Flights of Helios - Factory(Remixes)

Hello. We are perilously close to Monday aren't we? We're teetering over the Monday Manhole, possibly about to fall in, unless we steady ourselves with a cup of tea and a Bakewell Finger.

Anyway, with that in mind, I'm bringing you a bit of a blog update on one of my favourite acts, to see us into the new working week.

Regular reader(s) will be aware that for some time now I've been championing Oxford drone pop act Flights of Helios, because they are, quite frankly, the canine's appendages. Before you go any further, I'd like you to take a moment to go and read my previous posts/mentions of the band and to acquaint yourselves with their frankly immense sound. You can do that here: FLIGHTS OF HELIOS.

Those brill bods at PinDrop have alerted me to the fact that their brilliant single from last year "Factory" has had some stellar remixes and I'm happy to be featuring these on the blog today.

You can listen in to the various tracks on their soundcloud page here:

soundcloud.com/flights-of-helios/sets/factory-remixes

And I highly suggest you do.

The guys were my Band of 2014 and their subsequent release "Succubus" was just as fantastic. So if, like me, you're patiently waiting for their next musical outing, you've got these great remixes to keep you going - each of them offers a really different sound and chance to hear the track in a totally different light. You can also watch the original video to the single on the Soundcloud page too.

If that's whetted your musical whistles, then all you need to do is head on over to their Bandcamp page

flightsofhelios.bandcamp.com/

And give them your support.

The Vendettas - Stuck In Your World

Good of the afternoon to you all. Good of the afternoon, indeed. It is Saturday and if you're not enjoying the weekend, ask yourself why? Is it because, like me, you're knee deep in packing boxes, getting ready to move house and wondering what on earth ever possessed you to own so much crap? Nah. Thought not.

I'm just taking a brief pause in the packing proceedings to share something rather flipping marvellous with you all. Today, I'd like to introduce you to a brilliant band from Leeds called The Vendettas, who have sent me their latest gramaphone recording to share with you all. So, share it I shall.

First of all, the necessaries:

Here is the band's website where you can find out all about them and shizz:

vendettasofficial.co.uk/

Here is the band's Twitter feed, where you can tell them how fabulous they are and what have you:

twitter.com/Vendettas_band

And here, is the link to their new single so you can watch/listen:

If you want to buy it, you can make a purchase thereof from here:

vendettasofficial.co.uk/#!music/cfbf

And if you don't, I'll send someone round to sort you out.

This is a corker of a single. If you've liked other bands I've reviewed on here, like The Everglows, The Whereabouts and what have you, you'll LOVE these guys. They've got a brilliant mod sound, quirky, funny and very VERY catchy. This new song (which is out NOW NOW NOW) has such a fantastically great hook to it you can't help but want to jump up and down when you listen. Actually, these guys are the second act this week that have made me do that. There's either something in the music, or I need to change my washing powder. Also, it shouldn't be about looks, it should always be about the music, but The Vendettas LOOK the part too, which I think intensifies their sound.

We need more top tuneage like this for the Spring and Summer and you should place The Vendettas very high on your happy-as-fuck playlists for the coming months. This is a stonker of a track and I'm looking forward to featuring more of these guys over the coming months.

Richard Lomax & The Tontine - Down There For Dancing

Howdy bitches. What is this skullduggery? It's Wednesday and yet, here I am, posting a blog like some out of control, mad as a biscuit wench - drunk on weak herbal tea and a lack of power. Actually, the last bit isn't strictly true as I've just been to the corner shop to top my electric meter up, so I've plenty power thank-you-very-much.

What can I offer you today?

Well, I can offer you something jolly brilliant, cheers for asking.

Today, I'd really like to introduce my readership of at least one person (Hiya Mum!!) to the very wonderful Richard Lomax.

Say hello to Richard everyone.

First of all, here are the necessaries - the link to his bandcamp site and the album I'm about to review for you:

richardlomax.bandcamp.com/album/down-there-for-dancing

You can "like" him on The Facebookz:

facebook.com/lomaxmusic

And you can follow him on The Twitterz

twitter.com/LomaxRichard

Finally, here is his The Websitez

richardlomaxmusic.com/

Here endeth the linkage.

I'd urge you to buy the album. I'd strongly urge it. I'd demand it, but I know that would be awfully forward of me. But seriously, this is a brilliant collection of songs. It opens with the slightly-slow-burning, but shiny and excellent "Glamour" and continues apace. One of my favourite tracks on the entire albumen is "Set Me Free" which has a super super bit of riffage in it, is brilliantly paced and catchy and had me dancing round the flat like a woman possessed (only the second time in my entire life that's happened - the first time was after a glass of Um Bongo at the school disco when I was 6).

Other stand out tracks are the wonderfully titled "Every Fucker Fucks You (so why not fuck them first?)" which has a cracking downbeat, morose quality to it and the final track on the album "Wellness" a gentle and lulling way to end proceedings - it has a quietly aching charm to it.

Earlier on this week I reviewed the new Thomas Truax album, if you're keen on him, you'll LOVE Richard Lomax. Clearly I'm developing a penchant for artistes who end their names with an "X".

So, in short, please do yourself a favour and get this record - give Richard your support. It's a lovely album and I'm really looking forward to featuring him a lot more on these pages in the future.

Thomas Truax - Jetstream Sunset

First day of the working week and here we are again, teetering over the precipice we call "work" and hoping and hollering the weekend arrives again before we're pushed into the abyss. Or maybe that's just me?

Anyway, here I am again and I'm very very pleased to be bringing you another new album to get your listening chops round. 

Previously, on thegeneral - you may remember I was lucky enough to be able to interview the stellar talent that is Mr Thomas Truax, on the release of his last single, "Feelin' Bad For Dracula". If you were daft enough to miss this first time round, you can read and listen HERE.

I'm mightily chuffed to be reviewing his branneeew album, due for release on 6th April (that's Easter Monday fact fans). Called "Jetstream Sunset", it picks up where the brilliance of "Dracula..." left off. 

First of all, here's a little sneak preview you can listen to before the album is officially released:

soundcloud.com/thomas-truax/i-was-a-teenage-post-punk-excerpt

But me - well...I've been lucky enough to get my hands on a full copy to listen to. Hoh yais, so I have so I have. 

You are going to be very very lucky people is all I can say. "Jetstream Sunset" is a superb collection of songs. A brilliant mixture of repetitive, chant like guitar riffs, dark, brooding vocals and all round cloudy moroseness make this album one very worth buying if you're into that kind of thing (and I am).

Stand out tracks for thegeneral are the preview track listed above, "I Was A Teenage Post Punk", opener and title track "Jetstream Sunset" and "Fat Spider" (a little killer of a song). But in truth, there is not one single dud song in the entire collection. It's an album that is immediately appealing, with darkly catchy melodies and wonderfully rich vocals from the man himself. 

Once the album is released I'll be updating this post to let everyone know where they can buy it from.

Finally - Thomas is touring the album starting from 26th March. Here are details of the gigs and ticket links:

THOMAS TRUAX 'JETSTREAM SUNSET' ALBUM TOUR 2015 26 March, Thurs: Guildford, Boilerroom 13 Stokefields GU1 4LS Guildford, UK 28 March, Sat: Bristol, Cube Cinema: Dove Street South, Bristol BS2 8JB http://www.cubecinema.com/programme/event/thomas-truax,7851/ Tickets: http://www.bristolticketshop.co.uk/events.aspx?v=14 29 March, Sun: Brighton, Komedia 44 - 47 Gardner Street, Brighton, East Sussex, Brighton, BN1 1UN http://www.seetickets.com/event/thomas-truax/komedia-studio/846571 https://www.facebook.com/events/1554228111530544 1 April, Wed: London, The Lexington, 96-98 Pentonville Rd, London N1 9JB (Official Album Launch night) https://billetto.co.uk/en/events/thomastruax 4 April, Sat: Exeter, Cavern Club, 83-84 Queen St, Devon EX4 3RP 5 April, Sun: Cardiff, Wales Goes Pop! Festival - Loose @ The Gate, Keppoch Street, Roath, Cardiff, CF24 3JW http://www.wegottickets.com/f/8702 facebook.com/walesgoespop twitter.com/walesgoespop 9 April, Thurs: Manchester, Gullivers 109 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 1LW 7:30pm http://www.heymanchester.com/thomas-truax https://www.facebook.com/events/840476282677816/ tickets: https://billetto.co.uk/en/events/thomas-truax 10 April Fri: Blackpool, UK, Other Worlds Festival www.otherworldsfestival.co.uk 11 April Sat: Sheffield, South Seas 3 Spooner Road, Broomhill, Sheffield, S10 5BL http://www.wegottickets.com/event/307704 Tel: 07842828432 12 April, Sun: Newcastle; The Mining Institute, (Library) Neville Hall Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE The entrance is on the corner of Westgate Road and Orchard Street. https://mininginstitute.org.uk/ http://www.wegottickets.com/event/306788 15 April, Wed: Belfast, Lavery's 12-18 Bradbury Place, Belfast, BT7 1RS 028 9087 1106 16 April, Thurs: Clonakilty, West Cork, Ireland, Debarras 55, Pearse St., Phone : +353 (0)23 33381 Ticket link: https://secure.tickets.ie/Listing/EventInformation/21903/thomas-truax-de-barras-16-April-2015 DeBarra’s Website: http://debarra.ie/listings/2015-04-16/ 17 April, Fri: Dublin, Workman's Club, 10 Wellington Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland 24 Apr, Fri: SOUTHAMPTON Talking Heads (Supporting Duke Special) 320 Portswood Road, Southampton SO17 2TD, United Kingdom +44 23 8067 8446 www.thetalkingheads.co.uk/ 25 Apr, Sat: READING Bowery District (Supporting Duke Special) 110-117 Friar Street, Reading, RG1 1EP 0118 959 5395 www.thebowerydistrict.co.uk 26 Apr, Sun: CARDIFF The Globe (Supporting Duke Special) 125 Albany Rd, Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF24 3NS http://www.globecardiffmusic.com/ 1 May, Fri: Northampton, Labour Club 95-97 Charles Street, Northampton NN1 3BG 01604 636 254 http://legendarylabourclub.com/https://www.facebook.com/events/462164917272096/ 2 May, Sat: Oxford, Cellar Bar Frewin Court Oxford OX1 3HZ tel 01865 244 761www.cellaroxford.co.uk/ 6 May, Wed: Leeds, Brudenell Social Club 33 Queen's Road Leeds LS6 1NY 0113 275 2411 www.brudenellsocialclub.co.uk 8 May, Fri: Hull, The New Adelphi Club, 89 DeGrey St, East Yorkshire, HU5 2RU +44 1482 348216 http://www.theadelphi.com/ 16 May, Sat: Wood Festival, Braziers Park, near Wallingford, Oxfordshire. http://www.gigantic.com/wood-festival-tickets

Cantaloupe - Zoetrope

Happy happy Monday to you, one and all. You'll be happy to know I'm sitting with a cup of tea (still no KitKat) and really happy to be bringing you some absolutely wonderful new music for this rather grey and dreary afternoon.

You know what, I don't think I cover nearly enough electronica on this blog - and that's a real pity, because it's actually one of my favourite genres of music (that's a hint - any up and coming electronic acts - you can email me - thegeneralmusicblog@googlemail.com) so I genuinely am thrilled to be featuring today's offering from a brilliant act from Nottingham called Cantaloupe, once again via PinDrop Publicity. This is their debut album "Zoetrope" and it's released today, 16th March.

OK, as always, the necessaries. Here are the vitals you need.

You can listen to the album via Soundcloud here:

soundcloud.com/hellothor/sets/cantaloupe-zoetrope-1/s-vqcvn

You can also buy the album from here:

hellothor.limitedrun.com/products/540489-cantaloupe-zoetrope

You can follow them on The Twitters here:

twitter.com/HELLOCANTALOUPE

I don't think, at this precise moment, I can find enough superlatives about this album. It's made me so happy listening to it over the last week or so. It feels like a real short of catchy, infectious energy. I do love my late 70s/early 80s synth pop - and this is such a lovely melding of that era with 21st century tech and know how. It's got that glorious poppy feel, sweet, catchy vocals and instantly memorable synth hooks that become instantaneously embedded in your head.

Stand out tracks for me are the opener "Big Kiss" and "Gustave" (this sort of reminded me a bit of one of my other favourite acts du jour, Discopolis). Though in truth, every single track on here is wonderful in its own right - with something for anyone who loves electronica.

Buy buy buy and give these guys your support. This is a truly phenomenal debut and not to be missed.

The Whereabouts - Money and Fame

Howdy. Howdy one and all. It's Sunday and that can only mean one thing. It's Sunday. That message was brought to you by the Ministry of Stating the Bleeding Obvious. However, meaningless statements aside I do have some absolutely brilliant music to bring you that will hopefully shake you all out of your lie-in lethargy.

People who frequent this blog regularly (about 3 of you), will remember that last year I featured a brilliant act called The Whereabouts. If you should so wish to, you can go and read my previous post on them and bring yourself up to speed on what they're all about (hint: you absolutely won't be disappointed).

Read my previous post HERE

The group are now back with an absolute corker of a track and I'm really pleased to be featuring it (and them) again on these pages. The new song is called "Money and Fame" and you can listen to and watch it via the wonder that is The YooToobs - so follow the link below:

The Whereabouts - Money and Fame

You can find out more about the band here:

thewhereaboutsofficial.com/

You can Tweet them here:

twitter.com/TheWhereabouts_

But you really do need to get their new song in your lives, like, pronto. This is such a great number, it's got guitar riffage and raw vocals to die for and it's so full of sparky energy it could light up the National Grid for totes ages and stuff. I said in my previous post about the band, they were one to watch over the coming 12 months and I think this new song further cements my belief.

Another stellar outing from a brilliantly talented group. More please!

The Paranoid Style - Rock and Roll Just Can't Recall

Howdy. It's Monday afternoon and I bet you're all feeling a bit jaded aren't you? Has your KitKat and cuppa not perked you up enough? Mine hasn't. I didn't actually have either, so no wonder I'm feeling a bit less active than a sloth on Cipramil.

So, I'm guessing you all need something to bring you back to life. Thought so. I've got just the thing - a brand new release from East Coast Punk Perfectness, The Paranoid Style (brainchild of Elizabeth Nelson Bracy and Bruce Bennett) RIGHT THIS COCKING MOMENT on Battle and being brought to you via those rather marvellous bods at PinDrop Publicity.

Firstly, here are the necessaries - all the links you need to listen/buy etc:

battle.greedbag.com/buy/rock-and-roll-just-cant-recall-1/

spotify.com/album/1rlVrdbIwBNBgPnM2fbdHx

itunes.apple.com/gb/album/rock-roll-just-cant-recall-ep/id964262793

You can also listen here too:

soundcloud.com/battle/sets/rock-roll-just-cant-recall

Why do you need this EP in your life. You just do. Do you like punk? Do you need to wig out like your life depended on it? If you answered yes to both of these, don't question me - go get this today. 

Opening track "National Sunday Law" is an absolute cracker, jangly with a really fast paced feel to it and a catchy hook. Standout track for thegeneral is definitely "Bound To Be Vacant" for the opening guitar riff alone. It's bloody super and worth your TV license fee alone. Final track "Master Jack" is a cracking way to end things - a softly delicate vocal in perfect juxtaposition with the fuzzy guitars. 

So in short, you need to get your arses in gear and buy this if you like perfect punky pop and need waking up from your musical coma. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to find a KitKat...

The Knievel Dead - We Will Fall

What is this skullduggery - Monday afternoon and I'm writing a blog? I know. I sometimes like to throw a curveball at you that's so bizarre it makes a Saturday night repeat of Dad's Army look like a break from the norm.

To be honest, you find me a little breathless and giddy with excitement today. It's not very often that happens. The last time such an event occurred I couldn't sit down for a week. I'll leave you guessing what happened, but suffice to say I've never looked at a parsnip twice, since.

Anyway, the real reason for my breathlessness and giddy excitement is because The Knievel Dead have a new album out called "We Will Fall", TODAY. Yes, that's TODAY. Not TOMORROW. TODAY. (March 2nd if you're reading this today, if you're reading it tomorrow then it was released YESTERDAY, you're a little bit late to the party and I should take you over my knee).

Firstly, there's the necessaries - the link to where you can listen to and make a purchase of said album:

the-knievel-dead.bandcamp.com/album/we-will-fall

You can visit the band's site here:

theknieveldead.com/

Eagle eyed readers will remember I reviewed the band in 2013 when they released a super-duper single called Psychosis. <------ you can follow that link to read and listen.

"We Will Fall" has been worth the wait. Totally worth it. It's a brilliant mixture of laid back, sardonic vocals, scuzzy, fuzzy guitars and brilliant riffage.

Opening track "Take The Medicine" picks up where Psychosis left off, with a fast paced and very heavy rocky opening - brilliantly charged. It's followed by "All Entwined" which has almost Wire-esque sounding guitar to it, very most excellent.

"Dead Behind The Eyes" has the most brilliant opening and the"Hanging From The Walls" guitar pick sounds like it was lifted straight from a spaghetti western - perfect.

Final track of the collection "Nothing More" is a stunning way to end, it's like the comedown after you've eaten too much sherbert (or had too much fizzygood - or whatever it is the youngfolk imbibe these days). It feels nicely mellow and is a fabulous way to round off a selection of songs that have plenny of high octane guitars and tempered vocals.

I absolutely adore these guys and they need as much exposure as possible (not in THAT way you pervs) so please do yourself a favour and put this album in your collection, like, pronto and shizz. It's a superb album and well worth the tiny amount of pennies it will cost you. Give these guys your support!

David Aldo - Just You

Happy Sunday to you, and once again I'm back with another blog entry to see out the weekend and usher in the new working week. What does Sunday require? It requires a slice of something sweet and decadent from the pie we lovingly call "Perfect Pop" and I have just the thing to share with you. So, if you'd be so kind, pop the kettle on and sit ye'selves down to listen in.

I'm delighted to introduce David Aldo to you all today. I was asked if I'd consider putting something together on his latest single "Just You" which comes ahead of the release of his new, eponymously titled album in April.

First, here are le necessaries - here's the link to his video

And here is the link to David's website where you can find further details of where and how to buy his stuff:

thedavidaldo.com/

"Just You" is a brilliant number. It is, as I alluded to at the start of the blog, a slice of perfect pop - and one that needs very few listens for it to become instantly recognisable. It's got a brilliantly catchy hook and it reels you in from the start. Great harmonies alongside a really soulful vocal from David make this a song that should be a staple part of your playlist over the coming weeks. 

When the album is released I'll update this page to let everyone know, but in the meantime this is a great track to keep you going until April!