The most remarkable thing about The Misers is how richly American their debut is. Influenced by Creedance Clearwater Revival, Ryan Adams and The Who, the duo who make up the band - Adam Barry and Neil Ivison - have wiped all traces of their Herefordshire roots from debut record, ‘Amplified Life Stories’.
If you like Springsteen, you’ll love this.

Instead of succumbing to the rut-like template of British folk rock, The Misers have allowed their sound to be influenced by much bigger fish across the pond and elsewhere.
‘Amplified Life Stories’ opens with a flurry of Harmonicas in ‘Take Me Down’, which is followed by the anthemic ‘Give It Up For Love’. Neil’s vocals channel all the rasping and throaty heartache of all his famous male predecessors – David Gray, Kelly Jones, Springsteen himself.
Tracks like ‘Shoot the Breeze’ and ‘Spinning’ veer away from the initial Alabama country sound and appear more tender, delicate and folk like.
‘Call Me Anytime’ again boasts an anthemic, sing-along chorus with the emotive lyrics, “I’ve been there before girl/ I know what you’re going through”.
‘The Long Walk Home’ displays some painfully romantic guitar riffs and ‘Lord, Shuffle My Feet’ is a classic country song, designed to be played driving down Route 66 rather than the A38 through Herefordshire.
‘Don’t Let Go (Song for Lee)’ takes the album from Springsteen-inspired 70s into an era dominated by The Who and their trademark keyboard sounds. Although this song stands alone as one of the heavier tracks on the album, it is by far, one of the best.
The album ends with stadium ballad ‘Dead before My Time’; a love song that sounds like a tribute to all the great stadium bands that The Misers adore and hope to emulate.

Overall, ‘Amplified Life Stories’ is a very good album.
It’s muffled, country feel sounds like The Misers have created their very own Wonder Years soundtrack, taking their listeners through a journey that explains the monumental title of the album.
The production is impeccable and Neil and Adam shine through as very talented, well-practised and well-honed musicians. They create a country-folk noise that sounds like Springsteen revitalised; a modern twist on an old great. Towards the end of the album however, the tinny country guitars begin to wear thin and the rock n’ roll epic of ‘Don’t Let Go (Song For Lee)’ just about saves the album. The boys are brilliant musicians capable of making great things but ‘Amplified Life Stories’ falls slightly by sounding slightly repetitive in places.

Imagine sitting in a club, minding your own business, when the most beautiful girl in the room comes over and sits next to you. You can’t quite believe this is happening; is it a dream? Could this be too good to be true?
That is how it feels listening to The Volitains for the first time.

Not since The Kills have there been such a frighteningly good female fronted band like The Volitains. Hole owned the nineties and The Distillers lit up the first half of the noughties, but now the new decade is here and we are still waiting for Rock’s next beauty queen.

Camden-born 4-piece The Volitains – complete with blonde vixen-like front woman Candice Ayery – might just be capable of filling the big shoes of the grrl  rock outfits that came before them.
The story of their conception alone is like a modern day love story. In a nutshell, Candice Ayery was wandering drunkenly down the platform at Camden Town tube station, when she nearly ended up on the tracks and guitarist Nick D’Amico saved her.
Movie script conversation about shared heroes ensued (Karen O, Patti Smith and Kurt Cobain, if you were interested) and that drunk blonde girl is now the lead singer of Nick’s band. If a Mills & Boon was ever based in Camden, it would probably sound a little something like that.

New single ‘Underground’ sees unavoidable sex appeal drip from every guitar chord, bass lines that are smooth and seductive and ferociously spectacular drum moments that cascade into the sort of brilliance that would make even Grohl and Homme take notice.
The best thing about The Volitains is that they have managed to produce a fresh, modern female-fronted sound without sounding like a tribute band to their influences.
It is impossible to review The Volitains without constantly coming back to the blonde haired, kohl eyed enigma that is Candice Ayery; sprawling across the stage during the band’s live performances, she is the reincarnation of Karen O, Courtney Love and Debbie Harry for all the rebellious teenage girls of 2010.

‘Underground’ is an impeccable single from a band that are seemingly unafraid, uncompromising and ready to make a very big impression on the rock music scene of 2010 and beyond.

It was always expected that once the dust had settled on Oasis’ disbandment, floods of new rock n’ roll stars would rise up from the ashes like wannabe rehashes of the legendary Manchester band.

As hyperbolic as it sounds, Glasgow 4-piece Annie Stevenson seem to have all the capabilities to fill that hole in the music scene. From the opening chords of ‘Get Off the Street’ you realise that this band are the Kasabian-esque lad rock that 2010 has been waiting for.

Infused with that Glaswegian edge that has worked so well for their hometown’s rock heritage, you will find Annie Stevenson’s mix of slurring Pistols vocals and cheeky Fratellis pop absolutely irresistible.

‘Country Killer’ veers away from heaviness and more towards a softer indie sound much like The Coral.
‘TV took My Soul’ is a whirling mass of grunge, incorporated with the sort of riffs that wipe out any chance of this band being labelled amateur.
Final track ‘I’m the One you Hold’ is a heart-achingly good indie love song, set to make the girls swoon and the boys burn with envy. The production is weak but absurdly, the muffled, garage band feel actually adds to the authenticity of sound.

Therefore it seems it is time to throw Mumford & Sons out the window and burn your Dubstep CDs. Concrete British indie rock n roll has returned in the form of Annie Stevenson. This band is set to storm the music charts much like those four Manchester lads who came before them.

The Lucky Face is a one-man outfit made up of Tim Mullineux  - a charismatic, shaggy-haired gentleman who could easily rival the rock persona of Pete Doherty and the charming crooner factor of Paolo Nutini.  Originally a band, The Lucky Face had quite a following in their hometown of Lancaster but they then split and Tim carried on performing under the name. The Lucky Face’s debut EP, Lounge, was released late 2009; a collection of happy-go-lucky yet heartfelt piano ditties that started pulling fans into the charming reverie of Tim’s music.

‘Like Ronnie Said to Phil’ however, strays away from the indie-feel of Lucky Face’s previous work and hits more bluesy, poppy notes. Harmonicas and pianos accompany Mullineux’s rasping, country vocals for a more mature, Radio 2-friendly track.

B-Side ‘No Personality’ is a more tender song, with a killer chorus (“It’s not my fault you’ve got no personality, can’t be much fun!”) with Tim’s vocals giving this a warmer, Smiths-esque feel.

Although unsigned, The Lucky Face’s combination of adorable front man and unpredictable genre-mixing will no doubt propel Tim Mullineux into the heads and hearts of many.

Composer, singer and songwriter Tim Arnold took on quite a feat when he decided to write an album that would inspire music fans to discover Shakespeare. Especially an album of hardcore rock songs.
Surprisingly, he seems to have pulled it off. What initially comes across as an absurd idea will  become quite an impressive piece of work the more you listen to it.

Sonnet 155 is based around Shakesperean themes that deal with the human condition – love, jealousy, trust, among others. The record provide 11 in depth, culturally rich tracks that each tell their own story and will allow hours of curious listening. As part of the research for this album, Arnold wrote to 30 Shakesperean actors for their point of view on Shakespeare’s portrayal of the human condition. Replies flooded in from the likes of Emma Thompson, Sir Ian McKellan and Pete Postlethwaite. One line in Emma Thompson’s reply inspired the achingly-beautiful chorus of The Old King’s Fool.

Without the back story and based on its standalone merits, ‘Sonnet 155’ is actually a really good album. The word Shakespearian is enough to age all of us but Tim Arnold has managed to create a really fresh sound, while still channelling a medieval heavy rock feel. Muse comparisons will be unavoidable as Arnold perfects the dooming vocals and thrashing guitar sound characteristic of Matt Bellamy.
Instrumental opening track Citrinitus is trickery; a calm piano number alien to the rest of the album. Flights of Angels is wonderfully Muse, orchestral and with a charging drum accompaniment that will grab the attention of rock lovers. Further highlights include the rock operas found in Hurly Burly and Rubedo as well as the Funeral for a Friend trashy rock of Such Sweet Sorrow.
There’s going to be haters. There’s going to be critics, who just don’t get this Shakespeare malarkey. However, this reviewer can see the appeal here.
Modern music is so accessible nowadays that artists need to be quirky to keep fans’ attention; just look at the 24-hour Lady Gaga pantomime. What Tim Arnold has created here is a very intelligent and original album of cultural hardcore music that definitely will definitely keep your attention.