Top 10 Albums of 2014

1. PVRIS - White Noise

It's not often that when I discover a band, they can make such an impression on me within the matter of weeks. Welcome PVRIS, a band that I only stumbled across in September time, but when their debut album White Noise was released in November I was head over heels. With dark, haunting words entwined with fuzzy synths and Lynn Gunn's incredible vocal tone, every track is a masterpiece and that is why it's my top album of the year. 

Favourite Track: Fire

2. Lower Than Atlantis - Self Titled

As soon as that bouncing riff in 'Here We Go' made it's way to our ears and firmly stuck itself to our brains, it was obvious that whatever LTA had in the pipeline for the album was going to be huge. They did not disappoint, though more melodic, their fourth studio album is full of anthemic tracks that beg to be played to thousands, all wrapped up with a nice dose of cheeky Mike Duce charm. 

Favourite Track: Stays the Same

3. Twin Atlantic - Great Divide

My favourite Scot’s returned this year with this absolute belter of a record. Taking things in a new direction, a little more wild and with a little more party all put together into a Rock and Roll record - Great Divide has it all. It still retains everything Twin Atlantic are known for but they’ve pushed their sound to it’s peak and delivered bold, beefy tracks that'll have you fist pumping for days. 

Favourite Track: Hold On

4. Moose Blood - I’ll Keep You In Mind From Time to Time
I've been swooning over Moose Blood and their punked up love songs for some time now, but 2014 finally saw the release of their debut album I'll Keep You In Mind From Time To Time. Brimming with emo influences and grainy guitars, it's like a dose of nostalgia with a modern twist. 

Favourite Track: I Hope You're Miserable 

5. Mallory Knox - Asymmetry

I was a huge fan of Mallory Knox's debut record Signals, so there was no denying to see how they'd step up and do better with sophomore album Asymmetry. They certainly delivered, combining Mikey's impressive vocal talent with echoing guitar melodies, they've also improved upon their songwriting abilities - making this album standout amongst many of the others released this year. It has its ballads and it has it's full-throttle, punchy anthems which make it an absolute treat to listen too. 

Favourite Track: She Took Him to the Lake

6. Neck Deep - Wishful Thinking
There's no denying that I have a big place in my heart for pop-punk, having grown up around bands such as New Found Glory, I'm very fond of the new, rejuvenated era that has taken over 2014. Neck Deep are a band that have absolutely dominated the pop-punk scene, with debut album Wishful Thinking scoring them trips around the World and high-fives from the genres heroes. This is a band that the UK should be incredibly proud of and I can't wait to hear what they've got in store next. 

Favourite Track: Losing Teeth

7. BANKS - Goddess

Despite the fact my music taste very much focuses on the heavier side of music, I like the breakdowns and the huge chanting choruses, but sometimes I discover a gem on the complete other end of the spectrum that I just cannot stop listening to. Welcome BANKS, the goddamn sassiest singer that I have completely fallen head over heels for this year. Her debut album twists incredibly dark lyrics, with vibrating basslines and an RnB soul. It's smooth and sultry, with a hidden bite and I can honestly say her voice is one of the most astonishing I've ever heard live.

Favourite Track: Drowning

8. Natives - Indoor War
Potentially the least well-known band on my list, but the debut album from New Forest pop-rockers Natives has been on repeat most days since its release way back in the first quarter of 2014. There's no heavy breakdowns, there's no stadium-ready anthems, but what it is full of is eleven tracks of pure upbeat, bouncing riffs and choruses to make you smile. I'm losing count of how many times I've seen these guys live now and I'm still not bored of hearing their music, good vibes for days!

Favourite Track: The Horizon/Can't Say No

9. Charlie Simpson - Long Road Home

From Busted through to Fightstar and now onto his solo career, I've followed Charlie's music career since I was twelve and we're now in the era where he is at his finest. His debut Young Pilgrim announced Charlie as an established singer-songwriter and the latest addition, Long Road Home has only further cemented his worth within this industry. With beautifully written acoustic melodies accompanied by an old English charm, Young Pilgrim was written for long summer days and cosy winter nights. It's an all-year round record that never fails to please your ears.

Favourite Track: Comets

10. Ben Howard - I Forget Where We Were

My favourite solo artist returned this year, however this time around he's swapped the acoustic for an electric and has created an extremely haunting record with an incredible amount of depth. The guitars are slick and echo alongside Ben's moving vocal tone and this record really flaunts off his skilled musicianship to its finest. It's quite the change from the debut record that threw him into the spotlight, but I Forget Where We Were shows Ben in a whole new light, which makes it even more enticing.

Favourite Track: Conrad

Monthly Round-Up

Err, excuse me, how is it suddenly April? 2014 is absolutely flying by so far I'm struggling to keep up!

The past month has been a whirlwind of high's and low's. I'm still recovering from surgery (which then lead to the loss of my job) and being stuck inside almost 24/7 has not been fun. That said, the sun is starting to appear and it's definitely bringing a smile to face! Now that I'm a bit more mobile I've been attending more shows, seeing my friends as often as possible and baking with my mum for Mother's Day, aww.

Things are certainly starting to heat up for spring, so here's what saw me through March:

ALBUM

I got sent this album a couple weeks prior to it's release for review (which can be found here) and I'm still not sick of it. It's full of upbeat, summery anthems that are the perfect blend of pop and rock. Pretty sure this one is going to see me through the summer! 

SINGLE

I'm fairly new to the electronic music scene, but I've been discovering some real gems recently. After seeing huge amounts of hype, the new single from BANKS has got me hooked. Her voice is insane and having caught her live on her recent tour, I'm completely blown away by her talent! 

FESTIVAL

There's a lot of competition for this year's Festivals and after seeing the Glastonbury line-up today (snore) I think I can safely say 2000 Trees is going to be my favourite this year. It's my Birthday weekend and I can't think of a better way of celebrating it than being in a field with great bands, great people and super tasty cider. COME AT ME SUMMER. 

GIGS ATTENDED

Gunning for Tamar, Brawlers & Yearbook @ Brithdays, Dalston // Young Kato acoustic session @ TMRW magazine Boxpark store // Architects @ The Haunt, Brighton // Takedown Festival @ Southampton Univeristy // Saint Raymond @ Borderline, London // Young Kato @ Garage, London // BANKS @ Concorde 2, Brighton

Now, to try and squeeze everything into April!

Post-Surgery Pick Me Up

As some of you may or may not know I've been a little out of the loop recently as not long ago I had major surgery, which has left me in a daze of painkillers and sleeping. Finally, though I'm getting back up on my feet and starting to get back to work with the help of my dad's laptop (sitting at my desk still isn't an option boooo). If anything, this time off has opened my ears to all the new music being released at the moment and there's been a handful of tracks that I've had on repeat to keep my PMA intact.

Check out some of the new releases below and let me know any songs that are lifting your spirits at the moment!

Natives - Can't Say No

This is my absolute jam right now, it's the perfect song to keep me smiling, and just you wait until you hear the album - it's a corker! 

More Than Conquerors - Pits of Old

More Than Conquerors were basically the band keeping me sane whilst in hospital, I listened to their album over and over again to blank out all the moaning old ladies around me! 

Zedd Ft. Hayley Williams - Stay the Night

This may come as a surprise to some, but I have a secret soft spot for dance/pop music and Hayley's vocals on this are just next level.

Architects - Naysayer

Okay so this isn't the song you automatically think of when trying to be positive, but sometimes when you're sick you need to vent your frustration and this is perfect to stomp around your bedroom to.

Young Kato - Help Yourself

Because nothing beats some good indie-pop music for a bit of a boost. This new Young Kato track is filling my ears on a frequent basis. 

TIPS FOR 2014: PART ONE

1. MMX








MMX have been one of my favourite things about 2013. They landed on the scene with a hidden mystery, no big shows or relentless self-promotion, they simply let their music do the talking. Their two EPs, 'Child' and 'Heir' are mesmerising pieces of work that make you sit down and listen. On tour in January, catch them while you can and I promise you, you won't regret it.


For Fans Of: The 1975, Costal Cities, Phoria

2. LAUREL







I first met Laurel when she was 17 and entering a local Portsmouth competition to play at Blissfields Festival. Not long after that, she was picked up by the guiding hands of Turn First Artists (Rita Ora, Ellie Goulding etc) and has a voice to make the hardest of men go weak at the knees. Think Lana Del Ray without the really annoying persona. A lovely girl that makes fantastic music and truly deserves to make it big.



For Fans Of: Ellie Goulding, Lorde, Daughter

3. LONELY THE BRAVE








Lonely The Brave are a band that have made their mark with only a handful of tracks to their name. Latest EP 'Backroads' has received critical acclaim and BBC introducing have swept them up into their palm to play some of the UKs biggest Festivals. With a full-length release on the horizon, 2014 looks set to be their year.


For Fans Of: Arcane Roots, We Are the Ocean, Pure Love

4. ELIZA AND THE BEAR







Support Paramore on their Arena Tour? Yeah, why not. Eliza and the Bear are destined to be the next big indie band in the UK, there's no stylisation, just pure up-beat, catchy anthems that will undoubtedly soundtrack many summer adventures.


For Fans Of: Two Door Cinema Club, Dog Is Dead, Bombay Bicycle Club

5. NATIVES







Natives started off 2013 well, a couple of single releases and Festival/Tour appearances saw them gain more and more fans. Then things all got a bit muddled and the long-awaited album release didn't quite happen. Dedicated to their music, 2014 will be much kinder to the Natives boys and their headline UK tour will certainly re-ignite the excitement for the band.


For Fans Of: Kids In Glass Houses, Blitz Kids, You Me At Six

6. I DIVIDE







Once winners of the Redbull Bedroom Jam, 2013 has seen I Divide's success only grow further. With their new album wrapped and ready to fly out, I'm quite sure that these Exeter lads are going to be making a lot of noise in the coming months.


For Fans Of: Lower Than Atlantis, Straight Lines, The First

7. EMPIRE







Hands up who caught Arcane Roots on tour recently? If so, then you (hopefully) would have made the effort to catch EMPIRE. Frontman Joe Green has a unique vocal that entices you into their music, whilst beefy chords and snappy drums take you on an energetic journey throughout their mini-album 'Where the World Begins'.


For Fans Of: Max Raptor, Arcane Roots, Twin Atlantic

8. AS ELEPHANTS ARE







Having first discovered AEA at Southsea Fest in 2012, I've been hooked by their catchy guitars and quirky charm ever since. They may only have a small handful of tracks available to get your teeth into, but each one is superb and leaves you with a hunger to hear more.


For Fans Of: Clock Opera, Bombay Bicycle Club, The 1975

9. ACRES







Recently signing to Smalltown Records, Acres are one of the best things to come out of Portsmouth. Their live shows are full of sweat and passion, with songs of epic proportions lead by a ferocious vocal.


For Fans Of: Architects, Bury Tomorrow, Being As An Ocean

10. SONS & LOVERS







2013 has seen Sons & Lovers gradually piece together the parts of their puzzle. Selling out their first headline London show, touring with the likes of Ellie Goulding and The National and continuously working on their music. 2014 could be the year that they finish their puzzle and spread out their music for all to see and hear.


For Fans Of: Morain, Futures, Canterbury

Mid-Week Music Video's

Anybody else noticed it's been all a bit quiet on the music front? There seems to be waves of single/album releases and then nothing for weeks and then EVERYTHING all comes at once. Hence there not being one of these posts for a week or so, but fortunately music video's are popping up again, HOORAY! Here's the best of the bunch from the past week:

1. Paramore - Still In To You

I'm absolutely rinsing the new album at the moment! Anyone else think Hayley looks like a piece of candy?

2. As Elephants Are - Youth Blood

Keep an eye on these guys, they're going to have an interesting year!

3. Fall Out Boy - The Phoenix

Poor Patrick, he's not having a very good day is he? Poor bugger has had his hand cut off!

4. Gunning For Tamar - Another Season

Bit of an eery video. This is the second single from the new EP Camera Lucida, which you should definitely go spend a few bob on! 

5. Natives - Stand For Something

Let's all get a bit teary eyed at the hopes and dreams of everyone featured in the video

Any favourites?

Sunday Sound #7

Another week gone by! Phew, it has been a crazy one. I popped up to London on Tuesday to see the brilliant MMX (as shown in lasts weeks Sunday Sound) and they were incredible, definitely keep an eye out for them. Onto this week though, hopefully this will be another band to please your ears, let me know what you think!

Natives

Similar to that of MMX, Natives developed out of the remnants of previous group Not Advised to form a brand new, fresh sounding, pop-rock band. Hailing from the New Forest (or Southampton if you're fussy), Natives have got that pure blend of upbeat catchy rock music that can bring a smile to everyone's faces. Even the video for single This Island sees them splashing about in the sea and having a jolly good time in the sunshine, which is exactly the sort of weather that Natives can be enjoyed in. 

Okay, so we may not be having many sun-filled days right now, but both This Island and their track Big Plans (available for FREE download here) will get you lusting after summer fun. Both tracks are filled with strong vocals courtesy of Jim Thomas as well as all the necessary parts, such as thrashing drums and guitar riffs that'll stick in your brain. 

After recently catching them on tour with We The Kings I can confidently say that they aren't a disappointment live either, infact, I much preferred them to the headliners, controversial, but they really have an energy about them that a lot of bands lack. They'll soon be releasing their video for newest single Stand For Something, which features a whole lot of YOU, as they gathered crowds in various cities to take part, which I am particularly looking forward to seeing, so keep your eyes peeled!

For Fans Of: You Me At Six, Kids In Glasshouses, The Dangerous Summer

Find Them: https://twitter.com/follownatives

http://www.facebook.com/follownatives