BULL | Perfect Teeth | Single Review

Sunday morning chill. That’s what I think about whenever I listen to the start of Bull’s new single, Perfect Teeth. With tranquil undertones that resemble The Velvet Underground, York based band, Bull, artistically pull off an air of nonchalant mellowness – they don’t try to be complicated for the sake of being complicated and the result is an unequivocally effortless masterpiece of musical ingenuity.

Starting out as a Ceilidh band, Bull, whilst developing their sound into the indie-rock band as heard in ‘Perfect Teeth’, have not lost their ceilidh background. Perhaps this is the clearest when frontman Tom Beer sports vocals representative of the folk scene when he sings, “and it’s taking me way too long.” It’s this very trait that sets Bull apart from other up and coming bands on the scene: their ability to skilfully put a twist on their ceilidh roots and blossom their sound into an indie-folk fusion is a move that many would be both unqualified and unsuccessful in doing.

With their subtly use of the maracas to compliment drummer, Tom Gabbatiss’, soft rhythmic beats, Bull evidently also have an eye for detail – they know how to create layers and tones that create a sound so authentic to themselves that engaging with the song is as easy as it comes. In fact, ‘Perfect Teeth’ is a song so well-crafted, in which every note, every dynamic and every guitar line is in faultless position, that Bull are able to truly invite their listeners to participate in the story of their song.

Yet Bull are playing a brilliantly deceptive card: ‘Perfect Teeth is a single that initially whispers gentle acoustics, before suddenly switching its serenity for a ramped-up electric guitar solo and drum beats that will wake you up from that Sunday slumber. It’s fair to say that the band lull us into a sense of false security and at its peak, drop us into a whirlwind of unexpected X. However, I dare say that without this X interlude, ‘Perfect Teeth’ may become a slightly repetitive song. Yet we needn’t worry about that being an issue as it’s another example of where the band have stricken the perfect balance between knowing where to be X and knowing exactly when to step things up a notch.

Written by Kate Sinclair 

Boston Manor | Interview

Boston Manor jumped into a whole new genre with their latest album Welcome To The Neighbourhood, taking a more chilled out step back from their pop punk roots to write just as catch songs, but with a lot more depth. I managed to chat to Henry Cox (singer) and Mike Cunniff (guitar) at their first gig of their September UK tour at the Thekla, Bristol.

What helped inspire you when writing Welcome To The Neighbourhood musically and lyrically?

Henry: Musically we are into a lot of 90’s alternative band like Deftones, Korn and Nine Inch Nails, so we borrowed a lot of influence sonically from that. Lyrically, it's hard to pin it down. It was a lot of what we were thinking and feeling. There's lyricists like Keith Buckley who I look up to as we’s wicked, I love the way he’s very visual in the way he rights. However, it’s not like we can borrow a sound that we can borrow sonically, we just have to sit down with pen and paper and work on it honestly.

How did you guys write the songs from this album?

Henry: All 5 of us write together but every song was different. Some of them we started with a vocal hook or a chorus and we built out from there. Some songs started off with a riff or a really basic structure and we just built it up from there.

Mike: We demoed the songs and then we took them to the studio with our friend Marcus Pone and we did pre-production for about 2 weeks in New Jersey. Then we just kept building and building on the songs and rearranging them until we were happy with them and then went back there and recorded it. So I guess from right at the start to when we were demoing to right at the end product it was just a constant evolving process.

What's your favourite songs of Welcome To The Neighbourhood in general and to play?

Henry: It's hard to pick one song. I definitely like the second track, Flowers In Your Dustbin and also England Dreaming’s.

Mike: I think it changes every day for me, I really like the title track because it is a stark difference to the stuff we’ve put out before and it definitely sets the tone for the whole record. It’ll probable change again when we start playing the songs as some songs translate better live

There's been a definite change between your first two albums and Welcome To The Neighbourhood, have you been influenced by what you are currently listening to compared to what you used to listened to? Or has it not changed?

Mike: I wouldn't say its change. We’ve be listening to the same stuff constantly. I think we’ve just been trying to figure out how to create our own sound. I was watching an interview with Chino from Deftones and they initially got lumped in with a lot of other Nu Metal bands when they were trying to make their own sounds and we’re trying to do the same thing. I think when we recorded Welcome To The Neighbourhood we felt like we were most comfortable in our skin and it just took us a little bit to get there. Not to disregard our old tracks, but it's been a process and a journey to get to where we are now and it will carry on going. We may not stay doing this sound as we always want to challenge ourselves

You do have a lot of synthesizers on the new album, is this something you want to develop and possibly work with other artists with in the future?

Henry: We are definitely going to go down the rabbit hole with synths, we were learning quite a lot about it while making the record. For Pone, the producer, it’s his world. He has analogue synths and samplers so we got to fart around with that we taught us how to work with them. I think moving forward we’re definitely doing more synth stuff, but what that entails we don't know. As far as other artists, we haven't really collabed with anyone but there's kind of no rule to this point so maybe, yeah!

The artwork was done by Joshua Halling, what’s the story behind the scene?

Henry: Ah you can’t tell! There’s loads of little things in it that you may not notice for the first or second times you look at it. It was inspired by the work of Gregory Crewdson

Mike: It’s open to interpretation to be honest. We kinda want people to just look at it and spot something new every time or just wonder what is happening in it.

Is the artwork linked to the Bad Machine video at all?

Henry: Kind of, I initially came up with the idea for the album cover and then we all sat down and started pitching in ideas to develop it collectively. I also directed the bad machine video so they’re both black and white and operate in the same creative world. They’re not directly linked but it all goes down to the vibe of what the five of us wanted to do aesthetically for the album. That photoshoot for the cover was all five of us, at 4am in Reading, same with the Bad Machine video, we all worked together on it. It was just really fun, I’ve never enjoyed shooting a video that much ever I think. It was a bit stressful at times.

Henry, you’ve said when touring, new places are new starts, where do you want to start next?

Henry: We got to go to Japan and Australia this year, we’ve never been there before, but there’s a bunch of places around South-East Asia and South America. But to be honest, anywhere anyone will have us. There’s nowhere we haven't toured because we didn’t want to, it’s just being able to make it work. So if you're reading this and from a county we’ve never been to, tell us.

Interview & Photography by Murry Deaves

ALLEYWAYS | The Basement, York | Gig Review

When I arrived at The Basement, the location of Leeds-based band Alleyways headline gig, there was already a queue of eager young people forming. By the time the doors were opened the staircase leading down to the underground venue was full and excitement and anticipation was ripe in the air.

Once inside the venue and with a classic gig stamp upon my hand I headed to find somewhere to sit and set up. A rep for Chalkpit Records, who Alleyways have recently started working with, was handing out promotional stickers and another was there to film the evening’s events.

The first band on the brilliant local line-up was Silvertones who, despite having to deal with being one member down due to work commitments, got the evening off to an impressive start. Frontman and bassist Chester Wilkinson appeared to be in his element, performing with raw passion whilst still having a good time. It was clear to all that newest member Olly Chilton has fitted in seamlessly and the band shared multiple smiles, evidently enjoying their time on stage. Drummer Matt Craven also gave a great performance whilst superbly singing backing vocals and together the band put on a faultlessly solid show.

Second up was Follow The Giant who gave a gloriously energetic and sweaty performance. It felt as though they belonged in the dark underground venue with their indisputable sound and expressive playing. Frontman Jamie Collins did a terrific job of holding the audience’s attention with his vivid head banging and general bash-style playing of his bass.

Last, but by no means least, was the fabulous Alleyways. By this point in the night the audience had loosened up and were ready to dance along to some fantastic indie pop songs and the headliners certainly did not disappoint. Their laid back yet purposeful vibe definitely pleased the crowd and it was evident that they have put in the effort required to build a fanbase, with most people in the audience singing along and cheering eagerly at the announcement of songs. 

Frontman Dougie Turner was brilliant to watch; providing more than just the vocals with his marvelous dance moves and guitar and synth playing. Overall, the band put on a impeccably unified performance that, with the skillful playing required of their ace anthems and personal moments such as Dougie’s beer-swigging in-between singing, led to a tremendous end to a great night of awesome local music; something you can never quite beat.

For the full photo album click here

Review and photography by Molly Thompson

MINT | 'Nothing Seems To Get Me High' | Single Review

 Mint are a four-piece band hailing from Grimsby whose latest single ‘Nothing Seems To Get Me High’, is a punchy and refreshing banger of a song. It is of no surprise that it has already been named Radio X’s ‘Track of the Week’ and BBC Radio 1’s ‘Record of the Night’ since it’s release, as well as being played on shows such as Radio 1’s Indie Show with Jack Saunders and Amazing Radio.

The song is bursting with alt-rock greatness and is a fast-paced speed that will please all punk lovers. This snappy two minute song feels like a taster of all that is to come from Mint. The rather abrupt ending leaves the listener desperately wanting more and adds to what is so special about this band and something that is hard to find nowadays.

Having just finished a string of festival appearances including Kendal Calling and Y Not the band are set to undertake a 6-date UK tour this October with their two hometown dates having already sold out. Their website (https://www.wearejustmint.com) states that their live show is “incredible and captivating” and one can but imagine after listening to their attitude-filled latest single which was recorded at none other than Sugar House Studios which has also seen the likes of Viola Beach, Larkins and Pale Waves record there.

All of the quartet’s members seem to excel brilliantly within this song with frontman Zak Rashid’s potent and soaring vocals becoming intoxicating and his to the point lyrics, which center around the song’s title, fitting perfectly within the theme and overall splendidly blunt sound of the song. The drums from Sam Chapman start the song off with a bang and carry the song fantastically throughout and with guitar and bass riffs reminiscent of the Buzzcocks and Queens of the Stone Age the track becomes a high-energy and immense song that is destined to become an anthem and fan favourite.

Review by Molly Thompson