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Peter Hook & The Light: ‘Get Ready’ live @ O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester
Salfordian figurehead flaunts tricks new and old

Few musicians of the Greater Manchester ilk can boast as many strings to their bow as Peter Hook. Having cultivated a reputation as one of the best bassists of the post-punk movement with Joy Division, Hook further honed his artistry as a member of New Order, Monaco and Revenge. At the age of 69 years old, Hook, accompanied by his session band The Light, is continuing to tackle material from his illustrious back catalogue. On his latest homecoming victory lap of Manchester, Hook wields ‘Get Ready’, the 12th studio album by New Order, in its glorious entirety.

The red brick walls of the O2 Victoria Warehouse are awash with hues of deep blue as Hook and company conduct the shifting choruses of ‘Crystal’. Hook’s deep-set growl suits the material refreshingly well in place of New Order frontman Bernard Sumner, particularly during a feisty, punked-up rendition of ‘Rock The Shack’. Joining Hook on vocal duty and guitar is former Monaco bandmate David Potts, who resumes responsibility for the slow burning ballad ‘Run Wild’. The Light is further comprised of bassist Jack Bates, who handles his instrument with a striking semblance to his father centre stage. Hook can rarely quell his beaming pride, the pair sharing a heartfelt embrace as the first act of the evening draws to a close with ‘Here To Stay’.

Following a brief intermission, Hook dryly addresses the crowd; “Thank you for letting me indulge myself,” he remarks with a wink. The set pivots towards an archive of Joy Division’s finest works, Hook relishing in the opportunity to revisit buried rarities ‘Warsaw’ and ‘Heart & Soul’. There’s an unshakeable macabreness to the collection, each item delivered with haunting ferocity in ode to the talismanic Ian Curtis. ‘Atmosphere’ and ‘Ceremony’ serve as sombering tributes 45 years after Curtis’ untimely passing.

Leaving no stone on his career path unturned, Hook relentlessly recites personal and fan favourites. A jaunty arrangement of Monaco’s ‘What Do You Want From Me?’ spurs a mass singalong, as does the breezy chorus of New Order’s ‘Regret’. Feet stomp and necks sway in reception to the dreamy ‘True Faith’, harkening back to dancefloors of decades gone by. Hook lumbers about the stage with exuberance, splitting his legs and lowering his bass guitar to knee height, knowingly casting a striking silhouette.

In fitting testament, Peter Hook & The Light pull the curtain with two of Manchester’s most beloved and quintessential anthems. ‘Blue Monday’ pulsates and thumps for seven blissful minutes before giving way to the euphoric chimes of ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’. After three hours Hook shows few signs of fatigue, tearing through the closing number before coyly removing his shirt and tossing it to the audience. Echoes of his accomplishments ring out long after he and the band have left the stage. Tonight’s eclectic showcase is proof that an old dog can flaunt new tricks, even when the oldest in the book often make for the most compelling.

REVIEW: ‘Despair Will Make Me A Modern Man’ by Permanent (Joy)

A powerful statement of intent by a band finally having made peace with their identity.

Emerging as righteous successors to viral indie sensation Blondes, Permanent (Joy) have undertaken a dramatic reinvention with the release of ‘Despair Will Make Me A Modern Man’. Trading sugar sweet guitar sensibility for dashes of grunge and alternative rock, ‘Despair Will Make Me A Modern Man’ signals a marked departure from the band’s previous incarnation.

If Blondes’ 2023 EP ‘In Separation’ was an overly saturated digital photograph, Permanent (Joy)’s new direction is reminiscent of a panchromatic portrait taken on a film camera. Lead single ‘Josephine’ emanates a tangible maturity, reproaching Catholic guilt and self loathing; it’s these considered motifs that sets apart the ethos of Permanent (Joy) from the adolescent naivety of the band’s early works as Blondes. This isn’t to say that Permanent (Joy) have forgotten their flair for internet virality; the shimmering guitar hooks of ‘I Wanna Go Home’ and ‘Save My Life’ lend the pair well to the clutches of social media.

There’s an echo of Peter Hook in the shuffling bassline of ‘Sometimes’. The track slinks along dutifully before breaking into an anthemic chorus that begs for an audience singalong. ‘Despair Will Make Me A Modern Man’ boasts a healthily balanced tempo; the poignancy of ‘Aeroplane’ hits all the harder for reigning in the pace. “Show me how to love you more” implores vocalist Alex Davison atop a languid guitar solo.

Closing statement ‘Untitled’ sees Permanent (Joy) find their true footing. Gone are the gleeful melodies and careening guitar riffs, replaced by a surrealist spoken word passage drenched in a delicate ambient instrumentation. In its final moments, ‘Untitled’ reaches a cathartic crescendo, a triumphant roll of the credits that promises the best of the band is still to come. ‘Despair Will Make Me A Modern Man’ is a powerful statement of intent by Permanent (Joy), finally having made peace with their identity.

'Despair Will Make Me A Modern Man' is released on March 7th

LIVE REVIEW: Wunderhorse at Liverpool O2 Academy
An unrelenting, generational talent champing at the bit

Few bands have the ability to take a room of a thousand rowdy Scousers and command their undivided attention for over an hour of live music. To the city that birthed Beatlemania it might seem an impossible task for up and coming acts to make a name for themselves amongst the likes of McCartney and company. And yet, as frontman Jacob Slater takes to the Liverpool O2 Academy stage wielding his iconic Fender guitar, there’s a palpable feeling in the air that Wunderhorse might just be a generational talent.

There’s a single word spoken by Slater that sends the room into instantaneous rapture. “Midas,” he snarls, the name of tonight’s opening number, a jumble of four chords being thrashed in a furious barrage. The title track and lead single of Wunderhorse’s recently released sophomore album, Midas puts a match to the fuse, the crowd exploding in a fit of sprawling bodies. Slater executes the choruses with glee, revelling in the opportunity to ad lib the lyrics and launch himself enthusiastically about the stage.

The setlist favours the recent works of Wunderhorse, with the Midas tracklist played in full all bar the exclusion of one song. Arriving early in the evening, Emily is greeted with a hushed reverence by the audience, its mechanical verses receding to a haunting refrain. Drummer Jamie Staples fills the tender pockets with gargantuan symbol crashes and industrial style fills. Slater and Staples share a moment whilst ripping into the opening of Cathedrals, face to face with one another like predators before a bout.

Long term fans of Wunderhorse are rewarded with a handful of picks from the band’s debut album Cub. Following an avant garde, impromptu cover of Tom Waits’ Romeo Is Bleeding, the four piece deploy Leader Of The Pack, a bluesy Americana infusion taking a not so veiled stab at the sleazy underbelly of the music industry. Bassist Pete Woodin excels during a mammoth rendition of Girl Behind The Glass, playfully teasing the audience with the intro tab like an engine sputtering before roaring into life.

Each passage of the show invokes a raw wave of emotion; from Slater’s anguished pleading during Arizona to the epic rush of euphoria in the opening riffs of Butterflies. Aeroplane arrives as a cathartic respite midway through the set, with guitarist Harry Fowler performing a blissful solo atop Staples’ languid backbeat. It’s a brief moment of reprieve before the amps are cranked back up to eleven for ensuing cuts Purple and Rain, the latter number sparking raucous amongst the audience during which the performers slink off stage.

There’s a sense of unfinished business when the quartet come back from behind the curtain following desperate calls for an encore. The rhythmic chimes of Teal illuminate the room to a wild reception, the crowd readying themselves to bellow every word of Wunderhorse’s most emotive hit. The euphoric singalong is quashed by the seething rage of July, a song so violent in nature it makes Nirvana sound comparatively like nursery rhyme. Slater stands awash with strobe as he roars one final lament.

Beyond the departure of the band to confinement backstage, there’s an unrelenting buzz that spills onto the streets of Liverpool. Wunderhorse have created a habit of causing a cacophonous stir that cannot be ignored, amassing sell out hoards of fans across the UK. With a tour of America on the horizon and a momentum that refuses to show any signs of slowing, the mantle of Britain’s next best guitar act looks to have been passed on to four white-knuckled musicians still champing at the bit.

Photo by Dylan Cox

INTERVIEW: Wunderhorse
"When you're on stage there should be no holds barred..."

Two years on from the release of their cult acclaimed debut album, Wunderhorse have returned to the fore with a gritty, white knuckled sophomore record, 'Midas'. Conceived at Pachydern Studios under the watchful eye of producer Craig Silvey, the new collection of songs ache with a brutal, industrial sound. Wunderhorse frontman Jacob Slater discusses the making of 'Midas', staying mindful whilst on tour and his fondness for vintage toys.

For the new album ‘Midas’ how did you decide on the visual aesthetics, such as the sleeve artwork and music videos?

When we finished the record and looked back at it lyrically and musically in a way too, there seemed to be these themes of things that had been discarded or forgotten, things that were broken. I’ve always liked old vintage toys; they have a certain sort of atmosphere to them especially when you get them all together. They kind of look at you funny, it’s weird. I’ve always wanted to do something with them, so it seemed like a perfect opportunity to marry the two worlds.

In terms of being in the recording studio, how did you give ‘Midas’ a distinctive sonic texture compared to your previous album?

The equipment had a bit to do with it, but I think it was more the approach really. When ‘Cub’ was done it was the first record and you’re learning as you go. It was quite safe, quite normal production which isn’t really what I listen to. All the old records I like to listen to are all over the place in a lot of ways. It’s very raw. But that’s the charm I get from those records, so we wanted to do that (with ‘Midas’). We played all in the same room. Nothing was isolated, everything was live. We tried to get things in the first two or three takes, most of the songs we got in the first few takes. There’s a vitality to it which you can’t really get if you overthink it and overplay it. Also, a lot of the songs were written in the studio, so they were very fresh.

As mentioned, all of the songs from ‘Midas’ were recorded as live takes. Did this approach from producer Craig Silvey frustrate the band at times?

We were pretty onboard with him (Silvey). I think that we figured out he was for real pretty early on. He meant business and would be honest with us. You have to be in with someone who tells you when you’re doing something shit or when something’s not good because then you know where you stand, and you waste less time. If you’re in with someone who says everything’s great, then you’re going to make a rubbish record. There was a certain amount of trust there from the get-go. It was frustrating at times only when we thought we were right. But he was right pretty much without exception. That was a bit annoying, but we sort of quite quickly got used to the fact that that was going to be the way it was.

Was there a song whilst recording the album that stands out as being really hard to get right in the studio?

Silver was tricky. It was the one we had to do a few times, mainly to get that tempo right because it’s a very circular song. It goes round and round and the instrumentation and the vocals changed. We had to get that sitting in the right place which was quite a fine balance. I’d say that was probably the trickiest one to get done.

There’s mentions of recurring names throughout ‘Midas’, taking the album track ‘Emily’ for example. Would you say that the album is autobiographical, are these songs personal stories?

Some of them are. ‘Cub’ was a lot more personal; it was all real stuff that happened. ‘Midas’ has elements of that but there’s a partial departure. There’s more abstract songs like ‘Rain’ and ‘Midas’ (title track). ‘Silver’ is obviously quite personal, ‘Arizona’ is a true story, ‘Emily’ is a real person, but I wanted to move away from that at least partially. I feel like you have to try and switch a few things up with each record and try and do things differently. It’s a mixture really.

Album closer ‘Aeroplane’ lasts for almost 9 minutes; how did you write and record a song of that scale?

Weirdly that was written three or four days into the session. I wrote it in the morning and then (guitarist) Harry came over and just started playing along, put his part on it, then the other guys did as well. We were all just sat round the drum kit in the live room; everything’s live except for the guitar solo at the end, that was overdubbed, but the main body of the song we were all just sat round the drum kit just playing it. It was written very, very quickly and we didn’t know how to end it. There’s this outro where the song goes to a minor chord on the last chorus, and we just kept playing it, I think it was the second take that we got it in. It was (drummer) Jamie’s idea to do this fadeout but we actually played the fadeout, that’s not been done on the desk. We actually played quieter and quieter until it disappeared which I thought really suited the song. The whole second half of that song was kind of just a jam really.

With a tour on the way and two albums to choose from, how will you decide what songs to put on the setlist?

We always just want to play all the new stuff! Obviously, it’s not always going to go down well with everyone, but we have to keep ourselves happy out there and keep it interesting for us. We don’t want it to become too rehearsed. We’ll definitely be playing some of the old ‘Cub’ tunes as well as a lot of the new record.

Of what you’ve played live from the new album, which songs in your opinion have gone down the best amongst audiences?

There’s a few. ‘Rain’ seems to go down really well. People seem to like ‘Midas’ a lot. If it’s the right night, we’ll play ‘Superman’ and that really connects. We’ll usually put ‘Superman’ on the setlist with a question mark by it; if it gets to the end of the set and it feels like the right environment (we play it). If it’s one of those gigs where people just want to lose it and jump around then we probably won’t do it. If it’s a bit more of an engaged but quieter audience, then we might do it. It’s really dependent.

What is your personal favourite Wunderhorse song to play live?

I really like playing ‘Rain’ at the moment. It’s the fastest song we do and it’s a good one to do especially if you’ve been cooped up in a tour bus all day.

Anyone who’s seen Wunderhorse play will know about the intensity of your performances. How do you prepare as a band to avoid fatigue and burnout whilst on tour?

You’ve got to look out for each other. You learn the little things in each other's ways of behaviour that indicate that something’s good or something’s bad. There’s a weird chemistry that you develop when you’re on tour. I think the thing is that people say you have to stay really healthy on tour, and that is kind of true. It’s good to look after yourself but if you do that too much it starts to become all the things you’ve tried to get away from. You have to mix it up and keep things a little unpredictable. You need to have some fun out there; you’re living the dream really. You don’t want to jeopardise it but at the same time you can’t take it (touring) so seriously that you sap the life out of it.

Having extensively toured the UK, are there particular cities that you enjoy visiting?

It’s always good playing the North of England and Ireland, they’re always cool. The Southern cities can be good too, sometimes they can be a little bit quiet, they don’t want to admit that they’re having a good time, it’s strange. Actually, the London crowds have been getting better the past few times we’ve played. It’s been a nice surprise. But I just like playing in the North, people seem to be really up for it there; they’re really hungry for it.

Wunderhorse has found success through supporting bands such as Fontaines D.C. and Pixies. What piece of advice would you give to the bands supporting yourselves?

Try and blow us off stage every night, that’s what I’d say. That’s what you should be doing as a support band. Obviously when you’re on tour with another band don’t try and do that when you’re not on stage, it’s nicer if everyone can get along. But when you’re on stage there should be no holes barred, you should be trying to blow that headline band off the stage. Even if you know that’s never going to happen because the band you’re supporting is really great, that should always be your aim, that people are going to walk out remembering who you are.

What releases by other bands are you excited for this year?

The new Fontaines record that’s on the way, I’m looking forward to hearing that. There’s a band called Sorry who are quite unpredictable, you never know what they’re going to do next. Honestly I’m not that clued in with stuff, a lot of the music I listen to is quite old hat. It’s probably deeply uncool but that’s just what I like. None of those guys are going to release any more music because most of them are dead.

Now that Wunderhorse has become fully realised on the second album, where do you see the band going from here?

Hopefully onwards and upwards. You definitely don’t want to go backwards. I like that I don’t know where we’re going to go, especially musically and creatively. The minute you know what you’re going to do next before you do it you’re getting into murky water. It’s good to not know, you’ll surprise yourself and hopefully take things in a new direction.

'Midas' is out now on Communion Music

REVIEW: 'Midas' by Wunderhorse
‘Album number two is a gritty, white-knuckled confessional'

Wunderhorse, the brainchild of Jacob Slater, released their acclaimed debut album ‘Cub’ in 2022, achieving the band status as a cult favourite. Rebranded and rejuvenated as a four-piece lineup, Wunderhorse’s second album ‘Midas’ is a gritty, white-knuckled confessional, detailing Slater’s torrid experience with addiction and abuse in his early twenties.

There’s an undeniable fiery energy that’s incessant throughout the course of ‘Midas’, establishing a recognisable doggedness that is familiar across the album. Title track and lead single ‘Midas’ was recorded as a live take by producer Craig Silvey, a jumble of thrashing guitar chords and mumbling vocals. The result is a rawness that sets album number two apart from the relative intricacy and sheen of ‘Cub’.

Ensuing tracks ‘Rain’ and ‘Emily’ proceed with similar coarseness. Guitarist Harry Fowler is vigorously put through his paces, each track ending with the sound of an amp being switched off or an instrument being unplugged. ‘Midas’ generates an industrial feel, a palpable sense of the graft that the band have poured into the making of the album.

Slater pulls few punches with his lyricism, a man who has quickly garnered a reputation for wearing his heart on his sleeve. Explosive single ‘July’ speculatively recalls an apparent drug overdose, with the frontman repeatedly pleading “I’m ready to die”. Degrees of addiction are ever-present in ‘Midas’, sitting with the listener like an omnipresent character throughout the album. There’s an unnerving feeling that Slater is purging himself of the demons of his past during the cathartic crescendo of ‘Superman’.

A motif of possession also runs rampant within ‘Midas’, chillingly apparent for the one-two punch of ‘Silver’ and ‘Arizona’. During the chorus of the former, Slater confesses to having broken the wings of a bird so that it can’t fly away from him, a veiled allegory for the upkeep of an abusive relationship. In the moody and atmospheric ‘Arizona’, he begs the question “Where did you go to my love?”. There’s a gut-wrenching conclusion to the narrative as Slater insists “I never meant to hurt you,” “I’m sorry if you suffered”.

For all its intensity and discomfort, the heart of ‘Midas’ beats with a quiet optimism that Wunderhorse have previously distanced themselves from. ‘Girl’ ambles merrily with a spritely energy orchestrated by drummer Jamie Staples. There’s a bewitching charm to the simplicity of ‘Cathedrals’, scarcely deviating from the same two chords but brimming with an infectious energy.

‘Midas’ closes with ‘Aeroplane’, a behemoth nine-minute-long acoustic ballad that shares sonic parallels with Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. Fowler’s bluesy improvised solo dovetails pleasantly with the meandering bassline of Peter Woodin and the gentle percussion played by Staples. Slater finds himself at his most relaxed and tentative, true testament to the newly kindled fellowship between the four musicians.

With their second album ‘Midas’, Wunderhorse have well and truly swept away the lonesome moniker and anxiety of Jacob Slater’s solo career, blossoming into one of the most outspoken and genre-defining bands of their generation. ‘Midas’ will bring listeners to their knees before picking them back up, brushing them down and sending them on their way.

‘Midas’ is released on August 30th

REVIEW: 'Romance' by Fontaines D.C.
'The Irish quintet's serialist fourth album is their crowning jewel'

Clad in neon nylon tracksuits and wraparound 2000s era sunglasses, Irish post-punk band Fontaines D.C. are demanding of attention on their fourth studio album 'Romance'. Released to XL Recordings on August 23^rd, 'Romance' marks a colourful reinvention for the dogged five piece.

A far cry from the scuzzy guitar tones of Fontaines' 2022 album 'Skinty Fia', the title track of 'Romance' bristles with a sinister, eerie energy. Grian Chatten delivers his lines as if through gritted teeth, dodging explosive electronic outbursts that detonate like bombs. There’s a recurring horror inspired motif that convulses throughout the album, most fiercely in the supernatural inspired music video accompanying the skitzy 'Here’s The Thing'.

The Dublin born band continue to push their artistic boundaries on the melodic doomsday anthem 'In The Modern World', an arrangement that wouldn’t be far amiss alongside the opening scroll of a James Bond film. There’s also hints of Nu Metal, most prevalently in lead single 'Starbusrter'. Inspired by a panic attack suffered by frontman Chatten, the senseless and paranoid lyrics marry with the colossal, mechanical instrumentation, a jagged Frankenstein of delicate keys, urgent analogue synths, and abrasive guitar.

In fear of abandoning their roots in guitar sensibility, the track list deviates to include the aggressive and aptly named 'Death Kink'. The penultimate cut of the album opens with crunching rhythm guitar that builds to an enraged crescendo: "I made a promise, and I killed it, shit, shit, shit!" On 'Romance' Grian Chatten personifies the tortured poet caricature, communicating a tangible ache through his cleverly penned lyrics and mithered vocal delivery.

For all its fear and itching anxiety, 'Romance' strikes a heartwarming optimistic chord with album closer 'Favourite'. Fluttering with an acoustic rhythm that invokes memories of The Cure, 'Favourite' is an ode to the universal human experience. Uplifting but inexplicably tear-jerking, there’s a strong sensation that this bookend may well stake a claim as an all-time classic.

A band who has found their place in the world and dug their heels in, 'Romance' encapsulates the indomitable rise of Fontaines D.C. as one of the modern greats. Beneath the zany Y2K armour there’s a kinship of Irish craftsmen waiting to take the pop culture throne; 'Romance' is Fontaines’ crowning jewel.

'Romance' is released on August 23rd

Dinner with Heather Baron-Gracie

The Pale Waves singer reveals who she'd share a table with

Following the band’s formidable main stage performance at Kendal Calling, I chatted to Pale Wave’s Heather Baron-Gracie about which musicians she’d like to break bread with.

Hi Heather! If you were to go on a dinner date with five musical icons, who would you choose?

Oh my god! Dolores from the Cranberries. She’s so unique as an artist and her voice isn’t the natural voice. It’s so unique and she just lets it do whatever she wants. I really appreciate that.

Robert Smith from The Cure! Just because it’s Robert Smith and he’s amazing.

Abra Moore. Not a lot of people know about her but she’s iconic, she was big in the 90s.

Avril Lavigne because she was a childhood hero, but they say you should never meet your childhood heroes… I don’t know!

Last one, I would go with Jeff Buckley.

Pale Waves new single 'Glasgow' is out now

INTERVIEW: Libby Reed
Stars, Stripes and CD collections

“I love singing and writing more than anything in the world,” says singer-songwriter Libby Reed. “Life would feel so dull and partial without it”. She’s speaking to me from the State University of New York where she studies as a Music Industry major. Executing a delicate balancing act between her full-time studies and budding music career, 19 year old Reed is poised for the release of her debut studio album Lucky Star in April 2024.

Libby Reed was born in Albany, New York, before moving to her hometown of Syracuse. As a child, she quickly developed a keen interest for the arts alongside her sister and cousins. “My sister Emma and I were super creative and eccentric as kids,” she recalls. “Me, my sister and our cousins always put on shows for my family - we loved dressing up!”. “Emma got a video camera for Christmas one year and we started filming videos together, which quickly moved to videos of me singing”. Reed was encouraged to take up piano lessons whilst attending kindergarten and learned how to play the ukulele at middle school. Reed’s multi-instrumental arsenal also includes teaching herself how to play guitar. “I’ve dipped my toes into learning bass guitar and drums in one of my courses at school,” she tells me of her studies at the State University of New York.

Reed owes her lo-fi influenced aesthetic to the A-list icons of the 2010s. As a child she was an admirer of big name pop stars such as Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus and One Direction. “My favourite musician is Ariana Grande,” she tells me. “I have learned a lot from listening to her music religiously”. “We definitely do not have the same range or vocal abilities but I’ve picked up how to create harmonies and backing vocals from her”. Reed also takes inspiration from her family’s eclectic CD collection. “My Dad was a DJ in college - he knows good music. I have really strong memories of listening to a 1979 Soul Train album I plucked out of his case”. “My family was very musical on both sides, so I was exposed to tons of genres and singing styles. I also really liked artists like Will Smith and Madonna”. “I have different sides of me that love a bunch of different genres”.

Reed has been releasing music as an independent artist since 2020. “I made the leap to streaming platforms with my EP Orbit,” she tells me. “I got super lucky with the timing of the release being in Covid-era. Everyone was bored and looking for new music”. As the industry ground to a halt at the mercy of a worldwide pandemic, Reed found fresh motivation from the lockdown-induced success of her debut single Best Interest. “My first song started gaining streams really quickly even though I did not have a solid following previously. It eventually hit 100,000 streams in 2021, something I never expected,” Reed admits with an air of deserved self-admiration. At the time of writing, Best Interest has amassed more than 122,000 streams on Spotify, making it Reed’s most commercially successful release. “People being excited about my first release gave me so much drive to keep creating,” she continues. “Seeing others connect with the stuff you make is the most rewarding thing in the world”.

Invigorated by the overwhelming success of her 2021 DIY album Heavenly Bodies, Reed has enlisted the expertise of producer Brandon McCallum for the release of her studio debut. “I have learned so much about myself,” says Reed of the creative process behind her forthcoming record, Lucky Star. “It really has been the most fulfilling and rewarding process of my life”. “What was even better was getting to create something alongside my friends”. “I had never collaborated on my own music before and while it was very scary, I am so glad they took a chance on me”. Lucky Star is set for release on April 19th, composed of ten tracks that pay heritage to Reed’s broad-based musical heritage. Lead single Earned It is a collaborative effort with up and coming R&B artist Kemmii, testament to Reed’s newfound eagerness to expand her repertoire of musical associates. “I’ve learned how I work best with other people, and the best ways to explain my creative input,” says Reed.

As the countdown to Lucky Star nears liftoff, Reed already has an eye on her flightpath once the album has been released. Speaking about her future, she says; “I just want to sing, travel, and meet people who have a connection to my art. I hope I get to do it forever”. When asked about her plans for the next five years, Reed envisions the following; “I see myself having graduated with my bachelor's degree in Music Industry, and working either full-time as a solo artist, or at a record label somewhere, always creating music on the side. I hope I’m living near my sister”. Ultimately, Reed’s greatest aspiration is to perform her expansive discography to live audiences across the United States. “My biggest goal is to go on a tour at some point. Whether it’s in small dive bars across the United States or big stadiums one day. That's something really important to me that has never faltered”. With an abundance of talent, ferocious ambition and a steadily growing committed fanbase, Libby Reed may well emerge as the next great popstar from across the pond.

'Lucky Star' is released on April 19th

INTERVIEW: Moleface
Commencing countdown to stardom - In conversation with Moleface

It’s no secret to content creators that social media platforms are being oversaturated with a myriad of self-proclaimed independent musicians. From Tik Tok to Instagram, our timelines are awash with unsigned talents, each of them mining for a viral jackpot. As the landscape of the music industry grows ever more competitive, it takes a truly out of this world performance to be noticed by snooping label executives. Moleface, described as an “alien” and maker of “rockstar music” by his own admission, is one of a hoard of individuals hoping to make a name for themselves on the internet. Pedalling the narrative that he crash landed on Earth, the man behind the Moleface moniker is every bit as intriguing as his alien alter-ego.

Moleface is the titular persona of London based musician Jacques Hete. “Moleface was created as a slight layer when it comes to putting things online,” Hete tells me. “It’s the most authentic (version) of me in a way but a lot of it is fabricated.” Prior to his fictitious crash landing on planet Earth, Jacques Hete was born in a little town in the south of Spain. As a child, Hete developed an affinity with pop music, specifically with Pitbull and Katy Perry. “It’s kind of embarrassing,” he admits begrudgingly. “I was into a lot of pop music.” At the age of 10, Hete attended piano lessons at a local conservatoire. It wasn’t until he became a self-taught guitarist at 14 that Hete would develop an interest in wanting to pursue music as a career. “You see a lot of people who have been taught professionally and they’ve developed this work mentality, so maybe they don’t enjoy it as much,” Hete explains. “I just didn’t like being taught, I don't think. If you’re self-taught, you’re doing it more out of love.”

At the age of 17, Hete moved to the UK in pursuit of his blossoming musical ambitions. “I moved to the UK because I knew that I wanted a band and to live the rockstar life. I knew the South of Spain wasn’t really the place for that.” At college in Warwickshire, Jacques would meet his first band mate, the aptly named bassist Freddie Perfect. Hete and Perfect’s personal and professional relationship continues to endure; as well as living together, Freddie is also part of the ensemble of Moleface’s “greatest band in the galaxy.” Whilst at college, the pair would recruit the assistance of a classmate to form the alternative pop-punk trio known as Myriam Adams. “It was awesome,” recalls Hete. “It was very boyband-y but that’s what I loved it for.” Shortly after the release of Myriam Adams’ debut EP, Mum & Dad, I’m A Big Boy Now, the three-piece announced that they would be parting ways. To Hete’s dismay, some sensitive allegations were accused of the band’s entourage. He chooses his words carefully: “We were growing apart in terms of our direction. Then obviously, a few things happened.” After a pause, Hete concludes “We didn’t want to continue Myriam, we needed a change of direction.”

In the spirit of reinvention, Moleface was launched as Hete’s solo project in the months after the abandonment of Myriam Adams. Fans of the former frontman were greeted by an alien traveller from a far away galaxy, so the story goes. “Musicians are becoming entertainers,” Hete explains to me. “One of the big things I realised is the future’s in creating content.” To accompany his debut release Landed, Hete carefully curated a music video to fully reveal himself as the Moleface character. Drawing inspiration from an eclectic variety of influences including The 1975, David Bowie and Talking Heads, Moleface’s subsequent singles have dabbled in 70s pop, 80s power ballads and 2000s alternative emo. “Inspiration comes from everywhere,” Hete tells me. “Moleface wants to be a rockstar, he’s doing his own take on what a 2024 rockstar would be.” With an on-stage likeness recognisably influenced by Matty Healy of The 1975, Moleface incorporates a dash of David Byrne’s eccentricism and a knowing sprinkle of Bowie’s glitz and glamour. Underpinning the entire project is Hete’s childhood fondness for mainstream pop. Appearing frequently on social media platforms in an array of performative skits, Moleface’s signature Y2K silver sunglasses are a reminiscent homage to the MTV-era of pop stars who he idolised as a young boy.

In the years since the departure from his sleepy Spanish hometown, Jacques Hete’s artistry has known few boundaries. Be it as frontman of a hotly anticipated alternative outfit or as the mastermind of a galaxy-spanning solo endeavour, Moleface is slowly but surely defining himself as a name bound for stardom. In consideration of his future as a musician, Hete is rarely without his reservations. “I’ve been doing music pretty much every day since I was 14 so it’s not like I’m good at anything else. It’s either this or nothing,” he concedes. “A bit of that fear keeps me motivated.” After a whirlwind two years, it feels as if Hete has firmly hit his stride. “In 5 years time I’d like to be completely living just off of making music and creating Moleface stuff. I’d like to have done at least one little European tour, if not more.” Hete’s ambitions are sky high, although since he was a fresh-faced 14 year old learning his first chords on guitar, he’s always been a firm self-believer. When prompted to tell me what advice he’d give to his younger self, Hete wraps up our conversation with confident assertion: “Whatever happens, just keep going. You’ll find a way.”

REVIEW: 'Bleachers' by Bleachers
‘Album number four finds Bleachers at their most self-assured’

Cutting his teeth as a collaborator with the likes of The 1975, Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey, Jack Antonoff returns as the talismanic frontman of Bleachers. With the release of their self-titled fourth studio album, the New Jersey sextet have refined their signature blend of Synth-Pop, New Wave and 1980s Americana.

Amongst a tracklist that is significantly more down tempo than the infectious energy of Bleachers’ previous material, bombastic lead single ‘Modern Girl’ lays down an early gauntlet for the title of best song on the album. Antonoff’s penchant for witty lyricism dovetails with the practically excessive instrumentation, jam-packed with brash saxophone solos at the helm of every chorus, each more catchy than the last. ‘Modern Girl’ shouts high praise to Springsteen and The E Street Band, a common place influence that Antonoff frequently revisits. In lieu with ‘Modern Girl’, ‘Call Me After Midnight’ revels in an unmistakable Americana swagger.

Having been kickstarted as Antonoff’s solo project in 2015, Bleachers’ latest reiteration includes an impressive roster of familiar collaborators: Lana Del Rey (‘Alma Mater’), Clairo (‘Me Before You’), and Matty Healy (‘Hey Joe’) to name but a few. Patrik Berger also returns to the role of co-producer having earned credentials on Bleachers’ previous album, ‘Take The Sadness Out Of Saturday Night’. The band benefits greatly by broadening their scope for external influences without ever losing sight of their own identity.

Bleachers’ self-titled record excels in unfamiliar territory, notably Jack Antonoff’s foray into the singer-songwriter genre. Never before have fans heard such tenderness from the frontman than on ‘Woke Up Today’, a short-lived burst of sunshine constituted almost entirely by Antonoff’s vocals and an acoustic guitar. What the song lacks in instrumental might, it surpasses in lyrical serenity, a common theme throughout the album. Although some listeners might be left to mourn the high octane nature of the band’s previous projects, album number four finds Bleachers at their most self-assured.

'Bleachers' is released on February 8th 2024

INTERVIEW: Sterling Press

In conversation with Sterling Press ahead of the release of the band’s debut EP and headline gig at Liverpool’s Jacaranda Baltic.

Channelling the charm of Britpop poster boys combined with James Murphy’s ear for shuffling electronica, Sterling Press are a prospect to behold. Since the release of their post-pandemic single ‘Very Fun Times’, the London based quartet have touted themselves as the next best British boy band. Having spent the past two years touring with the likes of Sundara Karma and The Royston Club, Sterling Press are on the precipice of introducing ‘Baby Steps’, the band’s long awaited debut EP. In eager anticipation of the year to come, frontman Marlon Reynier discusses blowout gigs and blown up guitar amps.

Of the tracks that have already been released from your ‘Baby Steps’ EP, ‘Crowdpleaser’ is proving to be a favourite amongst live audiences. Could you describe the inspiration behind the song?

It was inspired by the feeling of going out a lot, just kind of wasting your days away I guess, the feeling of wanting something more and wanting to accomplish something. Kind of just deeping life a bit too much to be honest. I remember a few boys going out one night and I stayed in and wrote this song about being stuck in something small whilst dreaming about something bigger. It’s probably a bit over dramatic to be honest!

When curating a setlist for gigs do you find it challenging to translate songs from the studio to the point where you can perform them live?

It depends on the song. We don’t always play exactly what’s on the recording. We spend a lot of time and effort making the live set really good and somewhat different to make it a bit more interesting. For our song ‘Doorbell’ we spent quite a lot of time trying to get that sounding good live. Some of our songs we write in a live band setting but some of them we do on our laptops, so you’ve got to work out what needs changing.

It’s recently been announced that you’ll be playing shows in Europe this year, in support of Stone’s tour. How excited are you to be on the road across the continent?

We’re mates with Stone. I got a text from them one night asking if we wanted to play in Europe, and I was like, “What the fuck?”. We’ve been talking about doing gigs with them for ages now, it’s great for it to finally come off. It’s our first time leaving the country to play music, so it’s proper cool. To do shows in Amsterdam and Brussels is pretty wild and hopefully it’s the start of getting ourselves out there as well. We’re buzzing! It’s going to be a good time.

You’ve also recently supported The Royston Club and Sundara Karma. Is there any advice that you’ve picked up from touring with bands bigger than yourselves?

We’ve been on the gig circuit for fucking years but I feel like recently we’ve been kind of moving up and being with bands who are a bit more established. In a live setting we’ve become a lot better by being around these other bands who are fucking massive. It’s inspiring to be surrounded with names bigger than us. Even the sound at venues is better, it’s not in a tiny room anymore which is what we were used to. We used to go to gigs by train a lot but now we’ve forced ourselves to get a van to bring equipment with us - using our own equipment really helps as well.

Has there been a Sterling Press headline show that stands out as being particularly enjoyable or memorable?

The obvious one would be when we sold out the O2 Academy in Liverpool but for me our headline Manchester gig (November 2023) was so good. We’d just been on a mini tour and we didn’t expect much from Manchester. It was a Sunday night and we weren't sure how it was going to go. It was a brilliant atmosphere. It felt like everyone wanted to be there and they loved it - we loved it as well! That is genuinely one of my favourite gigs.

On the flip side, can you remember a gig where things didn’t go to plan?

Our guitarist Greg has had a few issues, he’s had an amp blow up. In a gig recently his guitar stopped working for half a song. Before, if we had a problem like a guitar string breaking, the set would have to stop and we’d have to go and get another guitar. We have the mindset now of saying “the show must go on”. If something breaks just keep going. As soon as you bring attention to it, people will notice, then it actually looks like a mistake. You just keep going - half the room won’t notice. Most people in the room probably aren’t musicians, so they don’t fully get it. At quite a few gigs stuff goes wrong. If you don’t notice we don’t notice either!

The iconography of Sterling Press is synonymous with Britpop and the 1990s. Which bands are you specifically inspired by and look up to?

Everyone always says we sound like Blur - we do love Blur! We’re inspired by so many bands that we’re constantly changing. Recently Andy Warhol’s been quite a big influence. It’s a cool American variation of the Britpop sound. I think we’re kind of getting more into electronica. I've got a synth now on stage which I use a lot more than the bass guitar. We like the combination of the bassy, clubby sounds of the synth with the rocky guitars. It’s sort of like Blur Britpop guitars and LCD Soundsystem bass parts. That’s the kind of vibe we’re going for at the moment.

With the steady rollout of new music over the past few months, what can fans expect next from Sterling Press?

Our debut EP ‘Baby Steps’ is coming out on February 23rd. We’ve just compiled our most recent singles to make an EP. We want to keep getting our name out there a bit more and support bands playing up and down and get a few festivals eventually.

To wrap things up, where does the band name come from? What does Sterling Press actually mean?

The way we came up with it was finding words we liked and putting them together. We started saying “sterling” as another way of saying good - “press” is just another way of saying news. So we started saying it to mean “good news!”. It’s kind of our slogan. People think it sounds like a Tesco cider or something!

'Baby Steps' is released on February 23rd 2024

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