Artist: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Album: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Label: Island
Release: August 2nd 2010
Reviewed By: Sam Holloway

The fourth album from Vermont-based Grace Potter and her backing band the Nocturnals is a raunchy, rocky affair: a mixture of slow-burning Southern soul rock ballads and faster, gutsier numbers. The band have been gaining momentum in the US and Canada, with appearances on several of the major chat shows and their music being used in a number of hit US dramas. But here in the UK, they’re much more of an unknown, and clearly the band hope to hit big with this summer release.

So what’s the music like? Think of a female-led Credence Clearwater Revival, throw in a dash of Tina Turner (in her days with husband Ike) - and then file off the rough edges. What you’re left with is a powerful sound, sure enough. Catherine Popper’s bass provides a strong backing, with Hammond and dirty rhythm guitars to boot. It has all the right ingredients, but somehow misses the mark through being just a little too polished, too refined.

That can probably be put down to the work of producer Mark Batson, who is more usually noted for his work with artists like Dr Dre, Alicia Keys and Beyoncé. Anyone familiar with Potter’s earlier works will notice a definite change in sound and production values: the raw, bluesy edge has gone (along with the acoustic numbers), to be replaced with a more subtle, poppy feeling.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. The opening track ‘Paris’ is punchy, and even the inevitable chorus of ‘oooh la la’ doesn’t feel like a cliché, it could have sat easily on Sheryl Crow’s early albums, while ‘That Phone’ has a great drive to it and would sit well on the Radio 2 playlist, along with the slower ballad ‘Colors’. The tracks that miss are the wailing rockers, like ‘Hot Summer Night’, which attempt to capture Tina Turner’s power but end up sounding over-produced instead.

Overall, this album finds Grace Potter and her Nocturnals at a junction: will they go down the road of polished pop, or will they return to their blues roots? It?s a gamble either way. In the meantime, enjoy these tracks for what they are: a decent set of Southern soulful rock tunes played by a band who are clearly out to have a good time.

Listen to more from Grace Potter & The Nocturnals at Myspace

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What: Funeral For A Friend
Where: Cardiff University Solus
When: 22nd July
Reviewed by: Becky Dunmall

I have to admit that I haven’t listened to Funeral for a Friend since the mid 2000’s, however when I heard they were playing their debut album in full, I was first in the queue for tickets. Having released four full length and a greatest hits album since their formation in 2001, this tour, entitled “Saying Goodbye to Darran Smith” was the first time the band had played a lot of material from their 2003 album “Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation” since 2004.

The atmosphere in the Solus was one of celebration as Funeral for a Friend arrived on stage to cheers from the sold out crowd. Launching straight in to their twenty song set with the opening track from “Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation”, “Rookie of the Year”.

The band continued to play though the album in track order with favourites such as “Juneau” and “Escape Artists Never Die” inciting a crazy reaction from the crowd. As the band played their way towards the end of the album the audience were treated to the rarely played “Your Revolution is a Joke” which induced a mass sing along from the fans. Ending the first half of the gig with the final track from the album, “Novella”, which was the only song not to sound perfect - they had to have 3 attempts to get the beginning right - rather than ruining the song, the errors made the gig feel more intimate, almost like you were at a practise.

Returning to the stage after a brief hiatus, the band played though eight career spanning songs, including crowd favourites “Into Oblivion” and “Streetcar”. During the second to last track of the set the band were joined on stage by Matt Tuck, the lead singer of “Bullet for My Valentine” who helped sing “This Year’s Most Open Heartbreak”. Unfortunately the second half of the gig didn’t live up to the high standard of the first; however for sheer nostalgic joy the gig was amazing.

(8/10)

Listen to more from Funeral For A Friend at Myspace

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Artist: All Forgotten
Single: Deadweight
Label: Unsigned
Release: Out Now
Reviewed By: Nicole Tiernan

Over the past few months things have been pretty quiet in the All Forgotten camp, especially since parting ways with vocalist Jon Thorne and working with new vocalist Ex Kenai’s Dan Lawrence, however All Forgotten are now back with their new single ‘Deadweight’.

Previously the track had only been heard with Thorne on past tours (most recent being opening for American band There for Tomorrow). Upon first hearing ‘Deadweight’ as a complete track, my initial reaction is that it is different to what myself and other fans may have been expecting. Especially in comparison with tracks featured on the band’s 2009 EP ‘Transitions’, however new recruit Lawrence carries off the song well, sounding as if he has been in All Forgotten all along.

The song with its gripping opening, strong vocals and a backing of energetic acoustics and percussion, is a sure recipe for success. Additionally ‘Deadweight’ throughout has a perfect mixture of drops, catchy lines and pauses which leaves this track echoing in your head for days to come.

All Forgotten who along with the new vocalist consist of Tom Peacock (bass), Daniel Wheeler (guitar), Steve Foy (guitar) and Chris Velissarides (drums) have defiantly made known that they are back with a bang and are also appearing at this year’s Sonisphere festival alongside the likes of Bury Tomorrow & INME.

Overall even if the line up has changed, the track evidently shows the quality of music has defiantly not! And with an addictive track such as ‘Deadweight’, All Forgotten will defiantly not be forgotten anytime soon and undoubtedly a band to look out for in the future.

Listen to more from All Forgotten at Myspace

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Artist: The Boy Who Trapped The Sun
Album: Fireplace
Label: Geffen Records
Release: July 12th
Reviewed By: Alex Litton

Colin MacLeod, aka The Boy who Trapped The Sun, is a 25-year-old hailing from the Scottish Highlands (Isle of Lewis, to be exact) who, under either name, would largely have escaped most people’s attention – until now that is. Bursting forth with his debut album that glides effortlessly across elements of folk and country, seamlessly gelling with layers of guitars, piano, drums and a drafted in string section for good measure, ‘Fireplace’ could see The Boy fairly rapidly outstrip his contemporary rivals.

It is hard to believe that this is an artist whose roots lay in thrash-punk (not to mention playing in a White Stripes tribute band) when you hear his introspective lyrics, hushed soft vocals and beautiful acoustic folk arrangements. It might sound twee and sentimental in theory to parade a song with lyrics like ‘We have windows/We have a roof/And a bottle of brew’ along with chicken clucks and an accordion accompaniment, as he does on the title track. But somehow in practice, it works: an almost idyllic paean to his Hebridean home that opens with the sound of crashing waves on a shore and neatly fingerpicked guitar. It also works on the pensive ‘Golden’, the album’s opener, whose pulsating bass line back MacLeod’s questioning ‘Would you believe me if I said I was happy’.

But don’t be mistaken by thinking ‘Fireplace’ is a heavy-laden doom-angst trip. Far from it. Okay, there might be a touch f the love anxiety on single ‘Katy’, but its upbeat and jaunty air belie the ‘Don’t say you love me/Don’t be too hasty/’cause if you do I’m running for the door’ lyric. MacLeod admits the album takes its lead from relationships with ex-girlfriends, and it does leave you at times feeling almost voyeuristic as you are intimately drawn into his deeply personal thoughts and feelings, vis-à-vis: ‘Now I could sing a sad love song/But what if all the words were wrong’, he asks on ‘Walking In The Dark’, a melodious piano and brushed drums number.

MacLeod’s influences are evident: a touch of Dylan on ‘Thorn In Your Side’ with its harmonica intro; a smattering of Nick Drake vocals on ‘I See You’, plus interwoven slide guitar; Jose Gonzalez informed guitar riffs on ‘Telescope’. And with his supplying everything on ‘Fireplace’ (acoustic guitar, drums, double bass, piano) but strings and female backing vox, his emergence on the folk/country scene is certain to add a new and fresh dimension to this often overlooked genre.

‘Fireplace’ is an album to keep you warm as you bask in its delicate laid-back easy glow. And with festival dates and a September support tour to ex-Guillemots’ Fyfe Dangerfield on the horizon, The Boy Who Trapped The Sun is certain to be ensnaring a good few hearts along the way.

Tracklist:

1. Golden
2. Katy
3. Fireplace
4. I See You
5. Home
6. Thorn In Your Side
7. Walking In The Dark
8. Dreaming Like A Fool
9. Telescope
10. Cooper Down
11. Antique Cobweb

(7/10)

Listen to more from The Boy Who Trapped The Sun at Myspace

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GetToTheFront: You’re releasing Sugar Rush as your debut single, for those who haven’t heard it could you sum it up in 3 words?

Charlee Drew: Catchy, Cheesy, Pop!

GTTF: Sugar Rush was chosen as a single by your fans, do you intend to let them influence anymore important decisions?

CD: I think it’s great to let my supporters get involved with stuff, especially at this stage, there’s been some solid support from the start, and it’s great to be able to give something back and let them feel like they’re involved in my moving forward as an artist!

GTTF: You’re on tour at the moment, how have the live crowd reacted to your material so far?

CD: Yeah, it’s been great actually, loads of screaming and singing along, couldn’t ask for anything better! (Apart from maybe a sold out show at Wembley)

GTTF: Your YouTube features lots of covers, out of all of them which is your favourite?

CD: Probably she’s out of my life – Michael Jackson, although its not the most popular on there, I just really love singing that song.

GTTF: Have you ever considered releasing one as a single?

CD: Yeah I definitely have, If I could get a certain song cleared, I would love to re-record it and release it, but here’s to hoping!

GTTF: You’re collaborating with Skepta on a single in September; his latest single is currently in the top (EDIT) 20, are you hoping for chart success with him?

CD: Well we’re hoping for a good reaction from the song, everyone that’s heard it loves it. Its track 4 from his album, so it will be at the peak of his album release. at this stage though if I managed to hear the track on the Sunday chart show I’d be very happy.

GTTF: You’ve played in several bands before becoming a solo artist, what made you decide to go it alone?

CD: I simply just love commercial music, I always have. Going through my teens, like most people I had to rebel somehow, but quickly realised that the mainstream was where I wanted to be!

GTTF: You also work as a producer, is music production something you wish to continue working with?

CD: Most definitely, I think these days in the industry you have to be diverse, and if I’m not working on my own tracks, I’d really like to be working with other people on their own. Songwriting and Production is probably a more long-term plan, but right now all my focus is on my own music.

GTTF: You spent some (EDIT) time in Britannia Row Studios recording some of your debut album, what was that experience like?

CD: It was great, we met some really cool people in there, along with JLS. It was great to get some stuff down, but they were just demos for the album. The final recordings haven’t taken place yet!

GTTF: Thank you for your time, as one final question, can you reveal any of the songs which will make the final cut for your album yet?

CD: No, thank you for yours! I’m actually not even sure what songs are going to end up on the album, I’m writing loads myself at the moment, and also with some amazing established writers, So it could go anyway, All I can say is that I think I’d be letting a few people down if I didn’t Include Sugar Rush on there!!

Listen to more fom Charlee Drew at Myspace

GetToTheFront: For people who haven’t heard of Octane OK, can you give us the name of each band member and a quirky fact for each band member?

Octane Ok: Paul Tandy (Lead vocals & guitar) - Guilty for being a big fan of cheesy pop (Glee, JLS, Justin Bieber!)
Matt Harper (Bass & Backing vocals) - Has been tying his shoe laces wrong for the past 21 years.
Mikey Rainsford (Guitar & Backing vocals) - The youngest member of the band at 18 years old.
Tom Weston (Drums) - Does a uncanny Scooby Doo impression!

GTTF: Your UK tour with William Control starts July 20th, can you give us three words to describe your live shows?

OO: Three words to describe our live show would definitely have to be energetic, big, and above all, fun! If its not fun then its all a bit pointless really!

GTTF: ‘Take Take’ is your debut single, can you tell us a bit about the song?

OO: It most certainly is. Take Take is probably one of the oldest songs we have, it always went down really well with crowds when we played it live. We just thought, its catchy, you can dance to it, and you can sing along, even if its your first time hearing it! And we’ve had great feedback from the single, the video is the 3rd most requested video on Lava TV, only behind You Me At Six and Paramore, so yea, its gone down really well!

GTTF: Dan Sprigg produced ‘Take Take’, he has been dubbed as “The genius behind The Lostprophets, Funeral for a Friend”. How did it come about working with Dan, or should we say ‘The Genius’?

OO: It was kind of a friend of a friend thing really, and he put us in touch, Dan had a listen to the demo version of the single and luckily, he really liked it! So we headed into the studio with him and came out with our debut single!

GTTF: A lot of artists when they are up and coming in the music industry get
compared to another artist, has anyone made that comparison yet?

OO: Yea all the time really, we get a lot of You Me At Six, Kids In Glass House and Jimmy Eat World. Which is fine by us because we love all those bands. An interesting one came up in a review once which said we were ‘the missing link between Nickleback & Mcfly’

GTTF: You guys have covered many songs, are there any songs that you would love to cover but feel its one of those songs that can’t be covered?

OO: Good questions! I think its always dangerous covering any Led Zeppelin song, Stairway To Heaven in particular! or Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. But we’ve covered everything from Fall Out Boy to Jay Sean, so we’re not really scared of much!

GTTF: What bands are you guys currently listening to at the moment?

OO: The new Kids In Glass Houses album is awesome, as is the new one from 30 Seconds To Mars, and of course, in Paul’s case… Justin Bieber!

GTTF: Finally, apart form the tour in July, what else have you got in store for the rest of this year?

OO: We’re gonna be pretty busy for the rest of this year, which is always good! Were off to Wales in August to record our next single at Longwave Studios, then that will hopefully be released in October, and then we’ve just sorted out a big UK tour which will take up most of October (We’re not allowed to say who with yet i’m afraid!) so the single release and UK tour with both come together, which will hopefully make a big impression! Then we’ve just got some support slots here and there for the rest of the year, especially looking forward to a slot with Electric Six in December, we are hoping their genitals flash in real life too….

Listen to more fom Octane OK at Myspace