The Electric Stars – Sonic Candy Soul

(This originally appeared on Subba Cultcha way back in 2012)

Manchester quintet release their broad-sweeping, mod-friendly debut album. 


No one accuse Mancunian quintet The Electric Stars of being cutting edge, that's not where they're at. And neither are they an out and out retro act. The truth is they take what they like from music's past for their own ends. What the band's really about is the quality of their songs, and playing and serving them well. It's this sense of craftsmanship that runs through all eleven tracks on Sonic Candy Soul, their debut album for Detour Records.

From the fake vinyl crackle of album opener '136' onwards it's the attention to detail that impresses. Though essentially a guitar band they're not afraid of adding other touches, such as the trumpet solo on Stoned Again, and the dramatic piano and synths on the dark, sinister Bedtime Stories. Singer Jason Edge proves himself a fine singer and decent lyricist, perhaps best shown on Alison Williams,a modern day kitchen sink tale.

Though their main influences are the '60s beat era, the poppier side of psych, and some of brit-pop's confident swagger, there's a subtler strand of US influences that help add some soul to the English pop classicism. Not least the finger-snapping grooves of Between The Streets And The Stars, the stoned country-soul verses and Bo Diddley beat coda on Blind, and the gospel backing vocals on Stoned Again (courtesy of sometime Primal Scream member Denise Johnson).

The album is produced by fellow Mancunians Martin Coogan (Mock Turtles) and Yves Altana (Wonky Alice), with all the soft-psych tricks in their armoury – flange, gentle stereo panning, the occasional backwards cymbal. There are also clues as to the band's true live sound via the amp-crunching, rocking out of Not Man Enough.


Click here for The Electric Stars' website.

New Band Alert - One-Way Song

Culturally-aware, artful indie-rock. Manchester collective release their debut EP!

A new band on my radar recently is One-Way Song, a band/collective from Manchester formed by lyricist Luke Gilfedder and vocalist Angus Macalister. What's refreshing about them is that they steer clear of any generic indie norms (difficult when you're from Manchester!) and seem determined to set their own musical path. And it's not just the music that's impressive, their choice of subject matter reflects their interests and passions. History, religion, class, films, books and other cultural references abound. It's a similar mindset to that other bunch of cultural-historians from the north-west - British Sea Power, albeit the music made by One-Way Song contains a more youthful brio and experimental edge. Any band that cites Wyndham Lewis, Colin Wilson and Lou Reed among their influences has to have something worth checking out right?

Given such diverse influences it comes as little surprise to learn that the group originally worked together at a theatre workshop they'd set up, writing and touring their own productions. The decision to branch out into music was made after having written songs to accompany one of their plays. The influence of other mediums is present on the band's debut EP, entitled 'Passionate Leave'. It's released on 27^thNovember via Hilltown Records and features lead single 'Billy Fisher Fitzgerald' a track partly inspired by the story of Billy Liar, it features impressive drumming and spoken word lyrics that highlight the modern day relevance of Billy Liar's prevailing themes.

The band have also made a video for another track from the EP. 'Riviera Nightmare' is a song about the Germanwings Flight 9525 disaster of 2015. Not an obvious choice of subject matter for a pop tune but it shows how the band think outside of the box.

**For more on the band check out the links below and look out for tour dates to be announced soon**

Click here for One-Way Song on Twitter.

Click here for One-Way Song on Facebook.

Click here for One-Way Song on iTunes.

Click here for One-Way Song on Bandcamp.
Click here for Hilltown Records.

Cabbage – Le Chou EP

Amorality tales from Manchester's latest rising band!

It's a brave band that names themselves Cabbage. The associations of such a word don't do you any favours but there is a perverse bravery in such an act, and if the tunes and are good what's in a name? Cabbage, a band definitely not in a vegetative state, have just released their five track debut EP via Play And Record Records. With lyrics rich in northern humour and mischief, bolstered by brash and bolshy guitar riffs, they reveal themselves as a guitar band whose mission statement is to subvert and have fun in equal measure. Their track “Tell Me Lies About Manchester” (not on the EP though live versions can be found on YouTube), tells you much about the city's love/hate relationship with its musical heritage and will make you laugh in the process.

Their skewed brand of post-punk, pre-corporate indie-rock continues a lineage that connects The Fall, Pavement, The Arctic Monkeys and even perhaps The Blue Aeroplanes. The five state-of-the-nation addresses acknowledge the absurdity of a lot of modern life, be it “Contactless Payment”, or the comfort of “White Noise” in a Tory-run country. Readers of school-attending age may want to opt out of listening to “Dinner Lady” however, a frankly disturbing tale of revenge that involves masturbation, quiche and revenge. I guess you have to listen now eh! Check out the EP via the Bandcamp link or watch the video for lead track “Kevin” below. I dares you!