I happened to stumble upon Peggy Sue purely by mistake back in November and became a fan during the first few minutes of hearing them play. Playing a free gig in a tiny venue in Southampton, they were instantly bewitching with their hauntingly beautiful voices, gentle melodies and charming demeanours, the audience may have been small but it was certainly enraptured. It was hard to believe that these two girls hadn’t made the big time yet. It was on this chilly November eve that, at the end of their set, they thanked us all for coming and asked us to raise a glass to the news that they had been signed by Wichita Recordings and were set to make an album. Fast forward only five months later and the album is set for release in April.

Delorentos are a Dublin based four piece releasing their debut UK album. Having already debuted at number two in the Irish charts back in 2009, YOU CAN MAKE SOUND finds the quartet hoping to repeat some of that success over here.

With a story involving early chart-topping success in Ireland, the collapse of record label Pinnacle, their lead singer Ronan walking out and returning and support slots with bands like the Arctic Monkeys, Supergrass and The Dave Matthews Band; Delorentos have had a somewhat rocky road to where they are today.

For all the drama and triumphs though, the music that Delorentos make all seems a little trivial and average in comparison. This isn't to say the Irish four piece aren't competent and decent enough, it's just that what they do seems very over familiar and played out; all chest thumping indie rock in the vein of Snow Patrol, Editors and The Killers, anthemic rockers with just the hint of an electro dance influence fueling the musical fire.

New single SECRET is released ahead of the forthcoming album and gives a chance to make up your on mind.

SECRET sees Delorentos mining the U2 meets Coldplay musical ground, sprinkling a little New Order-ish electro to the mix, but keeping things firmly rooted in the earnest and anthemic.

Too over familiar sounding and derivative to ever really transcend the ordinary, SECRET is mired in the average and ordinary, decent enough but hardly special or unique; Delorentos sound in desperate need of some personality or spark to stand out amongst the pack here.

Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro are a band who've come a long way since their scrappy, scruffy alt rock beginnings back in 1995. With the release of ONLY REVOLUTIONS, the Kilmarnock trio's fifth album, Biffy Clyro have undoubtedly unleashed their most bombastic, epic and melodic concoction to date; a record equal parts U2 and Dinosaur Jr, an album where bold orchestral surges blend effortlessly with noisy guitar bursts, all the while buoyed by euphoric and triumphant choruses.  Teamed up with mega rock producer Garth Richardson and Nirvana mixer Andy Wallace, ONLY REVOLUTIONS is the sound of Biffy Clyro staking their claim as rocks never huge thing, stadium rocking mega stars on the verge of that massive breakthrough.

Opener THE CAPTAIN swiftly alerts you that Biffy Clyro mean business this time round, an infectious, urgent sounding song that lodges itself into your brain within seconds; front man Simon Neil crooning impossibly catchy sounding melodies whilst orchestral flourishes surge bombastically in the background giving the impression that this is the musical equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie. THAT GOLDEN RULE proves that the band can still rock out with the best of them, heavy riffs bombarding your senses and thunderous drum beats cracking your skull, Biffy Clyro unleashing echoes of that rambunctious alt rock that first heralded their arrival in 1995. With surprising time shifts and another orchestral explosion though, the band in 2009 are a defiantly more polished, accomplished and assured deal, confidence and experience brimming through in every note struck and melody sung.

BUBBLES is another euphorias sounding rock anthem, all chest beating melodies, cascading choruses and crashing guitar blasts, the midway guitar onslaught in particular prompting a certain indie rock-gasm for those of a certain bent. The more subdued GOD AND SATAN does away with the bombast for a spell, acoustic guitars and militaristic drum patterns building beneath Simon Neil's Scottish croon; a brass section adding to the magic.

With MOUNTAINS, it's satisfyingly effective business as usual from the band, a pleasingly euphoric sounding song that shows Biffy Clyro continue to move in defiantly epic rock directions, the “I am the mountain/I am the sea” chorus just begging to be chanted at stadiums worldwide come the summer months. SHOCK SHOCK, BOOOOOM, BLAST AND RUIN and CLOUD OF STINK are further examples of Biffy Clyro's confidence and sense of melodic urgency; the band belting out self assured alt rocking goodness, their amalgamation of the best parts of U2, Foo Fighters and Dinosaur Jr resulting in a thrilling joy ride for the senses.
MANY OF HORROR is another more subdued, gentle break in proceedings, a much more introspective and pretty sounding entry to ONLY REVOLUTIONS track listing, shades of Snow Patrol in the mix of the delicate and the anthemic. It's in this vein that KNOW YOUR QUARRY and WHORSES closes up the album, songs that mix the more gentle with the epic, slower building affairs that reveal yet another string to Biffy Clyro's already impressive bow.

ONLY REVOLUTIONS is a defiantly self assured and confident sounding album from Biffy Clyro, this a band sounding primed and ready to take the next step into stadium rocking stardom; a collection of anthemic, epic and bombastic songs full of urgency and euphoric intent. Definitely Biffy Clyro's most cohesive and satisfying release to date, ONLY REVOLUTIONS is a winner.

Hot Chip have never been an in-your-face band. Successful, yes; but they never embody the raucous, attention grabbing nature of their contemporaries, simply because they don’t have to. They are one of few revolutionary, genre-crossover bands who have managed to stay relevant and interesting seven years after their 2003 debut, ‘Coming on Strong’.  The British 5-piece seem to effortlessly make music for themselves with no real focus for the mainstream.  Lucky for them then, they get there anyway through the sheer brilliance of their music.
Hot Chip’s unique mix of disco beats, acoustic guitars and piano dips into so many different genres that it is impossible to pigeonhole them, and latest offering ‘One Life Stand’ is no exception to that. Released on February 1, the album was preceded by the single of the same name; a track that some critics heralded Song of the Year before 2010 even had the chance to take off.

But did the album live up to expectations?
First track, ‘Thieves in the Night’ doesn’t hesitate to show what Hot Chip are capable of. Embodying all the catchiness of the band’s popular singles, it is the perfect introduction to exactly what we were hoping for – addictive yet unadulterated disco pop.
Hand Me Down Your Love adds strings to Alexis Taylor’s high-pitched croon and a funky beat. “I’ve known for a long time, you were my love life”, Taylor wails. If it wasn’t for the drum machine, this would be the stuff of emo-folk bands like Mumford & Sons and Bon Iver.
‘I Feel Better’ sounds like the sister track to ‘One Life…’. Auto tune comes into play in the verses, sounding more Calvin Harris than Mumford & Sons, but then Taylor’s heart-wrenching vocals (“I only want one night/ Together in our arms”) come in for the chorus and Hot Chip’s brilliance is undeniable.
In context of the album, lead single One Life Stand sounds as glorious here as it does nestled in the charts. The best sort of love song is one you can dance to, and Hot Chip manage to deliver this over and over again on this record.
Brothers and Slush are a pair of digitalised ballads that might be a little hard to stomach for even the most weathered Hot Chip fans. Brothers is a very soppy ode to male friendship and Slush sounds like Alexis Taylor’s answer to Unchained Melody. On Alley Cats, Joe Goddard takes the vocal reign and his low, near-rasp vocal style is the perfect compliment to Taylor’s vocals.

The last few songs on the album seem to shy away from mainstream appeal, devoid of memorable hooks or beats, which probably explains why this album has fallen shy of full marks in other reviews.
The secret to Hot Chip’s success is making records that suit the 5am comedown as much as the dance floor. Their songs combine the adrenaline of piano power ballads and the fervour of house anthems to create a truly unique, unrivalled sound. Hot Chip’s genre-crossing allows them to be dispensable to a whole assortment of tastes, which results in the fans at their gigs rubbing shoulders with folk they wouldn’t normally have anything in common with musically.

Although some of the album tracks can sometimes miss the hit factor, One Life Stand proves Hot Chip to be revolutionary music-makers who’s latest offering is a strong contender for the best album of 2010.

Dublin based outfit The Brothers Movement are a band who've already released a highly praised debut album in late 2009, garnering plaudits from the likes of Irish Hot Press and NME. Lifted from that record, new single the double A side, BLIND / SISTER certainly exposes what all the fuss has been about.

Unleashing a slow burning intensity that borrows from the likes of Elbow, Doves and The Verve, The Brothers Movement deal in similarly brooding yet ultimately euphoric musical territory; the melodies gently anthemic, the guitars dramatically shifting from acoustic folkism to skyrocketing arcs and the drums moving in militaristic directions throughout.

BLIND is a brooding opener here, The Brothers Movement sounding like spiritual successors to The Verve as soulful vocals scuff up against cascading guitar histrionics, the whole thing benefiting from a gradual build that ultimately culminates in an epic, anthemic climax that almost takes you by surprise. SISTER feels like a gospel take on The Beatles, timeless melodies blended with a soulful musical backdrop, The Brothers Movement sharing a certain musical comradeship with some of Primal Screams more laid back moments on the likes of Screamadelica and Give Out But Don't Give In.

An impressive and important sounding release from The Brothers Movement, BLIND / SISTER feels like the start of something truly special, this a band expertly cross weaving the brooding, soulful, uplifting and melancholic. Like all the best singles, this is one that leaves you salivating to hear more.

A disappointing debut from The Moons, fronted by Paul Weller's keyboard player Andy Crofts. Coming from a band that has so much to offer, in the way of style and originality, Crofts has difficulty injecting these traits into his new project. Opening track, 'Don't go changin'' , hosts un-impressive and honestly annoying, 'choppy' keyboards. Followed by unnecessary guitar solos and... erm... noises...

The whole package tied up with a bland and needy melody. The following tracks carry the pattern. Nothing thus far has done anything to stand out at all really.

The running theme exposed through-out the album is love- lost, and won. Having this as the theme on so many tracks, makes the album lack substance. You could expect this from any teen band, but I definitely would hope for more variation from such an established musician.

Half way through we reach track 'How long', and we have a glimmer of hope. A fantastically put together acoustic intro, moving into mellow melodies and a 'clap-a-long' beat. It works so well because you feel like the band are trying less! The melody suits Crofts voice far more than the overly testing, cheesy and pushy vocals from the preceding tracks.

It is impressive to note that Crofts wrote track, 'Wondering', when he was only a mere sixteen. Although not particularly exciting, it is well put together. Boasting lyrics that leave you 'wondering', about a thing or two. It lets itself down with a 'time filling' drone of voices, that if you try really hard, you can imagine weren't there when the song was originally written.

The album's finale, 'Last night on earth', is a culmination of everything that has come before it. It has a little bit of each element from the previous tracks. Trying to trick you into appreciating the fact that, for the most part, they have tried too hard, and in doing so ended up with a fairly stale and needy album.

The genre mashing quartet from New York have done it again with this second LP. The success of their self titled debut from early 2008 laid the path for the genius that is 'Contra'.

Clearly growing, as artists and people, has brought them to this strategically mixed up album. Not many bands can take influence from reggae, calypso, ska, mix it up with a dollop of pop-synth and sprinkle of xylophone and make something so creatively sound. Opening track, 'Horchata', literally pulls down the pants of conformity, in the middle of whole school assembly, while the girl he likes is standing next to him.

 

With a beat to rival a samba band, violins, and group vocals that fill the whole song with warmth, as a band they have done exactly what they wanted to, and it couldn't have worked out any better. To look at, you would  expect the Columbia University graduates, would be firing out the same old wannabe Smiths comeback that you see so often with emerging bands today. Quite the contrary, they prove themselves with talents way beyond their years.

Almost like a current day, US west coast version of 'The Beat', giving you music that you can equally think about or skank to. At the same time giving you melodically sound gaps to have a rest in between.

Taking sample from the massively popular 'MIA,' in track 'Diplomats son', not only bridges the gap between todays pop culture and an already different style, but also shows the diversity of an already proven diverse band. Ending with track 'I think ur a contra', they have put their neck on the line in the best possible way. Using this song to show that simplicity works with difference, and scattering musical influences can leave you with the most logical product.

'Contra' says something about the ambition of Vampire Weekend, and in this album they have achieved something that has raised the bar on what four guys with a vision can pull off, given artistic licence and a loyal backing. A musically well put together and thought provoking album.

Remember that ‘Know Your Limits’ advert where the floppy-haired indie boy rips his earring out and pees on his own shoes?  
If you answered yes, then you know of Eight Legs already.

Not because they’re shoe-pissing indie boys, but because it was their single ‘These Grey Days’ that was sound tracked the advert we all secretly loved watching.

Along with sound tracking Friday night reconstructions, the band are already doing quite well for themselves supporting The Cribs on tour and sound tracking the glamorous Dior Homme show way back in 2006.

New single, ‘Best of Me’ is from the band’s third album, ‘The Electric Kool-Aid Cuckoo Nest’, due on February 22.
Darker than their previous releases, ‘Best of Me’ is a song about paranoia, tinged with a feel of impending doom; the sort felt by listening to a lot of Kaiser Chiefs material, ‘I Predict a Riot’ especially.

The vocals are unbelievably Jam-like; a cliché comparison that most reviewers like to avoid but after the mother of this reviewer asked if I was, in fact, listening to The Jam, I felt I should make a point of it. Eight Legs’ sound is neater than Weller and co. however; less rough and ready, more chart-friendly and a little lighter on the ears.

When you take ‘Best of Me’ out of context, it’s a good track, but in comparison to the band’s earlier stuff, it doesn’t quite hit the same spot. If the boys really want to get noticed in 2010, they need to return to their poppy, lighter sound, the sort thoroughly enjoyed by shoe-pissing indie boys across the country.

Calling all indie-pop kids, check out this band, The Hush Now; they tick all the right boxes to fulfil your indie needs. CONTRAILS is their second ever single release, following on from a free download of WISHING YOU A HAPPY CHRISTMAS, which surprised us all with it’s cheeky guitar based loveliness last year. Bright, breezy, and as much fun as a game of twister whilst inebriated, this single is well worth looking at if you like your music sugar coated with a positive vibe.

The Hush Now are Noel Kelly on vocals and guitar, Barry Marino on drums, Pat Macdonald on bass, Adam Quane on lead guitar, and John Millar on keys, they come from Boston, Massachusetts. The song has a slight Beach Boys feel to it, but with a lo- fi indie twist, sounding like the Boo Radleys in their chirpier moments, the vocals also remind me a little of Wayne Coyne from the Flaming Lips.

All these influences mix well to create a surfy, summery, feel good blast of guitar pop, with lovely smatterings of Moog synthesiser. Distorted guitars drive the song and the vocals inject uplifting, happy energy, whilst the drums sit merrily in the background. It's just a basic verse chorus verse pop song with a happy atmosphere, the singing fits well with the mood and the other instruments neither stand out or sound out of place, it's almost child like in simplicity, and the chorus is so lovely you’d want to invite it round for tea to meet your parents.

It did take a while to grow on me, at first I didn’t totally enjoy the production and sugar levels, but after repeated listens I have definitely come round to enjoying the style of the track, and what it has to offer. There is nothing new or mind blowing here, but this is a good effort from an emerging indie band, so keep an eye out for them, and enjoy this song now, this is worth checking out if you like lo-fi indie pop.

In a recent interview, I, Ludicrous describe their music in two ways, the first being “quite good”. The second being, “Smart alec observational lyrics over stolen riffs”. This sounds about right, if you add self-deprecating.

The band originally formed in Brixton in the mid-eighties as a two-piece with members John Procter and David Rippingdale (or ‘Will Hung’, as he likes to be known). It is said that their humourous and satirical lyrics originated from the two amusing each other with jokes and anecdotes to get them through the working day at Finsbury Data Services. The two enjoyed success with numerous releases, culminating in Idiots and Savants, an album released on their own record label in 1992 and thought by many to include their finest work. After a quiet period, the band returned in the noughties and added long time friend Martin Brett to the line-up in the form of bassist.

While the band have enjoyed success, they are no doubt mostly regarded as something of a novelty band. Member Will states that “We are often dismissed not as not just a novelty band, but a joke band. People think we do it as some kind of dare.” Indeed, you would be forgiven for writing off I, Ludicrous as a bit of fun, but there is no denying that they at least offer a bit of variety to the indie world.

‘We’re The Support Band’ is an undoubtedly silly and yet undeniably catchy single. The band have a suitably ‘can’t be arsed’ approach and the simple, blunt and wry lyrics make them instantly likeable. The droning, heavy sound of the track and the flat, monotone vocals not only fit perfectly with the lyrics but also sit surprisingly comfortably on the ears and the track can withstand a good few repeat listens. With lyrics like ‘the singer’s too fat, the vocals are flat, we’re the support band’, what’s not to love?