Happy Birthday GoldFlakePaint

As many of you probably know, I write for a music ‘site called GoldFlakePaint. Today is their 3rd birthday.

There’s an unlimited amount of music blogs/websites out there and finding a consistently decent, reliable, and enjoyable one can be a challenge. Luckily, GoldFlakePaint are there to tell us all what’s new, exciting and worth spending our precious pennies on. You might consider me bias, as obviously I write for them, but I couldn’t be prouder to be involved in what they do, because it’s genuinely brilliant.

On top of that, they’re now also hosting events, like a recent film night with a set from Scott Hutchinson of Frightened Rabbit (Kissing In Cubicles).



In an age where music writing is done by so many, quality is no longer a guarantee, but the fact a webzine like GoldFlakePaint can last this long shows that there’s hope yet.
Long may it continue.

Some of my contributions to GoldFlakePaint

THE RIPPLE REVIEWS: FIREBUG’S FIRST FILM NIGHT

REVIEW:
FIREBURG’S FIRST FILM NIGHT
HIGH FIDELITY VS EMPIRE RECORDS
Firebug Bar
28 Feb 2013
REVIEW BY MEL REEVE:

Firebug is Leicester’s cosiest and hippest pub-come-venue, always providing a wealth of interesting and exciting gigs as well as a variety of other events, such as their infamous pub quiz.
In the next few weeks and months alone this delightful place has got live music from bands including Tall Ships (Wednesday 6th March), Ace Bushy Stripteas, Evans The Death (23rd March as part of their Indie Alldayer Festival) and Bats (12th April) . Not content with this busy schedule, Firebug kicked off a brand new monthly Film Club evening on Wednesday, with a cracking double bill; Empire Records and High Fidelity, two brilliant films.

It’s pretty empty when we first arrive upstairs, but it’s worth bearing in mind that it’s only the first time they’ve done this (and we can only hope it doesn’t put them off doing awesome things like this more often), and it just means there’s even more free popcorn to go around, as well as a wider choice of seats. A couple of the people I’d invited to join me decided to go to the cinema in Highcross and take advantage of Orange Wednesdays, but when faced with a choice between supporting a truly unique and wonderful bar in a new and exciting venture (as well as a more niche selection of films), there really is no contest for me.

It’s also nice to see all the posters in Firebug for Handmade Festival, another brand new event coming to Leicester, which genuinely has one of the best line-ups of any festival I’ve ever seen (Dutch Uncles, Sky Larkin, Johnny Foreigner, We Were Promised Jetpacks, The Twilight Sad, Katie Malco, plus loads of other awesome artists!) and promises to be a fantastic weekend of music.
Coming up on 26th March at 7:00pm there’s a Mean Girls and Clueless double-bill, which is sure to get everyone excited - two truly brilliant films in one sitting. Sadly, that’s slightly after the end of term for most of us Uni of Leicester students, but if you’re intending to stick around for a bit, then make sure you attend as you’re sure to have a great time. Also, make sure you put the Evil Dead 2 vs Shaun of the Dead evening on your calendar too, on 24th April.

Read on The Ripple’s website

Fresh Licks // Doctrines ~ Daydream

Read on Goldflakepaint

Being signed to Alcopop Records is pretty much a guarantee of quality; their roster boasts an incredible blend of artists. Manchester four-piece Doctrines are no exception to this rule, they make a delicious blend of violent guitars and vibrant indie-pop melodies. Daydream is the first single from their forthcoming album and it’s available as a free download below.
The album release is accompanied by a small tour covering most of England, and judging by their sound on record, their live shows are likely to be a messy, joyous and fun affair.

Friday 10th – Travelling Man Comic Store – ANX Release Show – Manchester

Saturday 11th – The Fox And Newt – Leeds

Sunday 12th – Venue TBC (Sheffield)

Monday 13th – Venue TBC (Nottingham)

Wednesday 15th – Urban Bar Whitechapel – London

Thursday 16th – Bullingdon w/ Fight Like Apes – Oxford

Friday 17th – Pav Tav – The Great Escape, Brighton

*

https://www.facebook.com/doctrinesband

TOTD // 090; Pure X ~ Someone Else

Read on Goldflakepaint
Atmospheric and dreamy, like something off the Twin Peaks soundtrack, Pure X mix beautiful reverb and equally beautiful guitar melodies on this is a gentle, psychedelic indie pop waltz. Painfully personal lyrics are hissed, the vocals that dodge between are delicate yet soulful, and powerful but raw (with a tonal quality and range reminiscent of Christopher Owens from the now-deceased Girls, and a touch of that particular charm Girls brought to guitar music).

This track more than stands up to repeat listening, in fact it’s of such a quality that it’s almost impossible not to keep on clicking that play button. The track is taken from the Austin three-piece’s second album ‘Crawling Up The Stairs‘, which will be released May 13th on Merok Records, and you can grab it as a free download here.

Lobandwidth Branches Out

As well as writing about music, we will now also be selling hand-made items on Etsy. The only real connection with this blog is that it shares a name and is run by me (Mel Reeve).
This is the only time it'll be mentioned on here, but if it interests you check out the shop, and follow the shop's tumblr. It sells hand made embroidery accessories for you and your home, as well as a new line in felt jewellery.

buy this brooch here

Top 20 Albums of 2012*

1. Perfume Genius - Put Your Back N 2 It
Heartbreaking, delicate, beautiful yet strangely uplifting Perfume Genius’ second album showed that his incredible debut wasn’t just a fluke, but the product of a rare genius.
Listen to: ‘Sister Song’

2. Grimes – Visions
Sublime electronica combined with vocals that dodge between haunting and strangely baby-ish. Enveloping and enduring.
Listen to: ‘Oblivion’

3. Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
Subtly rousing emo-indie, dreamy in places and simple but effective indie rock in others.
Listen to: ‘No Future/No Past

4. Stumbleine – Spiderwebbed
Atmospheric combinations of weird electronic noises and Cocteau Twins-esque vocals. It carries you away on gradually layered waves, surreal and addictive.
Listen to: ‘The Beat My Heart Skips’

5. Sigur Ros – Valtari
Pretty much everything that you could hope for from a new Sigur Ros album.
Listen to: ‘Ekki Mukk’

6. Tall Ships - Everything Touching
Including a fantastic (if at first surprising) revamping of EP track ‘Ode To Ancestors’ this album cements Tall Ships in their place as one of the most exciting bands around.
Listen To: ‘Books’

7. The Bronze Medal - The Bronze Medal
A release I’m unlikely to ever grow tired of listening to, it blends together into one mass of sublime yet powerful vocals and melodious guitars.
Listen To: ‘Womb'

8. Joyce Manor  - Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired
Combining raw angry energy and furious guitars with melodies that wouldn’t seem out of place in the charts Joyce Manor were always going to be a hit. This album does feel pretty short, but there’s certainly something to be said for their directness.
Listen To: ‘These Kind Of Ice Skates’

9. The-Dream/Terius Nash – 1977
Originally released as a free download  last year, this album is hopefully finally going to get the notice it deserves. Nash’s lyrics are as clever as ever, laying his feelings bare in a way that’s almost difficult to hear.
Listen To: ‘Form Of Flattery'

10. Taylor Swift - Red
Swift has moved away from the more mediocre pop fare she favoured, growing into a powerful pop phenomena. This album is frankly just bangin’ (except that track with Ed Sheeran. We pretend that hasn't happened).
Listen To: ‘The Lucky One’

11. How To Dress Well - Total Loss
12. Drake - Take  Care
13. First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar
14. Frightened Rabbit - State Hospital*
15. The Heartbreaks - Funtimes
16. Ace Bushy Striptease - Outside It's Cold Just Like Your Body And
17. Lucy Rose - Like I Used To
18. Sfumato – These Things Between
19. Peace - EP Delicious*
20. The Twilight Sad - No One Can Ever Know                                    
*A couple of these are admittedly EPs

Honourable mentions to:

• Keel Her

Listen to: 'With Me Tonight'

• Kitty Pryde

Listen to: 'Okay Cupid'

First Listen // Sailplanes ~ We Are An Industry

 Read on Goldflakepaint

An important component of any good band is a clear sense of certainty in their sound. It’s no good listening to something that’s confused, or as a result of an uncertainty, seems like it’s chosen to be boring instead (although I should be clear – that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the sound of band experimenting or trying something new). This requirement is exactly why the new EP by Sailplanes is something of a gem. Only three tracks long, it’s hardly going to tax your ear or your time. But with a solid, comfortably delivered sassy sound it’ll be an enjoyable ten minutes of post-punk, with female vocals that are distinctly reminiscent of the excellent Life Without Buildings.

There’s a definitively relaxed feel to their cheery, noisy, jangly tunes and, on The Fox, some lovely girl/boy vocals from vocalists Stacey and Tim. “Blue, grey-green eyes” they sing, in a lovely medley of sound. The effective use of boy/girl vocals is rare outside of twee music and is something to be valued.
 
Sailplanes sound great and fun, and if you’re looking for a pleasant, charismatic, engaging listen, then look no further.

bandcamp