Top Tunes: February

Natives - Can't Say No

"I've been lying, i've been lying to myself again afraid you wouldn't listen"

The Story So Far - Quicksand

"And i'm learning how to live with my unintended consequences, while you're busy jumping fences afraid to stay in one spot for too long"

Bayside - Time Has Come

"My head, it hurts today. I thought i'd like to live forever but it just wreaks of patience and effort"

Decade - Brainfreeze

"Head down on my knees trying to find a way to cure this brainfreeze, tell me this ache is going away today. Tell me something, tell me you're the same"

Neck Deep - Part Of Me

"We still talk like everyday but we don't talk in the same way that we used to"

Youtube Playlist

Take Me Back: We Are The In Crowd (07/02/14)*

We Are The In Crowd / Neck Deep / Save Your Breath

Bristol, The Fleece

07/02/14

Review Here

Take Me Back: Mayday Parade (03/02/14)*

Mayday Parade / Man Overboard / Decade / Divided By Friday 

Cardiff, Solus 

03/02/14

Review Here.

Take Me Back: We Are The In Crowd (07/02/14)

As part of her Christmas present we got my sister meet and greet tickets for We Are The In Crowd and of course I tagged along. Waiting outside The Fleece in the freezing cold I played my one and only game of Flappy Bird - I scored a whopping 0 - and concentrated on not developing frost bite. Doors for meet and greeters were supposed to be at 5:30 but by the time a very ill Tay showed up it was 6:15. All 50 of us finally bundled into the warmth we were given the spiel by their tour manager that included not inappropriately touching them, as believe it or not they'd had issues with this on the tour already - like really people?  We all queued up and had posters signed before the band spread themselves around the room for us to have photo's and a chat. To cut this part short they're all very lovely and hilarious and Mike's high score really was 153 on Flappy Bird although it's now something entirely ridiculous like 450.

We all gathered around the stage and waited for the first band of the night Save Your Breath to start their set. They aren't widely known by the majority of the crowd but their enthusiasm is catching and by the time they reach their fourth song 'Harrow Road' they'd managed to get everyone on side. There was jumping, head bobbing and a bit of crowd surfing for the remainder of their set which included 'Recover' and finished with 'Nothing Worth Having Comes Easy.' Their energy was fantastic and their on stage banter made everyone warm to them quicker - they even utilised party poppers.

Up next were pop-punkers Neck Deep. For a band that only formed a couple of years ago they've gained a lot of attention which was evident in the crazed crowd. Just like when I saw them supporting The Wonder Years the crowd were loving them. The floor became a mosh pit with crowd surfers dodging the awkwardly placed pillars left right and centre. Getting right up in there, vocalist Ben Barlow was nearly swallowed up by eager participants. Opening up with 'Kick It!' the bands' set list was fantastic with a mix of songs from their debut album like 'Crushing Grief (No Remedy)'  and older EP's which included ending with the gorgeous acoustic 'A Part Of Me' where the crowd gave them everything we had singing along.

Last but not least We Are The In Crowd came on going straight into 'The Best Thing (That Never Happened)' sending the crowd into a frenzy straight off with near deafening yells of 'break your fucking jaw.' Keeping the steam going 'Manners' was next with 'The Worst Thing About Me' having everyone practically bouncing off the walls causing my belt to keep getting hooked on a nail on the stage. 'Kiss Me Again' created the usual chaos and Tay came and parked herself in front of my corner for parts of 'Never Be What You Want' so extra enthusiastic girl power style singing took place between the two of us whilst everyone behind me grabbed her outstretched hands.

Another couple from their first release included 'Lights Out' and an acoustic take on 'For The Win' started the slower part of the set. A slight technical hiccup where Tay couldn't hear a thing leaving us to the nonsensical chatter of the guys the problem was eventually sorted, and despite her being ill enough to be on voice rest and having to keep using throat spray in between every song, her vocals still sounded stunning for 'Windows In Heaven' and anthemic 'Long Live The Kids.' Rob's drumming sent vibrations right through me whilst Tay's emotions were written clear as day across her face as she held back tears.

Speeding things back up with 'Exits And Entrances' I was nearly taken out by Mike's guitar when he came over and spun it around directly above me - having no barriers is equal parts cool and absolutely terrifying! Tay's voice rest meant we were then subjected to Mike's rambling about being weird kids, what the new album means and their 'last song' 'Attention' whilst she took a seat only to go flying backwards and very nearly fall over when she got back up again.

Of course, with no Cardiff show the welsh were out in force in Bristol and the Ferri chant returned much to their amusement - 'One day i'm gonna come out on my own and there'll be no more songs you'd be gutted then' Mike laughed before jumping into 'Both Sides Of The Story' where Cameron and I sung to each other with the most stupid faces and Tay fake kicked the crowd who tried to nick her shoe and resulted her resting her foot on my head. Like I said the no barriers is equal parts cool and terrifying. Their real last song 'Rumour Mill' was our last chance to go crazy and have fun which everyone did including the odd few crowd surfers.

All in all the night was fantastic and even though it marked the sixth time i've seen We Are The In Crowd live I didn't feel bored and it wasn't repetitive which goes to show just how fun their shows are. Between the upbeat - and the odd downbeat - songs, their joking with each other and the crowd alike their sickness was soon forgotten for an awesome night for everyone involved.

Album Review: We Are The In Crowd - WEIRDkids

On February 18th We Are The In Crowd's second full length will officially be released but until then there's a stream over on MTV. Over the past few weeks they've put out a few tracks from WEIRDkids and each one has been completely brilliant. With each new song I was thinking they've put out the best from the album but it just kept getting better. The second this stream went up I was all over it and let me tell you - this album is 100% their best work yet.

Opener 'Long Live The Kids' starts with a melodic simple piano beat and Tay Jardine's lowered vocals. Strings and drums build momentum in the background before the song kicks off and turns into something of an anthem. Delicious growly vocals come from Tay as she sings 'I wanna scream, I wanna live' but perhaps the most important part of this song is the message 'You can't tell us no' which is iterated with fist pumping gang vocals.

Moving into fast paced 'The Best Thing (That Never Happened)' the level of sass that comes from this song could give Honey Boo Boo a run for her money. Quite possibly the best break up song to ever exist with insults flying everywhere - 'so toxic you ain't nothing but a prick' and 'you'll crack just like the rest when I break your fucking jaw' being my personal favourites - the catchy beat held up by Rob Chianelli on the drums will have you pressing repeat for a long time to come.

'Manners' is the first song on the album where Jordan Eckes' vocals take a main role in the song. We're used to the vocals going back and forth between the two, arguing, well - both sides of the story. Instead Jordan is supporting Tay, the chorus has her bellowing 'we tried oh we tried' whilst Jordan sings 'I earned my wings teaching guys like you to keep you mouth shut, so keep your mouth shut' it's a different dynamic between the two and it works. Musically it's tame, with speed and sound picking up for the chorus until the last time round where you'd have to be Usain Bolt to keep up.

Currently my favourite song from the album, 'Come Back Home' is softer than what we're used to by the five piece and carries a slight country vibe. Acoustic guitars and kick drums start the songs with Jordan opening it which seems surprising when you first listen. The harmonies between Jordan and Tay on the verses are some of the most stunning i've heard and the chorus is a kick in the gut - 'and your brand new friends they won't care about you when the party ends.' This song gets it. 

 'Attention' feels like a bridge between Best Intentions and their newer material. With heavier drums and bossy vocals from Tay the song sums up the album and in a way the band themselves. Without a doubt the most punk song on the album 'Dreaming Out Loud' is a huge step from their older music. They've always been walking the pop line of pop-punk but on this track they've thrown that out the window and wrote their punkiest song yet with rough choppy chords being the highlight. Flipping the coin 'Remember (To Forget You)' opens with electronic synthesized music and becomes a pop tune with an excellent bridge 'we're drowning in jealousy of people we wanna be'  where Jordan exercises his own growls.

Showing their development from the last couple of years 'Don't Worry' is another side to WATIC previously unseen. String arrangements and almost folksy 'uh e uh oh's' lead the song into a chorus that explodes with 'don't you worry about a thing' and a quick trip down the punk road before returning to the strings. The bridge is another cracker with fantastic lyrics and vocals from Tay ending in those much loved gang vocals which also appear at the end of 'Windows In Heaven' where Tay's stunning vocals boast just how much her range has grown. Going from gorgeous low vocals to breathy spine tingling highs her emotion in the song pours out into the most mature song they've written yet.

Closing the album is another punky effort where each member stands out in what they do. 'Reflections' is the perfect closing to a refreshing album about growing up and learning to be you. 'Destiny is overrated so I think i'll write my own' is the ultimate summary to what We Are The In Crowd stand for and i'm guessing with this incredible versatile effort from the quintet they're writing their way to musical stardom.

Take Me Back: Mayday Parade (03/02/14)

Almost a year and a half since Mayday Parade's last UK headline tour - where I managed to convince the 'rents to part way with money for meet and greet tickets - the Tallahassee quintet returned to our flooded shores for another run of shows.

Arriving just in time to miss the majority of the queue and escape the worst of the rain we secured a good spot for the first band of the night Divided By Friday. Unfamiliar with their music beforehand it didn't take long to get into their infectious tunes and with frontman Jose Villanueva clad in a suit it was impossible not to think of Panic! At The Disco. Playing with genre boundaries their music was pop enough to land a radio spot one day, whilst not seeming out of place amongst pop-punk Decade who were next to take to the stage.

Jolt magazine's first ever cover band  did not disappoint. Playing a set mostly consisting of tracks from their new album Good Luck, their energy was full of enthusiasm and although the mostly pre-teen crowd weren't entirely taken with the heavier side to pop-punk it was impossible for everyone not to join in jumping around. Younger crowds are not easy to get on your side but Decade managed it proving that they are more than capable of becoming leaders of the pop-punk scene and should be on everyone's watch list.

The last band before the long awaited headliners were Man Overboard. Eagerly waiting for this moment for months now I could barely contain my excitement at just the thought of finally seeing them live after so many failed attempts in the past. Quickly the floor became rowdy with barely any pre-teens in sight as guys flocked to form a mosh pit. Pop-punk singalongs were had with all too relevant 'Atlas' and 'Dead End Dreams' whilst newer tracks like 'White Lies' saw the pits let loose. One of the highlights of the night was of course witnessing one of the greatest acoustic songs live - 'Love Your Friends, Die Laughing.'  With a near perfect set list - playing pretty much all my favourite songs - Man Overboard well and truly ensured we were warmed up and ready for Mayday Parade.

Opening with 'Ghosts' the crowd bellowed back the lyrics before going wild when the music kicked in. In typical Mayday Parade fashion their set was an emotional roller coaster that started on the ground and kept on plummeting into the earth. 'When You See My Friends' was followed on by the stunning '12 Through 15' and just when I was starting to think I couldn't handle anymore of the emotional battering, the pace switched upbeat for the poppy 'Girls' and 'Black Cat' with it's work-out of a chorus.

Desperately needing a breather the set took a welcome slowing down for sob inducing triple threat of 'Miserable At Best,' 'Stay' and 'Hold Onto Me.' Even playing the saddest songs in their repertoire the guys' grins were unstoppable at the pure delight at playing and seeing the crowds' passionate response to their music. Their happiness contagious, the band finished the night with the first song they ever wrote together 'Three Cheers For Five Years' and 'Oh Well, Oh Well' before disappearing off stage. The "Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!" chant began almost immediately and not long after they returned for the real last song of the night 'Jersey.' 

Overall, it was a fantastic night of pop, punk and pop-punk perfection with set lists and performances from all four bands that didn't let anyone down. Here's hoping it's not long before they're all back again gracing our stages.

Album Review: VERSA - Neon

VersaEmerge duo Sierra Kusterbeck and Blake Harnage essentially disappeared off the radar for quite a while becoming forgotten about by some and a cause for lost hope for many die hard fans. Then seemingly out of nowhere we finally had news - the 'emerge' was dropped and the duo became VERSA. As well as dropping the emerge they dropped a new song Neon from their upcoming EP of the same name. Slick synth work creates a pulsing background for Sierra's lush vocals to dance over with her moody lyrics about the darker side to infatuation.

With a sharper beat Illusion mixes things up a bit with Blake taking on some of the main vocal work instead of just harmonies. Eerie backing synths create a mysterious base for the song, working perfectly with the subject matter being that of illusions and the difference between what people let you see and their reality. The 2:45 mark signals the start of an instrumental that builds and builds - an audible signifier of the illusion and how it can become out of control.

Cutting things short the EP closes with Wanderlust which clocks up at a sizable six minutes on the clock. However, the allure of the song doesn't make it feel as though it's dragging on. Sierra sings 'like a dream' and that's the best possible way to describe the atmosphere of the song. It's upbeat and shows off some clever instrumentals with tinkling keyboards and bouncy synths.
On first listen I liked the EP but I felt like something was missing. I kept it on repeat and it continued to grow on me and now my only complaint is that I want more of it but then again after such a long wait i'm glad to have any new music from this ridiculously talented duo.