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Hailing from "The Golden Triangle" of Aylesbury, Dunstable and Northampton The Repeat Offenders were formed in 2011 and have been continuously writing and performing ever since. They's toured up and down the country playing some of the most illustrious venues around including the world famous Cavern Club in Liverpool and The Factory in Manchester, they have also supported The Rifles at a sold out show.

Their first release was an EP called Frame Of Mind in May last year, which has unfortunately passed your reviewer by, but rest assured I shall be attempting to get my grubby little mitts on a copy, which was followed by an acoustic version to tie in with supporting The Rifles at one of their acoustic gigs.

This year has seen the release of their first two singles proper and they are what I'm here to tell you all about my little lammikins.

Beg, Steal or Borrow was released on the 18th March 2013 and kicks off with a riff very reminiscent of The Rifles’ Peace And Quiet (I guess the clue is in the name) and carries on in the same vein, Riflesesque would be an understatement but bloody hell it sounds good! Fresh! New! Sharp! Andrew Ruddick’s vocals are real, the lyrics are real with an instant crowd pleasing sing along chorus. The riff incessantly pounds into your psyche, the sparse keys are perfectly placed but more deft than you realise on first listen. Graham Holmes and Steve Knock’s rhythm section work their way into the mix and the wail of Newt Putt’s lead guitar sits like a cherry on top of a big mod cake. A rough diamond of a track, lyrically and musically on the money, this is one of my favourite releases of the year so far. If you like The Rifles, The Strokes, Oasis, Weller, T’Arctics et al you’ll love this track as much as I do!

This was followed on 6th of may by second single What Happens?

Am I too old for angsty songs reeking of self doubt and pity? Nah, I don't think anyone is, ever, pain is at the very heart of music, that's what gives it soul, that's what makes your heart beat that little bit faster - knowing what it feels like. This distorted, shambolic, echo filled song is the sound of a desperate heart giving itself a little talking to, a bit like Vincent Vega at Mrs Mia Wallace's house, but not quite as smooth. The crackling voclas work as do the 3 million layers of guitar and the steady, unbreaking hearts-pace drumbeat. It reminds my of a hundred, late 80's indie bands and there's definitley a Smiths/Wedding present "feel" to it. It proves that The Repeat Offenders are more than a Rifles tribute band, they've got their own sound, they've got there own tunes and man, they've got a future!

So jog on down to your local iTunes store and get yourself involved, and remember, you don't have to beg, steal or borrow you can just buy for the bargain price of 79 English pence.

Find out more here:-

https://www.facebook.com/therepeatoffendersmuzic

https://twitter.com/repeatoffender5

https://soundcloud.com/therepeatoffendersmusic

An intro that reminds me of The Jam's Dreams Of Children/All Mod Cons/Dream Time before jumping forward 10 years into a Stone Roses Waterfall homage and the next 3 minutes are looking bright!

Conjuring up a time before that horrible "Britpop" tag was dreamed up by some guy with a surplus of Fred Perry's and Adidas Gazelles, when your new music was found on the free cassettes that came with the (still credible then, honest) NME, Melody Maker and the often forgotten, short lived, Rage!

A time when tops with hoods were worn without an ankle tag, and even if ankle tags were around you'd never have seen them under the acres of Naf Naf denim floating around your ankles, nearly covering your navy Kickers.

That marvellous moment when the guitar and dance worlds collided and suddenly indie records were danceable, fun, uplifting, the shackles of The Smiths had finally been broken by the new Manchester (NO! Never Mad!) bands, you can hear them all in this single, especially The Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets and a big nod to The Charlatans (the only ones still consistently and regularly releasing new material of a high standard).

I seem to have got a little distracted there, what I'm trying to say is this record sounds like you know it, like you've always known it. It rocks. It rolls. It soars. It dives. The vocals sit on top intricate guitars, harmonising with the delicate fretwork. Mani-ish bass has that dipping and peaking sound so familiar and married inextricably to the drums. A whopping guitar solo raises the song to higher levels towards the end leaving you breathless and gasping before ending with more sound effects (affects) and a gentle lullaby of a riff.

For a band as far away from Manchester as its possible to get in England, Southampton, John Waghorn (Lead Guitar & Vox), Josh Butcher (Rhythm Guitar & B-Vox), Daniel Martin (Bass) and John Martin (Skins) have certainly captured the feeling of that city at that time.

A top quality release that improves with every listen, get on it!

Find out more here:-

http://welcomepariah.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/welcomepariah

https://twitter.com/WelcomePariah

    Snake Charmer opens this début ep with disorientating guitars and swirling drums before kicking in with a dirty, sleazy, fuzz filled riff, it’s like listening to The Doors rutting with Nirvana! It’s a song  that demands to be listened to, a filth laden opener that get’s the juices flowing!

Up next is Rosalene which, like Snake Charmer, has a mid 90’s feel to it, the vocal is very definitely reminiscent of Gary Stringer of Reef. I like it, it’s catchy and a good foil for the brutality of the opening track. It feels like the West Coast. The West Coast of Hoxton. Although the vocal does struggle on occasions it doesn’t take away from the enjoyment of the track.

Itchy Fingers is a Stones-a-like Rn’B workout that will get your heart a-pumpin’ and your feet a-jumpin’. Doused in the great tradition of the quintessentially English take on the electrified sound of American Blues it drips with a vicious vigour and raw energy.

Title track New Mexico is an altogether different beast, gentle and alluring, sucking you in with a lilting guitar and easy vocal harking back to a different time, to summer and sun and a canyon filled American wilderness. A song that shows just what these boys are capable of, well crafted and layered with imagery, the addition of a keyboard adds a different depth from the rest of the release.

    Aaron Gardners’ vocals are gritty and earthy and entirely believable, but sometimes maybe a little less soul would work as well, a whisper can be louder than a scream! His guitar work is both effortlessly beguiling and as subtle as a kick in the teeth, clanging and crashing where it needs to. Tom Reynolds’ bass fills your gut with goodness, warm, round and filling in all the gaps nicely. All this is held together by the relentless pounding (ooh matron!) of Paul Archbold who keeps everything moving along nicely, not over elaborate or showy, just keeping the beat!

  I saw Stone Thieves live late last year in Islington at Mis-Shapes club, and these guys have style in spades! They walk it like they talk it. They play with an unforgiving energy, they play loudly, they enthral you. It’s nearly impossible to keep your feet still or your eyes off Aaron as he pours the very core of himself into the microphone whilst seemingly wrestling his guitar into submission.

  Stone Thieves are an exciting band with an exciting future ahead if they carry on in this vein. Get your grubby mitts on the ep which will be available soon and let your feet take you to one of their upcoming gigs to be part of if!

Believe In The Thieves!

Twitter : @StoneThieves

Facebook : www.facebook.com/stonethieves

Good morning class. 

What is a Broxton Hundred? 

Anyone?

Then I will tell you.....the name comes from an ancient time when counties were divided into “Hundreds” and Broxton was the name of the area in Chester where Richard Lucas (guitar, bass, vocals) and Gary Yari-Gerrard (guitar, bass, backing vocals) lived, hence the name. Rich L and Gaz found themselves in London and enlisted skinsman Richard Ormond into the band making the Hundred complete. History lesson over, have a quick playtime and then it’s contemporary music....

Who Put The Weight Of The World On Your Shoulders?, opens with clipped chords and rumbling drums and my first thought was it’s The Moons! Very 60’s British Invasion inspired and executed very well indeed, tight and sharp.....then something happens......the drums pound like an Wigan stomper, the guitar becomes a cross between The Byrds and Johnny Marr while Rich L’s clear and insistent “this will start and end here” delivers on all fronts. A top slice of modern art pop. Are you eating? Well I hope you’ve brought enough for EVERYBODY! Now put them away and listen to She Brings The Light, hear how the guitar riff echoes around your head, how the bass comforts you like a warm blanket and the drums keep you moving. Listen to the words, and how they don’t intrude, they just need to be there. Reminiscent of Ocean Colour Scene the chorus is all wah wah guitars and catchy hook line, definitely “indie” but with pop sensibilities, late 60’s conjured with touch of glam and a sprinkling of new wave, nice recipe but tough to get right! No you can’t go to the toilet, you should have gone at playtime. The next song Run takes it down a notch and more influences arrange themselves to be heard, oddly muted crashing chords reminds me a little of The Police until the vocals kick in. A pining slow burner that seeps into your conciousness until the chorus comes along and forces it’s way in with a crowbar, where it stays!

Settle down class, or you’ll all be getting detention, the last track is called Higher Surroundings. The intro is firmly rooted in Britpop (horrible, horrible term, but you get what I mean) and bounds along nicely before ANOTHER huge huge chorus that will worm it’s way into your psyche! Uplifting is not strong enough, can I say euphoric? Yes, yes I can, it’s a euphoric noise the morse code stoccato guitar work running behind the soul fuelled voice is quite simply genius! Rising and falling like waves crashing in your ears, a rapturous, wonderful, life affirming track!

A very strong debut from “The Broxtons” varied and tight, a myriad of influences fighting to be heard in glorious cacophony, but the main thing, THE MAIN thing to remember (I may be quizzing you on this) is that they have big, beautiful, bountiful choruses, and they aren’t afraid to use them! The bell is for me NOT you! I’m glad it didn’t start and end at the first track and I hope it doesn’t start and end with this ep! Class dismissed!

I’ve waited a while for this EP and once it dropped on my mat and the butler had delivered it to me on a silver platter, I had him place it in the phonogram system and take his leave. Having seen “The Troubs” only once before, playing acoustically at Pretty Green in Covent Garden, I had been pleasantly surprised then, so my main hope was that this release would live up to my heady expectations. The tracks are not new to me as I have caught them all on souncloud before now but I always think something is lost listening on a laptop/phone. So, I adjusted my smoking jacket, lit my pipe and settled down to listen.....

Opener Who’s Gonna Love Us Now kicks in with drums and jangly guitars before D.J.Connett sneers over top, an unusual voice for sure, but definitely not unlikeable by any means, clear and concise and with liberal helpings of soul, the chorus is a pantheon of yearning, this, my little chums, is a bloody good song, pace changes, acapella, drums, guitars, bass, singing, its all there!

Next up Only Remedy conjures up folky, west coast floatiness in the beginning, Joel Rogers guitar is simple and sublimely beautiful. The song kicks in and again DJC shows his full range and harmonises very well indeed. This is the sound of accomplished musicians, well crafted, well honed and very well played indeed!

Audacity of hope, ethereal keyboards flips into punchy guitar and drum work, reminiscent of The Animals, confirmed when the glorious sound of the hammond drifts around the ears. This is a sing-a-long anthem if ever I heard one, a bouncer and a dancer! A middle 8 that is barely there ‘tis so delicate then BOOM! you're back in the room. Audacity Of Hope Will Pull You Through!

Control the feelings Osmondesque drum intro get’s my slipper clad feet tapping, this is less sing-a-long more shout-a-long, definitely a more 70’s glam feel about this song, not that that’s a bad thing (there’s been a resurgence of T-Rex/Slade/Bowie at recent DJ sets I’ve seen) and it really bowls you a long.

I’ve enjoyed this so much the time between me ringing the bell and my faithful retainer returning to replay the disc seems like an eternity, don’t worry I’ll flog him later, and he’ll be grateful.

Overall it’s a very well produced debut and the interplay between Darren and Joel’s voices is quite a revelation, they fir together very, very well. I’m looking forward to catching them at The Fiddlers Elbow in Camden as part of The March Of The Mods.

Who’s Gonna Love Us Now? I will chaps, big kiss! Mwah!

Sooner The Better is available from www.thelastofthetroubadours.com

Follow them on twitter @TLOTTROUBADOURS and find them on Facebook.

Bon Iver at AIR Studios (4AD/jagjaguwar Session)

"4AD and Jagjaguwar have collaborated on a live session that captures a truly unique Bon Iver performance, featuring Justin Vernon and Sean Carey. On recent tours fans will have become accustomed to seeing Vernon flanked by an eleven-piece band, with the swell in numbers lending a grandiose element to even his most delicate songs. Sidestepping expectations, the idea Vernon presented for this session was to provide a wildly different experience."