Welsh, Awen Rock band Holy Coves embark on their second UK tour this year after the success of their Spring tour earlier in the year. The Snowdonia Records Independent music pioneers head to Leeds, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and London with an end of year show in the beginning of December, in the Welsh capital, Cardiff with some of independent music’s finest bands as support.
Since the release of the award winning album ‘Druids and Bards’ the band have toured extensively over the last two years building a strong fanbase in all the major cities in England, Scotland and Wales. The band have also appeared at festivals such as Isle Of Wight Festival and Focus Wales, and have recently announced on social media they are currently working on their new record which they plan to record in January after their Autumn tour ends.
Be sure to catch them playing at the following venues before the end of the year. Follow the Link below for tickets.
4th October – Leeds, Santiago’s 5th October – Liverpool, EBGBS 25th October – Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete’s 26th October – Glasgow, McChuill’s 9th November – Manchester, Deaf Institute 23rd November – London, Water Rat’s 7th December – Cardiff, The Globe
The Kaves release their debut EP ‘Peace Love Mayhem’. The EP is undoubtedly a showcase of the band’s ability to write songs for every emotion. Already released singles ‘Complacency’ has a grittier sound, whilst summer release ‘Unknown Number’ is your go to singalong indie song.
The Last Glass and Fading To The Back Of The Room will be released for the first time on the EP. The Last Glass is the band’s most cinematic song to date. It carries an atmosphere fit for any Bond film. The song starts with alluring piano notes played by Sean Prior before Dave MacDiarmid’s vocals add an ocean of depth to the verses, with the chorus taking the Drama up a notch.
Fading to the Back of the Room is an anthemic ballad that will be sure to tug on heartstrings. The song takes on a style similar to their previously released ‘Soul’ which has proven to be a fan favourite. This song touches on the subject of regret later in life.
The Kaves have gained momentum having been featured on Spotify Editorials, Radio X and BBC Radio. They will be showcasing their new songs from the EP to new audiences during their run of shows in November. New music champion John Kennedy gave the tour a shout out on his Radio X X-Posure show.
Peace Love Mayhem is out now across all streaming platforms!
After bursting back onto the scene with ‘Delay The New Day’, Cardiff multi-instrumentalists Red Telephone are back with another scorcher, ‘What To Believe’. The track is our second insight into their upcoming sophomore album Delay The New Day which is hailed for release early 2025.
Delving into the complexities of conflicting narratives, ‘What To Believe’, continues the blend of melodic psych and darkwave that defined Red Telephone’s critically acclaimed debut, Hollowing Out. Originally conceived as a piano ballad by lead singer Declan, the song underwent a dramatic transformation during the band’s Cornwall recording sessions. What began as a slow, melancholic piece echoing the ethereal simplicity of Lana Del Rey, was radically reimagined by Dom (bass) and Luke (drums), who injected the track with an urgent, driving rhythm. Opening with a deep, funk infused bassline groove that evolves into a celestial expanse of synths, the song captures an essence of 80s melodrama, drawing comparison to the danceable yet intellectual energy of Pet Shop Boys.
“Lyrically it’s pretty abstract” says Declan of the track. “The lyrics came out fast and I mainly just liked the imagery… But it’s definitely got something to do with the problems that come with drowning in an ocean of information, content and conflicting narratives. Not wanting to get seduced or manipulated by things, all while searching for something to have a bit of faith in. I guess in this case, it relates to having faith in the ambitions and paths your past self sent you down. Are you still in charge or are they running you?”
‘What To Believe’ delves deeper into the existential turmoil faced by today’s artists, a central theme explored throughout Red Telephone’s upcoming album, Delay The New Day. From balancing demanding day jobs with creative aspirations to navigating a sea of contradictory advice, the band captures the universal anxieties of those chasing their dreams. Recorded semi-live in a short timeframe, this latest offering aims for a more cohesive sound, placing a strong emphasis on melody and lyricism written primarily in solitude by members Declan and Kieran on guitar and piano. By blending their signature multi-instrumental flair with a bold new cinematic edge, Red Telephone have expanded their sonic palette while staying true to their core identity.
Hailing from Cardiff, Red Telephone are a quintet featuring two sets of brothers alongside their first full-time drummer. They began their journey by releasing their first two singles as a double A-side vinyl on the Welsh cult label Popty-Ping, earning praise from Huw Stephens and Steve Lamacq. Their critically acclaimed debut album, Hollowing Out, garnered media attention from Clash, BBC 6 Music, and Under The Radar, amongst many. Now, in 2024, with their second album completed and set to release early 2025, Red Telephone continue to make waves in the UK alternative scene with their potent blend of psychedelic rock and darkwave, drawing comparisons to indie trailblazers MGMT, St. Vincent, or fellow Welsh band Super Furry Animals.
‘What To Believe’ is available across all streaming platforms now, whilst their sophomore album Delay The New Day is hailed for release early 2025.
Yon Mon is the exciting solo project from former The Shed Project frontman Roy Fletcher assisted by Danny Hayes bass player for The Jade.
Previously, Roy fronted the fantastic band The Shed Project which gained over 123,000 Spotify streams and an extremely loyal fanbase. Sadly the band decided to take a hiatus earlier this year much to everyone’s disappointment, which is testament to the great music they produced and the excellent gigs they put on. But now Roy has announced his solo project with the promise of plenty of music and potential live shows.
‘Shine on’ is upbeat, uplifting and it sparkles. It is bright and melodic, pure indie rock. It’s uplifting to hear Roy’s distinctive vocals once again. The man is full of sincerity and it comes through in his lyrics and music.
Their debut single ‘Shine On’ is out now and is available on all major digital platforms with an eagerly anticipated three more single releases and an album next summer.
Tom Emlyn releases his new album Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat, Vol.2. The album will be released digitally and on cassette alongside a short story called ‘Phosphorescence’.
Tom Emlyn’s fourth album in two years, Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat Vol. 2 is a self-produced, powerful, fully realised creative statement.
In summer 2022, Tom released his debut solo album ‘News From Nowhere’, a bittersweet love letter to his hometown of Swansea, described by Adam Walton (BBC Radio Wales) as a record of “undoubted brilliance, eloquence and energy”. It has been positively received, with airplay and support from Radio Wales, BBC Horizons, R.E.P.E.A.T. fanzine, God Is In The TV, and Joyzine, among others. Tom’s second album ‘I’ve Seen You In Town’ followed quickly– a more mellow, acoustic affair which was also well received. He also released the ‘Scrounger EP’ on Bandcamp last February.
His latest record follows hot on the heels of Return Journey Revisited: Scaredycat Vol 1, which was released in May 2023. In the same vein as the first volume, Rehearsal For The Rain gathers up lost fragments from years of songwriting and making music. Featuring recent single ‘Double-Crossed’ with its tender vocals, introspective lyrics caressing a daydreaming guitar motif, and lo-fi percussion it explores the darker side of self-reflection to a stripped back Velvet Underground-inspired groove. The album is a dreamlike, lo-fi psychedelic bedroom pop journey, with elements of prog, blues, indie and alternative folk.
‘Rehearsal For the Rain: Scaredycat, Vol 2’ is out now.
New Cardiff Band ‘Marionette’ have today announced their brand new debut single ‘Your Hand’ out now, and is this weeks chosen Single Of The Week for Indie Revolution.
Marionette made their well received debut on the Adam Walton BBC Introducing in Wales show on BBC Radio Wales on Saturday evening, which was deemed as ‘…a powerful and impressive debut!’ by Adam Walton.
Hailing from the heart of South Wales, Marionette is an indie alternative rock band that weaves together the sharp, melodic sensibilities of The Strokes, the eclectic flair of Mini Mansions, and the Britpop cool of Blur. Originally founded as a covers band by two childhood friends, Marionette has evolved into a powerful four-piece, crafting original music that resonates with the energy and authenticity of the modern rock scene.
The band’s story began in the close quarters of a university house, where the two founding members spent countless nights writing songs, experimenting with sounds, and dreaming of a bigger stage. Their deep-rooted friendship and shared passion for music laid the groundwork for what would eventually become Marionette. As their songwriting skills sharpened and their creative vision became clearer, they knew it was time to take their music beyond the confines of their living room.
With the addition of two new members who brought fresh influences and dynamic energy, Marionette transformed into a full-fledged band ready to take on the local music scene. They quickly made a name for themselves in South Wales, performing at local venues where their original music captivated audiences with its blend of jangly guitar riffs, punchy rhythms, and introspective lyrics. Each performance reinforced their belief that they were onto something special—creating a sound that is both nostalgic and refreshingly original, echoing the best of the past while firmly looking toward the future.
With a growing reputation across South Wales and beyond, Marionette is poised to make their mark on the UK music scene, offering a fresh take on the alternative rock genre that is as infectious as it is authentic.
Marionette said this about the track…….
“Our new release is called ‘Your Hand’ and it’ll be our first release. The lyrics were written about the walk home from a first date, initially feeling anxious about how everything went but then throughout the song feeling more and more excited about the future with this person. The main guitar part was written first, channeling a massive grungy sound. To balance this the second guitar plays a more jangly Smiths-esque line in the verses. This all comes together with driving bass and huge drums, and of course the drum solos to leave some room for dancing after the choruses.
The song has been a favourite both in the band and for the audiences we’ve played to, so we knew we wanted this to be our first single. We recorded it over two days in the summer at Hot Jam in Bridgend, with the help of William’s brother Alex and the ever loving and patient Colm Foxon – the engineer and owner of the studio. The track was mixed and mastered by the great Charlie Francis who we owe the tight and punchy sound to.
‘Your Hand’ is out now across all streaming platforms.
Formed in late 2022, Sura Laynes are a 4-piece rock and roll band from Derby, UK. The band’s original songs contain strong melodies and lyrics that instantly connect. Clean, crisp guitars and strong vocal harmonies give a nod to the bands that built them, with shades of The La’s, The Libertines and The Beatles detectable in their honest, heart on your sleeve sound.
The founding members of the band are Tommy Walsh and JJ Marriott, who met through a mutual friend and instantly formed a strong bond and musical chemistry. Both had been in bands previously and they met at quite possibly the worst time in their lives to be forming a band for personal reasons, but in spite of the obstacles there was something irresistible about the music they made, and the act of playing it together.
The band performed more as a duo in those early days until in late 2023 they were joined by Paul Harrison on drums and Paul “Pablo” Whittington on bass.
Lead singer and chief songwriter Tommy Walsh’s songs are always lyrically and melodically powerful. Tommy states that his writing style is heavily influenced by a deep love of poetry and people.
The band’s latest single release ‘Let The Good Times Roll’ is the second single to be taken from their self-titled debut album which was perhaps controversially, recorded,mixed and mastered in Analog 8 Track cassette format.
‘Let The Good Times Roll’ has no preamble about it – it simply explodes into life in an instant with a unique analog sound. The twang of the acoustic rhythm guitar is complemented by a jangling top-line of lead guitar and a rattlesnake tambourine. Underpinning the song is the urgent, yearning basslines and the anxious, almost fearful sounding lyrics in the verses which contrast dramatically with the ecstatic chorus lines.
The band have said of the track:-
“This is a song about those moments of euphoria amongst the grind of everyday life. We picked this song as the second single from our album because it feels like it reflects the mood that a lot of people in the country are feeling right now. So many of us in the UK are struggling to get by from day to day, and it feels like we’re only living for those fleeting times when we can forget about all that for a bit and just enjoy ourselves”.
Upcoming Gigs/Tours
22nd September – The Victoria Inn, Derby
5th October – The Royal Oak, Ockbrook, Derby
28th February 2025 – The Hairy Dog, Derby with The Outcharms, All The Young, Alright and Long Island.
Kieran Fisher or the ‘Feesh’ as he is known has been kicking at the door of the big time for a while now supporting artists including The Snuts and The View’s Kyle Falconer on a number of dates. It’s not everyone who gets a personal invitation from Gerry Cinnamon to open for him but this is just what happened!
Seeking a bigger sound, Kieran recruited Lyle Finlay on lead guitar, Lewis Mcgrandles on bass and Jason Strachan on drums and TONTO was formed .
Both the band’s debut single ‘Down the Hatch’ and follow-up ‘Insider’ were named This Feeling/Gigslutz Track of the Day and received airplay in both the UK and USA whilst recent drops‘Madame Medusa’ and ‘Yellow and Blues’ have got music industry insiders pretty excited.
On the live front TONTO have also recently supported the likes of The Skinner Brothers, The Gulps and Rianne Downey.
Fresh on the heels of the success of their first single releases of 2024, ‘Liverpool’and ‘Charlene’TONTO are upping the ante once again and are coming at us thick and fast with the bangers with their hat-trick release of the year with the powerfully emotive track of ‘Alone’.
‘Alone’ is a strikingly beautiful melody with a haunting undercurrent. It’s right up there with the likes of The Verve and ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony” and ‘The Drugs Don’t Work’ in terms of skilled musicianship and memorable melodies.
Talking of skilled musicianship. Kieran Fisher is most certainly proving his worth as he is right now as I send you this press release out at La Sierra Casa in Spain, Kyle Falconer’s songwriting camp after he won a scholarship competition run by The View frontman.
‘Alone’ was written by Kieran Fisher and was recorded with Mark Morrow in Leith and is the third single to be released from TONTO from their upcoming 5 track EP ‘Hope, Faith, Carnage’ which is due to be released later this year.
Skylights release their brand new single ‘SKIES ARE BURNING’ before a landmark show and hiatus.
The band say the single marks the end of their ‘WHAT YOU ARE’ era and is being released prior to a landmark gig at the largest indoor venue in their home City of York, The Barbican, on Saturday 2nd November, after which they will be taking a planned hiatus.
Rob Scarisbrick: ‘The song is a feel-good euphoric anthem, that has been going down great with the crowd at our gigs. The lyrics are just me day dreaming on a hot summer’s day’.
‘Skies Are Burning’ is dreamy and nostalgic, fast paced with a great energy throughout. Another great track to add to their roster of songs.
The York Barbican gig is their biggest selling show to date and is all but sold out, with supporters travelling from around the UK to be there and join the celebration. To say it will be an emotional night for the band and their loyal, passionate followers is an understatement. Skylights have carved their very own niche in the UK independent underground music scene and have created a community around their music, which includes an eclectic array of sports and media celebs including the BBC’s Mike Bushell, Josh Warrington, Guy Mowbray, Gaetano Berardi, and Westlife’s Nicky Byrne to name but a few.
“HAVING BEEN HANDPICKED BY THE LIBERTINES TO SUPPORT THEM ON THEIR UPCOMING TOUR, MAX BIANCO IS A TRUE POETIC SONGWRITING GENIUS THE LIKES OF WHICH WE HAVEN’T WITNESSED SINCE BOB DYLAN BURST ONTO THE SCENE”
Max Bianco who was born in the Northeast of England could quite easily be mistaken as the love child of Bob Dylan with his poetic, dreamy songs reminiscent of a young rambling, vagabond on life’s journey taking in one town at a time singing his sweet yet somehow melancholy songs about his love, life and losses.
Max is an artist and poet at heart and this really comes across within his lyrics. He is a self taught musician having taught himself how to play on his brother’s old acoustic guitar which came with only three strings when he first picked it up!
Showing a tenacious energy and a passion for his music Max has travelled across the whole of the UK and Europe, busking his way from place to place. around bars and hostels. As part of his musician mission, Max took on a pilgrimage to head to Margate and to the mecca of many a travelling musician, The Libertines Bar/Hotel/Recording Studio: The Albion Rooms. In manner befitting of Bob Dylan when he went to visit Woody Guthrie in hospital, Max was drawn into a world of mystic, magic, romance and death in faded grandeur, the very essence of what resonates throughout his music today. There’s a certain romantic notion woven throughout his music coupled with a sense of longing and despair portrayed through skilled lyricsim and cleverly crafted musicianship.
Max Bianco’s latest release ‘Sometimes’ superbly showcases his songwriting abilities in his own storytelling manner all set against a background of a haunting yet beautiful melody. The brilliance of the track is allowed to shine, through its sheer simplicity really allowing the vocals to take centre stage. Max’s voice is clear yet emotive and thought provoking and the strumming acoustic guitar is literally like the plucking of your heart strings.
Max has said of the track:
“‘Sometimes’ is about life really and when the cards dealt don’t match up to anything, but how it’s maybe worth taking that risk of going all in again and hoping for a better hand to be dealt next time.”
‘Sometimes’ was written by Max Bianco and was recorded at The Albion Rooms in Margate with renowned, award winning, music engineer and technician Jason Stafford. Produced by Mark Pickering, head of ARU music department in Cambridge, the arrangements were worked on with musicians Fabian Bonner (double bass) and Sean O’Hanrahan (piano). Mark mixed ‘to the track’ and you can sense this with the space in the final master which allows the vulnerability of the lyrics to truly resonate with the listener.
UPCOMING GIGS
30.10.24 – Roundhouse in London – Supporting The Libertines
17.11.24 – The Engine Shed Lincoln – Supporting The Libertines
18.11.24 – The Globe Stockton – Supporting The Libertines.
Indie Revolution 