I Feel It In My Bones

Bones - Young Guns

After the runaway success of their first album All Our Kings Are Dead, Young Guns certainly had a lot riding on album number two. It could be a question of make or break for the band, and with such high expectations weighing on their shoulders, they had a lot riding on this. But as anyone who has heard the new record will probably agree, Young Guns have risen to the challenge and delivered a stunner.

     Album opener I Was Born, I Have Lived, I Will Surely Die kicks things off with abrupt force.  The guitars and vocals on this track are huge, giving listeners no doubt that these guys mean business: they have something to say and they’re making sure that you damn well listen. Melodic and catchy Dearly Departed follows, along with title track Bones, which is undeniably one of the most stand out songs on album. Its somewhat tentative opening soon erupts into an enormous explosion of guitars and spiralling riffs, accompanied by the soaring vocals of lead singer Gustav Wood. The sheer passion in which the chorus is delivered, together with the repeated echoing chants of ‘Bones’ from the rest of the band, this track simply screams stadium anthem. Indeed, the album on the whole seems tailor made for stadium settings and it has all the ingredients to knock the band out of those smaller venues and into the big ones.

     Other noteworthy tracks include Towers (On My Way), Brother In Arms and the deeply infectious Learn My Lesson, which was the band’s first single release from the new album. If there is one thing that is notable about this record it is its solidarity. Every song is delivered with the same vigour ensuring the album doesn’t lose pace and listeners are kept on their toes. This band seem to have a knack for consistency; there simply isn’t a dull track. With its deliciously infectious hooks, foot-stomping beats and passionate chant-worthy vocals, Young Guns have secured their status as a kick-ass rock band ready to catapult into the big-time. If you haven’t already, go out and get this album: it’s a killer.

Check out their new video for title track Bones:

**As seen in The Motion Online**

Make Room We're Taking Over Here

Panic! At The Disco – O2 Academy Leeds 26/01/12

With a completely sold out show ahead of them, Panic! At The Disco certainly had quite a performance to deliver. But with the buzz of excitement and anticipation from the awaiting crowd, and the pretty spectacular stage set, the band looked set for a great start. And of course they didn’t disappoint.

     Kicking off with Ready To Go (Get Me Out My Mind), one of their most deliciously infectious, energetic hits, the crowd simply erupted. It seemed frontman, Brendon Urie, couldn’t contain himself either as he delighted danced around the stage like a man possessed. The party vibe continued with But It’s Better If You Do, followed by the anthemic Ballad of Mona Lisa, which went down a storm. The songs were delivered with an inescapable enthusiasm and undeniable ease, providing a seamless performance. However, singer Brendon Urie is quite simply the star of the show. Dressed in a rather dapper little waistcoat and shirt, complete with braces and a dazzling red tie, he doesn’t exactly look like your typical rock star. But he certainly oozed star quality on stage. He did everything from playing the guitar, the drums, keyboard, piano, to singing, dancing and even back flipping. Indeed he certainly gave fans their money’s worth in performance, whilst winning them over with his undeniable charm. Although his understanding of the northern accent left little to be desired, as he unwittingly interpreted the crowd’s chants of “Yorkshire! Yorkshire!” as being “you’re s**t!” You couldn’t help but laugh at the relief on his face upon discovering what fans were actually shouting…bless him! 

     The band weaved their way through a string of hits, including Let’s Kill Tonight, Hurricane and New Perspective, but it was the 2006 hit I Write Sins Not Tragedies which was noticeably well received. The crowd eagerly snatched the opening verse from Urie, leaving him to stand beaming with a rather proud and somewhat astounded look on his face. Returning to the stage for the encore, the Las Vegas four-piece delivered yet another delightfully catchy, upbeat number with Time To Dance, followed by an incredible cover of I Believe In A Thing Called Love by The Darkness. Urie then treated fans to a cover of Let’s Get It On, which it has to be said he did spectacularly, displaying his incredible vocal ability and managing to hit notes which would rival the Bee Gees. 

     As the show came to an end with the foot-stomping vibes of Nearly Witches (Ever Since We Met…), you simply couldn’t help but smile after a night filled with deliciously charming and euphoric music, delivered by a band with an inescapable likeability and charisma about them.


**As seen in The Motion Online**

Some videos from the show:

Food For Thought

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The Man, The Myth, The Legend

Alice Cooper's Halloween Night Of Fear – No More Mr Nice Guy Tour 2011

Sheffield City Hall 25/10/11

When it comes to Halloween, no one quite does it better than Alice Cooper. Let’s face it, he owns this night. He is the king of shock rock, master of the weird and wonderful, and he’s going to damn well prove it on his appropriately titled ‘Halloween Night of Fear’ show, brought to the UK as part of his current No More Mr Nice Guy Tour. With a title like that it hardly leaves much to the imagination, but with Alice Cooper you’re never quite sure what he’s got up his sleeve…
     Opening the show with the chillingly spooky Vincent Price intro, taken from the original Welcome To My Nightmare album, followed by classic hit The Black Widow, Alice kicks the night off in style. As the curtain drops he’s found standing at the top of some stairs dressed (in character of course) as a black widow – this might sound a little odd, but this isn’t exactly your ordinary show. Tearing into an array of killer songs including Brutal Planet, I’m Eighteen, Billion Dollar Babies, and Hey Stoopid, Alice parades around the stage like a demon possessed. He glares into the crowd with looks of sheer menace, waving his cane like a slightly deranged conductor, whilst the crowd go mental for it. Alice certainly has quite a stage presence, and he plays his character to an absolute tee.

     Mid-way through the show Alice takes to the stage (after yet another costume change!) wearing a jacket sporting the words ‘New Song’ across his back, proving he doesn’t really take himself too seriously – but it was nice of him to keep the crowd up to speed with the proceedings! Yes this was the only new song played into the set from the new album, Welcome 2 My Nightmare, but it certainly hit the spot. I’ll Bit Your Face Off has all the elements of a classic Cooper song (just by the name itself really), and Alice really gave this one his all, literally spitting the words out to the chorus. He also busted a few rather interesting dance moves during this number, which of course was in keeping with the over-the-top theatrics of the show. Following a sombre rendition of Only Women Bleed, which Cooper sang whilst sat upon a trash can, he then launched into old favourite Cold Ethyl during which he serenaded an old rag doll (the doll being the corpse of cold Ethyl of course!). Alice waltzed romantically about the stage arm in arm with the doll, before the song took an abrupt turn for the worst as he proceeded to beat the life (quite literally!) out of poor Ethyl. Indeed it was like watching Jekyll and Hyde on the stage. The song closed as Alice wraps the doll in an embrace, and plants a kiss, much to the delight of the crowd.

     It was at here that the theatrics really got into full swing, as Cooper emerged dressed as a mad scientist in a long white coat splattered with blood, before a gigantic Frankenstein monster burst onto the stage. To say this thing was gigantic is by no means an exaggeration, but what really finished it off was the fact the monster sang along to Feed My Frankenstein after chasing Cooper off the stage. 

The band then broke into old hit Clones (We’re All), during which guitarist Tommy Henriksen and bassist Chuck Garric adorned plastic face masks, and ‘acted out’ the song through robotic movements, which I must admit made very entertaining viewing! Wicked Young Man followed and Cooper re-emerged dressed in what looked like a police hat, and took to marching about the stage before “spearing” a photographer (obviously not a real one!) right through his belly with a giant silver cane. He then received his comeuppance by getting beheaded by a giant guillotine, after which his band (all fantastic musicians in their own right I might add) launched into a rather jolly rendition of I Love The Dead much to the crowds delight.

     The night was topped off by a raucous sing-a-long to all-time favourite hit School’s Out, which included a short breakdown of Pink Floyd’s Another Brick In The Wall, whilst balloons were thrown out into the crowd which Cooper proceeded to stab with his sword to unleash showers of confetti. Returning for the encore in silver jacket and top hat, Alice closes the set with Elected, during which he paraded around waving a huge Great Britain flag.

     As you can probably guess, Alice Cooper doesn’t do a show half-heartedly. He puts everything he’s got into it, resulting in a show that’s extremely over-the-top, full of bizarre and eccentric theatrics, and one that is completely unique. Cooper’s show is undoubtedly one of a kind, and he gives his audience so much more than your average rock show – indeed it’s more like a piece of theatre. Alice proved once again he is the shock rock king, and he doesn’t look like he’ll be slowing down anytime soon.

A Hint Of The Future

Sinners Never Sleep - You Me At Six

With two albums already on the table and an ever swelling fanbase, You Me At Six are obviously doing something right, so you would expect album three would deliver more of the same. Well, you’d be wrong.

     Sinners Never Sleep could be seen as the ‘transitional phase’ in the bands career – the stepping stone to where they want to head in the future. Although album openers Loverboy and Jaws On The Floor are the typical perky, poppy delights we are used to hearing from the band, it is Bite My Tongue which shows the first signs of You Me At Six establishing a harder, rock sound. Singer Josh Franceschi delivers the vocals in a harsh, cut-edge manner, delivering the lines aimed for his bandmates “I might be proud, but at least I’m proud of something / You’ve taken pride in becoming nothing” with bitter angst. The guest vocals (or perhaps ‘shouts’ would be the more appropriate phrase here) from Oli Sykes do seem rather pointless, as Josh manages convey his anger perfectly without needing to raise his voice, much like in the equally resentful track Little Death. It seems Josh has developed quite the acid tongue on this album, which is strangely nice to see – it makes a change from songs about parties and girls anyway. But it is obvious the guest appearances’ from Oli and Winston McCall on Time Is Money are an attempt to show the band is heading in a new direction, away from the restraints of their poppy past.

     The band have been wise however to make their musical evolution in a transitional step, so that the essence of You Me At Six is still undeniably there. Abandoning their past completely would have been rather a rash move, so you could say Sinners Never Sleep has the best of both worlds really. Songs Reckless and No One Does It Better are sure to be a hit with die-hard fans, whilst slower numbers Little Bit Of Truth and Crash really show how the band have grown and matured into truly respectable musicians. But it is the last song on the album, The Dilemma, which shows the band at their best. It is probably their most revolutionary song, with its infectious rhythm and its witty, intelligent lyrics, sung with a rather tongue-in-cheek manner which, to be frank, is rather charming really.

     Sinners Never Sleep gives us a hint of the future for You Me At Six. It is the start of their revolution as a respectable rock band, and with the maturity demonstrated in these songs, lyrically in particular, there is no denying that they are on the right track.

**As seen in The Motion Online**

What's Worth More?

I Divide - What's Worth More?

If you’re a rock fan looking for some new music to liven up your iPod then I Divide could be the band to fit the bill. Their new mini-album, What’s Worth More, ticks all the boxes: it’s fun, it’s lively, and it’s so darn catchy that you might have difficulty turning it off.

     For a mini-album, it is far from mini in volume. Kicking off with the musical Introduction, the band gradually build the tempo, allowing the momentum to rise before launching into first single release, The Arrival. This song has all the elements of a power rock anthem with its incessant driving guitars, and the chant-worthy chorus “we are alive,” which is sure to be a hit in a live setting. This Ship’s Going Down, Burning Out and Déjà Vu are also stand out tracks with their explosive energy, and pop-rock vibes, giving this album a sense of fun and vibrancy.

     But don’t be misled by these pop-rock elements because on the whole, I Divide are actually rather a heavy band. The rhythm section has a definite ‘boom’ to it, which can easily be likened to fellow British rock band, Young Guns, and singer Thomas Kavanagh delivers each song with such aggressive force that it’s clear this band really want to make themselves heard – and they’re going to make damn sure you listen.
     With the inclusion of an Introduction and an Interlude, the band give the album a story-like feel, which serves to create a sense of magnitude and grandeur (clever really). Indeed it is only during these brief musical interludes that listeners are given chance to catch their breath, as the rest is undeniably full-steam-ahead. It is this inescapable energy and force that makes What’s Worth More so exciting, and if the band’s performance in their music video The Arrival is anything to go by, their live performance meets the standards set in the studio. So keep an eye out for these guys, they’re certain crowd pleasers.

Here from the boys themselves...

Hello! So how are you guys doing at the moment?

“We’re doing really well at the moment. We’re currently in the rehearsal room preparing for our debut UK/Scotland tour.”

How did you come together as a band, and where did the name I Divide come from?

“We all formed from all ex-local bands. We all had the same passion to carry on making music and wanting to succeed in the industry. The name came from a song title, which we thought sounded good. To be honest there is no meaning behind the name.”

Can you describe your musical sound?

“Our sound is energetic, heavy based guitar riffs/licks, mixed with melodic hooks and harmonies with a thirst of wanting more.”

You’ve just recorded your new album What’s Worth More. Can you tell us a little bit about it? What are the stand-out tracks for you?

“The CD was recorded in Guildford at Sharptooth studios. It’s a 9 track mini album which is in your face action, with some slow melodic sections to break things up a little too. We spent over the last year working on the material for the release. As we wanted it to be the best it could be at this time as I Divide. The most stand out tracks for us has to be… ‘Burning out’ and ‘What’s worth more’. They all have their own meaning. But these songs are a little bit more to us on this record.”

Can you tell us a bit about the writing process? Do you write the songs together, or do you each have specific roles?

“The writing process generally starts off with a rough basis of a guitar riff/lick via Henry or Josh. We would then take that and build upon it adding Drums/bass and taking away parts we feel don’t work in the song. We would then add vocals at the end. Although sometimes songs come together the other way round, or sometimes when we have a mess around, it sometimes leads to the phrase of “Hey! i actually like this, let’s try this for a new song.”

Who are your biggest musical influences as a band?

“Musically, when we were writing this record, a band called Sleeping with Sirens was a major influence to us.”

You’re going to be heading out on tour across the UK in mid-October, what can fans expect from these shows?

“We are so excited to be going on tour, some of us have never been to places on this tour. But as a whole the 5 of us are ready to get on the road and show our fans what we’re all about. We can’t wait to meet our fans on the road. Were playing with some amazing bands too, so were stoked for that as well.”

After the tour, what have you got planned to do next?

“Sleep will be on the cards. We’ll be planing on pre-production for our next video for our next single “Burning out” and we are in talks of recording for a double A side for 2012 with touring coming alongside for the next few months.”

**As seen in The Motion Online**

Sweet Sweet Melodies

The Narcoleptic Dancers - Never Sleep

The formation of The Narcoleptic Dancers is certainly an interesting one. The Dutch-French half brother and sister duo, who were born ten years apart and in different countries, came to be united at their father’s funeral. It was during this unlikely meeting, which I’m sure came as quite an extraordinary surprise, that the pair discovered a shared passion of music. And so The Narcoleptic Dancers were born.

     The folksy-pop album is a jolly collection of catchy, infectious songs, with irresistible beats and charm. The sweet, gentle melodies make for easy listening, and give this album a feel-good, relaxed ambiance. Indeed the light summery vibes make it easy to describe Never Sleep quite plainly as ‘happy music.’ Singer Melody Van Kappers delivers the songs in slightly mystic, husky manner, giving the album a rather eerie, hypnotic sound, particularly in breezy pop number Sweet And Soft. One thing has to be said for the singling though; it never changes tone. It is hard to discern any kind of emotion on this album, as each and every song is delivered in the same soothingly hypnotic manner. It’s all a bit monotonous really – let’s just say a change of key wouldn’t go amiss every now and again.

     Opening song and first single, Not Evident, is a bouncy, hand-clapping sort of tune – a bit of a ditty you could say. Plus the constant cries of “la la la la” are sure to get anyone, willing or otherwise, singing along to these infections beats. Similarly, the electro-pop Dusty Cowboy and acoustic folksy number Unique Tree are both delightfully upbeat, and are sure-fire toe-tappers that may leave listeners wanting to jig along. However, the sickly sweet manner in which these songs are delivered can begin to grain after a while, and the repetitive nature of the tunes does start to infuriate by the end. I guess you could say The Narcoleptic Dancers aren’t for everyone.

     With their fresh and original style, The Narcoleptic Dancers certainly stand out. Their quirky, folk-pop makes a pleasant change from what we are used to hearing, and their light, cheery melodies are certainly appealing. Although it has to be said that these sugar-coated, carefree child-like sing-alongs can become rather irritating after a while, and the repetitive tendencies are likely to take permanent residence in your brain and drive you insane. But for a bit of a pick-me-up, these perky poppy delights are sure to do the trick.


**As seen in The Motion Online**