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Jan 14, 2025 | 
narcmagazine.com | Iam Burn
If you like raw social commentary in the vein of Bob Vylan, this could be for you. With lyrics that at times are hard to hear, 90BRO tells a tale of racism from his childhood, overcoming his fears and questioning his existence in relation to his lineage. With trap music stylings, there is a brooding, nagging beat which pulsates throughout like a heart pumping with great strength and purpose.
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Dec 20, 2024 | 
narcmagazine.com | Iam Burn
From the land of the rising Mackem emerges NTGB – a band following the DIY musical path. I have a lot of respect and support for bands who choose this difficult route. Burn Down The Now has a retro, yet modern feel to it. A song focused on optimism and resilience, vocalist Gaz Brown sounds not too dissimilar to The Coral’s frontman, James Skelly, and this is no bad thing.
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Dec 2, 2024 | 
narcmagazine.com | Iam Burn
BOT MusicReleased: 01.12.24As is tradition, Beans on Toast releases an album every year on 1st December. Why? It’s his birthday! It’s a good a reason as any. This year he has released a typical Beans album that is anything but typical. Confused? Let me explain. His rasping voice is readily identifiable and engaging, but his guitar has vanished.
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Nov 15, 2024 | 
xsnoize.com | Iam Burn |Inspiral Carpets |Billy Bragg |Matt Berry
Less Than Jake have been around for over 30 years. Their brand of ska-punk has kept them popular, especially on the live circuit and at various festivals around the globe. They have a healthy back catalogue of studio and live albums and numerous EP releases. If my sums are correct, Uncharted will be the Florida-based band’s tenth extended-play release.
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Nov 15, 2024 | 
narcmagazine.com | Iam Burn
Appearing on a streaming platform near you from 15th November, Aimee Lambert unleashes her latest blend of pop, folk and Americana for your delectation. So Soft celebrates Lambert’s beautifully melodious voice, as it drips like syrup off a pancake. Her voice sounds like a blend of Tor Maries (Billy Nomates) and Margo Timmins (Cowboy Junkies) which is a pretty good mix.
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Nov 13, 2024 | 
narcmagazine.com | Iam Burn
Submarine Cat RecordsReleased: 15.11.24Merseyside has produced many talented, creative and prodigious musical artists over the years and She Drew The Gun must be considered in this elite echelon. Howl is their fourth studio album, with ten tracks for your delectation. The title track opens the album with a hefty thwack of glam rock meets electropop. Shine On offers pounding drumbeats supplemented by Louisa Roach’s vocals which claw at your senses.
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Nov 11, 2024 | 
xsnoize.com | Iam Burn |Inspiral Carpets |Billy Bragg |Matt Berry
Bands performing with orchestral accompaniment are nothing new. Deep Purple, Pink Floyd and Metallica are just a few of those who have blended these musical styles previously. Ferocious Dog has also done this once before, at the O2 Academy in Leeds back in 2022. Following the success of that show, they are at it again at the O2 City Hall in Newcastle. Is performing with orchestral support simply a gimmick?
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Nov 8, 2024 | 
xsnoize.com | Iam Burn |Inspiral Carpets |Billy Bragg |Matt Berry
I first encountered They Might Be Giants in 1989. Their track ‘Ana Ng’ was featured on the compilation album Indie Top 20 Volume 7. It grabbed my attention, and before I knew it, I was buying their second album, Lincoln, on imported vinyl, which featured the aforementioned song. From that point on, I was a fan. Roll on 35 years, and I am entering Boiler Shop in Newcastle upon Tyne to see the duo of John Linnell and John Flansburgh, aka They Might Be Giants, supported by their trusty band.
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Nov 4, 2024 | 
narcmagazine.com | Iam Burn
After attending an afternoon showing of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour movie, Ricky Clark went home, dug out a track he had shelved previously and spent all night composing riffs. The result of this nocturnal endeavour is SOS, a track that would not feel out of place in a rock opera. The County Durham artist’s latest offering has a strong, epic feel to it. With very polished production values, the track blends essences of Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Queens of the Stone Age.
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Oct 24, 2024 | 
xsnoize.com | Iam Burn |Inspiral Carpets |Billy Bragg |Matt Berry
Honest – perhaps the best way to define this Melbourne four-piece, which grew from the city’s pub-rock scene. There’s no flannel, no pretences, just good old-fashioned, down-to-earth music and attitude. In this overly antiseptic world, Amyl and The Sniffers bring the spit and the filth to create a much-needed societal balance. If you are looking for fluffy nonsense or bags of bullshit, look elsewhere, you flamin’ drongo!They have certainly made their mark on the live circuit.
