If you didn’t know any better, you’d swear that there were at least four people playing on this, Pink Milk’s debut album, Purple. In fact, there are but two, Maria Forslund (vocals, drums) and Edward Forslund (guitars, bass), both of whom use every effects pedal they can to tweak up the volume that extra notch and get it to echo that little longer.
Opener, “River Phoenix”, sets the scene perfectly – ice-cold moodiness with the threat of malevolent showers, there are no words but the intention is clear. Appropriately, their muscles are flexed further on “Muscles”, Mariah’s breathy tones swooping over enormous guitar chords and a slowly stomping dinosaur footstep of a drum beat.
“Detroit” sees Pink Milk at their version of breakneck speed, which is any other guitar band’s slow number being played at 33rpm instead of 45rpm. The accompanying video is a nice counterpoint to the track – hazy and happy, yet oddly haunting. “Kill 4 U”, perhaps the strongest track on the album, has a Depeche Mode-esque dark majesty to it, the guitar work is genuinely thrilling, showcasing an instrument taken for granted but still capable of astonishing.
“LA Cop” is something of a welcome instrumental pause for breath – the echoes suggest huge amounts of space, yet the overall sound is strangely claustrophobic. “Awakening of Laura” is pushed out of the way quickly by “Sushi Dreams (Flesh & Blood)”, which is every bit as terrifying as it looks on paper – in fact, although causal listeners will point fingers excitedly at My Bloody Valentine and The Cranes as precursors, this reminded me very much of electro-rock innovators, Chrome, and their starkly cruel thrash.
“Drommens Skepp” and “Sans Toi” pick up the pace yet further, really bringing the tracks together as an album, as opposed to a collection of assembled, random tracks. It feels like the whole album has been dragging us towards something; which, in turns out, it has. Their cover of Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love is” is a slap around the face of the band’s AOR chops and reinvents it as a mournful, epitaph-like statement. Purple takes time to fall in love with but the effort is well worth the investment.
If you’re a fan of prog-rock, then you need to know all about Tom Adamson Band! Coming in hot with his latest album, ‘Old View of the New World’, which was released in December of 2022, it’s got tonnes of quality alongside inspiration from Adamson’s homeland of Scotland. A musician who has been practicing his craft for decades, mixed with the sound of prog-rock that is reminiscent of legends such as Deep Purple, you can be sure that this album is one that you cannot afford to miss.
Kicking off ‘Old View of the New World’ is the brilliant ‘Ballyhoo’, a minute and a half mood setter that is already showing a deep prog-rock similarity, delivering a Gilmour-like solo that has your attention straight away. The follow-up track, ‘See the Light’, is the first time we’re introduced to the vocals of Tom Adamson, and he does not disappoint. Suiting the feel of the music and able to build momentum, it’s another brilliant track that demonstrates everything you need to hear in a great prog-rock album, with yet more fantastic solos stealing the show. The following track, ‘Old View of the New World, solidifies the album as a real gem. Jazz influences shine for the first time with a saxophone, playing alongside the fantastic guitar riffs and drums that we’ve become accustomed to.
Moving through the album, tracks such as ‘The Black Dinner’, ‘Just Another Way to Make a Friend’, ‘Waiting for Life to Begin’ and ‘I Am Mean’ showcase everything that we loved about what we’d already heard. Impeccable vocals, fantastic prog-rock music with a unique and refreshing jazz feel that helps the music stand out each and every time. Released in the back end of December last year, this is an album that you cannot afford to miss. An overall brilliant project from a brilliant artist, ‘Old View of the New World’ is waiting for you to dive right into!
If you’re a fan of Steely Dan, then you’re going to love this new release from Bank Street Martyrs as they prepare for the release of their new album! Here with their latest single, ‘Leven the Vale’, the track serves as a tribute to their hometown as well as a taster for what’s to come on the album release of the same name. With a sound that casts us back to the glory days of rock music, this is a single that you need to add to your playlist right away!
Kicking ‘Leven the Vale’ off is a drumbeat that’s quickly followed up by the immense talent of lead singer, Joseph Watema, whose delicate yet powerful vocals instantly give the song a calm feel that is welcomed with open arms, while also having you on the edge of your seat. Moving through the track, we see the same fantastic drums and vocals, mixed with fantastic guitar riffs from Andrew Marsland that carry the same feeling perfectly, allowing Watema to take centre stage throughout. With composition done perfectly with music from Marsland, vocals from Watema, and lyrics by Ian Retson all on point, it’s easy to tell that this will be on repeat again and again on so many playlists. Rounded off by a guitar solo and the same brilliant vocals, it only adds to our hope that this will be an album that will exceed each and every expectation.
Released with an accompanying music video, directed by local filmmaker Harvey Smart, it adds another dimension to the track that already has a personal feeling to it, keeping it all local making the homecoming track even more poignant. Released in December, ‘Leven the Vale’ as a single and album are ready to be enjoyed – make sure that you don’t miss out on this!
On the lookout for some barnstorming rock music that will have you turning the volume up to the max? Look no further than Same Old Tale, an Israeli outfit with an undeniably good sound and a clear command of music and lyrics that will knock you off your feet. Here with their latest single, ‘Look Down’, as the band prepare for the release of their EP, ‘Tales Are Yet to Come’, listeners will get a glimpse of what’s in store from Same Old Tale! Don’t miss out on this.
Written by the lead vocalist, Maor Shem Tov, while he was on active combat duty visiting the Hermon Mountain. The idea came as he watched the people below, thinking about how they’re heading to work, seeing loved ones and living their lives, it dawned on him what he could not afford to lose. Penning lyrics and music that were born from this epiphany, the result is a truly fantastic track for its lyrics and the resonance that it has on anyone who listens and thinks deeply.
‘Look Down’ is a single that shows us what’s to come on ‘Tales Are Yet to Come’, with not only a clear approach in the music, but also in the lyrics, as they come together perfectly to create a track that will have you wanting to be a rockstar with its solos and ass-kicking drums. Shem Tov manages to balance with the music like a pro, as he matches the intensity of the music and elevate it to a whole other level with his vocals and delivery.
A genuinely fantastic rock track, it’ll appeal to a wide spectrum of those who are inspired by rock music, from metal to alt-rock, this is the song for you. ‘Look Down’ is the perfect teaser for what’s to come, promising that there will be more music on the way that follows in the footsteps in terms of quality. Make sure you get to know all about Same Old Tale and their releases, or live to regret it!