Listened to this week's Like Clockwork show and want to get your hands on something you heard? We know a place! Each week we'll be posting the playlist from the show and links to anything we have in stock in the shop so you can own that record that you just can't get out of your head. Missed the show? You can listen again here Like Clockwork Playlist - 14th May 2024 The Lovely Eggs - Memory Man John Grant - It's a Bitch mui ziu - Everything To Die For Sea Girls - Midnight Butterflies Cigarettes After Sex - Dark Vacay Annie Dressner - Black and White The Bug - Demon (feat. Irah) Neon Neon - The Jaguar Islet - Filia Tamboras En Benirras - Genaradora de Rayos Sea Power - North Hanging Rock The Decemberists - A Beginning Song

Listened to this week's Like Clockwork show and want to get your hands on something you heard? We know a place! Each week we'll be posting the playlist from the show and links to anything we have in stock in the shop so you can own that record that you just can't get out of your head. Missed the show? You can listen again here Like Clockwork Playlist - 30th April 2024 Villagers - You Lucky One Cage The Elephant - Neon Pill Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band - Shirl's Ghost Bernard Butler - Deep Emotions Bob Vylan - Dream Big The Streets - Turn The Page (Overmono Remix) Air - Trente Millions D'Amis Kiasmos - Burst Unloved - Devil's Angels (feat. Andrew Weatherall) Ryan Adams - Gimme Something Good Porridge Radio - End of Last Year Gomez - Whippin' Piccadilly Applestump Presents ... Ben Ottewell Eels - Lone Wolf First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar Oli Ng - Talisker and Ginger Torn Sail - Consider Your Position

Listened to this week's Like Clockwork show and want to get your hands on something you heard? We know a place! Each week we'll be posting the playlist from the show and links to anything we have in stock in the shop so you can own that record that you just can't get out of your head. Missed the show? You can listen again here Like Clockwork Playlist - 23rd April 2024 Fontaines DC - Starbuster Mui Zyu - Everything To Die For Laura J Martin - Prepared Travis - Gaslight Beth Gibbons - Floating on a Moment Paul Weller - Soul Wandering The Postal Service - Recycled Air Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birlds - AKA ... Broken Arrow M83 - Wait

It is a fact that we are currently living in an age where it is harder than it has ever been for musicians and creative types in general. People are not buying as much music as we used to, venues are closing at a frightening rate rate, the costs of touring are increasing, difficulties in accessing certain places in the world, and so many other distractions competing for people's time all combine to make it near impossible for musicians to get their music out there.  Given that 2024 has already given us a treasure trove of debut albums that show people are not prepared to give up despite the challenges the world throws at creative people. We have had debut albums from New Dad, Lime Garden, Sprints, Private Party, Fabiana Palladino, Nia Archives and The K's to name just a few that have left a mark on the world, given us moments to escape and to never give up on the belief that music is one of the most important things that we have. We now have another debut album to add to that list. I hate comparisons in music and making it seem like a competition but This Could Be Texas from English Teacher is, in my view, one of the greatest debut albums we have had. It is full of creativity, it is enthralling and although it doesn't come charging out of the blocks at a thousand miles an hour, it is one that will hold your attention, one that will take you on a journey, one that will make you think, one that will inspire and you will not regret spending time in the company of this fantastic album. Albatross eases us into the album, this is a gentle soothing song that will instantly make you feel at peace with the world. This song is full of gorgeous strings and piano that allow the song to float along in the most beautiful way possible. The World's Biggest Paving Slab is a passionate, inspiring song about the little person in society who doesn't get noticed, but can achieve great things. If anyone ever tells you that indie music is dead, it certainly isn't. This is indie music in the year 2024 and arguably it has never been better. We all know how messed up the UK is right now, and we need musicians to be capturing what we are seeing in our towns and cities in songs. Having a permanent record of society in the year 2024 and English Teacher have certainly done that with Broken Biscuits,"Could a river stop its banks from breaking / Blame the council not the rain / No preparation for the breakdown" sums it all up perfectly and could be applied to every part of our public institutions that are now broken. I'm Not Crying, You're Crying is an infectious and mesmerising indie song that is able to make you listen intently to every word you hear whilst wanting to find an indie dance floor and sway along with a load of like minded people.   Mastermind Specialism is a spell binding at times lullaby-esque song that will bring so much peace and joy to the world. At this point I will summarise This Could Be Texas by saying that every song on here is a highlight, so for those songs that do not get a mention from here on in it is not because I love you any less it is because I am mindful of the readers time and would rather they get stuck into the album listen to it as a whole then spend too much time reading my words. That said if you are reading my words I am forever grateful. The title track is one that will take the listener on a very memorable journey, from the gentle spoken word opening, the colourful twinkling sounds throughout that make the world a better place. The song then takes us on an exciting, explosive ride of sounds that you never want to come to an end. All good things must come to an end and the song brings us back down to earth in a sweet and loving way with heart shattering strings and leaves us ready to do it all again. Not Everybody Gets to Go to Space certainly left a big impact on me when I first heard it. It is a song that captures that it is ok not to achieve all the dreams you may have, we all may have big dreams and that's ok, but not everyone will get to live out these dreams and there is nothing wrong with that. Society needs all types of people, and everyone needs to be valued for what they do "If everyone got to go to space / no one would ever want to clean" R&B is a very important song on the album, and a very important song which the whole world and music industry needs to listen to and pay attention to. Lily Fontaine is rightfully attacking all of those that make assumptions about the type of music she should be making based on appearances "despite appearances I haven't got the voice for R&B". The grit, gnarliness and passion in this song delivers this message in a way that will hopefully educate and make people change their views. Nearly Daffodils is as perfect as pop music gets, the sweet melodies, uplifting rhythms and vocals will make you want to leap out of bed in the morning, feel grateful to be alive and to appreciate all the beauty that this world can give us  "I like to hear the birds sing".  The Best Tears of Your Life is emotionally driven and will leave you hanging on tightly to every word sung and every sound you hear. Albert Road is the perfect ending for a perfect album, with musical arrangements that will leave a mark on everyone that hears the song.  As with other moments on the album the lyrics capture growing up in Britain today,"don't take their prejudice to heart / they hate everyone / the world around them never showed how loving could be fun".   Those feelings of being bored as a teenage feature within the lyrics "When we were younger. we would complain /  "Go find something to do" Mum said / But there was not". Whatever you have planned to do next with your day, please cancel those plans. Get yourself a copy of This Could Be Texas, devote your time and attention to the album and I promise you will be glad to spend time in the company of this amazing record. English Teacher have certainly made the world a far more interesting place.

Listened to this week's Like Clockwork show and want to get your hands on something you heard? We know a place! Each week we'll be posting the playlist from the show and links to anything we have in stock in the shop so you can own that record that you just can't get out of your head. Missed the show? You can listen again here Like Clockwork Playlist - 16th April 2024 The Lovely Eggs - Memory Man Paraorchestra - The Killing Moon (with Brett Anderson & Charles Hazlewood) [with Brett Anderson & Charles Hazlewood] Swim Deep - First Song Julia Holter - Sun Girl Richard Hawley - Two For His Heels Bicep - Kites Caribou - Silver Errors - Tusk Gomez - Get Myself Arrested Modest Mouse - Float On Kings of Leon - Molly's Chambers Other Lives - Dust Bowl III Bill Ryder-Jones - This Can't Go On

Listened to this week's Like Clockwork show and want to get your hands on something you heard? We know a place! Each week we'll be posting the playlist from the show and links to anything we have in stock in the shop so you can own that record that you just can't get out of your head. Missed the show? You can listen again here Like Clockwork Playlist - 9th April 2024 A Certain Ratio - All Comes Down To This The Baby Seals - ID'd at Aldi The Black Keys - On The Game The Libertines - Night of the Hunter The Zutons - Creeping on the Dancefloor Horsebeach - In The Shadow of Her JET - Sgt. Major Nick Drake - Road Nastee Chapel - In Darkness Waits Maps - When You Leave

On Friday April 12th we see the release of the hotly anticipated debut album from the Leeds band English Teacher. ‘This Could Be Texas’ consists of 13 tracks and is the debut LP for band members Lily Fontaine (vocals, rhythm guitar, synth), Douglas Frost (drums, piano, vocals), Nicholas Eden (bass) and Lewis Whiting (lead guitar). I’ve been lucky enough to have listened to the album ahead of it’s release on Friday and I’m excited to share my review about what I expect to be a very popular indie album of 2024. Throughout listening to the album I noticed the band create a mix of gorgeous melodies between the various instruments and Lily’s vocals, layered within each song. A highlight is the mirroring of the guitar and piano in the album-titled song ‘This Could Be Texas’. When the violin and the rest of the band joins, it creates this huge crescendo of music which the band use to create a grand finale within the track before it gently resolves back to the beginning of the song. This is excellent songwriting and it was a joy to listen to. My favourite track is “You Blister My Paint”. It is a heart-breaking song with so many gut-wrenching phrases but my favourite lyrics are the following:“I dreamt about the kiss/ every night so far this week/I hope I don’t tonight/I hope I break the streak/you’re overexposure/makes my eyes weak/but I can’t look away/it’s so hard then you leave me/“ I felt as a listener you can hear the heartbreak in Fontaine’s voice and it musically captures a moment most people can resonate with. Other tracks I’d like to note are “Broken Biscuits” which raises social topics (“Can a river stop its banks from bursting/ blame the council not the rain/ no preparation/ for the breakdown”) and “Mastermind Specialism” where I’ve noted when listening the piano sounds like gorgeous teardrops that fall on Fontaine’s vocals before moving into the acoustic guitar. It’s a gentle sounding song, which is played so delicately by the band. Of course not forgetting the tracks “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab” and “Albert Road” that I have already written about in a previous blog post. English Teacher are another really exciting band that are finally getting the exposure they have worked hard for and deserve. They present beautiful songs that are carefully composed, highlighting in their lyrics social topics and discussing heartbreak. It’s a powerful album and I hope I’ll be able to see the band on their next tour. For tour tickets click here and to pre-order the album you can do so here with my local record store Applestump Records. I hope you enjoy the album and let me know on release day what you think! Beth x You can read more of Beth's reviews on her blog: https://bethraywrites.com

Listened to this week's Like Clockwork show and want to get your hands on something you heard? We know a place! Each week we'll be posting the playlist from the show and links to anything we have in stock in the shop so you can own that record that you just can't get out of your head. Missed the show? You can listen again here Like Clockwork Playlist - 2nd April 2024 English Teacher - Nearly Daffodils Grandaddy - Watercooler Cast - Faraway Waxahatchee - Right Back To It (feat. MJ Lenderman) Paul Weller - Soul Wandering Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees Bobby Lee - Reds for a Blue Planet Jamie XX - Loud Places Gil Scott-Heron - I'll Take Care of You BIG SPECIAL - DESPERATE BREAKFAST Gomez - Whippin' Piccadilly NewDad - Blue Radiohead - Street Spirit (Fade Out) Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros The Coral - Wild Bird Bon Iver - Perth The Gentle Good - Pan own i ar foreddydd Sam Lyon - Nostalgia Phoebe Bridgers - Chinese Satellite Eve Adams - My Only Dream

As far as songwriters go they don't get much better than Adrianne Lenker. Through Big Thief and her solo albums Adrianne has for a number of years given us songs to fall in love to, songs to break our hearts, songs to make us appreciate life, reflect on how fragile the world is and how important it is to love and appreciate the world we live in. That said it should come as no surprise to anyone how Adrianne's latest offering Bright Future is quite simply one of the greatest albums ever recorded. The album is a collection of songs that are full of emotion, honesty, beauty and has this rawness to it that will ensure your attention does not waver for even a second whenever you are in the company of this album. The album opens with Real House, a piano led ballad that further supports the argument that Adrianne is one of the world's greatest storytellers when it comes to songwriting. This is a reflection on childhood, the first time a child cries, the first time a child realises that time is not infinite. Remembering those dreams we have as children "I wanted so much for magic to be real / So many dreams of flying" . Reflections on the love we need from our parents, the subject of the song reveals itself to be Adrianne's mother "And your love is all I want".  If you are not already crying by the time you reach the final part of the song, be prepared to have your heart broken when the ending recounts a devastating memory of the family coming together when a family pet is put to sleep. The final thing to say about Real House is how Adrianne goes from close to far away from the microphone when singing and the effect this has on the song is incredible. Sadness As A Gift opens with strings and gentle percussion that will be sure to provide you with comfort and when the vocals enter you will feel very privileged to be able to listen to this song. This song is a reflection on time passing "The seasons go so fast / Thinking this one was going to last". The piano and violin combination throughout the song is beyond words, honestly the sound these instruments make throughout this song will bring so much pleasure and joy to everyone who lets this song into their lives. Fool is a spellbinding song which will hypnotise you with the finger picking and atmospheric harmonies which enables the listener to get fully lost within the rawness and emotions of the song. Bright Future was recorded in a house in the countryside, away from technology. It captures the simple things in life, appreciating the friendships we have, and the everyday beauty in the natural world, the moon, the stars, the flowers, the birds singing. Those feelings are perfectly captured in No Machine, "Let no machine eat away our dream / Baby take my hand lets go together"  The melodies throughout this song will be sure to lift your mood and it will remind you to look up and take a moment each day to be in awe at how much love and hope can be found in the world "And everyday the moon just sails away / The moon and sun are the keepers of the weather / Don't know what I'd do without you." The theme of the natural world continues in Free Treasure as Adrianne asks us "Do you wanna go to the river / I know this spot so deep and green / With wild raspberries and apple trees and rocks to climb between.". Vampire Empire is a passionate, infectious song that will stay with you for a long time to come. Evol follows and I wanted to say this is another stand out moment in the album, but that comment could be applied to every song on Bright Future.  That said there is something truly inspiring about Evol which shows the power of language "Words backwards are lethal" how love backwards looks like Evil "Love spells Evol backwards".  Whilst your mind is being blown by the lyrical concept of this song and the power of wordplay you are then reminded of the underpinning theme of the song that is once again about heartbreak "You have my heart / I want it back". Love and heartbreak are also immortalised in Candleflame "You know I love you I can't explain / Crying over the candleflame". Already Lost gives us some gentle timeless melodies and vocals that will make you happy. The guitar playing at the start of Cell Phone sets the mood for another song that is going to sweep you off your feet. When the vocals enter you realise that sometimes all you need is a guitar, vocals and lyrics that are written from the heart to make the world a better place. Donut Seam takes on the subject of climate change "This old world is dying / Don't it seem like a good time for swimming / Before all the water disappears." Adrianne reminds us that if the world is dying make sure you allow yourself to love and have "One more kiss to last the years". The album ends with Ruined which was the first song I heard on the radio from the album and I am not lying when I say I stopped dead in my tracks. I was preparing tea (yes not very rock n roll) and these melodies, and vocals that were full of heartbreak filled the kitchen and I was fully captivated by what I was hearing  "Can't get enough of you / You come around I'm ruined".  The sounds were swirling around my head, I had that instant connection to the song, and from that moment on started the countdown to the album, which is now here. Bright Future is an album that no human being can live without.  There have been so many albums that I have loved this year but this is one that will remain high on the list of favourite albums for eternity.

In 2014 I fell in love with a debut album from Horsebeach, the album was called Alone Together and at the time I threw all sorts of superlatives at it, and suggested that Ryan Kennedy aka Horsebeach was more than worthy of carrying the torch for the great songwriters that have changed the world from the North of England. There was something undeniably Northern about the sound of Horsebeach, the melancholy, the beauty in the greyness and the poetic lyrics. I remember being obsessed at the time with the lyric "Lying here next to me / Our lips entwined hopelessly" from Dull on the debut. I stood by my word at the time of writing the review, Alone Together is an album that I have returned to a great deal over the last ten years. What I have been guilty of though is not being as obsessed with the albums that followed the debut. There is no logical explanation for this, I listened to them on release and they are all good in their own way but they did not leave the same impression on me as Alone Together. Ten years on from Alone Together Horsebeach has returned with his latest offering Things To Keep Alive which bears the most resemblance to Alone Together, which explains why I have not stopped listening to this beautiful, mesmerising album this week and no doubt will play this album a lot this year and during the years to come. A Friend By The Lake opens the album and from the moment you press play you will fall in deeply in love with the warm, soothing sounds that capture the feeling of being reunited with a long lost friend, or in my case, being reunited with a lost cat this week after nine years apart (true story for another day). The drum machine, the chiming guitars, the dreamy vocals all combine to give this album an opening song that will capture the hearts and imaginations of listeners all over the world. In The Shadow of Her follows with a wonderful mix of explosive percussion, uplifting guitars, angelic melodies and vocals that deliver every lyric with passion and belief that will leave you holding on firmly to every sound you hear. A Fault of Us completes this hat trick of songs that have opened the album and will transport everyone within earshot to an alternative world. A world full of endless possibilities, a world full of dreams that feel within reach, dreams that never end, a world full of peace and love. You may feel I am being over romantic here but music can do all of that and more which is why I give so much of my time to it. It is about how it makes the listener feel, that connection you have to the songs and I would be surprised if anyone who gives this album the time it deserves does not feel any connection to Things To Keep Alive. In describing the album Ryan talks openly about how this album is a reflection on his own mental health during the period of writing the album. The importance of recognising the things that we need to do to take care of ourselves and look after our mental health. All that and more is captured in the title song. I am sure there will be many of us out there that will relate to the lyric "I find something in caring for the things that comfort me". If it's pop music that you like (which is what we all like if we are being honest with ourselves) there is plenty of perfect pop music to be found in Things To Keep Alive. Let Me Stay Tonight is full of laid back summery vibes with keyboards driving this song and taking the listener on a beautiful journey along the coast with nothing but blue skies and sunshine guiding the way. Until You continues in a very similar way, the keyboards and percussion give the song a very uplifting radio friendly sound, yes I know the likelihood of this song getting airtime is very slim but that is not the song's fault, this is a fantastic pop song that should be played on as many radio stations as possible. The lyrics give hope and show that no matter how down you may feel comfort can be found if you surround yourself with the right people "I was buried underground /  until you came as well / the dirt aside / you have freed me from the thought that suffocating me / and I know / i'm going to work it out". Cinnamon Challenge is a deeply personal and honest song about the struggles in life, how hard it can feel to step outside and not feel like you fit in, "And I don't like / The way it feels / When I step outside and I don't fit my skin" yet despite this it is important to carry on, important to care about yourself and you can overcome the challenges that life throws at you.  All of this is crafted with some fantastic guitar riffs, melodies and hooks that will take the listener on every winding path the song throws at you. Surprisingly, well it came as a surprise to me when first hearing the album on my morning run, the album gives us a cover of Pure Shores from All Saints which unbelievably is 24 years old. I don't think anyone can deny the greatness of Pure Shores as a pop song and Horsebeach has now lovingly put this song back on our radar. This version does not venture far from the original, when a song is this great you can't blame Horsebeach for just recreating the wonder of this pop classic. Colourless follows with guitars and vocals that will make the grey skies fade and leave you gazing out at the world and seeing nothing but endless blue skies. Tradition closes the album in a way that will further reinforce the argument that, through Horsebeach, Ryan Kennedy has given the world some of the most magical, most life affirming, most endearing pop songs that have come from Manchester. Things To Keep Alive is quite simply an album you can't ignore. It has made me question myself further as to why I have not paid as much attention to the albums that followed Alone Together. The only argument as to why I let them pass me by is down to connection and feeling, I felt such a connection to Alone Together and the others didn't quite hit those ridiculously high standards. I will certainly revisit those albums and give them more time.  What I am trying to say and conclude with is how Things To Keep Alive has instantly left a mark on me, has instantly given me a connection to the album and if you haven't already done so get yourself a copy now. If you love music which has been written from the heart, music that is Northern to its core then this is the album you need in your life right now.