ALBUM REVIEW: Kevin Morby – City Music

It’s rare to find an album with so much going for it; song writing, atmosphere and composition. Kevin Morby’s fourth solo album is one such album.

City Music lives up to its title, an album so overflowing with ambience and character, you could be walking the crowded streets of New York; Morby’s inspiration for the album.

ALBUM REVIEW: Royal Blood – How Did We Get So Dark?

When you are a bass and drums two-piece, it is obviously not a simple to develop and provide something different on a project the second time of asking.

Royal Blood came out in 2014 with their own brand of trucker rock, to a sea of praise that sent the Brighton duo flying up the billboard and festival stage lists.

EP REVIEW: Vic Mensa – The Manuscript

It’s been almost a year to the day since Chicago rapper, Vic Mensa’s last full length release There’s a lot going on. But Mensa returns in fine form, with the new politically charged EP, The Manuscript. The four-track EP, released under Roc Nation Records carries an air of defiance and hope for the future, a message the 24-year-old establishes in the very first track.

ALBUM REVIEW: SZA – Ctrl

The most media hyped album in R&B right now has finally emerged and this early in the calendar it is of course impossible to crown SZA the queen of the genre, but it is possible for her to stake a claim.

Tracks in the Field: Courts – True Say

Summer has just about arrived, the airwaves are gradually becoming filled with the same five radio smashes and we could do desperately with a worthy escape from the handpicked favourites of the upcoming festival season. Thankfully, Essex five-piece, Courts, could act as the saviour with their latest single, True Say.

DISCOVER: Nottingham – Michael King, Foule

The final issue of this week’s DISCOVER brings us to Foule, the Nottingham trio, oozing kaleidoscopic tones, hypnotising repeated guitar lines and melodies that will make you drift deeper and deeper into their developing discography like Brian Griffin on a come up. There’s something for everyone from this Nottingham band, who are already establishing themselves at the top of the bill on the city’s club night scene.

DISCOVER: Nottingham – Bram Bancroft, Vega Bay

In this week’s second deep dive into Nottingham’s burgeoning music scene, we are lifting the lid on the city’s developing Indie rockers, Vega Bay. Made up of four teens, the young outfit are establishing a style, which mixes a plethora of influences from Mac Demarco, The Drums and The Smiths.

DISCOVER: Nottingham – Maddy Chamberlain, Cherry Hex and the Dream Church

Cherry Hex and the Dream Church have been making waves in Nottingham for the last 18 months with their now signature style of half time 808s, live bass and ritualistic vocal melodies… Oh, and a glockenspiel (For those unsure what one, it’s that awesome thing you hit with mallets that looked a bit like the keys of a piano when you were a kid). Sam Drury felt it was time to find out more about Cherry Hex, off the record.

The Best Way to Order Your Pedalboard

Touring musicians regularly struggle to establish the ‘right’ way to order their pedalboard and if you are anything like me, you can be borderline obsessive with making sure your board is set up exactly right.

The truth is there is no ‘right’ way, but there is a definitely a best way.