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June 20, 2019

BPREVIEW: Mutes – Pareidolia album release party @ The Sunflower Lounge 22.06.19

Words by Ed King / Pic courtesy of FOMA

On Saturday 22^nd June, Mutes celebrate the release of their new album, Pareidolia, with a special gig at The Sunflower Lounge – support coming from Magick Mountain, Exhailers, and Outlander.

Doors open at 7pm, with tickets priced at £7 (+booking fee) – as presented by FOMA. For direct gig info, including venue details and links to online ticket sales, click here.

Ah, the tortured artist… we have a small gooey soft spot for the one-man whirlwind of frustrated angst that sits at the centre of Mutes. Not just because, let’s face it, the man is pretty damn talented. But also because he’s kind of right. Most of the time. Some of the time. A bitter pill that leaves you a little sore to swallow, but one that will probably help clear away the mucus and bile that rests in the belly of Birmingham’s musical guts. Or who will one day go fully mad and burn down half the venues and recording studios in the city, so you know – either way, there are worse things than the occasional clean slate.

So… what’s all the fuss about, eh? Mutes have a new album coming out, that’s what – on Friday 21^st June, Pareidolia will be set free into the world and you all are being invited to embrace it. You lucky lot.

More about that later… but what we can do right now is plagiarise the press release, which describes Pareidolia as ‘a meandering, exhilarating record that sees the Birmingham post-punk group delivering something entirely new.’ And whilst I’m not sure about ‘meandering’ (more a sneaky creeper that kicks you square in the throat) it’s certainly a step into more digestible territory than its predecessor, No Desire. Although we did like No Desire.

Currently being toured across the UK, with The Sunflower Lounge show being the midway mark, Mutes’ new LP has already been picked up by the great and good of Radio 6. Lamo (a nickname that reminds me of bullies at a Grammar school) even debuted the single ‘Guarded Young’, so for that we salute you Sir Steve. And you can’t get much more of a high profile new music endorsement than that.

Although it did, with Pareidolia also having a healthy thumbs up from Tom Robinson, DIY Magazine, Louder the War, and The Line of Best Fit – so prepare your greasy hands Birmingham, there’s a rising balloon leaving soon and you’ll want a firm grip.

It’s a pretty stonkin’ line up at The Sunflower Lounge release party too – with those ‘playful proto punk’ers, Magick Mountain, coming down from Leeds to play in the second city. Or third city, depending on which tour bus you’re on.

Lining up the local support are the ‘three-headed apeoid’ art-rockers, Exhailers, who also have a release on the table – their latest single, ‘Planetary Spin to the Stomach’, is now available via the usual online suspects.

Then breaking the magic number rule on this bill are Outlander, who’s latest five track release, The Valium Machine, came out in April this year – more about that later too…

So there you have it. And if all this well rounded/meaning foot stamping hasn’t convinced you to shimmy on down to The Sunflower Lounge on Saturday 22^nd June, then perhaps a little AV persuasion is in order. In fact, have two. We’ve got a few minutes (seven) to spare:

‘Overfed’ – Mutes

‘Guarded Young’ – Mutes

Mutes perform at The Sunflower Lounge on Saturday 22^nd June, celebrating the release of their new album Pareidolia – with support from Magik Mountain, Exhailers, and Outlander. For direct gig info, including venue details and online ticket sales, visit www.thesunflowerlounge.com/event/mutes-magick-mountain-outlander-exhailers

For more on Mutes, visit www.mutesuk.bandcamp.com.

For more on Magick Mountain, visit www.facebook.com/magickmntn
For more on Exhailers, visit www.exhailers.bandcamp.com
For more on Outlander, visit www.outlandertheband.bandcamp.com

For more from FOMA, including new releases and back catalogues from all the artists on their roster, visit www.wearefoma.bandcamp.com
For more on The Sunflower Lounge, including full event listings and links to 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.

June 17, 2019

INTERVIEW: T8PES

Interview by Abi Whistance (To the Local) / Pic by Matt Wilson

“When you don’t fit in a box, how do you target your audience? How do you target your demographic?”

T8PES released his eponymous debut album on Friday 24^th May, following a rafter packed launch party at The Castle & Falcon in April. But the man behind the moniker, Jimmy Davis, is no stranger to a stage or two – having been a stalwart of the Midlands music scene for years, with artists including Ed Sheeran citing him as an influence.

Now recording and releasing as T8PES, his new 8 track LP stretches from rap to hip hop and rave to grime – featuring collaborations from Luke Truth, Ricardo Williams and Holly Fitzgerald to name but a few.

Flowing with honesty, self analysis, harsh truths and dark humour – alongside the occasional roll call of Birmingham’s evolving club scene – T8PES is a deeply personal journey and a melodic memory lane stroll through the highs and lows of Davis’ bittersweet life experiences.

Having reviewed the album for Birmingham Review back in May, Abi Whistance and the Leeds based music magazine To the Local invited us along to their interview with T8PES – ahead of his support slot for CityLightz at the O2 Academy Birmingham.

To read Abi Whistance’s Birmingham Review of the album T8PES, click here. Or just sit, click back and watch, as T8PES himself talks to Abi about the inspirations and impetus behind his new material:

T8PES is out now on general release. For more on T8PES, including links to online sales, visit www.t8pes.com

For more from To the Local, visit www.tothelocaluk.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.

June 14, 2019June 14, 2019

BPREVIEW: BIMM Summer Festival @ Asylum 14.06.19

Words by Ed King

On Friday 14^th June, BIMM Summer Festival comes to Asylum – a free to attend event, that promises to be ‘a celebration of young musicians from across the region and a chance to showcase the very best local musical talent.’

Doors open at Asylum from 6:30pm, with the music kicking of from 7pm. Age of entry is 16+ until 10:30pm, when the adults in the room take over and the night moves into Asylum 2 for the aftershow party. For direct event info, click here.

BIMM is one of the major players in contemporary music education – ‘a teaching institution dedicated to supporting and nurturing the budding careers of young musicians and music professionals’ with institutions in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Brighton, Bristol and Dublin. But BIMM stretches even further afield these, with two institutions in the German cities of Hamburg and Berlin. And cutting your musical teeth on the live circuits in both the UK and Germany worked out pretty well for a bunch of scousers in the sixties, so…

But BIMM Birmingham’s inaugural ‘Summer Festival’ is about showing of their students in this city, and with a list of alumni that boasts James Bay, Ella Mai and George Ezra (to name a few) then it’s probably worth a quick stop, look and listen. Indeed, as the event’s press release says: ‘Knowing that these big alumni names got their start by performing with BIMM, it is more than likely that the next big star could be performing at BIMM’s Summer Festival this year, who would want to miss out on that?’ Well, quite. Plus it’s free, so you’ve literally got nothing to lose.

So, who’s on the BIMM Summer Festival bill then? The line up includes some lesser known (to us, at least) local acts such as Dream Theatre, Snazzle Patch, Lenny Con Banda, Ace, Allasandra Curle, Cameo and Sundog. Alas, we don’t have much more on these luminaries in waiting – outside of the fact that they represent ‘a line up of artists from a variety of musical genres.’ I guess that’s what Google is for.

But grabbing our attention is Hunger Moon, who Birmingham Review first covered when they released their debut single ‘Oh Friend’ back in March 2018. Signing to the Northamptonshire based Babywoman Records earlier this year, Hunger Moon’s latest single, ‘Honey’, came out in May 2019 and is something pretty special – available to stream for free across a variety of platforms, click here to check it out for yourself.

According to the BIMM Summer Festival press release, Ellisha Green is also performing – a singer/songwriter who was recently nominated in the ‘Rising Star’ category at this year’s Birmingham Music Awards. Plus, 2018 X Factor contestant and ‘internet sensation’ Felix (Shepherd) is marked out for greatness. Both these artists have also had singles out this year, Green releasing ‘Mother, Tell Me’ in March and Felix releasing ‘Gold’ in June – so it’s already a pretty formidable fledgling line up with just these three on the bill.

BIMM Summer Festival is also being presented as ‘a valuable networking opportunity for Birmingham’s music professionals as well as aspiring music professionals’ – and whilst you can justifiably feel an internal shudder at ‘networking…’ (cue memories of awkward business breakfasts and empty evenings talking to someone about how the pet clothing market is about to boom) if you’re young and hungry to learn more about the region’s musical industry then this could be a good night out.

As Antony Greaves, principle at BIMM Birmingham, explains: “The BIMM Birmingham Summer Festival is an opportunity for students to showcase themselves to the music industry, friends, family and the wider public at a free to attend event, as well as being a great way to celebrate the end of a year’s hard work.”

Plus, again, it’s free. Would be rude not to.

BIMM Summer Festival comes to Asylum on Friday 14^th June, with free entry to everyone 16 year and over. Doors open at 6:30pm, with live music from 7pm until 10:30 – then it’s 18+ for the aftershow party in Asylum 2. For direct event information, visit www.theasylumvenue.co.uk/events/bimm-summer-festival-asylum-june

For more on Asylum, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.theasylumvenue.co.uk

For more on BIMM Birmingham, visit www.bimm.co.uk/birmingham

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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.

June 12, 2019

BPREVIEW: Hannah Brown @ The Sunflower Lounge 12.06.19

Words by Ed King

On Wednesday 12^th June, Hannah Brown performs at The Sunflower Lounge – with support from Bryony Williams and Watermark.

Doors open at 7:30pm, with tickets priced at £6 (plus booking fee) – as presented by Indie Midlands. For more direct gig info, including venue details and links to online ticket sales, click here.

Hannah Brown is somewhat of a stalwart on the Midlands music scene, having cemented her place on the cultural landscape with her debut six track acoustic EP, The Highbury Sessions – recorded at the Kings Heath studios and released in 2015.

Brown’s 2016 follow up EP, Better for This, followed in the footsteps of her first – delivering another six track analysis into the fragility of the human endevouor, with all the raw strength and determination that you need to survive it. Stretching from strings to keys and back again, Better for This is an inspiring record – covering the visceral themes of youth and identity, with well-rounded production from Rob Derbyshire and Ben Stancombe.

Supported by BBC Introducing and a variety of music focused media, Brown started to develop the ‘full band sound’ that came through on Better than This – progressing as a songwriter and performing artist, with singles such as ‘So Should You’ and ‘My Home’ released across 2018.

Then in early 2019, Brown released ‘Further Away’ – a track of faster paced melodic rock, telling the troubles of disaffection with a confident vocal lead and lyrics such as “I’ll work ‘till I am eighty, or die when I’m not ready… I just wanna stay in.” Super stuff, Brown’s latest single is an exciting stamp of authority from an artist that has embraced their own development and shows more promise than most egos can healthily handle.

There is an album floating around too, the composite The World Still Spins – made up of cherry picked tracks from Brown’s back catalogue, alongside previously unreleased recordings of some of her more tried and tested tracks. But the music wolf still bays for blood, and you can’t release something as solid as ‘Further Away’ and not expect the howls of “ALBUM…????” to be too far behind. Have a stop, look, listen below and you’ll see (hear) where we’re coming from.

‘Further Away’ – Hannah Brown

Hannah Brown plays at The Sunflower Lounge on Wednesday 12^th June, with support Bryony Williams and Watermark – as presented by Indie Midlands. For direct gig info and links to online ticket sales, visit www.thesunflowerlounge.com/event/hannah-brown-bryony-watermark

For more on Hannah Brown, visit www.hannah-brown.co.uk
For more on Bryony Williams, visit www.soundcloud.com/bryony-williams
For more on Watermark, visit www.facebook.com/WatermarkUK

For more from Indie Midlands, including further event listings and stories from the region’s indie and alternative music scene, visit www.indiemidlands.com

For more on The Sunflower Lounge, including venue details and further event listings, 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.

June 7, 2019

ALBUM: What Nature Gives… Nature Takes Away – The Membranes 07.06.19

Words by Abi Whistance

It’s 3am. You’re wired as hell, staring at the ceiling so intently that black shapes seem to appear and disappear, moving from one dark corner of the room to another. You’re feeling uneasy and slightly scared, but you’re not quite sure if you’re scared of the silhouettes or scared of yourself for seeing them in the first place.

That, right there, is what The Membranes new album feels like.

What Nature Gives…Nature Takes Away is uncomfortable and foreboding, riddled with the rants and ramblings of an inner-dialogue gone rogue. A collision course of material leaves you bumper car-ing your way through clashes of noise, new wave and the odd spoken word piece, all seemingly coming together in one (hefty) release. This album is a heavyweight; 16 tracks long and at times feeling like a bit sluggish, you really must go in with the knowledge that you’ll be stuck in this gloomy rabbit hole for a long time. And not because it’s a no-good bore, just because it’s weighty on the soul.

Post-punk with an added dramatic flair, The Membranes really have pulled out all the stops to make your skin crawl and body shiver – the addition of both a choir and orchestra feeling far too sinister to be listened to alone. Even for them this is dark; the album name almost as cynical as every song on it, human fallacy ripped to shreds track by track.

For a large chunk of What Nature Gives…Nature Takes Away, The Fall springs to mind. Not necessarily a perfect comparison as such, more the brain frantically searching for something familiar to make itself feel more comfortable. ‘A Murder of Crows’ is far more precise and gritty than the works of Mark Smith. Perhaps because, unlike Smith, they’re not so bugged out on drugs and booze that they can’t conjure up any emotion other than slurry nonchalance.

The album itself doesn’t come with a warning, but I’m going to have to give one. This is NSFW: not suitable for wallowing. Avoid at all costs when you think life can’t get any worse, because The Membranes will remind you that yes, it can. And it’s probably your fault. Get ready to feel like your drowning deep in this record, and equally get ready to feel like you might drown yourself if it gets any murkier.

But if you are, on the off chance, feeling like you want to tip over the edge, then listening to What Nature Gives…Nature Takes Away is probably the best way to do it. Well composed, well written and well executed, The Membranes have created something that only the most addicted to unhappiness can listen to in one go, and the rest of us, feeble-hearted as we are, will keep trying because it’s just that good.

‘A Strange Perfume’ – The Membranes

What Nature Gives… Nature Takes Away by The Membranes is on general release from Friday 7^th June – out via Cherry Red Records. For more on The Membranes, including links to online sales, visit www.themembranes.co.uk

For more on Cherry Red Records, visit www.cherryred.co.uk

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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.