Music

Album Review: Radstewart – ‘Wiccans and Beatlemancers’

RadstewartÔÇÖs debut EP proper, ÔÇÿWiccans and BeatlemancersÔÇÖ is as confident and catchy an indie pop record as youÔÇÖll hear this year. The Cardiff boys have garnered a great deal of interest lately and ÔÇÿWiccansÔǪÔÇÖ serves to continue their rise to indie royalty in the ÔÇÿdiff. The EP starts with a riff very similar to The Pixies garage classic ÔÇÿWhere Is My Mind?ÔÇÖ This may be … Continue reading Album Review: Radstewart – ‘Wiccans and Beatlemancers’

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Music

Album Review: Johnny Foreigner – ‘You Can Do Better’

If youÔÇÖve spent the last seven years blissfully unaware of the melodic noise-pop sounds common to Johnny Foreigner records, then describing ÔÇÿYou Can Do BetterÔÇÖ as exactly what you would expect is nothing more than an empty remark. If, on the other hand, youÔÇÖve followed the band from the beginning, then you shall not be disappointed. Having admitted taking inspiration from the favourites of their … Continue reading Album Review: Johnny Foreigner – ‘You Can Do Better’

Tom Connick6 Comments
Music

Live Review: Chvrches, Cardiff Solus

ItÔÇÖs hard to know what to expect from a band like CHVRCHES. When the band consists of essentially two guys behind keyboards and a singer, one might not expect much of a performance from the live show. In some ways this is true, but at the same time they are somehow completely mesmerising. This probably has a lot to do with the combination of the … Continue reading Live Review: Chvrches, Cardiff Solus

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Music

Live Review: Manic Street Preachers, Cardiff Motorpoint Arena

The area around the Motorpoint Arena seems surprisingly quiet for the Manic Street Preachers’ only Wales show of their ÔÇÿFuturologyÔÇÖ tour. ItÔÇÖs slightly funny to think that the largest throng in the city centre is currently outside the Cineworld to meet Russell Crowe when one of the countryÔÇÖs finest ever musical exports is gearing up for a show a few hundred yards away. Inside the … Continue reading Live Review: Manic Street Preachers, Cardiff Motorpoint Arena

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Music

Live Review: Franz Ferdinand, O2 Academy Bristol

About ten minutes in to Franz FerdinandÔÇÖs gargantuan 90 minute set I am struck by how bizarre a situation I have found myself in: watching Alex Kapranos and co rocking out to a full O2 acadamy. In 2014. Minus ten years and perhaps this would seem normal, but a feeling of sheer nostalgic pleasure proves impossible to resist. I suppose Bristol agreed, a hungry crowd … Continue reading Live Review: Franz Ferdinand, O2 Academy Bristol

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Music

Album Review: Sky Ferreira – ‘Night Time, My Time’

The long awaited album by Sky Ferreira has finally arrived. After four unreleased albums, it has been an arduous journey for the 21 year old in creating Night Time, My Time and the result is a raw and rocky affair. The cover artwork features a topless Ferreira standing in a shower, a deviation from the squeaky clean pop star her label wanted and this sets … Continue reading Album Review: Sky Ferreira – ‘Night Time, My Time’

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Music

Interview: Of Mice and Men

Alec Evans chatted to bassist/vocalist Aaron Pauley from Californian metallers Of Mice & Men, ahead of their sold out GB Live show at Cardiff’s Great Hall. You are currently touring the USA with the UKÔÇÖs Bring Me the Horizon. Are they a good band to have as touring partners? Aaron Pauley (Bass, clean vocals): Oh, absolutely! ItÔÇÖs funny too, because weÔÇÖre from California so our … Continue reading Interview: Of Mice and Men

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Music

Live Review: Bombay Bicycle Club, The Great Hall – Cardiff

Spring is finally descending, the sun is beginning to shine; that means one thing, itÔÇÖs time for everyone to realise how much they love Bombay Bicycle Club again. Fitting then that they should pop down to the Great Hall to showcase their impressive new album, ÔÇÿSo Long, See You TomorrowÔÇÖ. The theme of the show is made immediately clear; ÔÇÿwe are not the same Bombay … Continue reading Live Review: Bombay Bicycle Club, The Great Hall – Cardiff

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Music

Album Review: Rodrigo Y Gabriela – ‘9 Dead Alive’

Rodrigo y Gabriela are now on their fifth album. Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela QuinteroÔÇÖs instrumental Mexican guitar duo have built up a promising following ever since the release of debut re-Foc in 2002, gaining a cult following after playing on the streets of Dublin, resulting in second album Rodrigo y Gabriela reaching number 1 in IrelandÔÇÖs album chart while it only reached 53 here in … Continue reading Album Review: Rodrigo Y Gabriela – ‘9 Dead Alive’

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Music

Live Review: Howl and Birth of Joy, The Moon Club, 27.03.14

Eerie blue stage lights illuminate the Moon Club.┬áThe floor is sticky with its carpet of spilled lager. An audience clad in black overcoats and leather boots lie in wait, eagerly anticipating the werewolves of CardiffÔÇÖs rock scene. Howl breathe new life into a genre that has become somewhat stagnant in South Wales.┬áThe problem is not a lack of heavy rock bands; the problem is the … Continue reading Live Review: Howl and Birth of Joy, The Moon Club, 27.03.14

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Music

Album Review: Band Of Skulls – ‘Himalayan’

The title of Southampton rockers Band Of Skulls’ third album is a decent starting point to describing the sound on show here. ‘Himalayan’: the riffs are towering and the rhythm section is colossal. Kicking off with ‘Asleep at the Wheel’, the lead single, guitarist and vocalist Russell Marsden howls, “Where we are going is anyone’s guess!”, before laying down a monstrous Led-Zep style guitar riff. … Continue reading Album Review: Band Of Skulls – ‘Himalayan’

Tom Connick6 Comments
Music

Album Review: Kylie Minogue – ‘Kiss Me Once’

‘Locomotion’. ‘I Should Be So Lucky’. ‘Better the Devil You Know’. ‘Spinning Around’. ‘CanÔÇÖt Get You Out of My Head’. From the beginnings of her fame as Charlene Robinson in┬áNeighbours┬áto joining┬áThe VoiceÔÇÖs judging panel earlier this year, there arenÔÇÖt many figures in pop with quite the same CV of hits as Kylie Minogue. Even after a breast cancer scare in 2005, creating enough awareness publicly … Continue reading Album Review: Kylie Minogue – ‘Kiss Me Once’

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Video Games

Review: Thief

When a franchise that is beloved by its fandom is rebooted, it is always going to be a divisive game. So in this instance an attempt has to be made to separate the game from its predecessors and judge it on its own merits. Last month after several years of development, anticipation and internet arguments, Eidos Montreal released the simply-titled Thief. First off, the game … Continue reading Review: Thief

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LGBT+

Some Are More Equal Than Others

There is a tendency among activists and allies of the mainstream gay rights movement to treat marriage equality as the be-all and end-all of LGBT+ liberation. This is despite the fact that there are neighbourhoods across the UK where same gender couples risk violent assault if they dare to hold hands; some trans* people are still dependent on ignorant or unpleasant doctors for lifesaving medical … Continue reading Some Are More Equal Than Others

Charlie145 Comments
Music

Live Review: Straight Lines, Solus, 09.03.14

Solus is busy before Falling With Style even start.┬á Their sound is powerful, vocal driven, heavy rock ÔÇô not unlike Linkin Park ÔÇô and it definietly precedes their youth.┬á Singer Lucas Woodland performs confidently; itÔÇÖs refreshing to see a young band move on stage with such passion and energy (you can blame raging teenage hormones for that).┬á┬á Unfortunately, the band seem to have little understanding … Continue reading Live Review: Straight Lines, Solus, 09.03.14

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LGBT+

Always gay, never a person

Liam Havard shares his thoughts on the negative connotation of the word ÔÇÿgayÔÇÖ and the increasing popularity of the ÔÇÿgay best friendÔÇÖ Although prejudice against the LGBT+ community is dissolving, homophobia still exists today – even in the subtlest of forms. ┬áThere are several factors out there today that do this, such as how the word “gay” now has negative connotations associated with it and … Continue reading Always gay, never a person

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LGBT+

LGBT+ Progress

Quench are going to be looking at some of the life-changing progress that has been made in the different areas of LGBT+ throughout history. From the new same-sex marriage bill to influential role models – we celebrate just how much has been done for the cause Lesbian & Gay Written by: Alexandra Howells Progress in Section: 2013 turned out to be a pretty exciting year … Continue reading LGBT+ Progress

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Music

Album Review: Morrissey – ‘Your Arsenal’

MorrisseyÔÇÖs third solo effort post-Smiths-departure has recently been re-released. Recognised as his seminal album, ÔÇÿYour ArsenalÔÇÖ sent MorisseyÔÇÖs career on an upward trajectory. Including four chart singles and boasting an extra DVD of previously unreleased live footage, the Definitive Master edition will surely be snapped up by hardcore fans. Despite the randomness of the release, it is inevitably going to reawaken an interest in MorisseyÔÇÖs … Continue reading Album Review: Morrissey – ‘Your Arsenal’

Tom Connick5 Comments
Music

Interview: Man Overboard

Charlie Mock talks to the New Jersey pop punk crew about defending pop punk. You can ignore pop punk all you like, but New JerseyÔÇÖs Man Overboard – along with their ÔÇÿDefend Pop PunkÔÇÖ mantra – are making sure that itÔÇÖs one genre that wonÔÇÖt be disappearing any time soon. At least, not on their watches. ÔÇÿThroughout the years itÔÇÖs always been thereÔÇÖ vocalist Nik … Continue reading Interview: Man Overboard

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