Category: Releases

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SINGLES: ‘Today We’re Warriors’ – REWS / ‘Do You Love Me Yet?’ – [SKETCH]

Ed’s note…

A long time ago in a music venue far, far away…

Like much of the entertainment industry, Birmingham Review has been ‘resting’ since the end of March – when we published our last article before all that pesky pandemic malarkey.

Although we were amongst the lucky ones; the venues were closing, the gigs weren’t happening, so a surprise holiday was about the darkest cloud on our horizon. And how many times had we cried out for the ‘life pause button’… Our hats are off and our hearts go out to all the artists and venues who have been much more adversely affected.

But there was one casualty in Camp Review, our gig with REWS – originally scheduled for 21st March at the O2 Institute 3, with local punk-rocksters [SKETCH] supporting – was postponed.

Until when, we didn’t know. No one knew. And there were a lot of questions before that one that people needed answering.

But on Friday 17th July, we can once again celebrate both of these bands – and whilst we desperately still want to see them share a stage, having the same single release day is a pretty good interim measure. So welcome back one and all – and however you’ve been hit by the coronaviris crisis, we wish you all the luck and love you need to make it through x

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Words by Ed King / Profile pic by Jude Palmer

‘Today We’re Warriors’ – REWS

Someone once challenged me to name a band, any band, that continuously gets better as they get older – single after single, album after album, tour after tour… still grabbing your attention in the way they first did. Try it. It’s not as easy as it sounds. And you can’t say The Beatles.

REWS, however, are one of these bands – it’s why Birmingham Review has thrown so much page space their way. When we first saw them, they were awesome. The next time they came to Brum, they were even better. The time after that, they had taken another step up. And the story continues…

But the sword of album two was always hanging over their heads, alongside a line up change that was so unfortunately timed it could have derailed any ensemble. Old or new. Pyro was a ferocious debut, a real monster of an album, which is great… but how the f*ck are you going to pull another one of those out the bag???

Kicking off, and we use the adjective/noun deliberately, with a Shauna Tohill signature foot stomping guitar riff, ‘Today We’re Warriors’ is immediately another REWS banger (official term). Add it to the list, pour another shandy, and scream with the windows rolled down – REWS keep getting bigger and bolder.

But with maturity comes confidence, and REWS pull back on the reigns of their new single – with a pause, rim tap, and tempered vocals taking over after about 10secs in. You know that question about ‘still grabbing your attention’… yeah, well, this is how you do that.

But the ferocity we know and love REWS for is not too far behind, with the dance between IN YOUR FACE ROCK and a stripped-back-strut-inducing sound keeping this track on its toes from start to finish. If this is the taste of Warriors – REWS’s sophomore album,  set for release on 7th August – then I might just have an answer to my original question…

“Today were warriors – the song exclaims exactly what the name suggests!” explains Shauna Tohill. “Every morning we wake up, we have a choice in what kind of journey we will lead.  There are dark days where our path is unclear and blocked (some more than others) and that’s when I want to encourage everyone to keep fighting forward, to gather together in the spirit of music with those who are good in your life, to support and respect each other! 

“TODAY, we got this, we will get through this and we will keep moving forward to see a better, positive, thriving and equal future for all women, men, children from all races and backgrounds. Today, we’re warriors!”

‘Today We’re Warriors’ – REWS

‘Today We’re Warriors’ by REWS is out from Friday 17th July, released via Marshall Records. REWS sophomore album, Warriors, is set for release on Friday 7th August – to pre-order a copy, visit  www.transistormusic.com/rews

For more on REWS, visit www.rewsmusic.com

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Words by Ed King / Profile pic courtesy of [SKETCH] 

‘Do You Love Me Yet?’ – [SKETCH] 

Infectious. If I was going to review the latest single from [SKETCH] in a word, that would be it. Give me two, and I’d stick ‘seriously’ in as a prefix.

But if this new track from Birmingham’s tartan clad pop punkrocksters doesn’t ignite-the-planet’s-musical-blue-touch-paper-and-shower-down-a-sparkling-rain-of-glorious-audio-technicolour-onto-the-ears-and-mosh-pits-across-the… perhaps two words is a good limit. Seriously infectious… yep, that about sums it up. 

A love song, of sorts, ‘Do You Love Me Yet?’ is “more of an attitude” than a dedication – with [SKETCH] never shying away from using personal experience as inspiration (check out ‘My Girlfriend’s a Vampire’ and keep bear that in mind).

With immediate swagger, the tracks starts off suitably high octane – there is no escape, so you might as well surrender. Front man Foley’s vocals have just the right amount of confidence and grit, slicing through a punchy pop punk masterclass and infectious lyrics. There’s that word again. But seriously (and that one) if you can make it to the end of the chorus with singing along, whether you know the right words or not, then you’re probably dead inside.

“We like to call this an absolute stomper,” tells Matt Robinson – [SKETCH] percussionist, lyricist, general manager, and all round ambassador of the local music scene. “It’s boyish ego mixed with massive vulnerability, and it represents a wider audience… it’s a statement to them.” 

Written by Robinson and Foley, ‘Do You Love Me Yet?’ was conceived “in the rain, in a shed” – then recorded by Gavin Monaghan at his Magic Garden Studios in Wolverhampton. But the contagious little number has already travelled a lot further than up the Birmingham Road, climbing to No10 on Banks Radio Australia Top 15 UK tracks chart.

But don’t fret pet, you don’t have to circumnavigate the world to see [SKETCH] as they have recently announced a rescheduled date for their Hands Off Gretel support slot – now coming to the O2 Academy on 6th December 2020. For more details and links to online ticket sales, click here.

But if December and the idea of standing in a room full of strangers seems too far away, you can always listen to ‘Do You Love Me Yet?’ a little closer to home…

‘Do You Love Me Yet?’ – [SKETCH]

‘Do You Love Me Yet?’ Warriors’ by [SKETCH] is out from Friday 17th July, released through the band’s social media and usual suspect online streaming platforms. For more on [SKETCH], visit www.sketchband.com

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NOT NORMAL NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual aggression in the music industry and beyond – from dance floor to dressing room, everyone deserves a safe place to play.

To learn more about the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign, click here. To sign up and join the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign, click here.

If you have been affected by any issues surrounding sexual violence – or if you want to report an act of sexual aggression, abuse or assault – click here for information via the ‘Help & Support’ page on the NOT NORMAL NOT OK website.

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EP: Brain Food – Brain Food 13.03.20

Words by Ed King / Pics by Radek Kubiszyn (Psychedelic Eye)

‘According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of this day, making it the most feared day and date in history.’

I was Googling ‘Friday the 13th’ to come up with some witty framing technique, as Birmingham’s psych rockers, Brain Food, have ear marked this notorious end of the week to release their self-titled sophomore EP. But in the wake of a bulbous buffoon with his finger on the button and the grip of fear the world’s most popular sneeze has on half the planet…

A five track kaleidoscope of echoing psychedelia, Brain Food EP by Brain Food is indeed a tasty cranium treat – opening with ‘Poseidon’ and a surprisingly dirty riff, which had me fish hooked from the off, Liam McKeown’s perfectly lost vocals soon slide across the track.

An almost perfect front man for a band covered in the glow of a hyperactive lava lamp, McKeown sets the tone perfectly on the EP’s opener – sitting somewhere between a rock star joie de vivre and an introspective blotter acid trip in the dark corners of a Velvet Underground after party. Works for me.

But this is prog-something-psych-something-rock-something else… so, a small noodling siren is sounded as ‘Canyon Crawler’ sends seven minutes of blissed out guitar waves over a slowly marching tempo. It drags a little, to me. Today. If I was a younger man with a bit more mind left I’d probably be finding ways to lose it in this, but after about five minutes I’ll admit I’m swimming to the shore.

Then, as if my silent selfish prayer was answered, ‘That Feeling’ draws a sweet line down the middle of this Brain Food EP – in a surprisingly short (under four minutes??) foray into a more melody led track. It might be a bit too accessible for the prog purists, and you could be forgiven for thinking if psych rock was ever going to be radio friendly this is probably the closest it is going to get, but it’s still a damn fine few minutes.

‘Cosmic Jones’ takes us down the other side of the hill – opening with a cheeky little wah wah and keeping us cheerily on our toes for just over five minutes of soft crescendos and pretty nifty fretwork. Before the swan song of ‘Forbidden Tongue’ closes the show, which you can check out below instead of reading me try to be funny.

Which reminds me, where was I with that framing technique…

I’m not sure how many registered voters this EP will keep safe on its auspicious release day, but the idea (and to quote another LSD soaked ensemble) of encouraging the hope barren masses to ‘feed your head’ instead of panic buying toilet paper couldn’t be better placed.

And Brain Food by Brain Food seems to sum it up quite nicely this Friday the 13th… so, put that in your literary trope and smoke it.

‘Forbidden Tongue’ – by Brain Food

On Friday 13th March 2020, Brain Food release their self-titled second EP, Brain Food. For more on Brain Food, both the band and the extended play, visit www.facebook.com/brainfoodofficial

Brain Food are also hosting an EP launch party at The Night Owl on Saturday 14th March, with Cave Girl and Exhaler supporting. For more gig info and links to online ticket sales, click here to visit the Facebook event page.

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NOT NORMAL NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual aggression in the music industry and beyond – from dance floor to dressing room, everyone deserves a safe place to play.

To learn more about the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign, click here. To sign up and join the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign, click here.

If you have been affected by any issues surrounding sexual violence – or if you want to report an act of sexual aggression, abuse or assault – click here for information via the ‘Help & Support’ page on the NOT NORMAL NOT OK website.

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BPREVIEW: The Taboo Club + Sofa King – free entry gig @ The Prince of Wales (Cambridge St) 30.11.19

Words by Ed King / Pics courtesy of The Taboo Club & The Prince of Wales

On Saturday 30th November, The Taboo Club headline a free gig at The Prince of Wales (Cambridge St) – with support from Sofa King.

Doors to the venue, situated at the back of the ICC/REP Theatre, will be open all day – with the free entry live gig taking place from 8pm. For more information, visit the Facebook event page by clicking here.

What’s better than a Black Friday weekend bargain…? Well, many things. In fact, most things. But something that appeals to the carnivorous consumer is FREE STUFF – so in the true spirit of Christmas, The Taboo Club are celebrating the start of Yuletide with a FREE ENTRY GIG at The Prince of Wales on Cambridge St (that’s the proper boozer with beautiful lights, nestled at the back of the ICC/REP Theatre – a stones throw from The Flapper).

Prepping for their debut album, The Taboo Club have been feverishly recording, mixing, mastering and sitting around nodding their heads in satisfied unison. The rumour mill has this magnum opus set for release in sprint 2020, but to keep us hooked on the morphine music that this eclectic ensemble has been hocking since they formed in 2018.

Plus, Saturday is not just about free music on stage, as The Taboo Club will be releasing their new single, ‘I Wish There Was A Way’, on the same day. Again, for free. Lord only knows how these gents find money for rent, or the suave ‘kings of cool’ dapper dress that they seem to wear so effortlessly.

But a true rough diamond in Birmingham’s music scene, The Taboo Club are doubtlessly set for bigger and brighter things when the album lands – so a free gig seems like a fair enough trade for impending stardom. The band’s previously released singles, ‘Bible John’ and ‘Strangers’, have been piquing the interest of the great and good form the music media fraternity – with tension/excitement growing to see what this polymath ensemble will do with a longer track listing to play with. Time will tell, but to hear The Taboo Club’s singles, new and old, visit the band’s Bandcamp page by clicking here.

Plus, The Prince of Wales is a venue steeped in Midlands musical history – with pictures of artists from Black Sabbath to Ruby Turner to The Special adorning the walls, and people sitting around them who have firsthand stories to tell. And in the darkness of winter, with a few reasonably priced ales and the occasional pie and chips to scoff, I can’t think of many better ways to say goodbye to your November.

Actually, I can. As the always awesome and worth a stop, look, listen Sofa King will be joining The Taboo Club – playing, again for gratis, at this full throttle winter warmer. Bit of a no brainer really.

On Saturday 30th November, The Taboo Club headline a free gig at The Prince of Wales (Cambridge St) – with support from Sofa King. For more information, visit the Facebook event page by clicking here.

For more on The Taboo Club, visit www.facebook.com/TheTabooClubUK/

For more on Sofa King, visit www.sofakingqueen.bandcamp.com/

For more on The Prince of Wales (Cambridge St), including full event listings and venue details, visit www.facebook.com/thepowcambridgestreet/

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NOT NORMAL NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.

To learn more about the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign, click here. To sign up and join the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign, click here.

If you have been affected by any of the issues surrounding sexual violence – or if you want to report an act of sexual aggression, abuse or assault – click here for information via the ‘Help & Support’ page on the NOT NORMAL NOT OK website.

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SINGLE: ‘How Much Do You Want It?’ – T8PES (feat Mike 110) 29.11.19

Words by Matthew Robinson / Photo by Matt Wilson Photography

It’s a wet, dreary morning in late November. I could have been on my way back from Amsterdam, however I had to turn the trip down to stay at home and let some builders start work on the house. DAMN YOU SPONTANEOUS GETAWAYS. I need something to ease my head, and in his latest single Birmingham artist T8PES asks the question ‘How Much Do You Want It?’ So, I’ll guess I’ll find out.

The first bar whisks me from my dark, rain-battered Stratford living room and plonks me straight into the lights and madness of an Ibiza rave pool party. It’s warming and contagious. I find that typically in most cases of ‘crossover hip hop’, lyrics are all too often forgotten. It seems the art of lyricism is getting harder to find in hip hop enthused genres – however this song simply takes that allegation and throws it with a ‘boom bap’ straight back into my face. The lyric, “as I channel the spirit of John Lennon at the Caver,” just warms me. These are clearly students of the game; T8PES and Mike 110 love music, and it’s easy to hear in this single.

The beat continues to fuel the song as I find myself skanking just listening to it. After the first hook I force myself to pause the track so I can go and get my speaker, to play this louder. I think perhaps more emphasis could be placed on the hook of the piece from a production point of view, as the volume is fairly one dimensional (taking into account that is typical of rave music), but it feels T8PES has more than enough ability to adapt this song into his own fusion genre of rave and hip hop. It’s clear that homage is being paid to old school rave culture and the breakdown of the piece shows T8PES donning his cap to perhaps my favourite element of classic hip hop… disk scratching. The scratching perfectly delivers the samples used into the track and it sounds effortless.

‘Howe Much Do You Want It?’ is a track with so much inspiration, it’s almost like looking through a photo album, picking out your favourites, and creating a collage of memories (or in this case a symphony of sounds). It’s a stamp on hip hop culture saying classic still exists, and that’s a beautiful thing.

‘How Much Do You Want It?’ – T8PES (feat Mike 110)

‘How Much Do You Want It?’ by T8PES is out on general release from Friday 29th November. For more on T8PES, visit www.t8pes.com

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NOT NORMAL NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.

To learn more about the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign, click here. To sign up and join the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign, click here.

If you have been affected by any of the issues surrounding sexual violence – or if you want to report an act of sexual aggression, abuse or assault – click here for information via the ‘Help & Support’ page on the NOT NORMAL NOT OK website.

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BPREVIEW: MeMe Detroit + The Pagans S.O.H, The Great Malarkey, HÜDS @ The Sunflower Lounge 30.11.19

Words by Ed King / Pic courtesy of Soul Rock Central

On Saturday 30th November, MeMe Detroit will be headlining a raspberry blowing jam packed quadruple bill show at The Sunflower Lounge – with The Pagans S.O.H, The Great Malarkey and HÜDS all playing in support.

(N.B. The press release from the MeMe Detroit media machine is very clearly presenting this gig as a ‘triple headline bill’, but for the sake of focus and word counts – in this BPREVIEW we’ve opted to put her more front and centreo offence meant to any artists, egos, or eager PRs.)

Doors (for the gig) open at The Sunflower Lounge from 7:30pm, with tickets priced at £8 – as promoted by Soul Rock Central. For more information and links on online ticket sales, click here.

Seemingly ‘National Single Release Day’ (…trademark, Ed King), Friday 29th November will see a new addition to the cultural fabric from virtually every band on this bill. But on the top of our playlist pile is MeMe Detroit, who’s ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Mind’ will be released into the world this weekend – marking the first major release from Ms Detroit with here all new line up.

Rawer, tougher, and perhaps even a little angrier/more defiant than Detroit’s already bolshy back catalogue, ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Mind’ is a very exciting new prospect. Or as the queen of ‘Motor City’ describes it, ‘this latest work would be if Trent Reznor had a baby with Joan Jet whose grandmother was Debbie Harry. A full throttle scuzzy, dirty bass driven force with gritty yet rapturous vocals.’ Erm, yeah… sold-please-and-thank-you.

But produced by Thomas ‘Mitch’ Mitchener, who already has his thumbprints on releases from Asylums, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, The Futureheads, Hello Operator, Naked Six, Kid Kapichi, Luna Bay, Young Guns, and Gallows, this new release form one of Birmingham’s more innovative rock acts could be the start of something… we’re keen for an album, let’s just leave it at that.

Also touting new stocking fillers on Friday 29th will be West Brom’s own The Pagans S.O.H, with ‘Black Jesus’ – and from a little further north (Wolverhampton) HÜDs are releasing their latest single, ‘Copicat’.

But don’t worry if this is all a little overwhelming, all you need to do is head over to The Sunflower Lounge on Saturday 30th November and you’ll get to see this live for under a tenner. Plus you get a bonus set from The Great Malarkey to sweeten the deal, an eight piece London ensemble who wil be squeezing themselves and their fun fueled frenzy of punk folk’ on to The Sunflower’s stage – all brought to you courtesy of MeMe Detroit’s own imprint, Soul Rock Records.

Blimey, there has to be a joke in here somewhere about a religious festival arriving sooner than expected…

MeMe Detroit will be headlining at The Sunflower Lounge on Saturday 30th November, with The Pagans S.O.H, The Great Malarky and HÜDS all playing in support. For direct event details and online tickets, visit www.thesunflowerlounge.com/event/meme-detroit-the-pagans-s-o-h-the-great-malarkey-huds/

For more on MeMe Detroit, visit www.memedetroit.com

For more from The Sunflower Lounge, including full event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.thesunflowerlounge.com/

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NOT NORMAL NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.

To learn more about the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign, click here. To sign up and join the NOT NORMAL NOT OK campaign, click here.

If you have been affected by any of the issues surrounding sexual violence – or if you want to report an act of sexual aggression, abuse or assault – click here for information via the ‘Help & Support’ page on the NOT NORMAL NOT OK website.