[ArtistOTD] Hullabaloo

Artist: Hullabaloo
Genre: New Soul
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK.
Website: http://hullabalooband.bandcamp.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hullabaloouk
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HullabalooBand

Today’s artist from our very own South Wales roots come causing a right ruckus, in the form of rock ‘n’ roll band, Hullabaloo. This 6-piece outfit produce a wonderful sound placing them at the very heart of an indie-pop-rock-soul-funk Venn diagram. Their refreshing clatter of noise is created through a funky fusion of a vast array of instruments. The lively musical numbers created by this sprightly bunch include pianos and brass as well as the usual guitars, bass and drums.

To date, the gang have fashioned one EP released in the summer earlier this year on July 16^th. This release highlights an impressive introduction to the music industry for Hullabaloo who formed just last year in October 2011. The EP titled ‘Landslide’ is a five-track offering, available to purchase now for just £3 on their bandcamp site.

There is an abundance of energy portrayed throughout the EP which kicks off in style with ‘Found A New Way’, and in particular it’s effective use of brass and organs. This is followed by the sure-fire future signal ‘All Shapes and Sizes’, which incorporates one fine sounding piano solo polishing off the funky clamour on a solid rock base. This is a fun, poppy tune, ticking all the boxes of a radio-friendly banger with its fabulous production and sheer catchiness. This is certainly the band’s champagne track but should not detract away from any of the other four tracks on the record. In particular, the brass-filled ‘Landslide’ and the punk-rock-infused riffs on ‘DoYou Think I’m Crazy Enough?’. This is a continued theme moving onto the final track on the record, ‘Leave This Town’. There is a more ska-punk feel to this than the more indie and poppy introduction to the EP. A switch up in tempo applied for the chorus is a welcome surprise proving to be a more than adequate rounding off to a generally fun-filled, vibrant and spirited debut EP.

Finally, for both your listening and viewing pleasure, here is the creative video for the EP title-track, ‘Landslide’:

Matthew Evans

[TuneOTD] LickSpittle - SUPERHERO

Artist: LickSpittle

Genre: Indie/Rock

Location: London, UK

Label Type: Indie

Record Label: Mostar Records

Website: http://www.mostarrecords.com/lickspittle/ 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LickSpittleBand

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LickSpittle

Today sees the release of the new single from LickSpittle on Mostar Records. 'Superhero' is the third single from London-based duo, comprising of Jimmy Suds and Kid Kudos. It’s the follow up to the highly popular ‘Steve McQueen’ and ‘Lush Hound’. 

‘Superhero’ begins with a deep funky bass and low-slung finger clicks. This erupts into an eclectic chorus based on the foundations of hard-hitting drums and exquisite guitars. The exit from the chorus is just as smooth and subtle as the entrance, maintaining cool unfazed vocals and bass. As per usual with LickSpittle, the lyrics are different and experimental, littered with clever alliterations and rhymes. Furthermore, they deliver these wise words with ease as they simply roll off the tongue for this multi-talented duo.

The chorus contains a sound not too dissimilar to that of The White Stripes with the inclusion of the distorted vocals and crashing drums. A successful step forward in direction for Suds and Kudos, highlighting their diversity to adapt their musical sounds drawn from a vast array of influences.

Lyrically speaking, the meaning behind this tune is a description of a dark area in the verses flowing into the chorus crying out of that superhero to come to the rescue and save the day.

Overall, the tune is different yet simple, and the catchiness of the song clearly makes LickSpittle’s presence felt. Hats off to the boys on this one!

Matthew Evans

[ArtistOTD] The Cape Race

Artist: The Cape Race
Genre: Rock
Location: Manchester, UK 
Label Type: Unsigned
Website: http://www.thecaperace.com/ 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thecaperace
Twitter: http://twitter.com/thecaperace

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/thecaperace

Today’s artist have been rocking from the streets of Manchester since September 2009. Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce the five-piece alternative indie-rock band, The Cape Race.

The band consists of David Moloney on vocals, Adam Lewis on bass and backing vocals, Matt Sayward and Scott Perkins on guitars, and Jonny Davys on the drums. These five talented musicians have one mini-album to date, for which recording began a little over a year after the bands formation. It’s titled ‘Now, Voyager’ and was produced by the magnificent Peter Miles in Earth Terminal Studios. The record is a six-track offering which can be attained for free on the band’s official website.

What is interesting to note about this mini-album is that the band are planning to make a video for each and every song on it. At this present moment there are three videos already available. The first of these is for the single, “They’re Young, They’re In Love” which was released on New Year’s Day of this year. Later on in the year on April 4^th, the second single “Little Whites” was released, and whilst a video has recently been made for third single, “The Reprieve”, the track itself won’t officially be released until August 19^th. "Bets", "Barcelona" and ‘Now, Voyager" are the other tracks on the record

A genuine theme that occurs across all six tracks on the record is that enormous strength and authority possessed by the vocals. This is something that sets them apart from bands of a similar ilk. In addition to this, the band clearly has a knack for the art of song-writing standing them in good stead.

These guys could well be one for the future so be sure to check ‘em out!

Matthew Evans

[TuneOTD] LickSpittle - LUSH HOUND

Artist: LickSpittle

Genre: Indie/Rock

Location: London, UK

Label Type: Indie

Record Label: Mostar Records

Website: http://www.mostarrecords.com/lickspittle/ 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LickSpittleBand

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LickSpittle

Two friends Kid Kudos and Jimmy Suds make up the wonderful LickSpittle, and the boys are back with their new single, ‘Lush Hound’.

When listening to this track I was immediately taken aback by the pleasant sound of ‘lush hound’. In terms of genre, this falls on the jazzy side of indie rock ‘n’ roll integrating a number of different sounds superbly, but to bracket this into a single specific genre wouldn’t do the song justice. The infectious chorus is catchy and cheerful, while the song as whole maintains a decent tempo containing constant clicks. Generally the feeling surrounding this song is one of suave and sophistication in which the tune maintains a high octane sound with a funky bass line, remaining stochastic and bouncy throughout. The duo possesses a certain amount of guile and endeavour while the clever inclusion of brass brings about another dimension to the already impressive arsenal of sounds leaving you want to sway your hips to the sweet, sweet sound.

All in all, the track is soaked in swagger and the groovy beats provide the necessary basis on which to build, making this a very promising follow-up to debut single ‘Steve McQueen’.

The single is to be released tomorrow, 23^rd May on Mostar Records so be sure to check it out!

Matthew Evans

[TuneOTD] The Riot Tapes – PHOTOGRAPH

Artist: The Riot Tapes

Genre: Indie/ Alternative/ Power Pop

Location: Dublin, Ireland

Label Type: Indie

Record Label: Mostar Records 

Website: http://www.mostarrecords.com/the-riot-tapes/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/theriottapes

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/theriottapes

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TheRiotTapes

'Photograph' is the debut single from Dublin based indie rockers The Riot Tapes. Formed in 2009 the band are currently in the process of recording their debut album. Photograph is a classic slice of indie pop rock pie, with positive nods to The Pretenders and Blondie. Opening with a steady drum beat and an contagious guitar riff, Photograph reaches a crescendo with an emotionally charged chorus. The music sparkles, but it is the luscious vocals of singer Elaine Doyle that sends Photograph into orbit. The Riot Tapes have received plenty of attention over in Ireland having been labelled as one of the “Irish Sounds of 2011” and are ready to launch an assault on the UK charts. Photograph is a perfect pop gem and there can be no doubt that The Riot Tapes have a bright future ahead of them.  

Photograph is out now on Mostar Records, and you can check out the video for the single below:

James Shingler

[TuneOTD] Arctic Monkeys - BRICK BY BRICK

Artist: Arctic Monkeys
Genre: Indie/Rock
Location:  Sheffield, England, UK.
Label Type: Indie
Record Label: Domino
Website: http://www.arcticmonkeys.com/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/arcticmonkeys
Myspace: www.myspace.com/arcticmonkeys

Arctic Monkeys are back with the mundane and soulless track, Brick by Brick. Having left Uncle Josh’s pocket the boys have inherited the ‘Clones of the Stone Age’ influence of their last album Humbug. Whilst the biased fanboys will devotedly defend the track and the band, Brick by Brick  attracts criticism as Alex and Co have failed to return to what once made them a great British band.

What made them great was not the anti-social behaviour that they promoted in their first album or the rebellious words in their second but the raw and masterminded lyrics and unique themes that were relevant to the audience. All that this new track brings is a sombre and uninspired chorus (the constant repletion of “brick by brickkkkkkkkkkkkk....” quickly wears thin) which conforms that the Arctic Monkeys have lost their way on their early sound and substituted the rebellious fun for a more serious approach.

The song opens with a punchy opening guitar riff that immediately disappoints fans of the earlier albums as we learn that they completely abandoned the spirit of what made them originally great. Musically the song isn’t bad and this would fit into well with another band but it just doesn’t fit into what we desire in an Arctic Monkeys song. When will they learn? We want an Arctic Monkeys album, not an attempt to emulate Franz Ferdinand who, let’s face it, are in no position to be flattered by such imitation. Any compassion we may have quickly diminishes as soon as Matt Helders opens his gob. Alex Turner has stepped aside on the verse to allow the drummer to have a turn, instantly bringing a slighter grittier tone to the song.

The song is rumoured to be just a teaser of what the album, due in June, has to offer. This presents a conundrum for the fans which will still remain divided by the Arctic Monkeys: is it better to have this bollocks as part of the album or better to have an album full of this that can be cast aside as we return to what was?

Suck it and See!

Andy Belcher

[ArtistOTD] Shirt Boys

Artist: Shirt Boys

Genre: Vigilante/Punk/Indie/Pop

Location: Halifax, England ,UK

Label Type: Unsigned

Website: http://shirtboys.weebly.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shirtboys

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/shirtboys

Soundcloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/shirt-boys

Here at Twitter Tunez, we aim to promote unsigned artists and try to help give them that big break. This band are one of number we have looked at, and with a little bit of publicity and guidance, they can go a long way to reaching their full potential.

The Shirt Boys consist of Chester and Blueshirt and were formed in the Big Six pub in Halifax in September 2009. Originally envisioned as a modern day, more British version of the A-Team, their services were engaged by a female friend in order to 'deal with' a male acquaintance who was essentially stalking her. Over some fine ales, they decided to write a theme tune.

Upon realising that they were basically rubbish at being vigilantes, they decided to concentrate on their music and released the cunningly titled "Shirt Boys" as a free download. This was followed up by it's righteous counterpart "Dub Boys".

In October 2010, the Shirt Boys released a free download Halloween single "I'll trick or treat YOU" which has become a firm fan favourite, straddling, ska, dub, 70s standup and garage rock.

Last Christmas time, their only commericial venture to date – “Coalition Christmas(we’re all in it together)” – a savage attack on the current political situation, received impressive local radio coverage – and is still available through itunes.

Be sure to check out the Shirt Boys on any of their social networking sites!

(P.S we at Twitter Tunez are as yet undecided as to whether the Shirt Boys are absolute geniuses or complete lunatics either way they are one of the most interesting new artists we have heared in a long time)  

TT

[TuneOTD] The Vaccines - IF YOU WANNA

Artist: The Vaccines

Genre: Rock/Indie/Alternative

Location: London, England, UK

Label Type: Indie

Record Label: Colombia
Website: http://www.thevaccines.co.uk

Twitter: http://twitter.com/thevaccines

MySpace:  http://www.myspace.com/thevaccines

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thevaccines

The Vaccines were voted third in BBC Sound’s 2011, and on current form it is unlikely that they could overtake Jessie J as she continues her assault on the Top 40 album and single charts (yet let’s be honest she did it for the MONEY MONEY MONEY!). Yet their release of 'If You Wanna' will add fuel to the fire for the indie faithful, it will only disappoint genuine new music fans. Compared to Post Break up sex and Wreckin Bar it struggles to hit the high notes, and compared to the rest of the Top 40 it is a breath of fresh air. Whether an attack on the charts is their ambition, and a shout out from Fearne ‘the devil women’ Cotton I hope not, yet compared to the promise, this single struggles to live up to previous attempts and hopeful fruits of the recently released album.

This week saw the release of debut album What did you expect from the Vaccines?, well to be honest we expected better. The constant repetition of the chorus in the single is pleasant up to a point, but the drones of the pre-chorus and bridge make me think of what Radio 1 used to be. Zane Lowe, I’m sure will rate it highly, but who cares for him anymore. The Vaccines can go in one of two directions from their present position. They can fall into the background of indie hype/promise like The Courteeners or come out of 2011 shining. Pleasant listening to Radio 2 indie or geography teachers it is. It may be re-vamped and updated from old demos and according to guitarist Freddie Cowan and singer Justin Young ‘thinking they’ve nailed it’, I disagree. The Vaccines played at Cardiff Students Union this year as part of the NME UK Tour, and stole the show. If you want your summer to be full of hopeful promise then check out The Vaccines at all major summer festivals, and supporting Arcade Fire at Hyde Park this summer.

Check out the video below:

Patrick Allinson

[ArtistOTD] PJ Harvey

Artist: PJ Harvey

Genre: Alternative, Indie, Folk, Experimental Rock  

Location:Dorset, England ,UK

Label Type: Major

Record Label: Island
Website: http://www.pjharvey.net

Twitter: http://twitter.com/PJHarveyUK

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/pjharvey

Since coming to the forefront of British Alternative Rock in the early 1990s, PJ Harvey has taken on a number of different guises, ranging from screaming banshee of her early work to the Rock 'n' Roll queen that appeared on the Mercury Prize winning album 'Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea.' Her latest release 'Let England Shake' finds Harvey at the hight of her song writing, as she tackles the subject of the blood, mess and waste of war.

PJ Harvey first came to prominence in 1992 with her raw and powerful début album 'Dry'. The album is still see as a cornerstone of the 1990's "women in rock" movement. Dry is the sound of bluesy riffs played with punk-rock energy suddenly crash to a hush, while Harvey's desperate wails become fatigued moans. Harvey followed 'Dry' with the awkward harshness of 'Rid Of Me'. Produced by Steve Albini, 'Rid Of Me' is Harvey most hard-hitting record to date, with songs such as 50ft Queenie and the title track providing angst ridden rawness.

1995 saw the release of the more commercial sounding 'To Bring You My Love', an album that saw Harvey strip away the angst of her first two albums. 'To Bring You My Love' filled with dirty blues riffs is a far more confident album then its predecessors. Harvey's next album the under-rated 'Is This Desire?', saw Harvey experiment with her sound, using elements of electronica and spoken word vocals.

PJ Harvey's commercial breakthrough came in 2000 with the release of 'Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea.' With its Hi-Fi, glossy production and massive choruses the album went on to sell over a million copies. Its follow up 'Uh Huh Her' saw Harvey return to her blues rock roots. while 2007's 'White Chalk' saw Harvey put down her guitar,and reaching for her piano and autoharp, as Harvey reconnected with the traditional folk of her Dorset childhood. 

After two decades PJ Harvey remains Britain's most consistently brilliant songwriter.




James Shingler


What To Buy? 

1993 - Dry

1998 - Is This Desire?

2000 - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

2007 - White Chalk

2011 - Let England Shake