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“everything still worries me” is the debut album from Abbie Ozard. It is at heart “a celebration of friendships, family and relationships, all the while presenting an underlying sense of uncertainty”. When I had the opportunity to ask Abbie questions about the album I knew I had to try and ask as many questions about the creative process, the meanings behind certain songs and more importantly not only what the album means to her but what she hopes it means for fans.  Beth Ray: Hi Abbie, how are you feeling now the album release is only weeks away? Abbie: Nervous, but excited. It sounds like a really boring answer but it’s true. BR: There are lots of different themes across the whole album. What sort of messages did you want to convey? A: I think there are a lot of messages throughout the whole entire album. It’s very much a reflection of being in your twenties and there are a lot of different things going on. There are a lot of changes, transitions, a lot of things going wrong. So it’s kind of like a mismatch of all those themes but at the same time I like to think of it as a celebration of life. BR: As so many songs on the album are very self-reflecting and honest, how do you find writing such honest and at times vulnerable lyrics? A: Quite easy to be fair because I was in a very comfortable environment when I wrote it with friends and stuff so it was easy for me. Looking back it’s weird because I wrote it a year ago now so I’ve one hundred percent moved on and I’ve changed so much already in a year so it’s weird to have an album out. I feel totally different now but at least that’s kind of cemented and it’s in one place so I can be like on to the next. BR: Many of your songs such as “how you’re holding up?” and “I miss when we were just friends” tell a story throughout the song, is that how you intended for them to be? A: Yeah one hundred percent. I think a lot of the time I naturally gravitate to storytelling in lyrics anyway, because you’ve got the beginning, middle and the end. It seems more colloquial and easy and like a conversation. I really enjoy storytelling it just comes straight away. BR: “how are you holding up?” reminded me of many nights out in my early twenties, was there a particular night this song was about or just a collection? A: Erm probably a collection. I’m trying to think [Pauses] Probably about uni really. BR: Was there a Jane? (In the song “how are you holding up?” the lyrics state “and Jane asks “how are you holding up? ”) A: Jane is actually a colleague of mine at work at the cafe. She’s very much like a motherly figure and when I come in and say “I’ve got this going on and this going on” she’s like ‘I’ll come and check in”. BR: Does she know she features in the song? A:[laughing] No she doesn’t actually! I haven’t told her. She’s like a motherly work figure. BR: What was your first and last track you recorded?  A: That’s a really good question. I think one of the first tracks was “monsters” and then “the window”. [Changes mind] No actually it was “party 4 1”, that was written in lockdown. We’ve been sat on it for ages and I’ve always just loved it and all my friends love it as well. They were like “when is party 4 1 coming out?” so I was like “yeah I’m going to put it on the album”. So we’ve been through five different versions of that. I’m really happy with the one we’ve got now. I think the last one was “think for yourself” so I think it’s actually in order [of the album track list]. BR: The latest single “Miss American Dream” featuring Pixey has a really fun music video, what can you tell us about it? A: Well I was driving on the motorway and I saw this pink church in the corner of my eye and I was like “What is that?”. I texted Chaz, who I do all the videos and photographs with, she’s like my creative soulmate and I was like “Oh my god did you know there was a pink church in Sandbach?”. So we went and thought this is unreal, so we did the album shoot and then we didn’t know what it looked like inside until we were doing [it]. We said this is ridiculous, it just looks something like out of.. I dunno it’s really American. It just worked perfectly. The day was unreal, just 15 girls frolicking around in this pink church it was a dream. BR: You’re going on tour in November, what can fans expect from the tour? A: Lots of fun, I feel like our set has gotten so much better. We have all improved so much after doing support tours and festivals so we are just buzzing to have some fun and show everyone the songs. BR: Which songs are you most excited to play live from the new album? A: Party 4 1. I know [for] my guitarist Jack that’s his favourite and “everything still worries me” is his favourite so we’re really excited to play that. We’re picturing flashing lights for “party 4 1” and “everything still worries me” I love playing that live. It feels very emotional. BR: I’m also really excited for “night time” I hope that’s on the setlist. It’s really pop and upbeat. A: Yes it’s a live song! I definitely wrote that with live in mind. BR: Do you have any tour rituals? A: Do you know what? No. I forget everything, I’m like yeah I’m going to have some food, then some water and then one beer before I go on but I just get really over stimulated and end up sat in a room panicking [laughs]. BR: I’ve seen in past interviews you’ve mentioned getting a meal deal, so I just wondered have you upgraded? A: To be fair yeah we always get meal deals. We just kind of hang out in the green room really me, Jack and Luke. We just mess around. It’s kind of one of my favourite parts of touring really, just hanging out in the green room it’s my favourite. We definitely need to get some sort of ritual sorted as we always just get distracted and over stimulated. BR: So for me I find “Everything still worries me” a musical companion for any young woman navigating uneasy relationships, worries of their future, social media and societal expectations but in a fun, indie-pop way. What do you hope for fans to get from it? A: I love that. That’s bang on, that’s perfect. I think a soundtrack to my mid/early twenties and I hope it soundtracks girls and boys, everyone. Especially girls I think as there’s lots of lyrics in there that maybe the male man wouldn’t understand [giggles]. I hope it helps them and navigate it, I guess feel less alone. I know I’m biased as I’ve already said on my socials how much I love Abbie’s music even before I heard this album but let me say it one more time. “everything still worries me” is SUCH an amazing debut album and we need to protect it at all costs, as we do with all of our new and upcoming indie artists that produce such great music. The album is such a great companion to anyone experiencing their twenties or for those (who are like me) having already passed that era, want to remember the nostalgia of the uncertainty and excitement of those times. At times the album is sad and pensive but then Abbie takes you to these fun, happy, exciting and romantic memories which may turn out to be a bit messy or where we might have our feelings hurt or maybe we’re doing the hurting to other people’s feelings. She tells stories that I’m sure most people can relate to on at least one track, if not a few, with such cool melodies, guitar sounds and her soft voice oozing into your headphones. Abbie features friends in the album, her best friend Max opens up the track “Party 4 1” with him checking in on her and work colleague Jane get’s a shoutout in “how are you holding up?”. Ozard has made sure the album tells a story and is like the best friend who reassures you It’s ok to fuck up and feel like shit because she does too sometimes. It has been created with playing it live in mind so make sure you check out her tour dates here in November . I’ve ordered my vinyl with my local record shop Applestump who are doing an in-store album signing with Abbie on the 27th of August. Those who pre-order the album with them have priority access so make sure you’re quick to RSVP and buy your vinyl ! Let me know what you think of the interview below and who I should interview next! Beth x This interview was originally featured on Beth's blog, Beth Ray Writes. Read more of Beth's articles here: https://bethraywrites.com

Frank Turner has been on my mind a lot these past few months, he is an artist I have loved and respected and followed his solo career with a lot of interest. However, the reason why he has been at the forefront of my mind for the last six months is since the emotional ending of Steve Lamacq's last show of his five day a week broadcasting on 6 music. For the last link Steve talked about how, on the morning of his last five day a week show, he sat out in his back yard with a cuppa and was thinking about why, why do we do all of this? What's the meaning of it all? So many of us spend so much of our lives listening to music, searching for new bands, going to live gigs up and down the country, watching musicians in a room of a handful of people on a weeknight and what is the meaning of it all? Why do we do it? Then Steve played I Still Believe by Frank Turner as his last song and how this captures it all perfectly. The reason why we do give so much of our lives to this thing is because music gives us a purpose, it unites us, it makes us feel alive, makes us feel part of something and “who’d have thought that something as simple as rock n roll would save us all”. The message of music saving us all and giving us meaning runs through Frank's tenth solo album Undefeated. This is an album of Frank Turner doing what he does best. The album is full of defiance, being true to yourself, finding your tribe, living the life that you want to live and chasing those dreams regardless of what barriers the world may throw at you. The album has moments that will hit you full on in the face, combined with moments that will have you looking deep inside your soul, reflecting on life and feeling both inspired for the future and nostalgic for the past.   Undefeated opens with Do One which can best be described as a classic Frank Turner anthem. A call to arms, a reminder that there is only one you. Ignore the negativity and be the person you want to be “Some people just gonnna hate you / No matter what you do / Don’t waste your time trying to change their minds / Just be a better you”.   Never Mind The Back Problems is a raucous song that will be sure to make you smile. It captures the joys for musicians touring in their 40s and the importance of never giving up, finding the thing that you love in life and just continue down that road and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Ceasefire provides the album with the first tender reflective moment which sees Frank sending a message back to his 15 year old self. How as we grow older we might not be the person we wanted to be at 15 and that is ok. Life changes, dreams change we might not be who we wanted to be at that age, but there will always be a common ground with our younger selves and we must never forget that “I can’t leave you behind / You will always be on my mind”.  Girl From The Record Shop is another song that is full of fun, a tongue in cheek nod to the past. Frank’s tribute to records that he has loved over the years, and how much of Punk Rock sounds the same, everything is borrowed and stolen and we should not be ashamed of that.  Pandemic PTSD is an anthem for the times we have recently lived through. Those feelings of life being shut down, the craziness of what we had to live through and not knowing how to feel about it all “It's ok to admit that I don’t know how to feel / About the shit that we just lived through / It was kind of a big deal”. The difficulties of going back to ‘normal life’ after that “We got punched in the dick for two straight years / And we can’t move on that easily”.    Despite the difficulties in getting back out there, Frank references that we got to the point where collectively we decided to get back out there, and once again music and live experiences in particular saved us and took us out of the darkness.  Letters is a beautiful, tender reflective song about lost loves, how we lose connections with people in our lives, and the lost art of writing letters. We have a generation of people now who will never know the magic of writing and receiving letters. East Finchley is full of memories and nostalgia taking us back to a time when we had the world at our feet, adventures to be lived, thinking we can be anything we want to be, and how life may have been different if we took a different path. No Thank You For The Music is another defiant song about the importance of not gatekeeping art, the importance of being true to yourself and not being part of a gang for the sake of it.  “I don’t want to be in any gang that you are in / I refuse to take part in gatekeeping peoples art” .  The Leaders is an inspiring song about how it is up to us as people to get together to make the changes that matter, the leaders we have can’t be trusted, but the majority of people in the world are good people and it is through this social collectiveness that we can still make a difference. International Hide and Seek is a wonderful pop song about escapism “We’ve been trapped in a time of hysteria / I’ve got a hungery to do something rash”. Show People is a beautiful song about finding your tribe, feeling a part of something and how you can just look at people and feel that connection. You instantly know who the ‘Show People’ are. The touring musicians who have spent their life on the road, the people who go to random gigs on a Wednesday night and feel comfortable and happy in a room full of strangers enjoying the music. On My Way provides another raw and tender moment, this is a song full of love “When I’m with you the world can wait” and regret about being apart from loved ones “Those days apart they start to weigh / More than I can really take”  Somewhere Inbetween is a beautiful song trying to figure out who we are, who we once were, and who we want to be.  The album comes to a close with Undefeated, a piano led ballad that summarises everything the album is about. This song and album is about resilience, overcoming everything that life throws at us and the fact we are still here, we are still standing we are still undefeated is something to be celebrated, something to be proud of. Let's face it, life is hard for all of us at times and the fact that we get out of bed in the morning and are still here to tell our stories, are still here to have adventures, are still here to love, to cry, to laugh and to live life means we are all undefeated. Frank Turner thanks for reminding us of this.

The Zangwills formed in 2017, wait, what?? (as the kids like to say), this band formed seven years ago and are not selling out arenas / stadiums? How has that not happened? Following a recommendation to listen to this band from a friend who knows my musical tastes better than I know them myself sometimes, I have spent a lot of time this weekend listening to the songs The Zangwills have recorded and I keep coming back to the question, "why has the whole world not jumped on this bandwagon"? The Zangwills have released a plethora of songs that are full of confidence, full of a swagger, I have a Iife affirming belief that in another time and age the music industry would have lapped them up and there is no way it would have taken seven years to get to arena sized venues.   Please don’t get me wrong, I honestly don’t think it is all about arena sized venues, but it does anger me at times how bands who clearly have a genuine talent, a genuine love for music, a love for friendship, a love for spending time in the company of each other creating music and don’t always get the credit they deserve. The Zangwills clearly deserve every positive comment that comes their way.    I myself, someone who spends a huge amount of my life listening to new music, have not come across The Zangwills until the moment an email arrived in my inbox towards the end of May 2024 asking for my views on this band. Well my views are quite simple, it was love at first listen, and regret as to how it has taken seven years for this band to arrive in my ears and enrich my life.      Reading the band's bio there are plenty who have had their lives improved by spending time in the company of Adam Spence (Drums), Jake Vickers (Vocals, Guitar, Synth), Ed Dowling (Bass), Sam Davies (Guitar). The Zangwills have supported Yungblud, The Lottery Winners and The Charlatans; headlined Telfords Warehouse (Chester), Manchester Club Academy and Academy 3, The Grace (London), Sidney & Matilda (Sheffield) and Hyde Park Book Club (Leeds). They have appeared at several festivals including Focus Wales, Dot 2 Dot, Sound City, Rivfest and Wychwood. This is a band who clearly love playing live, and have a mutual respect and love towards those that come to see them. You only have to look at some of the photos to see the crowds they pull in, you can’t rely on social media to generate love, you only get that by hitting the road, playing your songs to the masses and The Zangwills have clearly been working hard at doing that over recent years.   If you have been following this band for a while hopefully you are reading this and nodding along with approval. If you are new to the band please don’t waste a minute longer there are two EP’s available, the debut four track EP from 2018 It’s Really Up to You which opens with Patio Paradise a funky, upbeat song that instantly gets under your skin and makes you want to get up and of your seat, leave your house and grab life by the scruff of the neck. Inside my Head is an anthemic guitar based indie anthem that in a different time would have been a number 1 single. Seriously how did this song pass so many of us by? It has a chorus, and guitar riffs that will instantly elevate your mood. As for the other two songs on this EP The Horrors of Sobriety and Lipstick River, I am sure it will come as no surprise to anyone that has got this far in this feature to hear that I am head over heels in love with both these songs and in fact every song I have had the pleasure to hear from The Zangwills over the last two days.   The second EP In Amongst The Glitter which was released in 2019 is another four songs that will make you feel glad to be alive. Judas on the Dancefloor will make you feel ten feet tall.  Painting by Numbers is a wonderful collision of sounds that you need to share with a group of friends on a Saturday night. Spielberg Sweethearts, a perfect indie pop song where every lyric that is sung and every sound that is created is done so from the heart. There is absolutely nothing fake about this band. 212 closes the EP in a way that further cements the fact that this is a group of mates who are happy in each others company, seem to instantly know what each other is going to do and the result of that being amazing indie songs that make the world a better place.   Together with the two EP’s the band have also released several singles including Could I which came out in 2020 and appears to have been born in those lockdown years. This is a song that makes you long to be in a crowd. Be surrounded by like-minded people, having those shared experiences that we all lost during those years. We all remember a time with no gigs and we are all hungrier than we have ever been to have gigs to go to, moments that allow us to escape from the troubles in the world. Could I is one of those songs that allows us to do just that.     The most recent single the band have released is Walking on a Wire which came out in 2023 and is once again another perfect single. The synths that open and swirl around the song will be sure to brighten up your day. This song should be on radio playlists all over the world.  Honestly, Walking on a Wire is pop music at its very very best.   The biggest thing to take from all of this is its never too late.  If you are new to The Zangwills you are being introduced at exactly the right time, they have recently announced a tour for November and what I am sure will be a very special gig in Nantwich in September. Don’t miss out, get your tickets now and I am sure you will have a night to remember.

Prepared is the first solo album from Laura J Martin since 2016’s the Never Never, an album that received critical acclaim and one that fans all over the world fell in love with. Since that time Laura has collaborated with Lavania Blackwall (Trembling Bells) as Wyndow, returned to her home city of Liverpool and had the opportunity to take out an apprenticeship with flute legend Willy Simmons. Laura has spoken about this opportunity and the impact it has had on her creatively, providing her with the time to stop, think, engage her brain and learn how the instrument is put together.  That feeling of being patient is instantly transferred to the title track that opens the album.   Prepared eases us in with a lovely, soothing instrumentation which gives the listener no choice but to stop what they are doing and give this album the time and attention it deserves. When the vocal enters the mix during the opening song you will instantly be glad you stopped what you were doing. There are so many distractions in life these days, we all need to carve out more time to stop, be present in the moment and enjoy what it is we are doing. Prepared is one of those albums that will help us be truly present and appreciate everything we hear and feel whilst in its company.   After the gentle opening song, Counting Time comes next with an uplifting cheerful melody that will put a smile on your face and an extra skip in your step. This is one of those many magical songs that Laura creates which manages to push the dark clouds away, and leaves you hopeful for better days to soon arrive. The uplifting pop sensibilities continue with Living on the Wall which is a memorable duet with producer Iwan Morgan. Listening to this song you will be hard pushed to think of a better vocal combination than Laura and Iwan, their voices sound like they were put on this earth to be recorded together. If that wasn’t enough, the sounds that you hear throughout this song including piano, flute and drums will lift you out of your seat and transport you to a world full of beautiful colours, sounds where dreams come true.  A Better Story is as comforting as a piece of music can get. The vocals and sounds will wrap themselves around you and in so doing feels like the biggest, warmest hug you have ever received in your life. The song has a very nostalgic and wistful feel to it and will be one that I am sure you will return to on many occasions throughout your life. Three Days is a fascinating song about how we all share this planet and time together yet so many of us live in different worlds, live in different time patterns, our paths cross yet our day to day lives are so different.  The song takes the subject of a shift worker, and the unsocial hours they work “Three days on and Two days off / Three days gone and two days lost”.  Outside at Night continues the theme of separation, the characters we see every day, on the bus, walking past in the street, in the shops, we’ve all got places to go, different things on our mind and we never truly know what’s going on in that person's world. Laura took inspiration for this song from travelling on the 86 bus in Liverpool, and turned these thoughts into a fascinating, hypnotic song that so many of us will be able to relate to. Dials is next and like with so many songs on this album you will honestly get lost in the soul of this song. The vocals and music all combine to create in a magical way that will hold your attention throughout. I love the way Laura delivers her vocals in a very quizzical manner, there is a very strong question mark when Laura sings the Dials? Magic Mornings has that feeling of escapism, looking out at the world at the start of the day and feeling that anything is possible. I am someone who loves the start of the day before the rest of the world has woken up and wondering what is going to happen today. Magic Mornings is the perfect soundtrack for all the early morning people out there.    Open Door closes this perfect album in a perfect way. We have the wistful nostalgic feel combined with thoughts for the future. “Where life once were in the younger days”.   The swirling sounds created by the instruments towards the end of the song is something you can’t live your life without hearing. Trust me these are musicians who clearly care about the art they create and the least you can do is give up a small portion of your time to listen and appreciate the music that has been created.  For eleven years now since the release of The Hangman Tree, Laura J Martin has given us so much music to fall in love with, so many songs to be inspired by, albums which feel like a time machine and can take us to the past and to a future where the world is full of joy and love. Prepared has once again done all of that and more. Laura J Martin you honestly are one of life’s greats and everyone needs to get a copy of this album right now.

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 - 28th May 2024 Maximo Park - Your Own Worst Enemy The Decemberists - Burial Ground Elbow - Balu Travis - Gaslight Swim Deep - First Song Richard Hawley - Two For His Heels Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan - Rapid Transport Links Kiasmos - Burst Haxan Cloak - Raven's Lament Oasis - Cigarettes and Alcohol Babyshambles - Killamangiro Gaz Coombs - The Girl Who Fell To Earth Badly Drawn Boy - Something To Talk About Sharon Van Etten - Afraid of Nothing Race Horses - Old and New

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

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