HANKKS – Love Shy

Offering another flavoursome romp to the summer’s soundtrack, British alternative indie rockers HANKKS release new single Love Shy. With the raw clang of a melodic Birdland and a flame of infectious pop n’ roll lying somewhere between Asylums and The Libertines, the track quickly establishes its own character of sound and temptation to alone reveal why the buzz brewing up around the Birmingham quartet.

Formed in the April of 2015, with a name apparently chosen through an admiration of actor Tom Hanks, the band quickly earned a potent reputation for their live presence around their home city. Consisting of Ben James, Jacob Evitts, and brothers James and Harry Davison, the foursome released their well-received debut EP, Wilson, this past March. Backing it up with another surge of live shows, acclaim and radio support courted both shows and release, with stronger recognition of the band’s magnetic sound openly rising; success sure to blossom again with the release of Love Shy.

Taken from their first EP, the single has ears tingling with an initial flame of guitar jangle quickly courted by jabbing beats. As its body swiftly expands, harmonic calls surround the excellent dual vocal attack, their tempting matched in persuasion and adventure by the web of melodic enterprise escaping the guitars and the moodier bassline prowling the contagious stomp.

There is an eighties meets nineties indie pop scenting to the track but equally a fiery and excellently unpolished anarchic edge boiled in modern invention. Together, with the open craft and imagination of the band, it makes for a rebellious feel good slice of pop ‘n’ roll which simply rouses ears and spirit alike.

Love Shy is accompanied by an excellent video @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h21X4kfwfhA

https://www.facebook.com/HANKKSM8/   https://twitter.com/hankksm8

Pete Ringmaster 08/07/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

The Slumdogs – Lost and Found

Formed in the September of 2015, British alternative/indie rock band The Slumdogs is looking like making their first full year together a potently successful one. Hailing from Blackpool, the band has already spread its presence and eager fan base into the likes of Liverpool and Manchester; luring ears further afield too through their first tour of England, a thirteen adventure last December. It is fair to say that the quartet hit the floor running and have only intensified their nudge on broader awareness through shows and the recent release of debut single Lost and Found.

Released through Shropshire based label Hartfield Records, Lost and Found is a swift arousal of ears and imagination. From a gentle guitar caress it blossoms into a lively stroll shaped by spicy melodies, energetic rhythms, and eager vocals. There is no escaping an Arctic Monkeys meets The Libertines air to the track, a rich flavour but one woven into something as freshly Slumdogs as anything familiar. As the song continues to swing along taking appetite and hips with it, guitars cast a blend of emotive and flirtatious melodies around the grumble of the bass and a lure of tenacious beats, it all under the leadership of the excellent vocals.

Accompanying the highly enjoyable track is Slumdog, a self-titled encounter revealing an even thicker glimpse into the imagination and variety to be found in the band’s music. Sultrily hued melodies shimmer around the seductive dark temptation of the bass, their radiance a psych pop wrap to the shadowy lure of the rhythms. Swiftly enthralling ears, the song brings additional Doors like essences into its increasingly flirtatious pop ‘n’ roll, closing on a spirited climax as much surf rock and sixties garage rock as it is a bold new twist of modern indie rock.

The track is glorious, a thrilling extra to the magnetic prowess of Lost and Found, and together the duo provide an introduction to The Slumdogs which few are going to be able to ignore.

Lost and Found is out now via Hartfield Records @ http://www.hartfieldrecords.co.uk/product/slumdogs-lost-found/

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Pete Ringmaster 18/05/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

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The Velvet Hands – Trains

Creating a sound somewhere between punk, garage, and indie rock, The Velvet Hands has begun to stir up a bit of a fuss around their emergence on the British rock scene. The release of new single Trains can only add to the Cornish band’s attention luring success, its two tracks of highly flavoursome sound and temptation something to easily get a taste for.

The Velvet Hands is the creation of Toby Mitchell and Dan Able, a pair who began writing and playing together in 2014. Inspired by the likes of The Stones, Strokes, Beatles, Stone Roses, and The Clash, the band quickly drew eager ears and attention from fans and media their way with a live presences which has seen them share stages with the likes of Wild Smiles, Lost Dawn, Saturday Sun, and The Bluetones over time as well as make a handful of successful festivals appearances. The first pair of singles from the band, Games/Who Cares last October and Habit this past March, stirred keen praise and support into action which Trains can only stoke up again for Mitchell and Able with Louis Willbourne and Sean Nichols alongside.

Released on 7″ white vinyl for Record Store Day through Easy Action Records, Trains opens on a swiftly potent and virulent bassline which quickly entices melodically spicy guitar and crisp beats to come and play with ears too. It is a great blend of raw pop and stylish enterprise matched by similarly textured vocals and harmonies.  The band has been suggested as being “in the grand tradition of great British bands like The Libertines and The Buzzcocks” in the past and both of those bands do come to mind a touch throughout the song; the first in its vocals and unfussy character with the latter through the nagging hooks and swinging infectiousness shaping the song.

Accompanying the track is Curtains Close, a delicious seducing crafted with surf scented melodies, acoustic enchantment, and vocal expression. Though a more relaxed character than its predecessor, the song is just as addictively catchy and beguiling; to be honest it was our favourite out of two highly enjoyable encounters.

Trains shows why people are crowding round the emergence of The Velvet Hands whilst equally pushing the band’s reputation on again to suggest this is definitely someone to keep a close ear on!

Trains is out now as a limited edition (300) white vinyl 7″ single through Easy Action Records in all good independent record stores with a digital release following April 29th.

http://thevelvethands.co.uk/   https://www.facebook.com/thevelvethands

Pete RingMaster 18/04/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com/

Playing House – New Haircut EP

Photo by Veronica Aguilar Photography

The New Haircut EP is another debut this year which needed little time to excite ears and incite reactions to go wow. There has been a few already in 2016 and amongst the most thrilling is this introduction to East London alt-pop trio Playing House. The three song festival of pop discord and irresistible hooks simply grabs attention and a swiftly greedy appetite with its creative devilry and maturity. Listening to the EP for the first time was a being stopped in the tracks moment with the grin on face and the passions telling all.

Much like another big site favourite Horse Party, Playing House is a two girl, one guy exploration of pop music. Every raw jangle, off-kilter twist, and discord fuelled sidestep of the genre embraced and re-honed to the threesome’s own startling escapades whilst weaving in the melodic prowess and flirty hooks you would expect and hope for. Inspirations for the three are said to include the likes of David Bowie, Velvet Underground, and Chic but you just can tell that their own tastes provide a much broader canvas for their music to draw from before finding its own unique character.

Hitting the London live scene in the September of 2015 with a sold out headline show at St Giles in The Fields Church, hosted by Kal Lavelle for her We Love Shows series, Playing House have become a greedily devoured live proposition. The New Haircut EP is going to try and transfer that support to a broader landscape with its release; success hard to see being missed as gets ears lustful again listening to the release whilst fingers hit keys.

It opens with the first song written by the band, Feel The Weight. Its initial touch is a fuzzy mist of keys, the second a romping stroll of bouncing rhythms and a spicy hook still embraced by that melodically dissonant wash. The coaxing into the song is ear thrilling and becoming even more irresistible as things relax for the lively and lyrically potent vocals courted by an equally infectious prowess to rhythms and riffs. The edge to its thick beats contrasts perfectly with the funky swing of the song and the imaginative blend of vocals from the two ladies, a combination of sound and energy which has a definite and repeated in other songs feel of 4 Non Blondes to it.

The excellent start only hits another plateau with the EP’s title track and band’s new single. New Haircut is quite superb, again enslaving attention from the first moments as choppy and steely guitars entangle around the vocal roar. Once the song slips into post punk meets alternative pop ingenuity, the deal is done, ears and passions enslaved. From there rhythms roam and roll with a quirky almost deranged tenacity whilst stabbing riffs and those increasingly choppy chords have feet and spirit throwing shapes like a slinky. The track is quite brilliant with that vocal agility and adventure of the band the ringleader to glorious revelry and lyrical incitement of thought.

The release is completed by Grapefruit, another addiction in the making proposal which takes barely seconds to entice and engross as guitars chip away at ears which are simultaneously being slowly seduced by keys. Though carrying a more restrained energy than its predecessors, the song has a lively swagger and charm which will have bodies on their feet and hips swaying in boisterous union.

It is a fine end to one thrilling first look at Playing House. You always assume a band will grow and blossom further from their first endeavour which in this case means the British music scene has one mighty and destined to be exhilarating adventure brewing ahead of them. A must hear release.

The New Haircut EP is released April 8^th

Upcoming live dates:

Wednesday 13th April – Birthdays, London (EP release show)

Sunday 17th April – Sound Control, Manchester

Wednesday 20nd April – Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh

Thursday 21st April – The Garage, London

Friday 22nd April – Sofar Sounds, Liverpool

Saturday 23rd April – Moon Club, Cardiff

http://www.playinghouse.co.uk/   https://www.facebook.com/playinghouseuk   https://twitter.com/playinghouseuk

Pete RingMaster 06/04/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com/

Mosley Bar – Another Record Sleeve EP

Having given a potent introduction to themselves with debut single Record Sleeve, British indie rock quartet Mosley Bar provide an even bigger and bolder statement in their emergence with the Another Record Sleeve EP. Four tracks which jangle and seduce with lively energy and imagination, the band’s first EP is a striking and increasingly magnetic encounter suggesting Mosley Bar as another to add to the new breed of exciting indie bands lighting ears.

Formed in 2015 with the ripe old ages of 17 and 20 across its line-up, Mosley Bar draws on inspirations from the likes of Arctic Monkeys, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Two Door Cinema Club, and The Libertines as additional flavouring to their distinctively toned sound. Hailing from the North West of England, the four-piece released Record Sleeve last October, its ear enticing outing quickly drawing national and local radio play with BBC 6 music and BBC Introducing. Recorded with a second track in the August of 2015, its success saw the band return to The Motor Museum Recording Studio in Liverpool to lay down another pair of songs, the four now making up Another Record Sleeve.

Straight away it is easy to expect the EP to make a bigger stir as its best track leaps into ears with a dynamic contagion. Risk opens on the swinging beats of Matthew Wright, his arms no doubt a blur as his tenacious and attention stoking bait hits ears. Imagination and appetite is as swiftly grabbed by the dark meaty bassline of Tim Williams and the melodic jangle cast by the guitars of Adam Eccleston and Ryan Ward. The initial boisterous energy of the song relaxes a little as Ward’s alluring vocals join the revelry; alongside him William’s bass with brooding enterprise almost flirting with the song’s increasingly catchy tones. Fair to say, even before realisation of the virulence at work, hips and voice are firmly involved with a track leaving a lingering imprint in its wake.

Record Sleeve steps up next, its low key coaxing also becoming a bolder proposition as guitars and voice entice with spicy and melodic prowess. There remains a warm mellowness to the song, even when its sonic flames and eager energy really catches light with infectiousness pouring from every note and syllable whilst rhythms create their own captivating shuffle. Quickly it is easy to see why the song made a strong impact last year, the track feeding hungry ears with its flavoursome persuasion before parting for the similarly engaging Rendezvous. It too has a swiftly infectious adventure to its presence with some of those earlier mentioned influences open hues to the band’s own resourceful enterprise and imagination. It makes for a song, and indeed EP, which quickly feels familiar but with a vibrant and highly refreshing character, each only push Mosley Bar apart from any others carrying the same kind of inspirations.

The World And I brings the EP to a fine close, it too vibrantly swinging along with flirtatious textures and smiling melodic endeavour within its sultry sonic tapestry. Rhythms as now expected add their own addictive qualities whilst the vocals only continue to impress as they drive the song’s catchy tempting and the listener’s easily volunteered involvement.

The Mosley Bar sound has yet to find its unique feet but big hints and potential ripple through Another Record Sleeve as it has ears and bodies bouncing around in pleasure. Potentially big things ahead for the band we suspect.

The Another Record Sleeve EP is released digitally and on CD April 18^th on all digital platforms.

https://www.facebook.com/mosleybar/   https://twitter.com/mosley_bar

Pete RingMaster 5/04/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com/

Liberty Ship – Learning to Fly

by Ost

From a music scene which over the decades has perpetually produced some striking and inventive bands, Sheffield hailing Liberty Ship make a big suggestion that they could be another to add to the list of successes with the release of new single Learning to Fly.

Creating a mix of indie and melodic rock, the band since emerging at the beginning of 2012, has built a potent reputation for their sound and a live presence which has seen them play alongside amongst many the likes of King Charles, Reverend and The Makers, and just recently The Carnabys. They have also opened up the main stage at last year’s Tramlines Festival and found tracks like What Point come under close attention from BBC Introducing Sheffield. Now it is the turn of Learning to Fly to stir up a greater number of ears and fuss the way of the band; a success easy to see being swift and sure.

A guitar jangle entices ears first, swinging rhythms and further melodic enterprise in tow as the lead vocals of acoustic guitarist Lewis Hancock bring their potent tempting and expression to the swiftly brewing party. In no time into a vivacious stroll led by the catchy exploits of lead guitarist Jack Eddison and Hancock’s emotive strums, the song offers up a vibrant and increasingly infectiously proposal akin to a fusion of The Housemartins and The Mighty Lemon Drops.

There is no escaping the catchy prowess and adventure of the song, its melodic eagerness contrasted yet accentuated by the darker roam of James Brown’s bassline and the firmly landing beats of Kierran Bond. It is a captivating mix added to by the great harmonies across the rest of the band which back up Hancock’s lead.

A feel good single sure to enliven the spirit of any day, Learning to Fly has plenty to suggest why there is such a keenly growing awareness around Liberty Ship and to spark an appetite for more of their tenacious rock ‘n’ roll in those it arouses.

Learning to Fly is self-released April 1^st @ http://libertyshipband.bandcamp.com/album/learning-to-fly-single

http://www.libertyshipband.com/   https://www.facebook.com/LibertyShipBand/   https://twitter.com/LibertyShipBand

Pete RingMaster 01/04/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com/

The Hotspur Press – All You Know

The seeds of UK band The Hotspur Press goes back to four friends in high school who have been playing in bands together ever since. A break was taken to allow vocalist/rhythm guitarist Daniel Quezada Manchester gain his law degree with the foursome sparking back to life around a year ago, presumably as The Hotspur Press, with a new zeal in their creative belly. Now to ignite their 2016, the Manchester quartet release their brand new single All You Know; a rousing slice of melodic/indie rock passing that tenacious quality to the ears of old and sure to be found new ears.

Since their return, the foursome of lead guitarist/vocalist Tomas Antonio Quezada Manchester, bassist Chris Nutter, drummer George Webster, and Daniel have released the well-received Island EP last August backing up its release up with an extensive UK tour that saw them supporting Bruce Springsteen’s saxophonist Jake Clemons at Liverpool’s O2 Academy. With airplay from BBC Radio 6 and Amazing Radio as well as a successful performance on the main stage at the Rochdale Feel Good Festival other highlights under their belts, the band is intent on steering broader attention their way in 2016, getting that aim off to a great start ahead of a new EP, with the release of All You Know.

The single swiftly grips ears with its opening melodic jangle of guitar, equally alluring riffs and melodic coaxing quickly added. The vocals of Daniel carry a matching prowess in enticing ears too, sharing an expressive character which works well against the moodier tone of the bass and the energetic shuffle of beats. Fair to say, there is drama and emotive energy in every movement of the song; its liveliness stirring up an anthemic potency which fuels the rousing and climactic crescendos that build and flow as the track heads to a final provocative blaze of sound and voice.

As all great tracks, its initial strong persuasion only gets stronger and more captivating over plays. All You Know is a powerful roar and as the first teaser from that upcoming EP, also the spark for some eager anticipation.

All You Know is released April 1^st

http://www.thehotspurpress.com/    https://www.facebook.com/thehotspurpress   https://twitter.com/elhotspurpress

Pete RingMaster 31/01/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com/