These Curious Thoughts: Inventing Dr Sutherland And His Traveling Hospital (Album review)

Today I have something unique for you. This is duo These Curious Thoughts, they're made up of Jim Radford who writes all the lyrics and Sean Dunlop who puts them to music. They've been creating music together for the past ten years.

This is their latest album: Inventing Dr Sutherland And His Traveling Hospital. 

Now unlike a lot of music these days they don't just have 12 tracks that have no connection to each other, each song on Inventing Dr Sutherland tells the story of a travelling psychiatrist who sails across the sea to the great state of psychosis. As for the music its self it has quite a rock feel about it, with that foot tapping beat and faster rhythm. There are some exceptions, such as Choking On The Walls to me has more of a country feel about it, The Dark Room is definitely more melodic and Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde is something different all together! There are definitely some some stand out tracks, Backpack Full Of Tears, Born Again, Chains and An Ocean Song. Backpack Full Of Tears being my personal favourite. 

 I think one of things that let this album down are the vocals, they're not bad as such but more like he's got one of those voices you don't want to listen to for long periods of time, he might as well be talking instead of singing because to me singing should make you want to join in and I'm really not feeling that here.I found some of the songs sort of merging together as 15 tracks is quite a lot and I had trouble giving it my full attention as it seemed to just slip into the background.   

Inventing Dr Sutherland and His Traveling Hospital is a really unique album, telling an interesting story and some great music. . All that said I really enjoyed the experience of listening to something different and it's totally worth checking out for anyone out of something new!   

Listen to Inventing Dr Sutherland and His Traveling Hospital here

Check out These Curious Thoughts on Facebook here

Calling All Captains: A Way With Words (Review)

Taking a trip up north to Canada for Calling All Captains, a four piece Pop-punk band who formed early this year.

This their song A Way With Words from their debut EP of the same name.

There's a not a lot to say about this song, this isn't because it's not good because it is. There isn't much to say because A Way With Words is a great piece of acoustic Pop-punk, proving that two acoustics and vocals can make for a perfect song. It's the only acoustic song on the EP, it's always great to get that bit of diversity and that change of pace so you can hear a band in a different light.
It's catchy and I'm tapping my foot do it, Mike's vocals standing out beautifully against the simple guitar. Lyrically it's quite simple but it works, and I just get this feel of old Bink-182 style punk. No It's not the most original song I've ever heard, but this is a first EP and it's really great for that. If you look back at All Time Low's The Three Words To Remember When Dealing With The End that's a great little EP but they've improved so much as a band since then and Calling All Captains show that kind potential.

Calling All Captains proving that simple can be best!

Listen to A Way With Words here

Check out Calling All Captain's Facebook here

An Honest Year: Everything Man (Review)

I'm back with an old favourite, this is An Honest Year with their new single Everything Man. The five piece Alt-poppers hail from Philadelphia and have been one of scenes bands to see since their formation in 2012.

This is Everything Man.

Straight away there's a great vibe to the song, foot tapping or head bobbing. It's a song I can so easily imagine being played live, the whole crowd jumping to the beat and singing the lyrics at the tops of their voices.
I've listened to a lot of bands in my time and it's rare to find one with such quality, the production is amazing. everything mixed together very well, it's in perfect harmony as they say.
Matt has a strong voice, he stands out and I know everything he's singing, his voice also quite sweet, he really makes me want to sing along.
The lyrics are a bit of soft spot for me personally, I've always loved stories of the best friends falling in love or in other words a girl not seeing the her Everything Man has been standing right beside her the whole time. The lyrics themselves will get stuck in your head, I'll be singing them for hours!
It is poppy and it isn't, it's not cheesy like pop can be but it's got that infections beat and hook that has you singing along but at the same time you've got these fantastic guitars, drums and bass that gives it gives it that something more. It's not pop-punk, or pop-rock nope this is purely An Honest Year.  

I did a review of Liar & a Thief and going back to compare them, there is a difference, Liar & a Thief has more of a rocky feel, the lyrics are more repetitive and it's just really nice to have a band who grow and change. Everything Man is different from An Honest Year's previous work but my god it's good!

Listen to Everything Man here

Check out An Honest Year on Facebook here

Also check out my review of Liar & a Thief here


  

Sorry!

Hey guys,

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted, I broke my laptop :( I should be all back and up running, with some good things coming!

See ya soon
Em xxx

Ryker Sear: Forever Criminal (Review)

Today I have Ryker Sear 4 piece, female fronted, rock band from Milton Keynes. "A band that's all about; energy, catchy songs, going nuts and putting on a great show, and last but certainly not least...enjoying making and playing the music we love!" 

This is their song Forever Criminal. 

Straight away it's fast and it's got one of those beats that kinda makes you want a punch a wall (in a good way) it's got that power. I can already imagine hearing this live and just having the whole crowd on their feet, you can't just can't stay still and listen to it Forever Criminal, t's a great piece of modern rock.Production is really good, everything has sharpness to it.It's obviously time has been put into this, every little bit of the song is just right, from the guitar, bass and drums so it all fits together. Regan has a good voice, I'm not going to compare her voice to someone like Hayley Williams, they're different genres of music and I think every female vocalist is probably sick of being compared to her. 

It doesn't take long before I'm singing along, though I do have to say at times I had trouble making out exactly what Regan was singing and it takes me a couple of plays before the lyrics kind of go in. Talking of the lyrics they're of running from the past, living with the mistakes and trying to escape the darkness. I love them, singing along it makes me feel like a heroin in a action film, I want to ride a motorcycle just listening to it!  

I always love a good rock song and Ryker Sear have got the mix right! Now I'm off to put a leather jacket, red lip stick and kick some ass! 

Listen to Forever Criminal here

Check out Ryker Sear's Facebook here 

Em xxx

P.S I'm still looking for co-writers so if interested please email me at imtakingemma@gmail.com

I need some help.

Hey guys,
I need some help.
I feel I can't keep this blog as updated as I'd like to and I'm looking for one or more people who would be willing to help me out. I just need someone who's willing to post a review on here about once a week, you would have to find the artist yourself but any genre, any age, any person, as long as they're unsigned and you've asked them first!

If anyone's interested please email me at imtakingemma@gmail.com and I can answer any questions you have.

Thank you,
Emma xx

The Oceans Above: Blue Lights (Review)

Today I'm in Coventry with 5 piece Rock band The Oceans Above.

This is their single Blue Lights

Straight away you're hit with this guitar riff that has the vibe of someone like Mallory Knox, fast and catchy, when Adam's voice, bass and drums come in the whole song just kind of goes off like a beautiful music explosion in your ears. The power and the skill of the music is absolutely amazing, I wish I could just say it's amazing and leave it at that.
Production wise everything is clear and sharp, it rings in your ears long after the last chord has been played. Adam's voice is very strong especially as the song goes on he really comes into his own and with added group vocals towards the end there's just that other level. Lyrically it shows some I haven't felt I connection to these kind of lyrics since I heard Sleeping With Sirens Trophy Farther's Trophy Son for the first time.  I am your son don't you leave me alone in this world. The story of a farther who's not there and how the blue lights will guide you. It's both touching, emotional, powerful and equally unique.

The Oceans Above have crated what is to me a perfect song, I couldn't find a fault with it if I tried. The talent these guys show is amazing, I honestly can't wait to hear more from these guys in the future! I doubt this'll be the last you'll see of them on this blog (or I hope not at least.)

Listen to Blue Lights here

Check out The Oceans Above Facebook here