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.

Do you remember the glory of 2005?

Facebook was but a twinkle in Mark Zuckerman’s eye, Myspace was cool and music festivals were dirty places where grungy people went. And then – in short - a group of lads called Arctic Monkeys started making music together and the entire British music scene changed forever.

There were obviously other smaller events that contributed, but when we nostalgically look back at the noughties in 2050, we will undoubtedly blame the Arctic Monkeys for single-handedly MAKING INDIE COOL. The five boys from Sheffield who rose to mainstream fame simply by having their music passed between fans on the internet (most notably, via Myspace) will forever be remembered as THE band who revolutionised the music industry and the way it promotes new bands.

This is all old news. Arctic Monkey’s debut, ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’ came and went, slaying the music charts, wiping garage music off the map and putting Indie music at the top of its game. Chavvy, skinhead types started rubbing shoulders with the ‘alternative’ crowd at Brixton Academy, music festivals were suddenly the new lads-holiday and The Great Divide that separated so many colonies of music lovers blurred to the point on non-existance.

The most obvious thing for the boys to do following the success of their debut was to sit back and enjoy it. Not the Arctic Monkeys. Not from an act who, it soon became clear, were full of surprises.
In the space of a year, the band found the time to write and record second album, Favourite Worst Nightmare, while simultaneously riding the hype wave of their first album. What was expected was a rushed imitation of ‘Whatever People Say…’.

What actually surfaced in April 2007 was the complete opposite. It’s easy now – three years down the line - to say that every track is a hit. All 12 tracks have had a chance to permeate our lives; attach themselves to past events and memories and most of us have heard the record live. But I’ll say it anyway because it’s glaringly true – Favourite Worst Nightmare is jam-packed full of hits, each song capable of standing alone as a single and storming the charts.

Taking off with all the fervour and entrapment characteristic of the louder moments on their debut (‘A View from The Afternoon’, ‘A Certain Romance), opener song, Brianstorm - Inspired by a rendezvous with a PR mogul of the same name - is a force to be reckoned with. The first single from the album, Brianstorm shot straight into the Top Ten, proving that FWN was capable of winning the hearts and minds of Great Britain from the moment Turner snarled: “Briiiian”.
The bouncy, guitar hooks reminiscent of the band’s biggest hit, ‘I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor’, return on Teddy Picker and D is for Dangerous sounds like it was made for the fans to shout back at the band (“I think you should know/ You’re his favourite worst nightmare!”). Balaclava echoes the rascal rock of the band’s earlier tracks, accompanied by the garage guitar hooks that we’re all too familiar with. Second single, Fluorescent Adolescent is as poppy as ever and its July 2007 release meant it swamped the summertime radio playlists and soundtracked all the festivals. Turner is back on top form lyrically here, making quick-witted observations on modern society: “You used to get it in your fishnets/ Now you only get it in your nightdress” and “That Bloody Mary’s lacking a Tabasco/ Remember when you used to be a rascal?”
The rowdy brilliance of Fluorescent Adolescent is followed by its antithesis; the mellow Only One Who Knows. There’s something about that usually cheeky Yorkshire accent and the melancholy honesty of lyrics, “They made it far too easy to believe/ That true romance cant be achieved these days” that offers some beauty in amidst all that pop chaos.
Do Me a Favour and This House is a Circus are both pretty epic rock tunes that squash any fears the band have wandered into mainstream, indie pop territory. As the album nears its end, tracks like If You Were There, Beware and Old Yellow Bricks are hauntingly darker, while Do The Bad Thing offers some quick pop relief.
Like that moment when the lights come on at the end of a party, 505 starts off slow, hinting at a quieter ender. And then, albeit two minutes and 30 seconds in, 505 takes off; that trademark northern voice that we’ve all fallen for sings desperately and passionately to end the Arctic Monkey’s much-anticipated debut on an astounding, victorious note.

As previously mentioned, in hindsight of Favourite Worst Nightmare’s success and after many, many listens since its release, this review could be considered slightly biased. But ultimately, the simple mention of those ‘many, many listens’ could conclude this review; if it were a bad album, it would be long-forgotten, not even worthy of a re-listen. It’s not often that highly-anticipated albums deliver, but Arctic Monkeys didn’t just deliver on this one, they exceeded anything anyone expected of them.

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.

Hillbilly Rock. A phrase that sounds so very wrong and yet so freakin’ RIGHT. Hayseed Dixie are back with a new banjo-tastic album, this time a mixture of original songs as well as the covers they are so well known for. Rather than focusing on covering one band like some of their previous releases (AC/DC, Kiss and Mountain Love to name but a few) they have managed to re-interpret a whole host of musical excellence, from Queen, to Black Sabbath and yes, even Mozart. 

It may all sound like a bit of silly fun but while the album provides a very entertaining listen, these guys aren’t just messing around. They are a very talented bunch and take on each massive song they are covering and perform it with believable conviction and gusto. Each track they cover is definitely worth a listen but the true highlight of the album, for myself at least, is their version of The Prodigy’s huge hit ‘Omen’. Their use of quick-paced banjo, sweeping violins and shouty vocals all make for a truly fresh-sounding take on an already great track.

While the cover songs are undoubtedly the best part of the album, the band also offers us up 7 original songs which deserve a little recognition from us. One of the highlights of the album is ‘In The Backyard’, a jaunty, up-beat tune worthy of a good old knees-up (albeit with some dark undertones in the lyrics). Special mention must also go out to ‘Underneath The Bed’ for possibly some of the greatest opening lyrics OF ALL TIME; “Who put that condom in my shoe…?” Who indeed. The album not only offers us a mix of belting cover songs and fun original tracks, the band have also given us a special treat in the form of a bonus DVD. Not only does this include music videos but we are also offered the chance to mess with the audio files and re-mix the tracks…if we are so inclined to do such things. All in all, definitely one to pick up for your next hoe-down.

Sound Of Guns are a Liverpool based indie rock outfit bashing out spirited and anthemic rock tunes that imagine Echo and the Bunnymen colliding headfirst into U2, with a dash of Springsteen and The Replacements thrown in there for added messy rock n roll spirit.

ALCATRAZ is the first single to be released from their forthcoming debut album and sees the band teaming up with producer/mixer Chris Potter of U2 and The Verve fame.

ALCATRAZ is a bold and brash statement of intent from Sound Of Guns, the Liverpool band unleashing an anthemic and melodic slice of rock here that just screams out to be blasted from radios and stadiums up and down the country. Sing along melodies and crashing choruses combined with crunching guitar histrionics ensure that Sound Of Guns make just the right kind of musical splash here, ALCATRAZ definitely the kind of thing likely to expose this band to very big things. Coupled with an equally explosive and anthemic flip side in the shape of KNOTS, Sound Of Guns make a fantastic noise here.

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.

The latest single from Surrey's version of Fall Out Boy, UNDERDOG finds You Me At Six sticking to the pop punk formula that's so far seen them get this far uscathed.

So it's business as usual with sugar coated pop melodies, crashing guitar chords and frenetic drum patterns; all teen angst, explosive energy and derivative musicality. Undoubtedly catchy as all hell, UNDERDOG features the kind of day glo pop rock chorus that just calls out for call and response, obviously the soundtrack to a thousand tween alcohol binges and coming of age revelations; but really if you haven't heard increasingly similar sounding three minute romps like this already countless times before, you've really been living under a particularly remotely located rock somewhere for the last decade.

UNDERDOG will satisfy those for whom there just isn't enough Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance and 30 Seconds To Mars soundalikes out there already, for anyone else this is strictly derivative and by the book pop punk noise that fails to distance itself from the pack.

With Oasis gone, it is only apt that fellow Rock veterans Ocean Colour Scene use this opportunity to release their 9th studio album, Saturday. While new and upcoming bands rely on image to get them noticed, OCS’s longevity and experience in the business allows them to sit back and let the music do the talking.

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.

In some circles, Emo is a dirty word. But not here, not today.
Not when You Me at Six have made an impeccable second album of cranking, passionate rock music; the sort of music that has spawned its own marmite-esque genre over the last decade and earned the sometimes-derogatory label of ‘Emo’.

Following in the footsteps of American Emo giants My Chemical Romance and Panic at the Disco, You Me at Six are the first British band to really make an impact on the scene, creating a sound worthy of a place in the royal court of Emo.

Like it or not, that’s what they are. It’s all there; a compressed package of crunking guitars, ferocious vocals and chantable one-liners. And it’s brilliant.

Their sound is notably more mature and less poppy than both their American counterparts and their 2008 debut, ‘Take Off Your Colours’. However, there are some incredibly catchy moments that have allowed the band a chart-friendly album that still retains all its rock credibility.
Lyrically, Hold Me Down is a vitriolic education in how to love, lose and get your heartbroken, penning an abundance of lines that will make their way onto teenage screen names and fronts of schoolbooks across the country.
Diving straight into the good stuff, album opener ‘The Consequence’ is a hunk of catchy riffs and gasping vocals with the sort of lyrics that fans across the country are already preparing to shout back at them in sweaty gig venues.
Lead single Underdog has already caught the attention of Radio 1 and no doubt a contender for a place in the Top 10 upon its release.

Other highlights include stuck-in-your-head material like ‘Safer to Hate Her’ (a ridiculous rhyme that somehow works) and ‘Hard to Swallow’ (Who do you wanna save?/Who do you want to be tonight?).
‘Contagious Chemistry’ packs a heavy punch with stabbing thumps of noise and ‘There’s No Such Thing As Accidental Infidelity’ shows that vocalist Josh Franceschi is at his best when he is at his bitterest (“Go back to someone else/ Who wants you more than me”).
Contrary to its title, Album ender ‘Fireworks’ is the closest you’re going to get to a ballad on Hold Me Down as Franceschi wails, “I don’t know who you are/When you sleep with somebody else”. It’s a brilliantly passionate end to an exhaustingly emotional album that just gets better and better the more you play it.

So many bands have successful debuts and then change their sound in an attempt to keep their fans’ attention. You Me at Six have stuck to the same sound as their debut, which can be seen as a good and bad thing depending how you look at it. The band has made another good record, but are their fans going to bore of the same sound again? Other reviewers have pulled the band up on this point, snubbing ‘Hold Me Down’ as samey, but here at UkMusicReview we think if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. And nothing needs fixing by You Me at Six.