How in the hell did I miss this release? I’ve been super impressed with the continuing rise of BACKSPACE but this is outstanding.

Reasons to be bowled over. First, there’s the tune itself. Built on an off kilter sinuous rhythm that winds its way through the track this rock-pop is both ‘sit down and enjoy’ and ‘dance your arse off’ wonderful. And the tune; earwormy and singalong  to the max. Clever touches aplenty, from the shimmering synth intro,  lovely plucked guitar, to the sparse drumming. The way the track builds to a soaring guitar break that swerves its way around the rhythm.

Second, there’s the song’s subject. It deals with the fall-out from gambling addiction and its impact on a relationship. “It’s not something that immediately came to mind as a subject for the song” says lead vocalist Rosie Weston.” It intertwines the gambling with the need of the gambler to win every situation within the relationship.

This, people, is an absolute joy. Fantastic musically and lyrically. Need anything more? Thought not, get to it.

The info

Hailing from Guiseley Leeds, BACKSPACE have been playing and performing throughout high school. Now at the age of 17/18 and with drummer Harry Turner having left for Uni and brother Alex taking on the role of beat master they are joined by Izzy Turner (no relation) on rhythm guitar alongside Rosie Weston (vocals) Harry Adams (Lead Guitar) and Miles Addie (Bass) to produce a formidable line-up, playing across Leeds and the Yorkshire region.

Instagram: @backspace_official
Twitter: @BkSpaceBand
Facebook: @BkSpaceBand
YouTube: BACKSPACE_YouTube

There are times when I agree to review something based entirely upon the description of the music the artist or band play. I guess this is something of a throwback to the days of my youth when, unless they got radio play or a friend had a copy, all you had to go on was a review in one of the weekly music papers. Sometimes those reviews were too clever for their own good and didn’t actually tell you what the music sounded like. Beyond that there was the ‘love the cover, let’s get it’ method of buying; something which led to some interesting choices in my collection.

Anyway, the point I’m making here is that this release from Sunday Lendis is one of those. The description of her music as jazz-folk blended with electronica had me as soon as I read them. What I had in my head, and the initial listen confirmed it, was something of the feel of Joni Mitchell.

The sound of this is at the same time rich and complex, and simple.It’s simple in that at its heart is a tune that is beautiful and quietly compelling. The richness comes from the music; a carefully crafted and fantastically played blend of vocals, instruments and electronic sounds.

It is not a case of when one of the sounds – jazz, folk and electronica – takes a lead; the feel ebbs and flows. Sometimes this is signalled by an instrument – the drums coming in – and sometimes by a stripping back of the sound – to voice, handclaps and synth washes. But it’s seamless, it’s sinuous.

But for me it is Sunday’s voice that charmed and mesmerised me. She goes from soft folky, to jazzy to spoken voice with astounding ease. And she is singing words with meaning. The song is about feeling lost, when your skin doesn’t seem to fit you perfectly and you are yet to grow into it. Sunday explains ‘I hadn’t given myself the time or patience to figure out who I was, during the final year of my degree covid hit and I felt like I was left with nothing. This song explores those feelings of drifting, feeling lost and unsure of yourself especially during such difficult times’

This is an incredible song; wonderfully written and arranged, beautifully played and sung. I know it’s early in the year but I just know that this will be one of my favourite reviewed releases this year. It’s that good.

The info

Sunday was born and raised in Australia, moving to the UK in 2010. She graduated from Leeds College of Music in 2020. Since then she has performed at events and venues such as Jazz Cafe, The Old Queen’s Head Islington, Brudenell Social Club and festivals such as Green Man and Shambala Festival, Liverpool International Jazz Festival, Manchester Jazz festival; and has worked with established Northern artists including KOG, Tom Excell, B-ahwe and Yaatri.

Since the project’s beginnings Sunday Lendis has been supported by The Sound & Music Composers Award, Launchpad and Leeds Conservatoire’s Artist Development Grant.

Her debut EP ‘Long Exposure’ is set to release this Spring.

Hull’s Zero Cost do raucous as fuck hard punk with a message, a meaning. And this is just how it should be. Got that, good, let’s delay no further.

‘Proxy Wars’ should need no explanation, after all we’re in one right now. But this one is not the first as the ‘found speech’ at the start of this track reminds us. We are talking breakneck raucous ear pounding here, with guitars that slice. The odd sound that you might identify as metal. This, and this is no surprise, rocks musically, and gets you thinking.

Now ‘Moving Up’ was a previous stand alone track, this is what I said then. Yep there’s still those metal elements but this is punky as fuck. Played at breakneck speed, vicious guitar upfront and centre, vocals spat out in a tumbling rush, drums thrash. The song seems to be about not being held back by society, making the most of your life and fulfilling your potential – from what I could work out, those words come thick and fast.

The final track of the three is a surprise. ‘Tartuffe’ is a weirdly almost folky sparse guitar and voice track that kind of reminds me of early Rainbow in what I can only describe as a completely bizarre way. The title is going to need some explanation – I had to look it up – tartuffe means ‘a hypocritical pretender to excellence of any kind’. From what I can work out, and I may be wrong, it’s a call out to bands that don’t live their music, who just put on an act.

The more I hear from Zero Cost, the more impressed I am. This is a band who do it right, fucking right. The writing, the playing, is just so good. And while they have a sound, the songs don’t do same-y. And the unexpected ‘Tartuffe’ shows me that they are a band prepared to step out and do something fantastically different. Blast your post New Year cobwebs out of your brain with this.

My first review of 2023, and it’s a fabulous slice of dreamy pop from Lolas. Lolas might be new to you but who they are shouldn’t be; the duo are Naomi Mann and Fizz Smith of The Seamonsters fame. The thing about The Seamonsters was that they always had an ear for a great tune, and these songs sure don’t disappoint on that. Let’s leap in.

One thing I should warn you about ‘The Stars Go Home And Cry’ is that it starts off really quiet; so don’t, unless you really like to deafen your neighbours, be tempted to turn up the volume. So as the dream-pop guitar gradually builds the song turns into something that I can only describe as a big dream pop ballad with, and this is crucial, more than a hint of a classic pop sound, something of that Fleetwood Mac feel is there too.

Musically the things that are going to grab you are the subtle and clever dreamy guitar and a wonderful use of piano. And the vocal is a complete joy, totally compelling, it builds with the track into something that is glorious.

‘Cherry Police’ features more of that piano, I say features although it should probably be piano led. Again the feel here is in that pop ballad kinda sound. Although, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that there’s more than a hint of early Kate Bush in the sound and feel. The combination of voice and piano is completely lovely.

In the time I’ve had access to this, I have to admit I’ve become somewhat obsessed with these two songs. The songwriting, playing and the way they are put together is fantastic. The sound is gorgeous, that mix of the now in the dreamy pop and the retro classic pop is mesmerising. These songs weave a beautiful spell.

There are two things I just know I can expect from any Sandra’s Wedding release – a tune that’s going to stick in your head forever and great words. What you can’t expect is quite what it’s going to sound like because, although they have a certain feeling in their songs that marks them out as coming from the band, the sound of the song fits the words. Form follows function, if you will.

‘One Horse Town’ has a kind of big rock song feel. And when I say rock, oh sod it I’m going to use a phrase that’s sitting in my head, I mean in the Springsteen sense. Guitars are muscular, drums pound but there’s a huge tune and a sense of dynamics that rips at your soul.

And the words, the words tell of a town that’s in distress and decaying. It tells of the lives of ordinary people. You get that Springsteen thing now, don’t you. This isn’t a new story to tell, it’s a timeless theme, given where we are now; it’s a story of now. It’s also a story we can recognise as being of The North.

This isn’t just a great song, it’s an important song, even a protest song. And when I say great song, I mean there’s more than the brilliant tune, there’s a feel that’s addictive, a feel that comes from the heart; it has that instant classic feel. This is a truly outstanding release. A ‘must hear’.

Some time ago I reviewed an EP from The Bleachés called ‘Easter Island’; well The Bleachés are no more but out of that come Rodeo Garden. It’s early in their musical journey but boy is their first release good.

‘Old Man’s Eyes’ does Americana but it does it in a loose, sometimes warped kinda way with added 60s’ psychy pop. It manages to sound both almost casual and beautifully arranged. Gorgeously ‘warped a bit’ guitar punctuates the loping beat. And while you marvel at the way Rodeo Garden bring these influences together into something utterly beautiful, you’ll notice that it’s danceable too. Need anything more?

There’s more of a psychedelic pop sound to ‘Reine’. I’m hearing later period Monkees – you know after they started doing their own stuff, I’m also hearing The Strawberry Alarm Clock and bits of 60s’ British R’n’B. And yet, as retro as my sounds-like references are, there are hints of an indie sound. It’s intoxicating.

These songs are so well put together and the playing is brilliant. They both grab your attention immediately, and reward deeper listening. Hear it once and you’ll be grooving, listen again and the sonic nuances will enrich your ears.

This debut release from Rodeo Garden is a complete joy. It mixes sounds from all sorts of times and places into something wonderful. This you gotta hear.

A while ago I reviewed Yutanii’s single ‘Chasing The Dragon’ – which can be found on this EP – and found that it was one of those ‘I love this but for the life of me can’t say exactly why’ tracks. Hopefully the EP will help me decide.

The opening track ‘Bodysnatchers’ is surprisingly groovy, well at least to start off with; after that it gets decidedly dark. There’s that mix of post-hardcore, space-rock, acid rock madness with a hint of Cardiacs. Detuned sounds jar and jerk. It sounds like a cross between a band that might have appeared at a Stonehenge Free Festival and something I can’t define. It is incredibly addictive.

Up next is ‘Chasing The Dragon’. It’s full of grinding sounds that come from the depths of hell, and a vocal that proclaims loudhailer style. This is until, and inexplicably, it breaks out into a passage of extremely tuneful space-rock. But hey, who the fuck cares, it’s all part of the joy.

I am still no further into discovering exactly why I love this music. Let’s keep going.

‘Coven’ surprises with a start that is rock but with a sense of melody. Now there’s still those jerky jarring sounds but they’re toned down. It does the loud/quiet thing; an astoundingly beautiful guitar break that turns into a swirling twirling fairground keyboard that sounds somewhat like ELP (but dirty my friends).

‘The Tesseract’ is like – and please forgive the retro references – a cross between Hawkwind and Here & Now. It’s spacrock but it has more than a touch of psychedelic rock. It shifts, it goes off on weird sonic paths, It’s all quite bewilderingly beautifully chaotic.

And then to the closing track ‘Cosmic Joke’ which for Yutanni could be termed the ‘tasteful ballad’. A gorgeous tune, tasteful guitar. It almost sounds indie. That is until it gets all warped organ. The joke here is this track doesn’t do what you might expect of the band.

I think after hearing the whole EP I am closer to knowing quite why this music is so good. Firstly it’s music made by a band that just take it where they want, there’s no ‘sound of Yutaniii’ beyond what is best described as a broad range. Second, for all the sonic chaos, the quality of playing on these tracks is frankly outstanding. And thirdly, it’s just grin inducing fun, it’s music played for the sheer joy of it, the love of it.

Yutaniii make brilliant and compelling music. This EP intrigues and mesmerises in equal measures.