SUE Album Review: It will never end

SUE are one of those bands that as I sat on my sofa listening to with headphones on, I really wished I was watching live. They produce an intentionally messy medley of noisy guitars, fast pounding drums, and vocals often caught perfectly between singing and screaming. The music is fast frantic and full of energy that I cannot help but imagine how it translates into one hell of a live show. 

Most of the tracks on their debut effort ‘It will never end’ are short, punchy, and straight to the point but still leaving some room to let the riffs play out. When it all comes together on tracks like ‘Strange and Deranged’ and ‘I’m a Fucking Alien’, you are left with some irresistible catchy punk rock. They can mix it up as well, slowing things down on ‘Put me to Sleep’ which throws in a nice guitar solo. ‘Thirst’ also breaks things down before building the pace back up, adding some nice variety to proceedings. 

Apparently the album has a concept but it really is not needed and is lost below what the band do best: non-stop, raw guitar rock. The lyrics are well penned, dark, and brooding but unless listening very intently you will mainly be catching the occasional line about spitting blood, carving into chests, or minds crumbling which suits the off-kilter feel of the music and unhinged vocals, adding to the hysterical angry vibe of the album. 

The band really showcases its talents on album closer ‘I am Nothing’, a desperate ballad of self-loathing and loss of faith in the world. The distressed vocals are matched perfectly by the wailing guitars as the band shows that they can take a step beyond the relentless onslaught of rock. 

The hidden track at the end is a rare indulgent misstep that the album could have done without, but otherwise this is a fantastic first effort from SUE. A rough and raw sound skilfully composed by a group of musicians whose talents go far beyond the DIY texture, they let these talents bleed through often enough to give the music some depth and weight but not so often as to compromise their core vision of pelting out fast, furious rock!

4 out of 5 Hooks 

Written by Jimmy Rock

We were first absorbed by SANS hauntingly electrified vibes  when they played Thekla’s anniversary gig back in May and have been patiently  waiting for new material ever since. That day has now come with the aptly  named E.P ‘Misophonic Songs’. To our delight many of the songs that stuck with  us from that night have managed to find their way on to this 8 track EP.

SANS are a three piece band from Bristol, who spit out a  sadistic sound so loud that you could be fooled into thinking they had more  band members hidden backstage but it is Thom, Paddy, and Harry alone that  produce the self assured sounds that lets you know they are more than  comfortable in their musical ability.

‘Meaningless’ is the opening track of the E.P, and from the  first note you feel this tense and frantic opening with Thom’s vocals which  are both compelling and unstable, matching the dramatic guitar and drum  playing of Paddy and Harry, it is a quick thriller of a track and a strong  statement of intent that awakens you to the sound that SANS processes.SANS  have a twisted way of how they portray a track and this is best displayed at  the end of the next track ‘Doris’ with whispering in your ears in an erratic  manner, but before that moment the record has acres of layers of drudging  heavy chords.

‘Quack’ is a deranged story of a record which is full of  sounds that stand your hairs to attention, Thom delivers a vocal performance  that almost makes you worry for his well-being, before you feel drawn further  into the enraged heavy riffs of the song. After that whirlwind of a track you  are drawn near to the eye of the storm, which SANS have been forecasting since  the start of this EP, ‘Wipe Dread’ has a gothic sentiment with frantic layers  of instrumental sound and by the end of the track you are thrown out of the  tornado with no care for your health. 

The track ‘It’s your party Priscilla’ is a steady builder  of a song but when it reaches its peak the sound resembles a bee hive, a  cacophony of roaring music that blends knowingly well with the lyrics from  Thom, however we do feel this track could have been edited down in length  which may of made the song more dynamic overall.

When you reach ‘Ode to Marilyn’ you feel the band have  completely found their sound and relish the roaring manic patterns they  produce, it pours out of SANS explaining why their sound is unique and even  more why they need to carry on in this direction! 

3.5 out of 5 Hooks

Written by Kess Anthony

Emerging proudly from the city of Newcastle, we have a four  piece alternative rock band which promises to deliver strong, rich, and sweet  tasting music. Stolen Dead Music formed in 2017 and they have been busy  developing their indie rock sound around the music which originally inspired  them to pick up their instruments and then evolve to make their own mark on  the music arena. Now Jimi, Aidan, Lewis and Issak, are ready to prove their  worth with the 3 track EP ‘Penny Drop’.

The first track on the EP comes from the record title,  ‘Penny Drop’ with a healthy helping of indie guitar riffs at the start Stolen  Dead Music build excitement as you wait for the lyrics, then out of nowhere  you get hit with the word “If you can hear the penny drop, when are you going to  know when to stop”. The song is fast full of energy and it follows nicely with  kicks of adrenaline filled beats to make sure the rest of the track is  remunerable to the attention grabbing opening. ‘Penny Drop’ is a track that  builds as it progresses and you will see clearly at the end of the song that  we have a solid indie alternative foundations at our feet. 

For the next track ‘Shunt’ there is an interesting starting  drum beat, at first listen it sounds a bit disorderly but all is as it appears  as the drum beat is to draw you into listen intently to the track. As you  settle into reflect on the drum beat you then get kicked with heavier guitar  riffs and with the record races to full throttle. Shunt has soaring vocals  which blends into the grunge music background and you feel an intensity  pulsing throughout the track.

Stolen Dead Music ends this EP with a brave stance by using  their track ‘Gallows Humour’ which is a full instrumental musical display.  Without lyrics to add layers to the track it becomes instantly less memorable  than the other two, however we feel the braveness has paid off for Stolen Dead Music as the track shows off the band understanding of their sound and  impressively allows their instruments to do the talking.

3 out of 5 Hooks

Written by Kess Anthony 

You probably don't need me to tell you that Jade Bird is going to be a massive star. She is already gathering a strong  following and accruing hours of radio play. Her debut LP follows her 2017 EP  'Something American'. It showcases the diversity of her talents, from touching  piano-led ballads to hooky acoustic pop numbers.

A lot  of the big-hitters are stacked at the front of the album. The opening run of  four songs gets the momentum going and let’s Bird display her strengths;  namely a sumptuous voice and an autobiographical style of story-telling  straight from the heart. Bird's voice is at centre stage throughout the album  and at times almost has a country tone, present mostly in ‘Ruins’ and ‘Good At  It’. 

Often her songs have a jaunty verse that  playfully skips along alongside a mighty chorus. On ‘Get No Joy’ the verse is  a pile-up of words but the chorus is an anguished cry of "I get no  joy-". Further into the album ‘My Motto’, ‘Does Anybody Know’ and ‘17’  introduce Bird's talent for stripped back balladry.

Lyrically, most songs dissect a relationship.  On ‘Uh Huh’ and ‘Good At It’ Bird sings about her ex's new relationship. Both  are a lot of fun. ‘Uh Huh’ ruminates on the suspected infidelities of his new  partner when after a list of indiscretions she asks you if you love her and  you nod and just say "uh huh"'. She continues to show her fun side  on ‘Going Gone’, mocking a boyfriend who just wants to go to the pub with the  phrase "I'm your girlfriend, not your mate". 

The last third of the album continues to mix  styles with terrific results before Bird closes things off with one of those  beautiful ballads ‘If I Die’. Fittingly, when she sings "put me in words,  not hallelujahs, they come from the heart and they'll ring true" she does  well to encapsulate an ethos of lyrical honesty that defines this album.

4 out of 5 Hooks

Written by Matt Nicholson

Formed in 2012, Xilla are a Birmingham based band made up of Chris Flanagan (Guitar), Greg Pullin (Guitar), Richard Pullin (Bass), and Pete Smyth (Drums). In 2018 the final piece of Xilla puzzle was found when Leigh Oates entered the band as lead vocals. With everyone in place the band started developing their own sound and released their debut album on the 31st of March of this year. Xilla are an interesting and expressive artist, they indulge in multi-layered tracks which explore different sounds and corners of their own musical world.

Distant Minds has been recorded and engineered by the band themselves which makes this record a personal expression of Xilla’s personality, but for the mixing process the band have enlisted the experience of John Mitchell known from his time with Enter Shakari. 

Before we start to talk about the music we should mention the record’s exceptional cover art by Matthew K Grundy who has developed an eye catching futuristic scene which would easily catch your eye when trawling through the record store.

Distant Minds starts with a short taster of what is to come with ‘Crux’ which is an atmospheric floating intro which sets up for the longer tracks later in the album. The next track ‘Heroes’ has a great spacey guitar intro followed up with a menacing bass line from Richard which is a great match for Leigh’s softer vocal tones which then convey the lyrics “Where are your Heroes, open your eyes”.

An elegant guitar performance starts the track ‘Let me breathe’ and this then allows Leigh to show off his full vocal range, for us at Off the Hook Music this is by far the best track on the album with catchy verses and meaningful choruses, we could happily listen to this record all day on repeat. 

Mid way through the album ‘You Crawl’ appears with a thumping bass notes which alludes to a moodier side of the band, Leigh provides nice airy tones which allows the lyrics to have a haunting side that gets darker during the verses. This is a power ballad type track with an enjoyable spiky middle 8th guitar solo.

Then comes the mammoth track ‘Left to burn’ lasting 12 minutes 38 seconds, you may worry that Xilla would lose control of their sound, but this isn’t the case as you enter a dream like state with gentle guitar notes ringing over drum patterns and smooth rhythm of the overlaying lyrics. At 4 minute 30 seconds, spoken lyrics takes center stage and it’s oddly interesting and a great addition to the sound which had been presented before, there is also an angrier guitar riff after this section which leaves nothing left to explore in this track.

Near end of this album you stumble across a track called ‘Everything at once’ and by including this track Xilla have squeezed every type of rock track in their debut as in this one an acoustic, almost pop like sounds emerges. 

‘Reborn’ ends the show and by this point of the record you feel that Xilla has settled down, explored all the areas of their musical world, and found the sound they had been looking for all along.

3.5 Hooks out of 5

Written by Kess Anthon

Los Angeles singer-songwriter Patrick Damphier was formerly of the acclaimed PaperRivals and is the son of Nashville musician Tom Damphier; a collaborator of Loretta Lynn. His debut 'Say I'm Pretty' showcases what an enviably talented singer-songwriter he is, bolstered by multi-layered production with superb attention to detail.

These ten songs are the cream of an original list of some 150. Though Damphier is responsible for most of what's on offer, others offerings - particularly vocalist - are vital. Contributions by Jessica Lea Mayfield, Nicole Atkins and Molly Parden add another dimension to the compositions. 

On first listen, the most immediate songs are "Killers In The Closet" and closer "Money In The Meter". Both have off-kilter melodies and killer key changes. "Killers..." is brought home by a soaring backing vocal from Atkins. "Money..." is a great fun way to bow out and a strong encouragement to burst free.

But the greatness of these songs doesn't decline on repeated listens. Like the rest of the album, enjoyment grows. Opener "The Calender Lies" introduces a cacophony of multi-instrumentation that becomes a staple of the album's identity. In this case, it ranges from light guitar touches to splurges of brass. 

"Under My Door" has a breezy, languid feel reminiscent of Kurt Vile. Both "Odd Man Out" and "Be My Jury" have a synthy, 80s feel and could have been lifted off the 'Drive' soundtrack. "Odd Man Out" has a quirky chorus - in which Parden's vocals mirror Damphier's - but is nevertheless a pop gem and brings to mind the French act Phoenix.

"Pretend It" and "Throw the Rest Away (Hold On)" have inviting riffs that could have come from the guitar of Johnny Marr. Their summery sound are another reason why, if you see Damphier on a festival bill, you should turn up. 

"Bridges" has the big, spacious, stadium-filling sound like War On Drugs and crashes along like being caught in a rapid river, whilst "All Give No Take" is a piano ballad worthy of Paul McCartney.

In Damphier's words, "My approach is that the song has to be able to be played - and sustain itself - with one chordal instrument, lyric and melody". And it's fair to say, a diverse and detailed level of production is nothing without a strong set of songs; Damphier's song-writing does not fall short. These are great songs, treated superbly. 

Damphier is now due to tour with a band of assorted talents including former members of Lambchop and Jenny Lewis and The Features.

4 out of 5 Hooks

Written by Matt Nicholson 

Jed Gillies is a singer songwriter from Leven, Scotland but now resides in Perth. Scotland. Jed has an impressive skill as a lyricist who is able to portray his perspective of the world to his listeners within every track. This is our review of his debut EP ‘Free Spirit’. 

‘Free Spirit’ is an easy listening record, which has emotional and meaningful lyrics set alongside a steady soft guitar rhythm. It is a solid start and a good foundation for Jed. He developing his own sound which from this EP you can tell Jed is following the right path.

The title track ‘Free Spirit’ is a sudden but welcome hit of reality, Jed lays bare his soul about a friend who means a lot to him who has passed away and ‘Free Spirit’ is a fitting tribute. Jed paints a picture with his lyrics and provides beautiful colour with his words on a more solemn background. The guitar adds to the tone to the song and compliments the words well, you get a real appreciation of this when Jed moves between chords and the sound of the frets and the scraping noise vibrates around the track.   

‘Bee’ the second track is again another strong lyrical performance with a good display of why a verse is so important when structuring a song, Jed uses his guitar in an intelligent way to provide an extra layer during this song. 

‘On Repeat’ is based around a pleasant guitar concept and backed up by a compelling vocal performance, this track has a potentially massive radar and could be easily be a radio worthy single from the EP. This is a song of a past relationship and the verses lay out for everyone to see the progression of this relationship breaking up.      

‘Okay’ is a track which builds from the start with soft piano, leading to a much faster tempo driven by Jed’s guitar, it has a very catchy verse which is a friendly sing along song. ‘Okay’ would be a prefect inclusion to any relaxed free going playlist.

Music can speak to everyone and bring people together and that is what the track ‘Fly’ gives you, with lyrics that connects beats and emotions. ‘Fly’ has a drumming beat which echoes throughout the song, the steady rhythm will trigger movement within your body. ‘Fly’ is a fitting full stop to the record as it’s the most all round polished track on the EP. The song is faster paced than the tracks before and allows you to get a sense of where Jed’s musical journey will go. 

There is more to come from Jed and we are interested to listen to what he can produce next.

3 out of 5 hooks.

Written By Kess Anthony 

The Mute Group met and live in Nashville, Tennessee, the band are made up of John Westberry, Ryan LaFave, Zachary Gresham, and Amy Gill. They have produced a sound which is so unusual and obscure, thats is nothing short of brilliant. They describe their sound as ‘music that skews less vintage than ancient, medieval geologic. These are songs that might just as easily ward off the evil eye as entertain.’ This is a band which you can share with your friends and they will marvel in your well rounded musical appreciation while thanking you in the process.

‘Esureis et me celas’ is the perfect way to start the listener on their journey of discovery and a beautiful glimpse into The Mute Group’s world. After you have stepped through the door you are met with ‘Rodney O’ a song with an interesting vocal arrangement and an uplifting verse which could easily find its home on radio and as a future single.  

‘From the island to the mountain’ Amy Gill produces a wonderful vocal performance backed up by her fellow band members this make the track transfixing and a calm piece of art in its own right. A song which you find yourself drifting along in a different world where we find “Gold and Silver and Bronze melded into one smoke and ashes rose like incense to the sun”.  

Then two tracks later we come to the compelling piano playing of ‘AIEOU’ both haunting and theatrical in equal measures, there is a level change halfway through the song in which a guitar is allowed to find its moment in the story telling adding to the layers of this track.

An anticipation is steadily increasing as the knocking sounds echo around your ears at the start of ‘Brainplate in Eb’, a slower and softer track than the ones before blends well with the methodical tones which allows the song to take on a more sinister direction as the lyrics are provided on top of the music.

When ‘Abuse & Superstitions’ arrives your nearing the end of the album and you find yourself intrigued as this track is different to the other songs but still follows the similar traits as the songs that have come before, slightly faster, driven, and more focused on the lyrics and guitar.   

The last song on the album is ‘Miriam’ and it feels like a natural end to the album, although I felt it lacked the theatrical impulse and mystic of the more accomplished tracks on the album, it’s too stripped back and raw but just at the end of the song the band picks the track up off its knees and the band delivers as they have all the way through this album but I just wanted it a bit sooner.

The Mute Group has done what many bands have failed to do, they have maintained their unique sound from the first track to the last and that is what makes you happy that you have been engulfed into the abstract world of The Mute Group and their album Sinister Hand

4.5 Hooks out of 5

Written By Kess Anthony        

This debut album from RRC could be considered brave but you get the feeling the band understand their sound and are not being brave at all, just proudly making their stance. 

The relatively large sixpiece band from Liverpool is made up of; Fran Doran, Tom Williams, Michael McDermott, Simon Hepworth, Neil Lawson and Joe Corby, show they can produce a radio ready songs from the start. Track 1, Angeline, gives fast and lively kick to proceedings!

Lyrically the record shows that Red Rum Club have established their song writing craft. On first listen some of the tracks felt reminiscent of Manic Street Preachers, which is never a bad comparison. It takes great inspiration to make great songs, and they’re well on their way with this album. Throughout the album you pick up on refreshing layers, such as Joe’s trumpeting, which give an added texture to their songs and makes their alternative rock style unique compared to other competing bands on the scene, at the moment.

Track 8, Casanova, this one has a twinkle in it’s much like the song's namesake. Fran demonstrates a different style of singing compared to the other songs, which captures the energy and fun which the melody demands and deserves. it’s like Casanova is gleefully asking you to stay around to listen to the song again and you know you will. 

Midway through the album Red Rum Club seem to slow down the tempo for ‘Nobody gets out alive’ and ‘Calexico’ which don’t leave the same impression as the tracks that have come before them. But follow with songs like ‘Casanova’ and ‘Remedy’ grabs back your attention and leaves an impression that the album you’re listening to will return to the faster catcher rhymes of the opening tracks. The statement of ‘Remedy’ is you’re going to be “drunk on a potion” but the listener is more likely to get drunk on Red Rum Club and the only remedy left to prescribe is to listen to the last track on the album Matador

Matador is a song with a story worth ending this album, you feel the pain and anguish of the bull who is obsessed with the powerful taunting Matador. This track has a steady drum beat providing the groundwork for this story to be told with a wonderful flow of sound.

However, our highlight of this album has to be ‘TV said so’ it is a great song which wouldn’t be hard to imagine getting a crowd excited live! Red Rum Club and their album Matador is a club which you will want to join, don’t be surprised if you listen to this album and find yourself signing up to be a fan of their music.

We give it 4 out of 5 Hooks,

Written By Kess Anthony 

Album name: Who do you trust?

Release date: 18th of January 2019

The 18th of January brings the return of a band who were a favorite for many adults in their teenage years, Papa Roach. Back in 2000 their breakthrough album ‘Infest’ spoke to minds and souls of millions of listeners with hard hitting sounds and lyrics like they had never heard before.

We have had a sample on their newest album ‘Who do you trust?’ having heard 4 out of the 12 new tracks, which has left us asking can we still trust Papa Roach? The short answer for us at Off the Hook is no. 

The longer a band is around the more difficult it becomes to continue producing the goods. This is their 10th studio album which is an achievement in itself but the band’s sound has diminished over the years from meaningful hard rock to indifferent soft rock. As original fans it is difficult to still identify with them, but that’s not to say they can’t usher in a new fan base. 

Long gone is the black cockroach infested imagery along with the days of Jacoby Shaddix singing and screaming his meaningful pain at your face, now we find Jacoby replacing this style with talking rap which leaves you yearning for your teenage memories rather than the new sound on offer.

We will reserve full judgement until we hear the rest of the album as there is still some redeeming qualities; the lyrics maybe lacking but the guitar and drums of the old Papa Roach is still lurking in the background, ready to be released.

When the 18th rolls around save ‘Who do you trust’ for as a last resort!

Written by Kess Anthony 

EP name: Lucid Trail
Release date: 29 of December 2018
Genre: Alternative Rock

After a successful track of the week for ‘Off the Hook Music’ with their song, Lucid Trail, The Gallerys follow up with the release of their EP also tilted ‘Lucid Trail’ which is a fantastic four track record combining; 60s rock, Britpop and new wave influences to create a innovative sound.

The EP was recorded at Squarehead Studios in Sittingbourne, Kent, by Dave Young & James Simpson they have managed to grab hold of the band’s sound and produce a tight and captivating piece of work.

If you close your eyes and listen to track one, Lucid Trail, it is easy to be transformed back to the 90’s when Britpop bands were dictating the sound of British music and the experience the listener should have. This song leaves you drifting off to a sunny afternoon on a sandy beach, before quickly reminding you it’s not the 90’s and it’s soon to be 2019! As such The Gallerys have taken everything which was great about the Britpop scene and put it into a song which relates to today’s music scene.

Lucid Trail EP is available for streaming everywhere online including; Spotify, Amazon Music, I tunes, Google Play, Tidal, and Deezer. If you are the kind of person like I am, who like an old fashioned CD well you can also order a CD on: https://thegallerys.bigcartel.com/.

For ‘Off The Hook Music’ the stand out track on the EP is ‘Steady Beat’, a song which is different to the others because of its heavier guitar riffs which shout out for your attention. This high energy track had us standing in the pub when we first heard it, and the beat soon descended down to our feet.

We predict a successful 2019 for The Gallerys and this EP is a taster of why the band is on many people’s radar, including ours!