarities between songs brings the enjoyment of the album. It’s a lot better than other repetitive albums I’ve had to review. This might be a me problem, as I’m haunted with the knowledge that Paramore can do, and have done, more varied sounds.

This includes a link to merch, if you're able to pick some up PLEASE DO! All of it goes back into the podcast.

Brand new indie-alt sensation BREATHER is set to release their self-titled debut EP September 1st!

Only just forming this past January, the Plymouth-based band is made up of Scott Bailey on vocals, Josh Jones on vocals/guitar, Sam Mortley doing lead guitar, Jack Fleming on bass, and Harry Moir on drums.

BREATHER holds a unique sound. It takes the carefully crafted indie and alternative genres, and creates a messy flare known as shoegaze, but contains sprinkles of pop punk throughout. It has an old-school DIY sound, strong rhythm and fun melodies.

The first couple of tracks are two parts of the same song, titled We Know. A perfect way to introduce the EP, and two tracks that perfectly flow into each other. It’s evidence that a lot of time has been dedicated to perfecting the editing. Both parts are followed by emotional power ballad Unknown, which is the softest song on the EP, but is easily one of the strongest songs.

The first single is set to be released August 7th. What Are You Saying is a clever choice for the first single. A clear alt song that follows the sounds of some already loved bands. Bands such as LostAlone and Madina Lake are the first to come to mind. A well-written, yet some-what basic alternative sound that teases their sound and will draw an audience in.

BREATHER then make the incredible decision to make Wrong their second single, set to release August 14th. Last, but certainly not least, on the album, Wrong is said to show off the band's ‘collective energy and love of a big chorus’. That is does. Easily my favourite song on the EP, especially as the song gives the spotlight to Jack’s incredible bassline, then backs it up with soft beats from the drums. This leads back into a grand finale of a chorus and closes the EP off perfectly!

BREATHER is an incredible debut EP, which shows off the band’s talent and passion for music.

To celebrate the release, BREATHER will be performing at The Underground in Plymouth on September 2nd to offer audiences the chance to experience the EP live, and it’ll be an experience that’s worthwhile! Joining them will be Plymouth-locals Syncopate and Foreign Voices.

September 1st and 2nd are the days to look forward to! The days to experience this incredible EP in every way.

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Séance revisits the old gothic sound of the 1980s, soft rock with low vocals, lyrics that are romantically dark and basslines that create the feeling in which the story is portraying. It's ten unique tracks that each tell beautifully sad stories. 

Shooting up into the spotlight, The Nightmares are jumping from triumph-to-triumph. From appearing on the official Knot-fest playlist, to hearing themselves on mainstream media and their first co-headline tour with Miss Vincent. They’re a band that’s risen from underground-status to become a household name. And they’ve only just released their first album!  

Originating in Newport, Wales, The Nightmares is made up of Adam Parslow on guitar and vocals, Ben Mainwaring on bass, Eleanor Coburn on keyboard and James Mattock on the drums. Séance was released 7th April and has already received an immense amount of praise from fans and journalists alike.  

The album was perfected within lockdown, according to Adam and Ben, as I managed to catch them at a show in Sheffield. They say it all came together in lockdown, in the space of 5 or 6 months. 

It Follows is the opening track of Séance, which is one of Adam’s favourites. This song takes the punk route of goth music, starting slow but breaking through to a fast, catchy beat with repetition within the lyrics to really create a lasting catch. 

It’s followed (mind the pun) by Pink and Grey, which is Ben’s favourite. Which is softer, with classic goth themes of wondering what life after death is like. It’s one of my favourites too, as it’s simplistic but really resonates with me.  

I could praise every song on this album. There genuinely wasn’t a song that I would skip. Rare for an album, even more so for a debut album!  

The band chose four songs on the album to turn into singles. These are Heartless, Cursed, From Above and Murder Season. They are all available on YouTube to listen to, and I recommend you do. They all stick out for reasons of their own.  

From Above is a power ballad, dramatic and almost heart-breaking. Cursed includes poetic vocals by, Eleanor. Heartless uses effective wordplay within the lyrics such as “I’m not heartless, I’m just using my heart less”. With a powerful bassline by Ben, Heartless is dark and brooding. Finally, Murder Season features Creeper’s frontman, Will Gould. It’s fast-paced, almost pop punk and contains some of the best musicianship within the album. The feeling of a 00s teen movie, with a dark twist! 

After almost spoiling the whole album, I’ll leave the final few for you to go discover on your own. Although I will say the final song, For Heaven's Sake, is a perfect way to round the album of. It continues the beloved gothic feel, but with a fun catch. If you listen to the album, it makes a smooth loop back to It Follows.  

Following the return of Fearless Vampire Killers last year, by popular demand, they treated the North to a mini tour. Reaching Birmingham, Sheffield and Glasgow, this weekend the FVK boys made the effort to reach out to those Northern fans that missed out on their farewell and reunion shows, both held in London.  

I arrived in Sheffield in the early afternoon, to the Corporation – which was the last place I’d seen them before their breakup, 7 years ago.  

I have been seeing FVK live for over ten years now, and I’ve seen them up and down the country and met a lot of fans around the country. I can assure you, that if you are to see them, Sheffield is the place to go. There is so much more love and community in the audience of Northern shows, there’s less pushing for the front and all-around better attitudes from fans.  

Although a highlight of the night was being immediately met by people who I had known from my early teens. It was a warm welcome and welcomed catch up on life and hugs.  

My experience seeing FVK at The Dome had almost made me give up on the band, purely from the experience with the fans. This night had completely reversed that feeling.  

The Nightmares were opening for Fearless Vampire Killers, who I had seen before at The Dome in London and wasn’t sure what my opinion was. There seemed to be something missing at The Dome, which I dialled down to a poor sound technician. I was right. They sounded incredible this weekend! A band that takes the classic goth sound of bands such as The Cure and Smashing Pumpkins, and incredibly lovely people to talk to. Performing their new singles ‘Cursed’ and ‘Heartless’, they promoted their debut album Séance which will be out this Friday, the 7th of April!  

They will be returning to the North on the 21st of April, on a tour with Miss Vincent. Best believe I will be there!  

Fearless Vampire Killers came on to a recording of their own song Lucifer’s Shroud, which lead into them starting with Necromania. The first song on their Militia of the Lost album, and usually a forgotten gem of theirs. Although their second song was the beloved Bow Ties on Dead Guys.  

Their stage presence was incredible, as every single one of them had seemed to lose all control. Through every song, they were breaking down into dances and during one song they had a dance break which involved screams. Absolute chaos! Between their songs, they joked with the fans, all the fans shouted jokey heckles, including “where’s the lamb sauce” - a reference to the fact that co-frontman Kier Kemp is currently on the BBC show Gordon Ramsey’s Future Food Stars. At one point, they even apologised as they’d “forgotten how to be a serious band”.  

They even had a moment of solace, slowing down the beginning of Regret in memory of their late tour manager Stevie D.  

Other note-worthy songs they performed is Something Terminal, their newest single that was released a year ago on that day and by-far their best song. Braindead, Exploding Heart Disorder and Neon in the Dance Halls are songs that are fantastic songs to hear live, but nothing tops the jaw-dropping performance of At War with the Thirst.  

After the show, the boys come out and spend some time with their fans. This was such a heart-warming hour, as they didn’t just remember faces but remember facts. I was both asked about my drumming and photography, but as I approached co-frontman Laurence Beveridge, his face lit up as he congratulated me on my recent engagement and cooed about how happy he was to see it, then asked about plans. I haven’t spoken to Laurence in 7 years.  

“Last time I went to Pirate Studios there was cake all over the floor. For no reason, like birthday cake.” What to do when the recording space is neglected? When working equipment is put at risk and the space is anything but pleasant? Well, if you’re Jamie, you grab a bunch of friends and make your own!  

Jamie Rupik may not be a name you have heard, but his story is one to be told. At just 21 years old, Jamie is working full-time within the music industry, not just as a musician or technician, but he runs his own recording studio in Sheffield. Stone Deaf studios is located towards Sheffield city centre and is run by a dedicated team of five. Gem Acford, Lily Priestley, Josh Taylor, Luke Harris and of course, Jamie, who was kind enough to give me a quick interview on the hard work that has gone into creating the studio.  

So where did it all begin?  

In lockdown, of course! Jamie was contemplating university and torn. Some of his friends had gone, and some had not. Some of his friends had gone and dropped because they weren’t learning anything they didn’t already know. As for Jamie, he got furloughed during the pandemic had money for “doing nothing”, and from doing nothing... was really bored. Inspired by Rick Rubin and Chris Lorde-Alge, and driven by the poor state of other studios, he spent the next couple of years building Stone Deaf Studios. With the teamwork supporting it, the studio has only gone from strength to strength. 

Stone Deaf Studios get attention from an incredible variation of genres. According to Jamie, they get a lot of acoustic indie artists, mainly female singer-songwriters. Part of the fun is playing around with types of music, different bands and artists. Although they don’t have a success story they can claim just yet, he says they get a lot of local bands that will “hopefully blossom into something like a success story in the future”.   

However, just a few weeks back they did have Sheffield’s own Big Sean in from The Everly Pregnant Brothers, as well as an unnamed female artist who already has a big following. Something to look forward to...   

Other artists that have worked in Stone Deaf Studios, that Jamie would recommend, include Shropshire-born but Manchester-based Meg Chandler and Sheffield’s own Levitation, who will be playing The Leadmill April 22nd.  

With all this attention, you would think there isn’t a quiet day in the studio. Well... “No one wants to record midweek. So, you have Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. And then Wednesday, Thursday... no one wants to come in because everyone's working. Unless you like a full-time band. Wednesdays, Thursdays. No one's no one's doing anything” 

Even if running your own recording studio may seem like a dream come true, it isn’t without its challenges. “It is all challenges” Jamie states, “There is little of it, that is not. The business side of it is so hard, because you've got like, I've got pay insurance for everything. You shouldn't forget insurance of people, you got to do your taxes. I've got to make sure that people understand everything, like I've got a terms and conditions in contracts.” 

These aren’t the only challenges that Jamie faces. As the studio puts on live sessions, that involves model release forms, so that the studio is allowed to use the artist’s image. It involves assuring that everyone is on the same page about what is expected from the studio, and so the studio knows what sound the artist is wanting for the recording. Everyone involved each project needs to be able to know what is always happening, and he needs to make sure everything is paid for and insured.  “The studio side of it's the fun bit, the easy bit.” 

And of course, the studio is no exception to the cost-of-living crisis the country is facing right now. Jamie also needs to make sure all the bills are paid for. There isn’t a moment where it doesn’t feel overwhelming for him, but luckily, there isn’t anything he would rather do! 

The cost of renting out a space in Stone Deaf Studios are also innovative. Most recording studios have flat rates to pay, or charge so much by the hour. Jamie found it to be better for artist and studio to have a varying rate based off how many songs you have, and how much work you need from the studio itself. “So, I just went into studios to see how everyone else did it. And I saw that that was a big gaping flaw in recording, that you play flat rates or time on the hourly base. They're doing loads of work, or they're not doing much. Which all seems a bit silly. I mean, you still an hourly rate, but your hourly rate varies between what the bands actually needs from you.”  

Jamie’s love of music goes way back to his family life. Growing up, he would watch his dad play guitar in a local band and loved it all. His dad taught him how to play guitar. Jamie joined his first band at sixteen, a punk band that he continued to play in up until last year. He's always played in bands, stepped in when his friends needed help in theirs. Currently, he’s toying with the idea of a Midwest emo band! Working with music is something he’s always wanted and loved.  

If you would like to start up your own studio, Jamie’s advice would be to just do it. “People think, studio wise, it's a case of... I've got enough gear yet to do it. Like I need more here. You don't, you can. I mean, obviously, adjust your prices accordingly, you can do it with a laptop.”  

If you want to play music, he says to play shows if you feel ready and like you’re good enough – do it! Play shows. "Even if there's not good shows, you get better by playing shows not by sitting in your bedroom doing it. Like your best way of doing stuff is just by going out and doing it learning on the job on and failing a bunch until you finally do something that's worthwhile.” 

By far my favourite episode so far. So much fun to record!