Orchard Hill: Gravity (Review)

In Oxfordshire  today with newly named Orchard Hill, the 5 piece Powerpop-Rock band were originally Disclosure but since changed their name due to confusion with DJ's of the same name.
This is their first release since becoming Orchard Hill, this is Gravity.

When people hear a female fronted band every time they get compered to Paramore, I'm not going to do that as Tiff has her own voice.
Powerpop is definitely the right word when describing Orchard Hill, as they have a pulls you straight into the song. You know it's going to be a good song when it's three seconds in and you already want to play air guitar, the drum beat has me beating the same rhythm on the keyboard as I try to type (Which means I keep misspelling things) All the instrument and the actual music is so fantastically clear, you can hear every chord being played and every beat hit. Tiff has an amazing voice, she's powerful, so clear and she has such a great range. Her voice is quite different to anyone else's I've heard. The tempo changes through the song, giving lovely different levels to the song and different depths of Tiff's voice.  I think what really gives Orchard Hill they originally is their lyrics, there's no repetitiveness about it, all the lyrics tell this kind of story. My favouroite lyrics being "We met in a small town, we stood paralyzed in the rain" 

Now they're a few good female fronted bands out there but I think Orchard Hill stand out, there energetic songs, with fantastic lyrics all sung beautifully. I honestly can't think of a bad thing to say about Gravity!

Listen to Gravity here

Check out Orchard Hill's Facebook here

Em xxx

In Hindsight: Steal The Show (Review)

I'm back with 4 piece Pop-Rock band In Hindsight, I say back as I did a live review for the band back in July when I saw them support for Taking Hayley.

This is their since Steal The Show.

Pop rock should be good clean, with a good hook, catchy lyrics, clear vocals and guitar. In Hindsight has got that mix just right, straight away I'm tapping my foot and moving to the song. Steal The Show has a great hook, like me you won't be able to listen without dancing along. The lyrics are really lighthearted and catchy "Teach me how to steal the show" I'll be singing them for hours! Micheal has a great voice, sweet, clear and really pulling me into the song. I love it you can feel the energy in a song, the guitar riffs in this song have that energy and are also fantastically catchy.  
Now I listen to a lot of Pop-Rock bands but In Hindsight stand out, just the right balance of poppy lyrics to rock instruments.

Listen to Steal The Show here

Check out In Hindsight's Facebook here

Also check out my live review for In Hindsight back in July here

Alone Tonight: This One's Goodbye (Review)

Today I have a band from Newcastle, I don't know if I've reviewed a band from Newcastle before...
This is 5 piece Pop-Punk/Rock band Alone Tonight.

This is their song This One's Goodbye.

We all know I love pop punk so it's always good when I get to review it.
Alone Tonight have my foot tapping, and moving to the song with in seconds. Karl's vocals start almost straight away, he's quite a high singer which a style I've heard a few times in pop-punk bands. Karl's a good singer but I do find his voice can get a bit lost, and I have to focus on his voice to hear exactly what the lyrics are. Through out the song my feet were tapping along to the best, my fingers trying to play air guitar along. The guitar riffs are very clear, I'm following them all the way through. The same with the drums, I never lose the beat. The lyrics are good but I do still to the problem of them not being as clear as I'd really like.
It's not the most original song I've ever heard but it's a good song that's great to sing and dance to. Alone Tonight remind me of the American band The Summer Set, and I hope to see these guys get as far as them!

I think these guys would put on a good live show, so if you get the chance I've definitely go. Alone Tonight are a band with a lot of energy that definitely shows in their music.

Listen to This One's Goodbye here

Check out Alone Tonight's Facebook here

Through Colour: Somnium (Review)

For today's review I am in...... Wait for it.... Manchester! Today I have 5 piece Manchester Rock/Pop band, Through Colour.

Their EP Somnium.
The first song is Daydream, as this song was released as a single before the EP I knew what it sounded like. But it was the hearing of this song that made me want to review the rest of the EP as I really loved it.
I have nothing against songs that have a bit of an intro but I also love the way in Daydream you just so straight into the song. Foot tapping, fingers drumming on keys the second the songs starts. Steve's vocals are clear and stand out. Steve has a great voice as no matter how long I listen I don't get board of his voice he also makes me want to sing along,  I'm actually singing along before I've the song is over for the first time. Man I love these guitar riffs, (can I high five who came up with them?) They're sweet and I find myself trying to play along aside them! I love the way they go from something quite light and sweet to something heavier in the guitar solo. I'm really having a proper rock out to this song, someone's going to come knock on my door in a minute and complain about the amount of bad singing and foot tapping going on!

Lost
At the start I hear a slightly more poppy Through Colour, I can't help moving and getting into the song. The drums have this fantastic beat that I never lose through out the song, I can always find it be tapping along to it. Again Steve has me singing along with him before the song has finished for the first time. The song slows and I hear a softer side to his vocals which are just as good, then it jumps back to full speed. I still loving the guitar riffs, they're loud, ballsy and just have this great power about them. I'm loving the variety between Daydream and Lost, from something rocky to something with more a pop feel.

Ink
Starts slow and I'm met with some wonderful vocals until it spends up with a catchy chorus. It's another song that's more poppy, now I have nothing against that as I love pop music but I didn't like this song as much as the others. Not that it was bad, just a little repetitive and with the speed changing the way it does I couldn't follow it as well.

Broken
Is back with the rock, a heavier song that punches some power! It sounds more of an older side, I could imagine listening to similar thing a few years back. It's great to hear a another different side to Steve's vocals and just the whole difference in the song, with such a good mix of lighter and heavier songs Through Colour are no one trick pony.

Till The End
This is the only other song on the EP I've felt has been as good as Daydreaming. It's got a great power, a tempo change that really works and it makes me want to listen to ridiculously loudly and sing my heart out to it. It's one of those songs that kind of gets to you, it reminds me of My Understandings by Of Mice and Men in it's power and the way it makes me feel. One of my favourite things about Through Colour as a band is their lyrics, there is power in those words alone but mix them with the instruments and vocals and you have a recipe for an amazing band.

I absolutely loved Somnium! I do review EP's where all the songs sound very similar and it's hard to find new things to say, I did not have this problem here. Each track was different with a new twist on what I think as the classic Rock/Pop.

Check out Through Colour's Facebook here 
You can buy Somnium here

Em xxx

Forever Ends Here: 100 Times Over (Review)

All the way in Sydney Australia  with today's band, Forever Ends Here, a four piece Pop, Punk band.

Their new single 100 Times Over.
Pop punk is my genre so I always love it when I get the chance to review it and when I heard of Forever Ends Here I couldn't resist!
You know when you hear a song for the first time and straight away you are tapping along to the drum beat? Well that's exactly how I felt listening to 100 Times Over for the first time. I just couldn't help getting into the song, it's catchy but not in an annoying repetitive way. From start to finish the guitar riffs were upbeat, catchy, fact and just so amazing I found myself playing air guitar along side them! I also love the change in tempo from fast to slower, the rhythm guitar dropping out and leaving the lead and so on. At first listen, I didn't understand everything Luke was singing, and this bugged me a bit as clear vocals is important to me. Luke has a sweet almost pop-like voice that at first I wasn't sure if it worked, but my mind has been changed - the more I've listened, the more I've got into his singing style and decided it in fact works really well! The lyrics remind me of Pop Punk legends All Time Low, which is a good thing. 'It's over when the bomb drops, a ticking time bomb in a world of make believe'  is a lyric I really love. I don't completely understand all the lyrics but I don't think you need to understand every lyric for it to be a good song.
The more I've listened to Forever Ends Here the more I've become addicted to them. It's always great to find a band who put their own twist on the genre, do their own thing and Forever Ends Here definitely have!

I'll be keeping an eye out for these guys in the future as I can see them going far!

Listen to 100 Times Over here

Chick Forever Ends Here Facebook here

Paighton: Drive (Review)

Since I saw them live in August I've been looking forward to Paighton's new single 'Drive' and here it is!

Paighton are a 4 piece Country/Rock band from Nottingham.

Their debut single Drive.

Having heard Drive preformed live so I pretty much knew what to expect, but I was still looking forward to hearing the recorded version. Compered to their first EP Umbrella's Away it's a bit more country sounding and I'm not talking Taylor Swift country but the real stuff. It's really nice to hear some new country music as I think this is the first time I've reviewed the genre, rock on the other hand is something I knew quite a lot about. In this song it's just add a nice touch to the song, there's no over powering guitar or heavy beat that doesn't fit the song.
Andy and Joe's voices mix together wonderfully, Andy starts the song then Joe comes in their voices twist together and come apart again it's really quite amazing! Acoustic guitar, piano, bass and drums all work really well, I'm always either tapping my fingers or my foot to the beat. I can hear the bass which is not something I always do, I often lose in the mix of the other instruments but I don't here and it's really good to be able to hear it. I know Paighton are good with lyrics, as I've had Somebody stuck in my head since I first heard it in like May! "I see the church and crowds of people, putting faith in the unknown" There's such great meaning to the lyrics, I love hearing a band who write's like that.
I love a good original band and Paighton this great originality, I've not heard a band like them. With such a great mix of country, rock, vocals, instruments and lyrics.

Paighton come from the members of That Sunday Feeling and they're not the just the same with a new name, they're a new and improved!

Listen to Drive here

Check out Paighton's Facebook here

Also check out my live review of Paighton when they supported Stakeout in August here 

Em xxx

Keep The Change: Coming Home (Review)

Sorry I've been away but I'm back with in fact one of my friends favourite bands. 3 piece Pop/Punk band Keep The Change from Birmingham.
Their single Coming Home.
My favourite genre and one of my best friends favourite bands so let's say I was expecting something special. It starts off as very classic, fast pop punk which has me moving me feet. Will has a rather unique voice, he's quite high which means sometimes it sounds as he's fighting the music instead of singing along side it. That doesn't mean it's unclear as I always know what's he's singing. The lyrics are good and I'll be singing them for ages. The guitars are fast and catchy, the drums have a steady beat so the whole song has a great beat so you really want to get up and move to it. Not the most original piece I've ever heard but of course that's not a bad thing, it still one good song.
All together it's a great piece of Pop/Punk that you'll jump around singing for hours!

Listen to Coming Home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x80W3AohN1Ut%3D0s
Check out Keep The Change's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KeepTheChangeBand?fref=ts

Em xxx