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Category: Music Review

  • The Dead Flags: O My Love! O My God! Review

    The Dead Flags

    From the first notes of ‘O My Love! O My God!’, its obvious that The Dead Flags have a great sense of fun.

    This single is taken from their current album ‘The Gentleman’s Club’ and is an uptempo quirky pop song, perfect for Summer (if we get one). The band cite influences such as Violet Femmes and Eels and this track is right up that street. It’s infectious! You might want to warn your radio, it’s going to be on it a lot this Summer.

    ‘Girls’, the second track on the CD, just makes me smile. This acoustically driven track starts off telling the story of doing naughty things to a partner, its enough to make this convent educated girl blush, Oh my! ‘Girls’ is a tale of unrequited love told in a way that I think The Dead Flags could.

    This is really good, funny, clever and musically flawless, now where’s the nearest music store.. There’s an album I have to buy

    6 out of 6

    http://www.thedeadflags.com/

    This is written for MusicReviewUnsigned

  • Plan B: The Defamation of Strickland Banks Review

    plan b

    Plan B, or Ben Drew as his mum knows him, is an interesting chappie. He has released two albums, acted in Harry Brown and Adulthood, and even directed and starred in his own film. Most of us know him for the singles, ‘Stay Too Long’ and ‘She Said’.

    ‘The Defamation of Strickland Banks’ is the rapper turned soul singers sophomore album and if Motown Records was setting up in the 21st century, Mr Drew would definitely be on their roster. Drew has an uncanny knack of being able to take a classic soul sound and mould it with his occasional rap runs and 21st century technology to turn this into quite a distinctive sound.

    As well as the two hit singles, there are a string of tracks that could easily be promoted as singles themselves including ‘Darkest Place’ and ‘Hard Times’.

    Overall Plan B’s album is tender or brash when it needs to be, thoughtful, insightful and lyrically speaks of murder, drugs and addiction in such a clever way that you really have to listen to the lyrics, otherwise you’d never know.

    This has to be one of the most intelligent albums of recent times and will catapult UK hiphop and soul to compete with its US counterparts.

    http://www.myspace.com/time4planb

  • Simon Fagan: Outside Looking in Review

    Simon Fagan in EgyptNavan man Simon Fagan releases his debut album, ‘Outside Looking In’, this week. The first thing I noticed was that this was a well rounded album, made to be played in its entirety. Saying that tracks work well individually but together they become a proper album, something that seems to have been lacking with artists lately.

    The opening track, ‘Something I Don’t Know’ eases you into it with a nice build up, nice harmonies and great production. The excellent lead single ‘Damn Honey’ cements Fagan’s sound for the album.

    Simon’s style could be classed as in the Folk/Rock genre but he’s different from what most of us would consider folk rock. Fagan’s full band productions and orchestral arrangements take him to a different level.

    The running order is perfect giving the album the right amount of highs and lows in all the right places. Keep an eye out for possible singles, ‘Memphis’ and ‘Won’t Let Go’, which is almost Paolo Nutini flavoured.

    Overall this doesn’t seem like a debut but the result of a well seasoned songwriter and performer, confident in his ability. This should do well.

    www.simonfagan.net

  • Miracle Bell: Love Sounds Review

    miraclebell

    ‘Love Sounds’ is the second single taken from Miracle Bell’s debut album ‘Light Shape Sound’. The electro pop sound from the Kildare based band is refreshing, polished and current.

    It’s a melodic radio friendly track, with an uplifting tempo.  It’s a well structured and produced by Ciaran Bradshaw and is mixed to perfection. Its an interesting track with this listener noticing different synth sounds and tricks with each listen.

    ‘Love Sounds’ has clever lyrics and a catchy chorus/refrain. These guys are easily on a par with UK electro acts like Delphic. Excellent.

    www.miraclebell.com

    This was written for MusicReviewUnsigned