Shinedown - Ei8ht

 You would never have guessed, but "Ei8ht" is in fact the 8th album by rock heavyweights Shinedown.  By this point I am pretty familiar with Shinedown's back catalogue.  And by this point I know what to expect when Shinedown announce they are releasing a new album.  The reason for this is because they are one one of the most consistent bands around.  When I look at their back catalogue, although the first couple of albums were a bit patchy. Once, they got their now lineup sorted, they have been on an upward trajectory which sees no signs of letting up with "Ei8ht".

It has been a rather long build up in the release to "Ei8ht". Although the album was released in May 2026.  The first singles were brought into the world back in January 2025, in the form of "Three six five" and "Dance, kid, Dance".  Some may say it was a different approach to making an album as it is quite unusual to be doing festivals and playing new songs while making an album at the same time.  Most bands seem to just disappear while making an album then come out all guns blazing.  Not Shinedown, but they are not really an ordinary band.  They do things their way and have found over the years what works for them.   And with the quality of albums they have produced over the years, and I include "Ei8ht" in that.  Who am I to argue with them.

One thing which first strikes you about the album is its length.  Sitting at just over 64 minutes it is quite a long album, with 18 tracks.  Most artists would cut it down to 10-12 tracks then a year after release, release the album again with 6 extra tracks and make the customer by the whole album again to get the extra tracks.  I hope Shinedown don't have more tracks up there sleave and do this. It's one of the things I like about this release, that they have given the customer so many tracks and of such a high standard.  

The album itself is full of anthems, from "Dizzy", "Imposter" to "Killing fields" and "Machine gun".  In fact its one of these albums I haven't found a track to skip yet.  In terms of the decisions Shinedown are going to have to make with regards to there setlist is a tricky one.  As they have such a large back catalogue and on top of that now 18 songs people are going to want to hear. Rather them, than me!

Overall, Shinedown are showing once again how to make good rock music and at the same time giving the customer good value for money.  And if you are ever lucky enough to see them live......well if you are going...you are in for a treat and if you've been well you know already.

Alter Bridge - Alter Bridge (album review)

 "Alter Bridge" is the self titled 8th album by rock heavyweights Alter Bridge.  They have come a long way as a band and are without out doubt some of the busiest muscians on the circuits with everyone in the band also having various side projects.  "Alter Bridge" is the follow up to 2022's "Pawns and Kings", an album which saw them push limits and evolve further.  

The singles taken from this record show a band that can still pack a punch with "Silent Divide", "What lies within" and "Playing Aces". All excelllent tracks which really sets the tone well for the album as a whole, although their are some lighter moments which bring a nice balance to the album.  The track which stands out the most though is "Slave to Master", a perfectly composed materpiece which by coming in at 9 minutes is the band's longest track to date. Good to see Mark taking some of the vocals in "Trust in me" and "Tested and Able". The latter being one of my favourite tracks on the album.

I think looking at this album in the bigger picture of all their albums, I can see existing Alter Bridge fans absolutley loving it.  It is a typical Alter Bridge record and shows a band that can do no wrong. But in terms of bringing in new fans or fans that weren't too sure about Alter Bridge, I dont think this album will do anything to change their minds about wanting to be a fan.  As their earlier albums such as "One day remains", "Blackbird", "ABIII" and "Fortress" are probably better albums. And if they are not into them I don't think they will be into this.  I say that is far from saying the last 4 albums have been bad. I think as I say they have pushed themselves, particularly on the last 2 albums with songs like "Fable of the silent son" and "Slave to Master". But they have got themselves into the groove and I think they are one of the most consistent bands around.

I think what shines through on this record and is the reason Alter Bridge is so successful, is just how good a guitar player Mark Tremonti is, and thats taking nothing away from the rest of the band who do obviously contribute and play their own role in making this band successful. But Mark at this point must be recognised as one of the best guitarists of the 21st century. It's mind blowing his guitar work and it is there to see on this record once again.  With Creed making a comeback it will be interesting to see which of his bands get more focus in the years ahead.

Overall, Alter Bridge deliver another fine album which is delivered to their own very high standards. Is their a "Metalingus" on here. Is "Slave to Master" up to "Blackbird" standard. Probably not but those songs where in the stratosphere of goodness. The songs on their 8th album are still well higher than the pass mark and that's good enough for me.

21/01/26 - Biffy Clyro @ OVO Hydro, Glasgow

 Tonight's gig saw Biffy back on home turf in their hometown of Glasgow to finish off their UK tour which represents the first outings of tracks from their latest album "Futique" which was out last year. I've seen Biffy on a number of occasions but not for a long time, probably pre 2010 was the last time.  Previously I have seen them at King Tuts, QMU, Barrowlands and Belladrum festival. Fast forward today and they are easily selling out the biggest venue in town, the OVO Hydro arena.  

On support duty today was Soft Play who were previously known as Slaves. I think there may have been a band on before them but we missed them.  But Soft Play are certainly unique and really made you stand up and take notice.  There maybe just a guitarist and a drummer with the drummer taking most of the vocals; but don't be fooled as they make a hell of a racket.  They had good banter as well as they quipped between songs that the reason there was only 2 of them in the band is because nobody else wanted to join.  The songs were short, punky and packed a punch.  I probably wouldn't see them at their own show but appreciated them as a support act.

And they set the scene nicely for main act of the evening Biffy Clyro.  This tour was to be different from any previous tour the band has been on, due to the notable absence of bassist James Johnston.  They are such a tight group you could feel the emotion of the loss as he took some time out from the band to focus on his mental health.  But the show must go on in the say and they brought in Naomi Macleod who has previously played bass in lead singer Simon Neil's other project, Empire State Bastard.  She did a fine job and you wouldn't have known she had such a little time to rehearse.  Simon did dedicate "Friendshipping" to them both.

It was one of those nights where the setlist mainly centred around the new album with 7 tracks played from "Futique". To my surprise no "True Believer" which is a single and also my favourite track from the record but they are right to lean heavily on the record as it is a solid album. The next album they dipped into the most was "Only Revelations", which is perhaps no surprise as it contains their biggest hits to date and they finished on "Many a horror" and to be honest Simon didnt even really need to sing it the crowd well and truly could have carried it.  

They didn't play anything off their first 3 albums which I wasn't particurlarly bothered about as they have so many good songs to choose from but maybe some older fans would want them to sneak in a few classics from back in the day.  But the thing is you never really know what you are going to get from a Biffy setlist from tour to tour, festival to festival. I remember watching their Glastonbury and TRNSMT appearences last year and the appearences were less than a month apart but the set lists were totally different and due to "Futique" coming out since this setlist was different once again.  Really refreshing for a band to do that and for me are rewarding fans who see them regularly.

Overall a top night and Biffy were on fine form.

Setlist

A Little Love

Hunting Season

That Golden Rule

Who's Got a Match?

Shot One

Space

Wolves of Winter

Tiny Indoor Fireworks

Goodbye

Friendshipping

Biblical

A Thousand and One

Different People

A Hunger in Your Haunt

Black Chandelier

Instant History

Mountains

Two People in Love

Machines

The Captain

Living Is a Problem Because Everything Dies

Bubbles

Many of Horror

Sleep Token - Even In Arcadia

 Released in May 2025, "Even in Arcadia" is the 4th album by English rock band Sleep Token.  The band really came to the forefront of people’s attention with their 3rd album "Take Me Back to Eden" through their, brave, experimental rock which really struck a chord with rock fans and they ended up selling out arenas across the globe.  Before the 4th album was released they were booked for Download festival as Saturday night headliners.  It seemed like a brave decision at the time, having not headlined a major festival before but someone must have grabbed an early copy of "Even in Arcadia" as if they had the booking more than justified itself.

When I listened to "Take Me Back to Eden" I wasn't really that impressed by it. I saw potential. But felt there was a lot of good ideas just not strung together very well. There were points if you weren't paying attention, it felt you could be listening to one album and the next minute it would be sounding very different. This can work but for me this effort lacked cohesion.  

"Even In Arcadia" on the other hand is a lot more focused while still showing their ambition.  Opening with "Look into Windward". This song sets the scene nicely as it builds and builds, slows down, speeds up, slows down, has nice little explosive bits to make sure you are paying attention.  Altogether this lasts 7 minutes 46 seconds and really sees Sleep Token working their magic.

The 3 singles from the album are "Emergence", "Caramel" and "Damocles".  The latter being my favourite song off the entire album.  The lyrics show a frontman battling with fame no doubt from being catapulted into the limelight from their last album. And maybe something they were slightly fearful of to begin with considering the whole band wear masks on stage and no one knows their names. But I think by letting it out there on the song "Damocles" is what makes it so good. The general public probably can't relate to the fame side of what he’s going through but they can relate to the song’s lyrics through their own interpretation.  Some might say the lyrics are slightly depressing but I prefer to look at it as relatable.  But never mind the lyrics anyway, the tune itself is totally awesome and one I just keep going back to.  "Emergence" and "Caramel" also really good songs.

In fact, I wouldn't really say there is a bad song on the album, other highlights include - "Past Self" which is a wee upbeat number, title track "Even in Arcadia" takes it down a notch and is more atmospheric" while "Infinite Baths" closes out the album in dramatic style, just as things started taking just over 8 minutes. The running time for the album is 56 minutes meaning the average track length is just over 5 minutes a track. The way albums should be.

Overall, this is a fantastic album and by far and away my favourite album of 2025.  This shows a band on the ascendency and more importantly in their own lane.  I've been listening to this album non-stop and you should be too.

11/06/25-16/06/25 - Download Festival @ Castle Donnington

My second Download with my first being 2 years ago in 2023.  I won't go into what happened on the Wednesday and Thursday other than to say it was really just one big catch up and good times.

Friday

Friday is was the first day of music in the arena and first up...

Starset - I have seen Starset twice before. The first time supporting Shinedown where I got into them and then the second time at their own headline show.  Initially today on the Opus stage (second biggest stage) the sound didn't seem quite right and there was a lot of feedback but they soon sorted that out.  Being a festival they also didn't have the same setup as usual with the visuals. But they more than made up for it with their set with personal favourites Trials, Manifest and set closer My Demons.  The two string members also weren't as prominent as they usually are but still a great set.

Dead Pony - Next up was Dead Pony in the Avanlanche Tent (3rd stage), this is a band a parkrun buddy put me onto last year and I watched their set on TV from Trnsmt last year and thought they were really good.  But to be honest I didn't think I would get to see them today as it was tight fitting in Starset, Dead Pony and the next band. But we did and they delivered.  It was their first time playing Download and they really delivered. They made us feel at home as well as they come from Glasgow. Lead singer Anna Sheilds really connected well with the crowd with great stage presence and good in between song quips.

Boston Manor - It was then a quick turnaround to watch Boston Manor on the Apex stage (main stage).  I've seen them 4 times in the last 3 years and they have been one of my favourite bands over the last 5 years. So I was very much looking forward to this.  It's always great seeing a band and you know every word, to every song.  Their set spanned a range of albums and EPs, playing their biggest song to what in their opinion was the biggest crowd they have ever played to.

Myles Kennedy - It was then onto another of my favourite artists of recent years. Myles Kennedy on the Opus stage. He is also lead singer of Alter Bridge and lead singer in Slash's band too. He has been on the go for a fair number of years now so knows exactly what he is doing. And now he has 3 solo albums has a good selection of tracks to choose from to deliver a fine set. 

Opeth - Next up was Opeth on the Opus stage.  I had heard Opeth a bit before I went to the festival this year and was intrigued by them. I wasn't sure if I would like them as I thought some of it would be a bit growly for me.  Unforentuatley I didn't get a fuller experience as their set was cut short as they had technical difficulties in getting set up before they came on. But once it got going it was good and they played so much of their more melodic stuff I didn't actually mind when they did the more growly stuff.

Weezer - Next up was Weezer on the Apex stage. I have never seen Weezer live but knew all the hits from when I was younger.  Their was a slight overlap between Opeth and Weezer but we caught most of their set.  They played all their hits like "Islands in the Sun", "Say it ain't so", "Beverly Hills" and most importantly (because it's a classic) - "Buddy Holly".  I didn't recoginise everything they played as they do have an extensive back catalogue now but a great set all the same.

Green Day - I saw Green Day last year at Bellahouston Park on their own headline tour and if you go back a few blogs you will see a full review for that gig.  My history with Green Day is a weird one. I was into them when I was younger in the sense I watched their videos on MTV2 and Kerrang. But I never bought an album as my family were all into music and we never bought the same albums.  So my brother bought the Green Day albums. But the thing was although our music tastes did overlap my brother and I never really swapped albums that much from what I can remember. Certainly was the case for Green Day. So it wasn't till recent years I started to listen more to Green Day albums.  Anyway onto Download, this was an epic set and very much a best of. A shorter set than Bellahouston I think because it was a festival but still just as good.  "Basket case", "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", "Holiday", "American Idiot", "When I come around" I could go on.  One great moment was when they played "Wake me up when September ends" when Billie was singing "Here comes the rain again, falling from the stars", not only was it dark at this point but it also started raining! You couldn't make it up, goosebump moment. Ponchos were out but it wasn't enough to turn it into a mud fest.

Saturday

Trivium - We saw a post on Facebook implying there was a secret set at 11am which was posted by the lead singer of Trvium to play at 11am on the Opus stage.  We got there at 10.30 and waited only to find out that wasn't the case at all. Not sure what happened but a false rumour was spread.

Sophie Lloyd - So first act of the day was Sophie Lloyd on the Opus stage. Sophie is a very talented rock gutarist who I'd seen a few videos on You tube beforehand.  She had 2 singers with her who were were pretty good.  But Sophie made sure she was the one at centre stage with her fine guitar work.  Which is difficult as it's the lead singers job really to connect with the crowd. And in this case it looks like Sophie brings in vocalists from other bands to help her live.  A good start to the day though.

Hatebreed - Next up was Hatebread on the main stage. Not a band I was familiar with before I went but expected it to be heavy and it was. Not for me but others enjoyed it.

Poppy - Next was Poppy on the main stage.  I have listened to quite a few of her songs before going and her stuff seemed quite varied so I was intrigued. She had good energy and I would put this in the ok category

Polaris - Then it was time to set up camp at the Opus stage.  First up was Australian band Polaris.  Again not a band I was familiar with but again an ok set.

Eagles of Death Metal - Another band I wasn't familiar with but I knew they had a connection with Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age. Turns out Jesse Hughes and Josh Homme co founded the band and the band got the name from a joke that the band would sound something like a cross between The Eagles and Death metal.  Although this is a fully fleged band now and Josh Homme is a key contributor, he doesn't really tour with the band much due to other commitments.  To be honest I absolutley loved their set and it was my find of the weekend.  It was more classic rock and roll than death metal.  

The Darkness - I've seen The Darkness once before when they did a co-headline tour with Black stone cherry a few years back.  Today they played the opus stage which is always a fun time, even though I don't really like Justin Hawkins vocals that much.

Sex Pistols with Frank Carter - 4th band in a row to see on the Opus stage.  I know some of their hits but in reality a before my time band.  Obviously not the orignal line up with Frank Carter taking over vocals from John Lydon.  He certainly did him justice not only in the vocal department but his whole punk attitude.  Furthermore for the way he gave the rest of the band the spotlight as if to say these guys are the real legends while him, himself delivering a hell of a performance.

Sleep Token - Then on to tonights headliners on the Apex stage Sleep Token.  A band I was never really into until their most recent album "Even in Arcadia" came out. This really grabbed me and still love listening to it.  Although they had a sold out UK tour last year, Download have to book artists well in advance. To put it mildly booking Sleep Token for a headline slot at Download was a gamble especially as they wouldn't have completley exploded onto the scene at the time of booking. Not only this but although they are put in the metal genre many people feel they are wrongly put in there and have ended up quite a devisive band because of this.  But Holy moly did they deliver tonight, they had an amazing stage set up and I even enjoyed the older stuff which I wasn't as familar with.  They played my favourite song "Damocles" which I was delighted with. Only critism which a few others mentioned too was the screens didn't really show what was happening on stage and as their is so many folk at Download you need that.  But on the other hand the place was very busy for them so a well justified headline slot and also a great light show.  The other thing was that they just played the songs and didn't talk to the crowd at all, not even to say goodbye, they just left the stage. But it's like fair enough they let their music do the talking tonight and I reckon other festivals will be making a note now to have them headline elsewhere in the future.

Sunday

Did not happen for me and I just had a lazy day in camp.  I had pretty much decided this after Sleep Token but I was slightly dehydrated which I didn't appreciate at the time.

But overall a great weekend, great memories and good times. 

Thanks to Colin, Fraser and Campbell for being great company over the weekend.

16/05/25 - Steven Wilson @ Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow

Tonight saw Steven Wilson hit the stage at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow.  The last time I went to see him was back in 2018 at the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow on his tour promoting the album "To the Bone".  Fast forward to 2025 and this concert is to promote his latest album "The Overview".  This is a 40 minute album which consists of just 2 tracks; "Objects Outlive us" and "The Overview".

Many artists with a big back catalogue release a new album and maybe play half of the songs off a new album. But with "The Overview" just being 2 tracks, Steven was really left with no choice but to have an all or nothing approach.  It's a risk and he went for it as the first part of the set tonight was the Steven and his band playing the album in it's entirety.  He admitted himself its a complex album to play, as he was constantly changing between playing electronics with playing various guitars.  In fact the roadie's job was made even more challenging than usual because usually he would just hand the artist various guitars at the end of songs. But with Steven you need to do the changes during the songs so the roadies have to know the songs inside out themselves.

Personally, I am really like the new album. While Steven has always pushed the boundaries of what he does, this does feel like his most ambitious project to date.  Played live, it really came alive. And I did wonder if when making just how much he had to think about how they could pull it off live with the constant changing of instruments during the song.  But I can safely say he and the band did.  It's a modern prog masterpiece.  And the crowd at the end of the second track gave a stand ovation too just to show their appreciation.

The band then took a 20 minute break. Meanwhile My Dad, brother and I were speculating what would be in store for the next part of the show. We were all unsure as we knew we were going to get "The Overview" in full but after that who knows. My brother amusingly joked we were going to get a question and answer session. While me and my Dad thought we'd get a best of set with some Porcupine Tree songs which for a lot of Steven's career was his main project. But in recent times his solo career has very much been his focus apart from a rare Porcupine Tree album released a few years back.

So what was the second set? Well it was long. In total they played well over 2 hours so we got our money's worth.  But the set itself? well it was interesting to say the least. Instead of focusing on a particular album, he played a one or two songs from each album with the exception being the album "Grace for Drowning" which no songs were played off. And 2023's "Harmony Codex" which he played 3 songs off. Playing 3 songs off "Harmony Codex" looks to make sense because I don't think he toured that heavily due to touring with Porcupine Tree at the time so a lot of the songs from that release people hadn't heard live. 

I think what maybe is surprising is that from 3 amazing albums in the shape of "To the bone", "The Future Bites" and "Hand. Cannot. Erase.", he just played one track from each.  And the "To the bone" track was "Pariah" which on the recorded version has Nenit Tayeb on vocals. She not surprisingly wasn't there tonight but they used her recorded vocals.  Another surprise is not that he played a Porcupine Tree song but which one it was.  It was "Dislocated Day" on 1995's "Sky moves Sideways".  In terms of Porcupine Tree's back catalogue that is one deep, deep cut.

I think what I'm trying to say is I didn't recognise as much of the material in the second part of the set as I thought I would. While I did listen to many of the albums at the time of release and I am familiar with a fair chunk of his material.  It's clear there is a lot of his material which has passed me by.  But that is not to say I didn't enjoy listening to what he had to offer tonight. Far from it. It was like an exploratory gig in terms of finding new gems for me to listen to in his back catalogue. Which in turn was refreshing and very enjoyable.

The night finished on a song I really did recognise and that is "The Raven that refused to sing".  While Steven Wilson has so many signature tracks I feel this one takes the biscuit from his solo material.  There was a moment from this track that really will stay with me tonight.  And that was when the track was building towards a climax and we were sitting right at the back. And the crowd gradually started to stand up in appreciation.  It added to the atmosphere and created a special moment.  Steven did actually make a comment saying he has debates with his agent whether he should do sitting or standing shows, and in the past he has done both.  But tonight I feel that moment would have been lost in a standing show.

Overall a great gig. On paper looking at the setlist it maybe doesn't look it considering all the tracks he has to choose from. I don't think it would be many peoples dream setlist..........but you had to be there.

Setlist

Set 1

1. Objects Outlive us

2. The Overview

Set 2

3. The Harmony Codex

4. King Ghost

5. Luminol

6. What Life Brings

7. Dislocated Day (Porcupine Tree Song)

8. Pariah. 

9. Impossible Tightrope

10. Abandoner

11. Harmony Korine

12. Vermillioncore

Encore

13. Ancestral

14. The Raven That Refused to Sing

Yungblud - Hello Heaven, Hello (Song Review)

 I've written a few hundred reviews in my time, both live and album but only twice have a reviewed an individual song.  One was a review on Led Zepplin IV where all I talked about was "Stairway to Heaven" and the other was "Amarok" an hour long track by Mike Oldfield which is an album in itself but only 1 track.  In other words usually when I only talk about one track in a review it's because I think it's special and I think this is exactly what I have on my hands here with Yungblud's "Hello Heaven, Hello".

I'm relatively new to Yungblud so here is a brief introduction. He is a 27 year old singer/songwriter from Doncaster, England.  Actual name is Domonic Richard Harrison, he released his debut self-titled EP all the way back in 2018 at 20 years old.  I really first started paying attention to him when he did a collaboration with Bring me the Horizon on the superb "Obey".  He also did another excellent collob with Avril Lavigne "I'm a Mess" released in 2022. But I never investigated him beyond that until now when I came across "Hello Heaven, Hello" which was released this year on March 18th 2025.

First off, you must know when artists do long songs that excites me.  Especially ones who don't normally do it.  To me it shows ambition, bravery and adventure.  The music industry really isn't set up for longer songs, with radio stations very rarely playing longer tracks and streaming services counting streams for number of times played rather than how long each track is.  Then you have the artists live sets where people often go to gigs to hear the popular songs which are often shorter. It's almost a risk to put a longer track in as if some people didn't like it they can lose interest and just go off you. Where as if they don't like one short track, well at least it's short and over and done with quicker.

So how long is Yungblud's epic - to be precise 9 minutes and 6 seconds.  The track has 3 noticeable parts and it does look like the song title depicts the 3 sections. With the first section called "Hello", the second section called "Heaven" and the third section called, for the second time "Hello".  You may wonder what drew me to those conclusions. Well throughout the whole track Yungblud sings the word "Hello" 130 times and that is mainly in the first part of the song and also in the third part of the song. With "Heaven" mentioned in the middle section.

The first part of the song has this really cool drum beat and the track builds nicely as it goes on.  The repetition of "Hello" I imagine might get irritating for some people but I love it.  The linking between the end of part 1 and the start of 2 is really good. And part 2 is where Yungblud steps it up a notch and goes into full on rock mode.  I've seen the shortened version of this part on Jonathon Ross and it lives up to the hype and Yungblud's delivery in terms of vocals and stage presence shows someone who is ready to fill the boots of rock royalty of the past.  There is also a fine guitar solo in this section and just when you thought things couldn't get any better then violins come in and add extra dramatic effect.

Another great transition from part 2 to part 3 and now we have the chill out, outro section of the track. The vocals here remind me of some of The Music's stuff as Yungblud sounds very like Robert Harvey here. Not a bad thing at all.  It's a really nice wind down and ends the track well.

What I do wonder is if this is going to be released on an album or not.  My guess is yes. But where would you put it on an album?  It has a great intro which would start an album well and a great outro which would finish an album well.  Another thing I wonder is if he was tempted to make the 3 parts, 3 individual tracks.  Because they would make 3 great tracks in their own right.  Would the 3 tracks be more successful because they are 3 individual tracks and would be able to have more streams and more radio play.  As we have seen already he did make a shortened version of the track for Jonathon Ross excluding the last part altogether.  It shows being on that primetime show just what the industry thinks of the track.

Overall, I think this is a classic track and I am glad it's 9 minutes long.  I do hope it is on an album and can't wait to listen to more of his stuff, especially what's to come.

Albums I am looking forward to in 2025 (and some wishful thinking)

 There are quite a few albums which I thought artists would release in 2024 but never materialised so maybe 2025 is the year where more come to fruition.

Alice in Chains

Jimmy Cantrell has festivals booked for his solo tour in 2025 but you never know, an Alice in Chains record may materialise after that.

Alter Bridge

They have been demoing tracks and are going to go in the studio. Everyone knows these guys don't hang about so I would expect an album to be released later on in 2025, if not early 2026.

Amy MacDonald

It's been a while for Amy too, got my fingers crossed for this one.

Beck

He used to be a music making machine but feels like he's been away from the limelight for quite a few years. I can't imagine this will last much longer.

Black rebel motorcycle club

Honestly don't know what's happened to them.  It's been 7 years since their last album. Wondering if they will ever come back.

The Charlatans

These guys are one of these bands they feel like have been really active, and Tim Burgees in particular always seems to be doing something. But amazingly the last Charlatans album "Different Days" was released in 2017. Will it be 2025 for these guys?

Mason Hill

A band who have been away for a while due to the singer quitting. But they have been teasing a new era on socials so looks like they may have a new singer and possibly an album in the works.

Muse

They do have a headline slot at Hellfest in 2025. I wonder if a new album is in the works. Maybe more likely in 2026 but you never know may squeeze it in late 2025.

Nosound

I keep reading on Nosounds Facebook page that a new album is coming but no date yet. Hopefully 2025

Oasis

Now this would be a curveball. Already announced a massive worldwide tour.  Both Liam and Noel have never stopped making music since Oasis split up all those years ago. Could they slip in a new album? Or will they be celebrating 30 years of whats the story?

Olivia Rodrigo

Expected to release an album this year.

Shinedown

Been a few years now since "Planet Zero" came out. They have got a few headline slots in festivals in America planned for 2025. I wonder if its the start of a new era for them with a new album or a closure on Planet Zero.

Sleep token

It feels like they have just released their last album but I read somewhere they are planning to release another album in time for their headline set at Download festival in 2025.

Steven Wilson

This one is in the bag and due in March

Taylor Swift

I am not expecting a new album after a very busy 2024 with touring and tortured poets department. But I would expect the last few re-releases to come out in the form of her self titled and reputation albums

Those Damn Crows

Album due April - Very strong singles particularly "Still". Really looking forward to it

Tremonti

Another one in the bag and due 10th January

Wolf Alice

They have been quiet recently so hoping they have been beavering away on a new album.

The Wombats

They have been releasing singles which have been alright, I hope the album has better stuff on it.

The 1975

They finished touring early on in 2024 for the last album cycle so I would have thought they maybe back in the studio in 2024 going into 2025.  I do wonder if Taylor Swifts digs at Matty Healy in her album will fuel Matty's creative thinking for the new 1975 album. Or will he rise above it?

Bring me the horizon - Post Human: Next Gen

 "Post Human: Next Gen" is the 7th full length album by Sheffield band Bring me the Horizon.  This album is the 2nd in a 4 part series which was meant to be the 2nd part of a 4 part series of releases to take place over a few years period. But due to the success of the first EP, "Post Human: Survival Horror" and clearly some issues in the band which resulted in electronics man Jordan Fish leaving the band half way through the recording of Next Gen meant that this project felt like it was forever delayed.  That was until May 2024 when they surprise released it and when announcing the album they released it the next day.

Just to give you an idea on how long this album was worked on, it was September 2021 when the first single was released for this album in the shape of "Die4u". Which is a great track.  After that they started collaborating with the likes of Ed Sheeran, Sigrid and Machine Gun Kelly, but known of that material featured on this release and instead features under those artists names and is featuring Bring me the Horizon.  Then cam "Strangers" and "Lost".  "Lost" was a bit of a curveball and maybe MGK influenced this one as its the most pop punk thing Bring me the Horizon have ever done.  And because of this I have mixed feelings on it. For starter I didn't like it but listening to it within the album it is actually a really good song.

"Amen!" on the other hand is exactly what you would expect from Bring me the Horizon.  Pure ferocity but at the same time the vocals clear enough that you can make out what Oli is saying.  I thought it was so good in fact that it ranked number 1 of my top 10 songs of last year. The final singles to be released before the album came out were "Darkside" and "kool-aid" which are tremendous.   So that's 6 mega singles released before the album came out.  So Bring me put themselves in the position where do the 6 singles carry the album or do the rest of the songs on the album send this album into the stratosphere to make a classic album?

Well for me it is well and truly the latter. What an album.  They have even more tracks which are great rock songs such as "Youtopia" and "Top 10 statues that cried blood".  Then you have the lighter side of the album in the form of "N/a!" and album closer "Dig it".  One thing a was a bit confused about was that when I went to see them in January earlier this year which was a tour which meant to coincide with the release of this album.  Was that during that show they said they were recording the crowd sing part of a song, which they did a few times and it will appear on the album.  They probably did this during other dates of the tour too but for the life of me I can't hear any of this on the album.  

But that certainly doesn't deter from just how good this album is and for me this trumps "That's the spirit which use to be my favourite Bring me the horizon.  Not only that but I imagine it will be well up there in my end of year top 10 album list.  

25/06/2024 - Green day @ Bellahouston park, Glasgow

 It's been 19 years since I was last at a gig in Bellahouston park which was Coldplay on their X and Y tour.  Green day announced this gig last year but I didn't immediately buy tickets.  The latest album "Saviours" came out earlier this year and I thought was the best album they have done in a number of years.  But when they announced that they were celebrating 30 years of "dookie" and 20 years of "American Idiot" by playing both albums in full, I was sold, so sounded out the gig gang and majority were up for it.

Getting to the gig was no problem at all.  Parked about 30 minutes walk away so we avoided getting stuck in some very slow moving traffic. Once we got to the venue, it was very quick getting in with no queues. And only had 20 minutes wait for the first support, Maid of Ace to come on stage.  They are 4 piece, all girl rock band from Hasting in the south of England.  Their set must have been about 30 minutes filled with punchy, angsty, straight to the point rock songs to get the evening off to a great start.  Which is more than I can say for my map reading skills.  As I proposed a meet up point as we were all coming at different times only to find I picked the point the other side of where everyone in the gang was coming in from.  D'oh.  But we did manage all to meet up so all good.

The main support for the night was Nothing but thieves.  An interesting choice and I read quite a few things before hand saying not many people had heard of them so were surprised by Green Day's choice of support.  Especially when you consider support acts Green day have had in the past like Fall out boy, Weezer and on other dates on this tour they have had the Smashing pumpkins.  But those in the know will know Nothing but thieves have been on the rise over the last few years and have supported the likes of Muse as well as being on mainstream radio.  The big big question is would it appeal to Green Day fans as their music is more indie with latest stuff especially have a dance groove through it.

When they took the stage themselves you could tell they themselves were wondering how they would go down. And to me it felt like they went down really well. It was a great set with a mix from all their albums.  Tracks like "Everybody going crazy", "Amsterdam" and "Welcome to the DCC" my personal stand outs.  I was really pleased they got a shot at this slot and they really did deliver.

Then it was time for Green Day who started the set with "American Dream is killing me"  off of "Saviours".  Then it was time to blow up the Dookie balloon and head straight into "dookie" in it's entirety".  So many good songs off this album.  I think "Basket case" was by far and away the stand out and is up there with their most popular songs. I still remember the video coming on MTV2 and Kerrang during my youth.  Other highlights included "When I come around" and "Welcome to Paradise".  But I think this part of the set proved that "dookie" deserves all the accolades it gets as it is a really class and solid album.

After completing "dookie" they had a mini set which was a mixture of "Saviours" and some other albums.  And when I say dipped into other albums I mean 1 song off "21st century breakdown", 1 off "insomniac", 1 off "Warning" and 1 off "Kerplunk".  For "Know your enemy" they invited a girl on stage to sing some of it which she did well and got lots of hugs off Billy as well as a selfie.  But later they invited a guy on stage who was holding a sign up saying "I can play dilemma on guitar".  Which caught Billy Joel's attention and invited him to play it.  And he really did knock it out the park.  Billy Joel paid massive respect to him after.

Then it was time for "American Idiot" in full.  There are songs on this album I was really looking forward to seeing live and they did not disappoint. "American idiot" itself, "Boulevard of Broken dreams", "Holiday", "Jesus of Suburbia" and the last track on the album "Wake me up when September ends".  I feel these songs are on a par with "Basket Case" and do hold the album up quite a lot.  It's like "dookie" is a solid album with 1 real stand out.  But "American idiot" has more songs at "Basket case" level, which does make some of the other songs feel not as good.

To finish the night they played the 5th track of the night from "Saviours" in the form of "Bobby sox" and then could they finish the night with anything but "Time of your life"? Absolutely not.  It was a great night and so glad I have finally got round to seeing them.  Venue was also superb, really good sound and no issues getting in and out.  There was some light rain during the supports but never threatened to turn the place into a mud pit.

Albums I am looking forward to in 2024

 These are the artists I am hoping to hear from in 2024, either they have confirmed plans for an album or its about time for an album

Alice in Chains - No idea what these guys are doing these days but it was pre-covid since their last album. Would be nice if they had one up their sleave this year.

Amy MacDonald - 4 years since "Human Demands" so will be interesting to see if we hear from her this year.

Anthrax - This is an album which seems to be talked about a lot but never materialising. Maybe 2024

Beck - Must be due an album - last one he released was in 2019 Hyperspace.  I think he has been doing collabs quite a bit but a guy like Beck must be sitting on some amount of albums after 5 years.

Black rebel motorcycle club - These guys released a live album this year but feels like ages since they released an album. In fact it was 2018 with Wrong creatures

Boston Manor - Datura part 2 is on the cards for this year and I am hoping a tour too.  From 2020 when I first heard them they have become one of my favourite bands as well as most listened to.

Bring me the Horizon - Post human -- Next gen - This one is due to come out on 12th Jan, 2 days before I'm due to see them.  Cannot wait.

Coldplay - Moon Music - No release date but hopefully will hear it this year.  As they begin to wrap up their reign.

Dead Poet Society - A band I was introduced to by one of my gig budies Craig, and have a new album out in January and a gig to follow in March. Looking foward to it.

Green Day - Saviour - I loved Green Day's earlier stuff but feel they haven't released much good stuff over recent years. But will still give this a listen to see if they can conjour up some magic again.

Jade Bird - She has been quite active on social media in the last year so would expect an album is on the horizon

Judas Preist - Album due out in March and going to see them in March too. Need to do a deep dive into their older albums pre-gig.

Kacey Musgraves - Last album in 2021. So think she might have something in the works for this year.

Mason Hill - This will be an interesting one.  They have been announcing live dates for next year but not announced the new lead singer yet. They have been working on a second album so will be interesting to see how it turns out. Hopefully this year.

Myles Kennedy/Tremonti/Creed - Last year was an album free year for all these acts. What will we be getting this year. Usually these guys are on creativity overload so I would expect something.  Just remembered Mark released a Christmas album in 2023 but that still counts as a quiet year on the creativity front.

Nosound - It's been a while since Nosound have released an album and they have been quite active in social media about recording so hopefully 2024 will finally see an album.

Pearl Jam - Another band I haven't heard from in a while. In fact it was Gigaton in 2020 so maybe hear something from them in 2024.  Will they ever play Glasgow?

Scott Stapp - Higher Power - The Creed lead singers last solo album was awesome and looking forward to this one coming out March

Sum 41 - Due to release their last album. Hope they go out with a bang.

Taylor Swift - 2 more releases to go to complete her re-recordings.  Self titled and Reputation.  It's been less than 2 years since her last album "Midnights" and with her heavy touring schedule I wouldnt expect an album this year but if she does it will be at the tail end of the year.

Trash boat - They released some singles in 2023 so fully expect an album in 2024.

Wolf Alice - I do really expect a Wolf Alice album this year. 2021 was their last and they have been through the gig cycle. So would hope they have an album in the pipeline.

Avenged Sevenfold - Life is but a dream...

  "Life is but a dream..." is the 8th album by US metal heavyweights Avenged Sevenfold. Released in June 2023, it has been 7 years since they last released an album, that being "The Stage", back in 2016.  So why has it been so long?  Obviously, there was Covid and organising the orchestra sections in Prague.  But on top of that the band seemed like they were very relaxed and chilled into taking their time making the record. Realising that they are in a fortunate position that they are such a huge band and I have heard them say that at this stage in their careers they can basically do what they want.

And with "Life is but a dream..." they have certainly done just that.  This is not a band that regurgitates the same thing, album after album. Neither it is band who are trying to please all their fanbase.  They have come a long way since their metalcore roots, releasing their first album "Sounding the Seventh Trumpet" back in 2001.  They have constantly tried to change and evolve their sound, even from 2nd album "Waken the fallen" it was clear that Avenged weren't your normal metal band.  Then boom they released "City of evil", their breakthrough album and although tragedy hit with the passing of the drummer the Rev, the band continually release high quality material.

Personally though, I only got into them after singer M Shadows and guitarist Synster Gates appeared at the Hollywood bowl in 2017 at the Chester Bennington memorial concert where they collaborated on a song with the other members of Linkin Park.  This turned out to be my gateway to discovering Avenged and I have been delving into their back catalogue ever since.  When they finally got round to releasing "Life is not a dream..." I was excited as it’s a long time to wait for new material from a band.  The first single they released was "Nobody" and I still to this day have mixed feelings on this song.  It has this simple 2 note riff which runs through the whole track.  Sometimes it can get annoying as its almost too simple and repetitive.  But once you get into the track there is so much interesting things happening which can distract you from it whether it's Gate's guitar solos or M Shadows vocals.

This album really is a rollercoaster.  You can say for absolute certain that they have never done anything like this before.  Yes, there are parts of the album, you go "oh that’s classic Avenged".  But as a piece it is totally unique.  In fact, I would go one step further and say no artist has attempted an album like this.  Yes, there are plenty of artists who produce unique, experimental albums.  But this album, with the use of a piano, orchestra, Daft punk style vocals, even sounds like Frank Sinatra in places; put that all in a blender and you have something which takes you on a real journey.  Sure, individual artists have come before Avenged and clearly Avenged have been influenced by them.  But they haven't done things the way Avenged has done it here.

But is it a good thing? Has it worked? I have mixed feelings on this.  When I listen to an album, obviously you don't really want to listen to the same type of songs 10 times.  But in this case, it kind of goes to the other extreme and although the flow of the songs does fit together, there is such a mix of sounds and genres, I'm not always in the mood to be so open minded.  Which is what you need to fully appreciate this album.   There are times I really like this album, but other times I find myself skipping over tracks.

Overall though I do really admire what they have tried to do here.  I think it's a big tick for pushing boundaries and experimenting.  They have also really focused on other things as well like the Deathbat’s club and the attention to detail in their videos mean it must have taken ages to make.  Far from my album of the year but I do appreciate the attempt and would be amazing to see them live.

Download Festival 2023

 I was meant to go to Download last year but had to pull out last minute.  I was worried I might have to do the same this year mainly because you don't want to let folk down again.  But that didn't happen and this time I was prepared and raring to go with my buddies Campbell, Colin and Fraser.

Wednesday

This is the day we travelled down to Donnington. We arrived about half 2 and only had to queue for the car park for about half an hour. Which was lucky as many had to queue for hours and hours.  We were lucky as are allocated car park for quiet camping was the West car park which was nearing capacity when we were there but we got a space ok.  After that was full you would have had to go to North or East where all campers were trying to squeeze into hence the long queues from all directions.  

It was a bit of a hike just getting to the entrance where we got our wrist bands.  We brought all our gear in one go and I think we were all struggling with it and had many stops as the tents were heavy and we had a cool box full of drink.  We didn't have to queue for our wrist band but still had to negotiate the zig zag queuing system.  After that we headed for quiet camping which again was a bit of a hike.  Going through the blue campsite and quiet camping was already quite busy.  Although we reached a point where it was quieter and pitched our tents there.  

It was about 5pm by the time we had pitched the tents so we sat out for a while in our camping chairs and the guys drank some beer.  About 6ish we headed to the village where there is food and entertainment.  We also went to the Refresh retreat which is basically posh toilets and lockers which we all paid for.  So we registered for that. Then headed for the village and got pizza for dinner.  We then headed back to campsite and chilled for a while via some shops where Colin and Fraser got some patches for their battle jackets. It was very cold so we had multiple layers on.  Then headed to bed about half 10.  

I got zero sleep the first night. Due to the traffic issues people were pitching tents around us all through the night,  the nightlife in the village was also pretty loud till well into the early hours and the early hours and there were planes constantly going over head and were loud as we were very close to East Midlands airport.  On top of that I had too much caffine before going to bed and forgot to take my meds. But apart from that...........lol

Thursday

As I had no sleep I got up at 7am with the others and headed for Refresh retreat and there were no queues for showers or toilets.  We got back to camp site and chilled till about midday and headed back to refresh retreat before heading to the arena.  The walk from campsite to the village/Refresh retreat was about a mile then another mile to the arena. So by the time we got to the arena we had already done 10000 steps.  

Once in the arena the guys got the beers in and I filled up my bottle at the water station and we headed to the Opus stage which is the second stage to watch Cherry bombs who are a dance troupe who do all these fancy dance tricks to metal music. Corey Talyor's wife is part of this act.  They were good and something different to what you get at a music festival. We also met Campbell and Colin's friends Justin and Sara here, who we would hang out with quite a bit over the weekend.

Cancer bats were on the Opus stage next and I wanted some food so went off to get pizza.  Didn't even have to wait in a queue but when I went back to the Opus stage I couldnt find anyone. So had to message Campbell to meet at the ice cream van we arranged to meet at if we got split up. Which worked well and we all met up again.

We then set up camp at the Apex stage or main stage for the rest of the day.  First up was Mammoth VH who was class, great upbeat rock and roll music.  I have to admit though was feeling a bit wobbly at this stage which I think was due to lack of sleep and not taking my meds.  I said this to Colin and Campbell too and thought if I don't get a good night sleep tonight I may have to go home as my head could get seriously messed up.  But I did also say I knew how to get out of this and was determined to turn things around.

I was still I bit dodgy during Jinjer and Halestorm. Both acts I have seen in the last 6 months and they put on some more great performances.  Alter Bridge were next on, one of my favourite bands and they played Blackbird which is one of my favourite songs of all time.  Campbell had his first major decision to make at that point as Skindred were playing at the same time and he is really into both bands but he opted for Alter Bridge in the end.

The headliner tonight was Metallica and by that time I was feeling more stable.  It was very cold though but the guys recomended to bring a jumper with us to the arena and tie it round our waists. It was still cold but at least not as cold. This was my first time seeing Metallica and I did enjoy their set.  They played quite a few songs from the new album as well as diving into their extensive back catalogue which included a very pleasing "Nothing else Matters".

We headed back to camp and got back about 11.45 and that was day 1 in the bag.

Friday.

I slept like a log and woke up around 9pm.  The guys had already been up to Refresh retreat and had a shower. I headed there and there was a huge queue and whispers of a two hour wait.  I remember telling the guys, sorry but I'm just going to smell for the rest of the time. Even they had to wait for an hour to get a shower and they got up at 6.30. You didn't have to queue for toilets though or sinks so that was a plus.

I was pleased though to be in control again and raring to go.  We headed to Refresh retreat on the way to the arena for Day 2.  We got some food and headed for the Apex stage again. Where we stayed for most of the afternoon.  We saw Stand Atlantic, Nova Twins, Hot Milk and Neck Deep. My favourite as Nova Twins. I had seen them before supporting Bring me the Horizon and they are such a great live band who feel quite orignal.  Vocally brilliant too.  After that we went to the small tent called the Dogtooth stage to watch Brutus who are a Belgium 3 piece rock act.  Colin had a recommendation from one of his mates to see them and they disappoint. Probably the best discovery of the weekend.   This is where we split up and Campbell and I went to see Within Temptation while Colin and Fraser went to see Gwar ( only to find out they got moved to Saturday).  From their myself and Campbell went to see Architects, a band who we both have really got into over the last few years and they did not disappoint. While Fraser and Colin went to see Evanesance.

We all then met for the headliner tonight which was Bring me the Horizon.  The very first time they headlined download and what a set. Collabs with Nova Twins and Amy Lee from Evanesance.  Mad videos during breaks in the set. A set which mainly focused on their last few albums.  It was absolutley brilliant and my favourite act of the weekend.

Saturday

To be honest when I first saw the lineup for Saturday it was the only day where I didn't have anyone I really wanted to see and thought I'd just let the guys decide what we see. But I did do a bit of research before we went and found I quite liked quite a few of the acts on today.

We headed for the main stage first thing and forgot acts started earlier on a Saturday and got there a bit later.  We got in, in time for Fever 333 and lead singer being a nutter climbing up one of the towers that has a TV on the top. Yeah really rock and roll.  We stayed there for most of Ice nine kills which was surprisingly good.  Before heading over to the big tent which was the Avalanche stage to watch Black gold.  We then went back to the Main stage to watch Clutch.  Like most of the weekend it was really hot during the day. But at this point it was really hot and I found myself lying down fully during Clutch.  There was quite a bit of space during the day at the Apex stage you could do that.  

There was a gap where we went and got food before splitting up again. Campbell went to see Disturbed. While Colin, Fraser and myself went to see Simple plan on the Opus stage. I listened to them before and they seemed like a fun pop punk band from Canada, and they certainly delivered.  They also did something not many other bands did and did a three song covers medely with Smash mouth's "Allstar", Avril Lavigne's "Skater Boy" and Killers "Mr Brightside". As well as their own Scoobi doo song.  

After that we met Campbell again and headed to the Avalanche stage to see Coheed and Cambria who were very good and were also headlining that stage.  Then it was time for Metallica part 2.  We got back to the Apex stage and it was starting.  Same into music as the first night.  I have to admit bar more tracks from the new album and "Enter Sandman" I didn't recognise nearly as much as the first night.  I was thinking that maybe one night would have been better and more focused.  Fair enough doing 2 nights at your own gigs especially with Metallica's back catalogue but a festival not everyone is there to see you.  Still I can't say it was bad though.

Sunday

Last day of music and earliest we got to the arena which was before 12 to see one of the bands Campbell had been to see Bloodywood who are a metal band from India.  Although half way through the set we finally met up with some of Campbell's mates who Campbell had been trying to meet up with the whole weekend so weren't really paying attention to Bloodywood for the duration and may have to see them again.

We stayed at the main stage for Lorna Shore who were probably my least favourite act of the weekend.  Very growly vocals which I wasn't a fan of.  Then we moved further down the front for the Hu.  Who are a Mongolian metal band complete with electric double bases.  Very good sound going on here and they went down a storm.  After that there wasn't much  on we wanted to see for a few hours so headed for the tap house which had a range of beers. But that was very full with long queues as people try and hidde away from the sun. 

Then it was back to the Apex stage for Campbell and myself while the others headed for the Dogtooth stage. We saw I Prevail, which is band I had been looking forward to for quite some time and they did not disappoint.  We then met up again and headed for Opus stage for Bad Religon. They were ok but their songs were a bit samy. Felt a bit old school punk.  Then for the headliners on the Opus stage Ghost.  I have seen the twice but my my are they good.  After that it was off for the final act of the weekend. The headliners of the Apex stage Slipknot.  They were really good too and played all the songs I appreciate the most. 

Overall

Overall, this is a great festival, made better with great company. As well as Campbell, Fraser and Colin. I include Justin, Sara, Graham and Mathew in that too.  Thanks to Colin and Campbell for driving too.

Would I do it again?  Not next year but I wouldn't rule it out in future years.   To do it properly you do need to be fit and I think in that department I was lacking quite a bit. We were averaging 20000 steps a day and thats not including the acts we were standing for.  After a few days I did find it difficult to find a comfy seating postition without justs lying down vertical.  And you can't really stand up all day in the heat either.  You can of course bring a chair and put it down in the middle or back of the apex stage and sit in a campchair all day. But as you see we stage hopped a fair bit so you would end up carrying it about a fair bit

But it is a festival I won't forget in a hurry. I could have written a lot more about the bands especially but would need to make it a book lol.

21/02/2023 - Those Damn Crows @ The Garage, Glasgow

 Last time I saw Those Damn Crows was at the Cathouse in Glasgow just before covid hit in February 2020.  They're second album "Point of No Return" was just out and it felt they were on the brink of something special.  But unluckily for them it just came at the wrong time and the tour cycle for that album was over all too quickly.  Fast forward 3 years and they now have another album under their belt in the shape of "Inhale/Exhale". Which was only out the Friday before this gig.  The band were clearly on high after learning their mid-week chart position was No 3.  Something which would be cemented later in the week.

Tonight’s line-up saw Craig G, Brain, Campbell and myself hit the Garage.  And with The Garage turning into a nightclub later meant the gig starts slightly earlier and finishes about 10pm.  We arrived about 6.50pm and there was no queues to get in.  Although when we got inside it was clear that most people were already inside the venue.  The first band on tonight were Valhalla Awaits, like all the bands tonight they hailed from Wales.  This is something which the Crows did last time too, having their support bands from Wales. Which I have to give absolute kudos too as that truly is supporting your local music scene and giving bands more promotion.  

I really liked Valhalla Awaits.  Probably the heaviest band of the night.  Their hard rock, deep grooves and lots of twists and turns in their songs made for interesting and enjoyable listening.  It got to the point where it felt unfair on the second band as Valhalla set the bar high.  As I'm writing this review, I actually have had to look up the name of the second band which was James & the Cold Gun.  And I think that really tells its own story.  Don't get me wrong they were a decent band.  Just not as memorable as Valhalla.  They did remind me of The Subways a bit and that's not just because they have a tall, thin singer with shades and a female bassist that looks the spitting image of the women in The Subways. But also, their straight up rock songs too.  

Those Damn Crows themselves were on superb form and played a varied set diving into all 3 of their albums.  Most coming from their new album, but a fair chunk from "Point of no return" too.  The singer Shane did greet the crowd as Swansea at one point which got a good laugh before correcting himself and making a joke out of it himself like the utter pro of a frontman he has become.  I think what most people will remember from this gig is when Shane climbed up on the balcony still singing. While the security guard was holding him making sure he didn't go further along it before he climbed safety over it.  Then he went round to the back of the venue, down the stairs and through the crowd back to the stage, doing this while still singing.  

I know doing this fits the rock and roll image but personally I don't think he needs to do this.  The songs do all the heavy lifting and for a lot of people tonight they'll be coming back to see them regardless.  They decided on a different version of "Blink of an eye" again which they did at the Cathouse with Shane on the piano. This time it felt like they extended it slightly.  I also really enjoyed "Send the Reaper" which is one of my favourite Those Damn crow songs.  But the new album really does have plenty of songs which are up to the standard of those on "Point of no return".

They finished on "This time I'm ready" and "See you again". Interesting choices as they are not the all-out rockers we come to expect from the Crows.  More power ballads.  I'm wondering if this is a new direction they are heading in.  We were a bit surprised that "Be you" wasn't played as that is one of their more popular songs but it just shows you the catalogue they are starting to build.

Overall, a great night and Those Damn Crows really are building more and more of a following.  Someone I was speaking to was surprised they weren't playing the Barrowlands which is a venue twice as big as the Garage. Although this gig was sold out, it only just sold out in the week leading up to the gig.  So, I personally don't think they are there yet.  But if they keep doing what they are doing hopefully word will spread and they'll be playing there soon.

30/01/23 - Black Stone Cherry & The Darkness @ OVO Hydro, Glasgow

When I first saw this gig announced I thought I need to go as I really have got into Black Stone Cherry in the last few years.  Then with it being a joint headline tour with the Darkness, I thought Craig P and Campbell would also be into this as they like the Darkness and Campbell likes Black Stone Cherry.  So, they were up for it too.  Unfortunately, Craig P couldn't make it to this one in the end. But parkrun buddy Craig could make it so the three of us descended on the OVO Hydro having demolished our tea at Clyde Built before the gig got under way.

Danko Jones was the support. A 3-piece rock band from Canada who fitted the bill perfectly.  The lead singer was very charismatic and engaged the audience well.  I think they were on for about 30 minutes but had a jam-packed set which set the scene well for The Darkness.

I think most people in the UK will have heard of The Darkness after their big hit "I believe in a thing called love" and some other singles too.  They never really hit the heights I expected after that, but they are still going and judging by tonight’s performance pull out all the stops to produce a great show.  There was fire and lead singer Justin Hawkins not only displaying his fine vocal range but also his acrobatic skills (at one point he did a headstand).  One of those sets you go away from and think "They have more good songs than I thought".

The Darkness were on for just over an hour. Then there was a half hour break then over to Black Stone Cherry to finish off the night.  I really enjoyed their set as they plunged through all their hits including my personal favourite "Blind man".  Interestingly they only played one song off their latest album "Human Condition" but it has been out since 2021 so this is really the tail end of that album cycle.  Also, this gig is not purely for Black stone cherry fans.  Sure, there would have been fans of both fans here tonight but also there was an opportunity for the bands to expose their music to the other bands fans.  So, you want to play all your big hits in order to do this and also slightly shorter sets than solo headline tours.

Overall, another cracking night which was enjoyed by all.
 

Cardinal Black - January came close

 "January came close" is the debut album by South Wales alt rock outfit Cardinal Black".  I got into this band seeing them support Myles Kennedy at the O2 Academy in Glasgow.  Myles better known for being the lead singer of US rock band Alter Bridge.  So, for Cardinal Black to get a support slot with such a respected singer/songwriter, it does make you sit up and pay attention.  And that is exactly what happened that December evening in 2021 where Cardinal Black only had a few EPs to their name at that time.

But guitarist Chris Buck really stole the show with his absolutely incredible guitar work.  And to say he stole the show is saying something considering the strength of vocals from Tom Hollister.  These 2 combined then put into the mix Adam Roberts on drums and Sam Williams on bass and you have one of the most exciting new bands of the moment.

And "January came close" really does not disappoint sitting at 52 minutes in length and 11 tracks. Meaning they really let the tracks flourish and take on worlds of their own.  Buck could have quite easily made it a guitar wizard masterclass and yes there are some fine solos on here.  But the song writing on this is really next level and Tom's soulful vocals are so powerful it does set them apart to what’s out there at the moment.  Even though they are a bit different they are still classified as part of the new classic rock movement that is happening at the moment with bands like Those Dam Crows, Florence Black and Mason Hill and many more.  It sure is an exciting time for rock music.

The album kicks off with 3 very strong tracks which are so warm and uplifting.  Starting off with "Rise up", then "Where do you go?" and "Tell me How it feels".  These tracks set the tone for the album and the album feels like it’s over in a flash.  Other highlights include the 3-track run at the end of the album with "Jump in", "Warm Love" and "I'm Ready"

Overall, such a good album and I hope they end up really taking off.  They have insanely talented individuals in this band who deserve to "Rise up" to the top of the pile.

Albums I am looking forward to in 2023

 Avenged Sevenfold - I have been waiting for this album for a long time and it looks set to arrive this year given festival appearences have been announced and they have said they have a big year ahead.

Beck - Released a Neil Young cover last year.  Hasn't released an album since "Hyperspace" in 2019 so would be surprised if he doesn't release something this year.

Black Honey - Due out early in the year. Last album was cracking - hopefully this one will be too.

Blink 182 - New album on the way next year. New single "Edging" already out which is not bad. First album with Tom De longe back in the band.  Not sure if its a band sign for the album but with a tour already announced, does this mean the album won't be as strong knowing that people have already bought their tickets? I hope not.

Bring me the Horizon - They are working on new material and have Download booked so hopefully some new music before the year is out

John Frusciante - The Red hot chili's gutarist has another solo album out in Feb.  Can't wait to hear what he comes out with this time.

Kacey Musgraves - Pure speculation this one. Just been a couple of years since her last release.

Katie Melua - Another who has announced a tour for a new album but not released anything from the album yet. Looking forward to it though.

Metallica - I never thought I would be looking forward to a new Metallica album but the new single is awesome and this one comes out in April

Nosound - Quite quiet in 2022, but it seems there will be a new album in 2023

Paramore - 2 singles already released from the new album which is due out in March

Rival Sons - Class rock n roll band with a new album out early in the year.

Steven Wilson - Porcupine Tree front man, seems like everything he touches turns to gold. Hopefully this album will too.

Asylums - Signs of Life

 

"Signs of Life" is the 4th album by UK indie band Asylums.  Having formed in 2014, they have been pretty consistent in bringing out albums every 2 years being 2016, 2018, 2020 and now 2022.  I got into them before their debut came out after hearing "Missing persons". All their albums are really good and although the critics have praised their work too, they haven't managed to get to a level many think they should be.

They don't seem to tour that much and to my recollection have only played Glasgow once when they supported Ash.  They have however made various festival appearances including Glastonbury.  They may just be a band that prefers making records rather than endlessly touring which would be fair enough.  Another reason I think they are not as big as they should is because I don't think they are a part of any movement.  For instance, like Brit pop in the 90s, emo in the late 00s or the current alternative metal movement going on just now. 

 
I think if Asylums were around in the early 2000s when the UK indie scene was thriving, I think they would be a lot bigger than they are at the moment. As right now there isn't many new bands out there doing what Asylums are doing at the moment.  But the band has to be true to themselves and make music they believe in, and they enjoy. And when you listen to their music you really get the impression that this is exactly what they are doing.  They are not trying to pretend to be band that they are not just to gain popularity which I'm sure must be tempting.

"Signs of Life" is another cracking album by the Essex lads. Filled once again with some edgy riffs through songs such as "Scatterbrain" and "Crypto Klepto".  But also, on this album you'll find the introduction of strings on quite a few tracks such as "Eras the Edges" and closing track "The Mirror".  I like how the strings fit into the songs rather than dominate them or not be strong enough in the mix. They are just right.  "Eras the Edges" is probably one of the slowest songs they have done.  While "The Mirror" is a fine way to end an album.

Overall, Asylums have done it again.  A great album and one I will be going back to time and again, much like the rest of their discography.  I hope the get some more recognition because they sure deserve it.

Taylor Swift - Midnights

"Midnights" is the 10th album by US country/pop sensation Taylor Swift.   I have been a fan of Taylor since she released 2nd album "Fearless" way back in 2008.  Her career trajectory since has been nothing short of phenomenal.  Winning loads of awards and selling millions and millions of records.  Even if she did have, in my opinion, the occasional blip in her discography.  Those being "Reputation" and "Lover".  But the rest of the albums feel flawless.

"Midnights" was an unexpected album as many thought Taylor would continue with her reissues but in October 2022 this album dropped without even a single to promote it.  When the album was announced she didn't even announce the track names and it actually led me to think each track was called "Track 1, track 2...track 3" etc.  As that is what it said on the CD sleave artwork.  But if you have Tik tok you will know she gradually unveiled the track listing in the run up to the album being released.  

I decided to by the deluxe edition of the album on CD.   I found it strange that it was kind of hidden away on her website while all the different colour vinyls were pushed more.  The deluxe edition contained two remixes and an extra track but you didn't know this till you got the CD.  But that is not the most annoying part.  Three days after release she released a 3am edition of the album with 7 extra tracks on streaming services.  Which is great now you know this but at the time for me it was infuriating.

I do, however, have to give credit to Swift for Midnights.  She has once again plunged herself into a new space in her music. Giving us a full blown synth pop album which has a completely different vibe to what has come before.  The way she does this is like nothing no one else does in her field.   And everything she does, whether I like it or not, seems to turn to gold too.  Some of these songs already have over 300 million plays on Spotify and it's only been out a few months.  

It does have a very chill out feel about the album, apart from maybe "Vigilante S*&t" which shows off Taylor's angsty side which reminds me of "Bad Blood" off "1989".  "Karma" and "Anti-Hero" are probably my favourite songs off the album. "Karma" is the most upbeat song off the album and "Anti-Hero" the biggest hit.  The thing I find with this album is that if you strip out the vocals, I think would be a pretty bland album as for a lot of it, it is just the same beat running through it.  Taylor's vocals very much carry the album, and her lyrics also get a lot of attention.  For that reason, I don't think this is an album I will be going back to that much as I prefer more imagination in the instrumentation part as well as good vocals.

Overall, though this is a decent album and I have to give kudos to Taylor for going in yet another direction with her music.  This album does have some great songs on it. Sometimes it does feel like it is too samey, and some songs blend into each other. But since it’s so different to what she has done before we can let her off with that.  I do notice though that the tour she announced is an "Eras" tour which is basically a best of tour rather than a "Midnights" tour.  Now there is the argument that she hasn't really toured the last 4 albums (including "Midnights").  However maybe it's also because a lot of "Midnights" and "Folklore" and "Evermore" weren't really built for stadiums.  And maybe there is not enough big hits on these albums to justify it.

 

Top 10 albums 2022

 Hi, I hope everyone had a great Christmas/enjoying the holiday season.  I had a nice day yesterday thanks to family.  Now time for my top 10 albums of the year.  To be honest the album which I have listened to the most this year is "That's the Spirit" by Bring me the Horizon.  But since that was released in 2015 it doesn't meet the criteria for this list.  Rules are rules :-P.   But here are the albums that did make the list:

1. "IMPERA" by Ghost

2. "Tekkno" by Electric Callboy

3. "Unlimited Love" by Red hot chili peppers

4. "Planet Zero" by Shinedown

5. "Pawns & Kings" by Alter Bridge

6. "Being funny in a foreign language" by The 1975

7.  "True Power" by I Prevail

8. "The Death of Peace of Mind" by Bad Omens

9. "Fix yourself, not the world" by The Wombats

10. "Midnights" by Taylor Swift