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As we slowly drag ourselves out of the Christmas and New Year period and into the cold, grey dark January, what better way to start the year than falling in love with a bunch of new songs, finding new artists and bands to fall in love with. January is always an exciting month for new music, there are always some big album releases to kick start the year, magazines and blogs are full of new music recommendations and ones to watch. My notebook is full of recommendations to go back to and keep an eye on over the next twelve months. Rather than start the year with an album review I thought I would turn my attention to new songs that have caught my attention and filled me with hope and optimism during these last two weeks. As with a lot of new music I am introduced to and write about I have to give thanks to Adam Walton whose introducing show on BBC Radio Wales is one of the best sources of new music in the world. Every song I am featuring below I heard on Adams first two shows in January. Beal - White Rooms Alone White Rooms Alone is the latest single from Beal, I had not heard of Beal until two weeks ago and I have not stopped listening to and thinking about this song since. If you are anything like me and you like songwriting with an element of vulnerability, honesty and heartbreak then White Rooms Alone is a song that you are going to love from the moment you press play. If you mentioned this song in the same breath as the greats such as Eliott Smith and Conor Oberst you would be well within your right to do so. The song is perfect from start to finish, the emotion within the lyrics, the singing and the instrumentation will make you stop what you are doing, the hairs on the back of your neck will stand on end and you will find yourself listening to this song over and over again and have that same rush every time you do so. https://open.spotify.com/track/5q9JrEO6hucPP4m7HBF4iC Mudmowth - Brushstrokes in Blue Mudmowth treated us to a new EP From Tree to Seed released on the 3rd January, taken from that EP is Brushstokes in Blue which is a hip hop and soul and its very best. Mudmowth is one of the greatest voices in hip hop and if you haven’t had your world blessed by the talent of this artist dive into Brushstrokes in Blue right now and I guarantee you will have a new favorite artist. Brushstrokes in Blue is a beautiful reflective song about friendships, the lives we lead, how what we go through in our younger days make us the person we are today. There are so many lyrics I could highlight from this song but the one that made me smile, and one that I could see myself in is “ Playing kerbsie till the sun came down / All the neighbours came out and started going wild / From the bounce of a ball  the echo of childhood ran through it all”. The Double Diamond Club - The Double Diamond Club Is it ridiculous of me to make a statement this early in January that The Double Diamond Club is the greatest pop song of 2025. I know I probably shouldn’t give such an accolade so early in the year but have you heard The Double Diamond Club? Seriously have you? If you haven’t do so now and tell me this is not going to be one of your favourite, if not your favourite, pop song of the year. The Double Diamond Club is a collaboration between Helen Love and John Mouse and I have made no secret of my love for both of these song writers over the year so when you combine the two together of course it is going to be a pop song for the ages. Shale - It’s Not Right If you think the era of bands is over, and there are no bands coming through then think again. Wrap your ears around It’s Not Right, the latest single from Cardiff based band Shale and you will realise there is a band out there who are ready to take over the world. In fact Shale are not the only band ready to take over the world, the media and the industry may have changed but bands are still forming, bands are still writing music that will change your world you just have to tune in, check your listings of your local venues, take the chance and trust me you will find bands like Shale doing what they have always done. It’s Not Right is soulful, beautiful pop music that is stadium ready. Get on this now!!!!! https://open.spotify.com/track/418XyOLRQ4nqcIjxThO0jE Deyah - Somewhere Over There Many of you will be familiar with Deyah who has released two albums, Care City (2020), an album that was more than deserving of winning the Welsh Music Prize Album of the Year which she followed up with Black Glamour (2022). As we welcome in 2025 it is amazing to have Deyah back with her new single Somewhere Over There, a captivating, mesmerising single that is full of beats and groves that will ensure this is a song that goes straight to your heart. This is a song that once heard you will not get it out of your head and is another one that you will return to many times throughout the year. There has not been any announcement about a new album as far as I can see, but I am sure this will not be the last we hear from Deyah in 2025. Frankie Wesson - Paper Planes Frankie Wesson is a singer songwriter from Abergavenny whose new single Paper Planes is going to send her into the mainstream. Whatever that may mean. What I am trying to say is this is a songwriter who needs to be heard by everyone in the world. And I do mean everyone. This song should be racking up millions in terms of streams, however these figures are collated these days. Basically just ignore all that, don’t think about the numbers. Listen to Paper Planes and you will find yourself reaching for the skies, this is a perfectly put together pop song, that draws you in, and then makes you feel that the world is yours for the taking.   Its anthemic, beautiful and as I mentioned with Shale and It’s Not Right, with Paper Planes Frankie Wesson has a song that is ready for the stadiums. All she needs is people to hear this wonderful song and get behind it. These are just a handful of songs I have already fallen in love with this year. If you have made it this far, hopefully you will share my enthusiasm for the songs above, be making notes in your notepad, or on your smart phones if you are more digitally minded, and reminding yourself to go back to these songs as the year progresses, see if they are playing your local venues, sign up to their mailing lists and do whatever you can to show these artists how much you appreciate what they do. Because let's face it, without people recording songs like the ones above the world would be a much sadder place.

Peter Doherty took to the stage with Max Bianco to celebrate the launch of his new album, Felt Better Alive Indie hero, Bard of Camden and Poetic Renegade, Peter Doherty’s Album ‘Felt Better Alive’ was released on the 16th May, under his own record label, Strap Originals, and to celebrate the release, Peter played some intimate shows in small venues across the country. Joined by Label Mates, Vona Vella and Fellow Musician Max Bianco, his next stop was in Nantwich. For a small town in Cheshire, where large musical events rarely happen, let alone an Indie Legend coming to play at the local town hall, this was big for the people of Nantwich and its surrounding towns. Vona Vella joined for an acoustic set, combining some originals with covers. It seemed the crowd was particularly fond of their cover of ‘Whistle for the Choir’ by The Fratelli’s. Combining melodic, angelic harmonies reminiscent of female/male duos such as Birkin and Gainsbourg, it is clear the duo is musically intertwined with each other as it was faultless, would love to see them return to Nantwich. A last-minute addition, Max Bianco, a musician and artist from Cambridge, performed a beautiful acoustic set. Having joined Peter on his most recent tour with The Libertines, it was understandable as to why he was wanted to join the lineup. As he was finishing his set, he was infact joined by Peter briefly for a final song. Peter then took to the stage, joined by Max Bianco on the bouzouki, he started his set with a new song, Felt Better Alive, sharing the name with his newest album. His set was a perfect collaboration of his finest works including Libertines classics such as ‘What Katie Did,’ ‘What A Waster’ and ‘Don’t look back into the Sun’. Whilst playing ‘Albion’, a Babyshambles classic, chants of ‘Nantwich’ started to surface, to which Doherty picked up on and not only encouraged, but joined in, much to the crowd’s pleasure. From there, other chants and shouting’s emerged, showing their enthusiasm and love for Doherty. However, as they progressed, they became less PG friendly compared to the previous… Merging, remixing, and combining songs, the crowd were constantly surprised, and cheers would be echoed across the room when a Doherty original became a Cover or a Libertines track. When I looked around the room, I saw a certain age group, ones who were teenagers or young adults in the age of the 2000’s, reliving their youth soundtracked to The Libertines and smelling of Cheap Lager and Cigarettes, all on a Monday night. Seeing Peter away from his role as spokesperson in a high-speed rock band shouting blasphemous poetry about ‘Gin’ and the ‘Albion Lifestyle’ and instead strip down his music to just him and his guitar is something truly magical and emotive. This is a man who feels passionately about his lyrics and has lived and felt everything that he writes about and uses his music as a vessel for storytelling.

“Gonna Shoot through life until I hit the grave”, has there been a greater lyric on an opening track to a debut album since Oasis opened Definitely Maybe with Rock N Roll Star with “I live my life in the city / There’s no easy way out” ? Maybe making comparisons to Definitely Maybe in my opening paragraph about Souls In Motion from Pastel is not helpful but seriously right now I am struggling to think of a better opening to an album than the one Pastel have given us with the opening track Heroes’ Blood. It has everything and more you could want, its full of confidence, swagger, inspiration and introduces us to a band and an album that is going to change your world.    You may already be familiar with Pastel as they were picked by Liam Gallagher to provide support on his Knebworth dates in 2022. They have built up a fanbase through their own gigs together with further support slots including The Twang. Pastel have previously released two EP’s so many of you will have fallen in love with this band, but there is always something special when that debut album is born. It is the time when a band feel ready to announce their intentions to the world, to let the world know it is now their time. After listening to Souls In Motion I don’t think anyone can argue that the baton has been handed over from the great bands of the past and now firmly rests in the hands of Jack, James, Aaron, Liam and Rhys to lead the way. Don’t be fooled into thinking that the era of bands is over. Pastel are here to breath new life into the essence of being in a band, to remind us that sometimes all we need is a group of friends doing what they love, and giving us an escape from the world.    Every song on this album has to be heard, every sound you hear is created from the heart and soul of the musicians behind them.Every lyric sung is done so with belief and meaning that you will have no choice but to follow this band on whatever journey they may have in store for you. Your Day is combines the bass and percussion in a way that guarantees this is a song that will be with you for a long time to come. Once again we are spoilt with lyrics that will make you feel that anything is possible, make you feel that you are good enough and can overcome any obstacles that may be in your way “Don’t sit around and hide for this is your day” Dancing On A Pin has a sound of a band at their absolute peak, its worth taking a breath to remember that this is a band at the start of their journey. This is a debut album, yet what this song and every song throughout the album highlights is that these five men are musicians who love being in each others company. Musicians who push each other and bounce off each others energy to give us songs that make us feel alive. Isaiah will melt many a heart with its lovely chiming intro. This is a beautiful, anthemic song that will sweep you off your feet with some delicate guitar work and vocals full of soul. Running on Empty is driven by those pounding drums, the song is full of energy and soon bursts into a chorus that will soon be echoing around arenas.    If you are still yet to be convinced (I would seriously question why you are not convinced), have a listen to Deeper Than Holy and try and tell me that Pastel are not a band you need in your life right now. This is an infectious song full of confidence and an arrogance that you can only get away with if you are as good as Pastel clearly are. The band have taken the best bits of The Verve, Oasis, Stone Roses and The Charlatans, Shack, Happy Mondays, proudly wearing these influences on their sleeves but are clearly more than the sum of their parts. This is not a rehash of what you have heard before, this is the sound of now. Gone Too Fast welcomes you in with a delightful drumbeat, the vocals and guitar enters and will instantly brighten your day and when the chorus arrives you will be sending as much love and gratitude as you can in the direction of Pastel. There are so many lyrics here to give you the confidence to believe in who you are “ What you want me to do / I’m not gonna change who I am / You don’t like it, well, that’s too bad, man”. As the album enters its final chapter Leave A Light On (A Velvet Storm) is a tender piano led ballad full of love and regret “And it’s true when I say that I love you / I ain’t putting it on”.  Be warned, the harmonies on this album will also make you feel emotional, you will be thinking of the friends in your life, including those you don’t see as much as you would like to and want to put your arm around the people in your life and get lost in the power of the song. Those melodic laid back vibes continue with Sunny Side which has a timeless sound to it. It's a song that will take you back to the past, a song that will remind you of people and days gone by. It's a song that you will fall in love with, it's a song that will make you smile and whoever thought to add the whistle to this song is an absolute genius. Escape brings this perfect debut album to an end. Yes I did say perfect and nothing will make me change my mind on that statement. Escape is full of sunshine and dreams that simply makes you feel glad to be alive. Souls In Motion is the album you've been waiting for, Pastel are the band the world needs to wake up to. No matter who you are, no matter how old you are, Pastel are a band who will make you feel good about yourself and make you feel glad to be alive and isn’t that exactly what the entire world needs right now.

It’s that time of year where our end of year lists have been compiled, submitted and shared. Once again I had the pleasure of submitting my top 10 for inclusion in the Applestump Records 2024 review book. If you haven’t got yourself a copy of this free yearbook yet please do so. There are inspiring words from both Thea Gilmore and Steve Cook (record shop owner).  When you combine these words with the lists that highlight the diversity of albums that have been released this year you are reminded of how despite all the challenges that artists are faced with there are an abundance of albums released every year that we all fall in love. Albums that help us get through the challenges that the world throws at us, and it is music that brings us together and helps us feel a part of something and helps us to make sense of life. When I get to the end of any year and take the time to think back, the albums I have loved, the gigs I have been to, the songs that have spoken to me I always find it hard to narrow it down to ten. The list I make is not necessarily the ten albums that I think are ‘the best’ they might be the ten albums that for one reason or another have struck a chord with me, provided comfort at the right time, gave me a door to a different universe. The point is that even though I do narrow it down to 10, there have been so many more that have given me moments of joy and for that I will always be grateful to the artists and the album format. For example, on the day that I finalised my list I could not quite squeeze Songs of a Lost World by The Cure into the top 10. How was that possible as this is without a doubt one of the most important releases of the world. I commented in my review how the album seemed to give us hope following the American election results, the album provided so much comfort during those weeks and still does now. I also couldn’t find room in my list for Tiger's Blood by Waxahatchee, My Light, My Destroyer by Cassandra Jenkins, Where’s My Utopia by Yard Act, Love Is The Call by Cast, Back to The Clubhouse by John Mouse who gave us yet another dose of creative pop music that needs to be heard by everyone. Sadness Sets Me Free by Gruff Rhys didn’t make my top 10 nor did Every Inch of Earth Pulsates by W.H. Lung, Wish on the Bone by Why Bonnie who gave us an album of perfect pop songs. Speaking of perfect pop how did I manage to leave The Last Dinner Party out of the top 10? Prelude to Ecstasy was a real moment in pop history, with a band at their absolute best. A band full of confidence and belief and anyone who doubted or questioned The Last Dinner Party should hang their heads in shame. Peanuts by Liz Lawrence, Wild God by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, When I’m Called by Jake Xerxes Fussell, One More Thing by Lime Garden, Humble As The Sun by Bob Vylan, GNX by Kendrick Lamar, All Hell by Los Campesinos, This Place Takes A Lot of Beating by Lonely Tourist and Nonetheless by Pet Shop Boys also missed out on a top 10 slot. Just writing that blows my mind. The Pet Shop Boys have been present in my life for as long as I can remember and every time I see Neil Tennant I say to my wife, “I hope I look as good as he does when I am 70”. Nonetheless is beautiful album that unites generations, A New Bohemia, and New London Boy gets me every single time. Fontaines DC were left out of my top 10 list. Whenever I talk about Fontaines I always feel the need to be completely honest and admit I did not get into this band from the start. I would hear the singles on the radio, always enjoyed what I heard but for some reason never took a deep dive into their albums. It might have been an age thing, there might have been a subconscious part of my brain saying this is a band for the new generation and I am not part of that. That led me on to having a word with myself and instead saying my twenty something self would have been obsessed with Fontaines let's find that twenty something self who has never really left me. I might be the wrong side of 45 but that should not stop me or anyone from falling in love with a band and 2024 has definitely been the year where I have fallen in love with Fontaines DC. Romance is one of those era defining albums, it is the album that sees a band take the next step up and take people with them whilst still being true to themselves. I attended the Cardiff arena gig on this tour and you could see the crowd were lapping up every sound they heard. Thinking back on the live music I have seen in the last twelve months, 2024 has been the year of getting back out there for me. The last five years definitely saw a decline in the number of gigs I went to. It was a combination of turning 40, closely followed by COVID, and having other commitments in life that resulted in less gigs. At the start of the year I made a promise to myself that 2024 would be the year I did something about that. Watching live music has always been a part of me and I made sure I reunited with that version of me these past twelve months. Met up with friends who I was not seeing so regularly. I even attended a couple of gigs on my own, which if you are sat at home thinking about whether you should go to a gig on your own stop thinking and take the step, do it, you won’t feel out of place, and you will feel alive. I recently read an article by Tracey Thorn in The New Statesman who commented on how seeing Charlie XCX didn’t make her feel young but it made her feel alive. That comment said a lot to me, and isn’t that what we all want, and what we should all be doing.  Taking steps to feel alive before our time is out. Together with Fontaines DC some of the live music I have seen this year includes Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, Half Happy, Bill Ryder-Jones, Sweet Baboo, Gruff Rhys, Slate, Ivor Woods, Paul Heaton, Georgia Ruth, Carwyn Ellis, Cast, Manic Street Preachers, Suede, Noel Gallagher, The Libertines, Nick Cave, The Big Moon, Rum Jungle, Holy Youth Movement, The National, Camera Obscura, Keane, The Lathums, Becky Hill - with my 12 year old, she goes to enough of my choices so wanted to embrace her choice and was something that I enjoyed (despite looking out of place). That is the other thing I think is great about music these days is a lot of the tribal feeling and snobbery seems to have gone out of the window. Music is there to be enjoyed by all. I also attended Green Man festival for the first time since 2017 and it instantly felt like going home after a holiday. It felt like I was being reunited with a long lost friend. There were so many highlights from Green Man; the two main ones being Big Thief, a band who have meant so much to me over the years so to get to see them headline the Mountain Stage on the Saturday night was an absolute joy. Myself and my daughter sitting on the top of the natural amphitheater setting, looking at the night sky with a beautiful full moon behind us whilst we drifted away with the magical songs of Big Thief is something that will stay with me forever. I also loved Moonchild Sanelly on the Walled Garden stage. I got my daughter down to the barrier at the front as she really wanted to see Moonchild and for the duration of the set the smiles didn’t leave either of our faces. I also went back to SWN festival this year after a few years away and again had a great time with many highlights including The Wave Pictures, Malan, Hana Lili, Melin Melyn, Philip Selway and Lanterns On The Lake. That is a selection of some of my live music adventures this year, there are some that I have left off for no particular reason other than being conscious of the reader's time. 2024 has also sadly seen two people from the music world that had a big impact on my life leave the world far too early. In August we woke up to the tragic news that Carl Bevan drummer with the 60ft Dolls passed away at the age of 51. This came as a great shock. Carl and the 60ft Dolls changed our lives, I have written before about how growing up just down the road from Newport this was our band. They spoke to us all, and made us believe that anything was possible. Carl was such a character, I had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of times in Newport and he was one of these people that just made the world a better place.   The last few years of his life were devoted to his art and if you haven’t seen it please have a look at his paintings they truly are beautiful. In November the world lost one of the greatest music journalists of a generation. James McMahon passed away aged 44 following a battle with soft tissue sarcoma (a rare form of cancer). If you read the NME in the early 2000s you would have fallen in love with the writing of James McMahon, his passion for new music and promoting new bands was second to none. Future Heads, Maximo Park and Field Music owe a lot to James. Like so many of us of a certain age James wanted to work for the NME and his drive, passion and undeniably great writing got him there. In latter years James also launched a podcast that was honest, refreshing and continued to highlight his love for music and the underdog. Carl Bevan, James McMahon neither of you will know the difference you made to my life but both of you did in a way I will never forget. Reflecting on the year, all the music that has been released, the live music I have had the pleasure of seeing, the people we have sadly lost, highlights how we all need to be grateful for everyone in the music world. Everyone who has written, recorded and released an album, released an EP, released a song because lets face it all of that is getting harder and harder to do. The live music scene changed my life, has given me so many memorable moments over the year and this year I got back in touch with that version of me and started going to gigs on a more frequent basis again and doing so made me feel alive. However putting on these gigs is a battle and people work incredibly hard to do so. I am writing this shortly after the heart breaking news of the closure of The Moon Club in Cardiff and how all of us and the Government needs to do more to protect these places. If you can, look at the listings of your local venues and just take a chance, you won’t regret it. Without these places the world would be a much poorer place, and if they continue to close due to the challenges and pressures put upon them we will have less and less places to go to. If you can buy a record, CD, a t-shirt or whatever piece of merch a band / artist is selling please do so. They need your money and support more than you may realise. If you can’t afford it, as let's face it times are hard and we have to make difficult choices, send the band / artist a message, let them know how much the music they make means to you. I am sure knowing there are people out there connecting with their music will help them. The only thing left to say is a big thankyou to anyone who has released music this year, anyone who has organised a gig, all those record shop owners, music blogs, writers, magazines that are still printed you all make the world a better place to live in. You all bring us together and make us feel part of something. Have a great Christmas and New Year and we will look forward to more music adventures to come in 2025.

Like with so many of us over the last few weeks I finally made the decision to leave the hell hole of Twitter / X (why did it take us so long?). I made the decision to give Bluesky a try and have not looked back. At the moment it seems a genuinely nice corner of the internet to be in, you can interact with people and not have to wade through all the rubbish that the algorithms chuck at you on other social media sites.   One of my first interactions was with a new band called Indigo Dream. They gave me a follow, sent a message and I was instantly drawn in and added them on my list to listen to and find out more about.    The first thing that drew me in was the name, yes I am still of the view that band names are important. It's not the be all and end all, you can still like a band but not be fussed on the name but there is still something evocative and magical about a band's name that can grab your attention from the off. The right name can lead you to form those initial impressions and for there to be a high chance you are going to like the band before you have even heard any of their music. For me, Indigo Dream was a name that did exactly that, many years ago I presented a radio show on hospital radio and the name of my show was Indigo so I have always had a love for the word (and the colour) and when you add Dream as the next word of course Indigo Dream was a band I was going to love. What I have found out is just how new this band are, reading the info on their website it states they formed in 2024 in Helsinki. The band are made up of Jamie Sarja-Lambert (Northern England), Teemu Homanen and Sauli Zinojev both native Fins, and Kin Chung (Hong Kong). Listening to their songs and seeing the photos it is clear that these four were destined to spend time in each other's company making music. Musically they compliment each other, they have created perfect music which takes the best of 90’s shoegaze and brings it up to date to sound relevant to the times we are living in now. They have recently released a new single, Bittersweet Goodbye, which in my view is a contender for single of the year. Ok, you may argue that recency bias is clouding my judgement but I would urge you to put your headphones on, close your eyes and allow yourself to get lost in the sounds you are hearing. This is a perfectly crafted pop song, that combines quiet moments with soaring, epic, uplifting moments that will make you believe that anything is possible. The songwriting both lyrically and musically on this song is exceptional.   Sounds like I am verging on marking school work here, music is not meant to be marked but honestly there is so much about this song that will leave you lost for words. Have a listen now and trust me you will be wanting to share your excitement and new found love for Indigo Dream with everyone you know. The good news is Bittersweet Goodbye is not the only music Indigo Dream have released, there was a debut self titled EP that came out in July. You can probably guess what I am going to say next, and you are right. I am head over heels in love with this five track EP. There is nothing on here that I don’t like. Waterfall is full of guitars that shimmer, melodies that will swirl around your head, drums that keep everything in perfect order and lyrics that are sung in a way that will enable you to fall into the most beautiful dream you could ever imagine and where you will want to stay for a very long time to come. Avalon continues to keep hold our attention, allows all the troubles that are happening in this world to stay firmly behind closed doors, as right now you will hopefully be enjoying the escapism that these songs offer.    Electric Dreams is pop music at its very best, don’t go thinking there aren’t exciting new bands in the world creating perfect indie pop music, there are. Indigo Dream are one of those bands and Electric Dreams is a dreamy, mesmerizing pop song that the world needs to hear. Prometheus highlights the many talents this band have, this is a cinematic piece of music that will captivate your imagination during the first half. You will be fully focused on all the sounds you hear, then when the vocals enter at the half way point and the lyrics merge with the sounds your mind may be well and truly blown. Into Overdrive closes this debut EP in a way that will leave you feeling positive, feeling like the world is yours for the taking and hopefully like me you will have a new favourite band to add to your list. A band you want to see live, a band you want to share with your friends, a band who will hopefully get the success they deserve. Add this band to your tips for 2025 and then you can sit back and feel smug and good about yourself when the rest of the world starts to take notice of Indigo dream. https://indigodream.bandcamp.com /

Eve Goodman is a singer song writer who has been on my radar for a number of years with the release of a number of beautiful singles and two EP’s Low Sun (2017) and Wave Upon Wave (2021). If you have yet to hear any of those releases please do so now and be prepared for your world to be bought to a standstill as your wrap your ears around those timeless melodies and vocals. Once you have fallen in love with those early releases you will be more than ready to dive into this perfect debut album Summer Sun, Winter Trees.  Although you don’t have to listen to the releases in chronological order, you can of course go straight to the album, then discover the previous releases but what is non negotiable is the fact that you all must listen and fall in love with the music of Eve Goodman, she truly is a generational talent that needs to be adored by everyone. Summer Sun, Winter Trees is a deeply moving album that finds Eve singing about the loss of her father to suicide. I can only imagine how hard it must have been for Eve, to lose her father in this way and I am sure everyone listening to this album will be sending a lot of empathy and love towards Eve. What Eve has done is use songwriting and music to try and make sense of this tragedy, to reflect on life and look for ways to keep going during difficult times. Eve has poured her heart and soul in to every song we hear on this album, there are times of intense vulnerability which has hopefully allowed Eve to heal whilst reflecting on what she has been through during the recording of these songs.  The album opens with the title track, an eight minute opener with some gentle finger picking guitar and melodies that will swirl around your head. As for the lyrics there are so many that we can draw upon, lyrics of love and grief, lyrics that will provide comfort for anyone who has experienced loss “I’m not ready to lose you / To a force that abused you”  Eve has captured those feelings when we lose someone and looking out at the world carrying on around us and we are not ready to be part of that just yet “The seasons change, the world is moving / Feels like a race I am losing / They carry on but I’ll sit here on my own / With winter’s son. Burn is a captivating folk song which is very gentle and soothing, there is no one listening to this who will not find themselves in a place of peace and introspection whilst listening to this song. Why? Is another incredibly powerful song. Eve’s vocals and the music combine in such an awe-inspiring way that will leave everyone hanging on to every sound you hear and not wanting this song to end. That Day is one of those special songs that needs to be heard by everyone in the world, it is songwriting at its very best. The guitar parts bring sunshine to the world, the lyrics have come from deep within Eve’s heart which must have been so hard for her to do but by doing so she has made a difference to the lives of everyone that hears this song “Yes, there are days when I think of joining you / Not in that way, not from that place / One of those days when I’m old and grey / On my final day will you give it all away? “ Pelter is the Welsh language song on the album and is one that will leave you mesmerized by the beauty of the Welsh language. You don’t have to be able to speak the language to get lost in the wonderful world this song creates for us.  Jay Feather sees Eve looking for reminders of her dad. This is again relatable to us all, we all look for things that are left behind when people leave us. Looking for places to go to to remember our loved ones and Eve has captured all of this and more in this beautiful song “When I walk alone you are the ground beneath my feet / You’re the canopy and the fallen tree / The sound of the woodpecker”. Throughout this song Eve reminds us all of the importance of slowing down, having places to retreat to and to reconnect with nature. Alive captures those feelings of being still alive, how despite tragedies life goes on. Grief is not something we ever get over we just learn to live with it.  “This is how it is / This is how I have chosen to live / My feet are moving slow / And my mind is going to where I need to go.”  Continuing to live life is also the theme in Pick Up All the Pieces “Pick up all the pieces of the life that you let go / Here it comes and here it goes / I’m getting good at letting go” . These lyrics are underpinned by some very captivating instrumentation that will certainly leave a mark on you . Quiet Revolution brings the album to a close with yet more perfect vocals, melodies and lyrics that ensure we will be reminded to come back to this album over and over again, as Eve leaves us thinking about how we may sing different songs, but we can find common ground, we share the same sky and we can continue to live and make change “It’s a quiet revolution / It’s a longing for change.   The final thing we hear on the album is the radio edit of Summer Sun, Winter Trees just to further remind us of the genius within this song, and hopefully all the radio stations will pick up on the genius of this song and get it playlisted now. My final thoughts to share about Summer Sun, Winter Trees is genuinely a big heartfelt thanks to Eve Goodman for sharing these personal songs with the world. This could not have been easy for Eve to do so but her creativity, her vulnerability, her honesty will hopefully show us all that it is ok to be vulnerable, we must not keep our feelings deeply buried within it is important to share with others. Get yourself a copy of this album now, and if you are yet to finalise your end of year charts make sure you find space to include this beautiful album.

Since its release on 1st November I have spent a lot of time with Songs Of A Lost World. I have thought about what to write and whether to write anything at all about this incredible new album by The Cure.  What can I say, and who am I to offer any sort of commentary on The Cure? What qualifies me to pass any judgement or any opinion on this? That said, given the joy that Songs Of A Lost World has given me since its arrival I felt the need to commit some of my thoughts to paper (well digital) more for my benefit and also out of respect to The Cure and out of respect to the art form of the album and how in a world of 15 second shorts, a world where our collective attention span is diminishing, maybe it is through moments like this when an album is released that is very much the anthesis of a short that will hopefully strike a chord with people, capture everyone's attention for fifty minutes and in so doing will enrich our collective lives. I have honestly lost count of the number of times I have listened to Songs Of A Lost World.  The love was there from the start, but that love continues to grow deeper and more intense with every listen. What has stayed with me every time I spend time with the album is how powerful the tracks that make up this album are. They all tell a story, they all follow each other perfectly, it truly is a majestic piece of art. I have found myself drifting away with the emotions of the album, whilst relating the themes, feelings and emotions of the album to my own life. I have been on early morning runs, evening dog walks, drives to work, and not thinking about where I am going or how I am getting there, or what is facing me in the day ahead. My thoughts are getting lost deep within the album. It is one of those albums that can make the mundane tasks in life such as washing the dishes and doing the ironing feel more exciting. Trust me, if you have an hours worth of ironing to do put your headphones on, drift away with Songs Of A Lost World and you will no longer dread a full ironing basket. The other thing that has struck a chord with me is how this album has arrived at exactly the right moment. It wasn’t planned that way, but genuinely this album is the tonic the world needs right now. A few days after the release we got the tragic results of the American Election, a result that is going to make the world a much scarier place for everyone. Songs Of A Lost World has enabled us to escape this news for a period of time, which is what we need from music. Please don’t misinterpret this, we have to stay in touch with the news now more than ever, make sure we get our news from reliable sources, and do what we can to make the world a better place but we also need moments of escape and music has always given me that. Listening to this album I have also reflected on the urge we have to compare albums especially from bands like The Cure who are without a doubt one of the most important bands ever. Why do we feel the need to make sweeping comments such as ‘greatest album since...... or greatest album ever.....’ why can’t we just live in the moment. I suppose that fits into some of my opening comments around what qualifies me to judge / give an opinion.  Whilst listening to Songs Of A Lost World I have been living in the moment, which is mainly down to the brilliance of the album, you have no choice other than to focus on what you are hearing in the here and now and not think about the past or who or what to compare this to.  If this was an album that appeared today without no history it would rightly be heralded as a great album. Does it make it one of the greatest albums The Cure have released? Probably, but lets not compare. What The Cure have done is remind us they are far from a ‘legacy band’ they are still one of our most important bands, who need to be loved, worshipped and adored. I hope this album arrives in the hands of a teenager who is hearing The Cure for the first time and goes on to have their lives changed. My intention of this article is not to write a full on review of every track, it is more about my feelings and the impact this album as a whole has had on me. It would however be neglectful of me not to mention some of the emotions that are within the album. Songs Of A Lost World deals with human emotions, thoughts, feelings and reflections on life that we all experience.  This is a deeply personal album with probably some of the most honest and personal lyrics that Robert Smith has written. Alone sets the lyrical theme to the album which sees Robert reflecting on the passing of time “We were always sure that we would stay the same / But it all stops / And we close our eyes to sleep / To dream a boy and girl / Who dream the world is nothing but a dream.”  And Nothing is Forever sees Robert wanting love and needing that love to be there right to the end “Promise you’ll be with me in the end / Say we’ll be together and that you won’t forget”.  A univeral theme that we can all relate to. Be warned, the lyrics to this song get even more emotional and you will need to reach for the tissues as Robert sings “As the memory of the first time / In the stillness of a teardrop / As you hold me for the last time / In the dying of the life” A Fragile Thing deals with regrets that we may have “I never thought I’d need to feel regret for all that I never was”.  I Can Never Say Goodbye is Robert's song about the death of his brother, Robert has mentioned how playing this song has been cathartic for him. We have all no doubt experienced loss in our lives and this song is one that will resonate with how you felt and probably still do “Something wicked this way comes / From out the cruel and treacherous night / Something wicked this way comes / To steal away my brothers life / Something wicked this way comes / I can never say goodbye”.   The final lyrics I would like to highlight are those from Endsong that are just perfect, need no explanation and are ones that will have us all reflecting on the person we once were and those hopes and dreams we had. “And I’m outside in the dark staring at the blood red moon / Remembering the hopes and dreams I had and all I had to do / And wondering what became of the boy and the world he called his own / I’m outside in the dark wondering how I got so old”. Lyrically everything you hear on Songs Of A Lost World is poetic, humbling, and quite simply from the mind of a genius. Also of course the lyrics need the music and The Cure are a collective of musicians who bounce off each other, who inspire each other, who know what each band member is going to do next and the combination of all that results in an album that will have a deeply moving effect on every one that listens. An album that will outlive us all.  An album that will be remembered and talked about until the end of time.

John Davies the genius behind John Mouse is a creative wizard whose music should by now have reached the lives of everyone who has even just a passing interest in pop music, culture and the arts. It was sometime back in the early 2000’s that John first caught my attention via the single Sundrenched Torso / Superman by his band at the time JT Mouse which was released on the legendary Cardiff based label Boobytrap records. It was around the same time that I saw JT Mouse in Cardiff Barfly, forgive me if I can’t remember the exact date but I am sure it was a gig which also featured Tommy and The Chauffer. Although I went to a lot of gigs in the Barfly at the time so may well have confused things. But one thing that instantly grabbed me and stayed with me was the presence of John, how captivating he was, how the songs were quirky indie pop music. I implore you to get a copy of JT Mouse’s only album Clusters and you too will fall in love. Also that gig was my introduction to Stephen Black who went on to release a number of life changing albums under Sweet Baboo and worked with and appeared on recordings by so many greats.    Since that introduction over twenty years ago I have followed John’s journey through his solo albums as John Mouse and The Fashion Weak. Trust me when I say every release has contained songs that will move you, songs that you will relate to, songs that will make you dance, make you cry and make you laugh. Back to The Clubhouse is John’s seventh release as John Mouse is now out there in the world and I want to instantly say this is his best yet, but that is probably recency bias kicking in and I am also mindful not to take anything away from the previous six solo albums. Listening to this album has also made me go back to previous releases and had a lot of fun rediscovering The Death of John Mouse in particular this week.   Back to The Clubhouse is an album of ten perfectly written, arranged and produced pop songs with Stephen Black back on production duties you wouldn’t expect anything else. Ok, my idea of pop music at times might be different to those that create the most played playlists or whatever the streaming services call these lists but I like to think I have a good understanding of music, how it matters to people, how pop music is this thing that is meant to make us feel something, allow us to disappear to another world, to give us lyrics that mean something to us, at times says something about the world we live in, the world we grew up in and something that soundtracks our lives. Back to The Clubhouse does all of that and more.      That’s Just The Way our Love is opens the album and instantly adds weight to my argument for John Mouse being a pop genius.  The synths are gorgeous, the vocals are mesmerizing, the song will instantly grab your attention and you will be firmly invested in the rest of the album.   The Tall Slim Member of the Magic Circle will envelope you with uplifting melodies that will make you happy. The lyrics will be sure to make you smile as John sings about flicking through different sections of the free ads. I was instantly taken back to that weekly yellow free ads paper which I used to look through and circle various items. Do the free ads still exist, or is that another thing we have lost to the internet? An Estimate shows that Recruitment Figures are Expected to be Down seems to conjure up the mundane moments of life, having to keep up with appointments, ageing, calorie counting, BMI, missing deliveries, finances, mowing the lawn, upgrading the phone, treating the indoor plants. Siop Fawr is an instrumental that will be sure to have you nodding your head, tapping your feet, drumming your fingers or if you feel brave you may find yourself jumping out of your seat and dancing without a care in the world....go on I dare you.   Back to the Clubhouse again conjures up images of dying institution. These clubhouses have played such a big part in local communities, friendships are formed, families get together, community clubs, sports clubs have a place to bring everyone together. These places have clearly played a big part in John’s life and it is great to see the Clubhouse being referenced in pop songs.    And then their phone goes honestly made me laugh out loud whilst I was walking my dog listening to the album. The observations of people on a train fishing out their phones, talking about work things, family things, Wim Hof, mindfulness and how if you find yourself sat on a train when this happens you may find yourself getting a little irritated. John gives us a great bit of advice if every you find yourself in this situation, get your book out and read aloud.     Twist Base Peacock Chair has a dark, mysterious side “are you the bad babysitter or are you the best babysitter?”.  For any avid John Mouse fans there also appears to be a throwback in this song to Robbie Savage from The Death of John Mouse which also references the death of the first Hamster Baldrick from Blackadder. Hot Car has a drum beat that will see this song become firmly embedded in your mind, the lyrics are about those people who try and use their cars to impress by going too fast, windows open and singing along. If that wasn’t enough to make you smile when the song takes inspiration from Where’s My Jumper by The Sultans of Ping there will instantly be an uplift in your mood.   Headbutting the Llama Food Dispenser captures a day out that many children growing up in the 80’s and early 90s would have had. Rubbers from the gift shop, car stickers, penguin keyrings all get a mention here. Although it is not all happy memories, there is clearly a message in this song that the subject was taken on these days out to hide something. Same Retro Clothes brings this perfect album to a perfect end. The vocals are dreamy, and when combined with the synths and all the other sounds we hear you will be left in no doubt that you are in the company of one of the worlds greats. The lyrics are sweet, tender and capture the importance of remaining in love as we get old and change, a timely reminder to love each other “I know I might have a blotchy nose, a dose of gout, same retro clothes / But give me just another chance to sit and sing the last romance with you”  Ah John, you old romantic you.     Back to the Clubhouse is an album you simply must have in your life. John Mouse has built up a loyal fanbase over the years who will already no doubt be heavily invested and deeply in love with the album. Whether this will be the moment that catapults John to the wider audience he deserves is yet to be seen. I would love nothing more for everyone all over the world to wake up and appreciate the pop songs of John Mouse, JT Mouse and The Fashion Weak but if that does not happen, I hope John remains in love with what he does, the creativity never dries up and he continues to release music for people to discover.   Back to The Clubhouse | John MOuse ( bandcamp.com )

It's that time of year where festival season is a dim and distant memory, the nights have well and truly drawn in. My morning run and dog walk takes place under the stars, and evening has well and truly set in by the time I finish work, but all is not lost.  Autumn comes with so much to look forward to, the music industry heads back indoors, the new releases step up for the next two months before slowing down again for Christmas and we get inner city festivals which showcase new music. One of these festivals which is held in Cardiff every October is the much loved and respected Swn Festival, a multi-venue festival taking place throughout the city over a weekend, bringing together hundreds of people who all come together to enjoy what Cardiff has to offer. Swn has been going since 2007 and has grown and evolved during the years to ensure that it still holds a firm place in the music industry calendar. In our time writing for AMP magazine this was a weekend we would look forward to every year and you can only imagine our excitement when we were given guest passes to the festival. Whose to say dreams don’t come true. One of the things that Swn offers is respect and trust between the music bookers and fans, it is one of those festivals where as a music fan you have 100% trust in the bookers.  You can go in to any venue on any day of the festival and find some new music to fall in love with. You can browse through the line up in the build up to have a taste of what you could be experiencing which is exactly what I have been doing this week which has led me to discover Spielmann and to fall head over heels in love with his debut EP Fifteen Minutes with Spielmann. For those of you who have yet to be introduced to Spielmann, his non performing name is Ben Lewis and is well known in the Leeds music scene. He has been in a number of bands including guitarist for Menace Beach. He is also a producer and promoter amongst the Leeds music scene. I also read that he has supported Yard Act and Kaiser Chiefs. If that is not enough to pique your interest then how about the title of his debut EP Fifteen Minutes with Spielmann which was released in May. Firstly what a great title that is! You get so much from that title, it has a very nostalgic feel to it, you know what you are going to get, you are going to set aside fifteen minutes of your busy life to discover something new and get to know the recording artist. Although having a great title for an EP would soon fall flat on its face if the music was not up to standard. Well guess what, every song on this four track EP is incredible. If you are someone who loves pop music, songs that are full of synths, hooks, melodies, uplifting moments, dreamy and passionate vocals then this is the EP for you. 10,000 hours opens the EP with some sounds that could have been lifted from the 1980’s but sound as equally as relevant and fresh today. This is not a rehash of music from another era, this is taking influences from the past and using those influences to create one of the greatest pop songs of the decade. The lyrics are very observational about how we consume our media, how we are drowning in podcasts. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good podcast but I do find myself wondering at times how many of these podcasts don’t get listened to, don’t make any difference, and whilst we are spending hours getting lost in these podcasts what are we missing out on. Just Like Everybody Else is an epic, cinematic, sweeping song that will leave you feeling ready for whatever the day has stored for you. The lyrics are ones that I certainly can relate to and I am sure I won’t be the only one. “Its a lot to find a job that pays the bill and have a side hustle that still fulfills you”.  That chorus resonated with me and sums up my relationship with writing over the years, every piece I have written over the last twenty years and more has been done as a side hustle, none of my writing has been paid pieces, it has been purely out of love for the music that I write about whilst holding down a full time job to pay the bills. Under The Weather is one of those songs that should be on every radio station, every playlist on your streaming services, ok I could have said that about every song on this EP as these songs are truly pop music at its very best. What I love about this song is the way it draws you in, keeps hold of you whilst delivering thought provoking lyrics about life and the world we live in “I wanted to live a life / To live a life / To live a life without regrets / But living’s hard when you realise / This is the best its gonna get / Is this the best it’s gonna get?”  Please note the question mark at the end of that line, it is the little things like that in songwriting that can only come from the mind of a lyrical genius. Ok yes, I used the word genius maybe some may say I am getting over excited here, but seriously could you come up with a line like that, set to a tune like this and think to ask a question at the end of the chorus. The EP closes with It’s A Lifetime which sees Spielmann reflecting on life, getting older and the changes we have to deal with “Didn’t think I’d get this old / Always knew my hair would turn thin”.  I have not had to deal with hair thinning, just a load of grey hair has been my experience in recent years. The lyrics do take a dark turn “maybe we should jack it in / Take a bunch of pills / And leave our fortune to the kids”. From doing my research for this article I am assured that Ben is ok and this song is just a take on life, growing up and how we spend our time and adapt to modern life. Of course you know what to do next. Pour yourself a drink of choice, take a seat in your favorite chair and have a listen to this awe inspiring pop music. The EP is available on all streaming services or even better head over to Bandcamp and buy the EP which was released on a limited edition coffee bag. https://spielmannsongs.bandcamp.com/merch/fifteen-minutes-with-spielmann-limited-edition-coffee-bag-ep

If I had to pick a favourite new band of 2024 the award would go to Cardiff based Half Happy. A band whose trajectory over the last eighteen months or so has been an absolute joy to watch. For those who have yet to be introduced to Half Happy please carve out time from your busy schedule and allow yourself to be swept off your feet by this wonderful band.    Half Happy are Rosalie Miller (vocals), Pete Smith (guitar), Jon Wilson (bass), and Zac Nonely (bass). They first started gaining attention towards the end of 2022 with the single Love Sweep which instantly saw the band gain attention and fans including Adam Walton on Radio Wales who has been consistently singing their praises and rightfully so. They also gained further recognition through being awarded the Welsh Music Prize’s Triskell Award 2023. Since then they have been played a number of times on Radio Wales, interviews with Huw Stephens, supported Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard in Fuel (cardiff) at the start of the year and recently another support slot on a larger stage in Tramshed (Cardiff) supporting Camera Obscura. I was lucky enough to be at both those gigs and I can honestly say that transition from small venue to a larger stage has been seamless. This is a band who deserve a big stage and the love from the masses.   That love is only going to continue to grow now their debut EP Conversation Killer is out in the world. This EP is a collection of 5 songs that will grab your attention from the start, and you will find yourself falling deeply in love with every single sound you hear. The EP opens with Sorry, a song that allows all your troubles to drift away, a song that sends you into a dreamlike state from which you might not want to return from. I love the honesty in the lyrics.   Listening to Sorry and other Half Happy songs Rosalie comes across as a lyricist who does not shy away from pouring her emotions into these songs “Worrying to worry / My favourite word is sorry”.   If ever you have felt anxious, felt slightly out of place in social situations, Sorry is a song that you will be able to relate to and in so doing let you know you are not on your own.   Well Done Honey is a song that captures those feelings we all have about having a bad day in work, thinking there has to be more to life than the daily grind, looking for escapism and selling our soul for big companies to make obscene amounts of money at the expense of the workforce.    “Feeling so stupid in a room / Full of holders of the future I desire / I will jump when you say higher / You treat them mean to keep them keen / But boy I’m running out of steam / I need to fill up my own cup”    With songs as good as this, hopefully it will only be a matter of time before Half Happy can give up the day jobs.    Bloom is a mesmerizing pop song, the synths will lift your mood, the arrangements are sublime. The way the song weaves from spoken word, drums, angelic vocals, synths, and rhythms all provide evidence to the argument that Half Happy are the greatest new pop band around right now. Seriously, call your friend now and tell them all about your new love for Half Happy. Better than that tell a stranger you bump into in the street, tell the person you buy your coffee from that if they only do one thing with their day it is to spend time listening to Half Happy.    If you are listening to the EP in order which, let's face it, why wouldn’t you then you will be about to hear the sweet, dreamy melodies of Up in Daisies. Seriously how great how these melodies? Close your eyes, think of a happy place, or better than that you don’t have to think very hard because these are melodies that will instantly transport you to a world full of joy.   As for the lyrics once again we see Rosalie pondering how part of living is about making mistakes “We all make mistakes / God knows I’ve made mine / You can’t just hide in the sun / Like nothings gone on”.  That lyric should be added to the school syllabus, teach kids it is ok to make mistakes and when we do, be honest about the mistakes and don’t hide from them.   Slow Down ends the EP with confidence and a reminder that this is an EP and a band you will not forget in a hurry. Half Happy are a band, but more important than that they are a group of friends and that friendship, that closeness comes across in Slow Down and throughout the whole EP. These are musicians who know exactly what each band member is going to do, four people who love being in each other's company and it is that closeness, that understanding of each other that has enabled them to record what is without a doubt the EP of 2024.   Conversation Killer is out now on vinyl or digital download, there are also some live dates left before the end of the year including SWN festival and a December headline show in Clwb Ifor Bach. Please do yourself a favour, get to see them now as this could well be your last chance to see them in smaller venues. This is a band who are going to continue to gain fans and hopefully take over the world.

After a summer away from writing I found myself in a position of thinking can I still write? Do I have anything to say? Do I have the time to write? Does anyone read what I write? And after what is now over twenty years of writing albeit on and off should I call it a day? Despite all those thoughts the thing that draws me back to firing the laptop up and spilling out some of these thoughts that spiral around my head is the beauty and power of music. Everyday I hear something that blows my mind, a sound, a lyric that may put an extra skip in my step. A verse that relates to how I am feeling. A chorus that brightens the darkest of days. There are an incredible amount of talented, creative people out there who despite the challenges in the music industry these days are still pushing those boundaries, creating music whilst holding down full time jobs and if I can write something to celebrate all of this and more then I feel it is worth continuing.    After three months away where do I start. There is so much I have loved but not written about. Georgia Ruth's new album together with her launch show at The Gate, the return of Los Campesinos, my return to Green Man festival after seven years away, the first time with my daughter made me remember how important this festival is to me. A summer of Cardiff Castle gigs which included Paul Heaton, Cast, The National, Big Moon and Noel Gallagher.  Camera Obscura and Half Happy at the Tramshed. The announcement of The Welsh Music Prize shortlist, the return of Oasis which quickly turned sour due to dynamic pricing.     When thinking about what to write about I kept getting drawn back to an album that was released in August. An album that I along with many others have been waiting a very long time for, an album that has soundtracked my summer, a band that have given me so much joy since around 2015 / 2016. I am of course talking about They Sound The Same Underwater, the debut album from Campfire Social. Hopefully by now you will already be deeply in love with this epic album and perfect band. If not, it is never too late. It does not matter when you discover a band, find an album to make your world a better place, as long as you let the band enter your life, find time in your busy schedule it does not have to be on the week of release. In fact They Sound The Same Underwater is an album that is perfect for all seasons, with the autumn and winter months ahead put this album on during a cold, dark morning and I guarantee the darkness will lift. Swim Swam Swum opens the album, a song that will instantly make you smile, make you look out at the world and believe that anything is possible. The combination of vocals, harmonies, guitars, percussion all come together like a force of nature and will leave you feeling at least ten times better than your were before you pressed play on this song. We Need To Talk About Peter, is a gentle song that takes the listener on a journey. Allow yourself to drift away with the guitars, let the song lead, put everything else to one-side and focus on the sounds that are filling your head. I love the way how the song builds then takes us back down with beautiful lyrics “I’m not sure how this ends / But I know just how it starts”.  Patsy Decline is next and an argument could be made for this being one of the greatest pop songs of the year. Carrie takes lead vocals on this one and this truly is a song for the ages, this is one to cherish and is another fine example of why the world needs bands like Campfire Social right now. George is a Marine Biologist opens with vocal harmonies that will melt your heart. This comes across as a song about being content with who you are, do good things with your life, be a decent human being and don’t worry about other peoples perceptions of you  “Breathe out slowly, remember where you are / Become one with your surroundings and open up your heart”.    Living is the album's centrepiece. This is a song that every single person in the world needs to hear. Honestly that is not a throwaway statement. A whole thesis could be written about the importance of this song. This is an honest, emotional, beautiful song written about the universal human experience of loss. This is a song about being with someone as they leave this world  “You looked calm as you smiled and said “I’m not afraid to die” / Put your head next to mine and said “I’m not afraid to die”.   Being aware that we are not indestructible, that life is short, that life is for living and it is the memories that we take with us, the memories that last a lifetime. Please please please listen to this song, it will strike a chord with you. We have all experienced loss in one way or another and this is a song that will help you to deal with your own loss. It is a song that you will not forget. It is a song that will make you cry whilst at the same time make you feel in love with life and the world.     Wendy follows Living and it is certainly not by chance that the songs follow in this order. In the age of streaming and playlists thankfully there are many artists out there that care about the running order of albums. Wendy is the perfect song to follow Living. This song makes you feel glad to be alive, waking up each day is a privilege, despite the challenges we all face the fact we get to step out of bed each morning, take a breath and live in this world is something we all need to be grateful for. Fans will no doubt be aware that this is a re-recording of the song that appeared on the Wellbeing EP from 2017. Clarity follows with some life affirming melodies and hooks that ensures this is a song that will instantly leave a mark. The song appears to be about friendships, growing up, what being an adult means, holding onto people in our lives when we change and go through different stages in life “Honestly, would you still be with me if I hadn’t met you when we were in school”.  Atrophy just sounds like a band having fun together in the recording studio, not all songs have to have a deep emotional meaning and story behind them. Just being around the people you love, doing what you love can be enough and Campfire Social have certainly captured that in Atrophy.   The Inevitable End opens the final chapter of the album, the gentle sounds that accompany the waves is as relaxing as its going to get. Breathe Out Slowly follows and is the perfect song to end a perfect album. Everything you know and love about Campfire Social is captured in this song. The vocal harmonies, the uplifiting melodies, the percussion that drives the song through all the twists and bends, the trumpet that will make you punch the air with joy and the lyrics that will make you stop and think “If I told you the truth I’d be leaving too / It’s as hard as the teeth you’ve been smiling through / I can’t tell if you are waving of drowning”. I’m Not Scared (I’m Terrified) is one final gem amongst this treasure trove of an album. This is a sweet, melodic song to end the album and will allow you to drift away amongst the stars and moon and feel full of love and peace and once again glad to be alive.     Campfire Social you have made us wait a long time for this album, but after spending a month listening to They Sound The Same Underwater I can say with 100 % confidence that the wait was more than worth it. This is an album that will certainly feature on my end of year list, and is one that will stay with me for the rest of my days.

“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