Different occasions and different company often determine where you end up going to eat and with the vast amount of eateries in Cardiff, it can be hard to filter through the copious amounts of Italian chain restaurants and take your friends/family/housemates to the perfect restaurant. Here at Quench we are all about helping you out so here is our guide to the restaurants suited to … Continue reading Food That Rises To The Occasion
Gareth Evans offers a ÔÇÿuniqueÔÇÖ tour of his home country for the unacquainted. What springs to mind when you think of Wales? A dangerous question to ask, admittedly. For the na├»ve, or the three people who actually acknowledge the Welsh tourist board, perhaps itÔÇÖs a pleasant land of greenery, scenery, and absolutely no meanery. On the other side of the coin, there are those who … Continue reading The Sketch: An Alternative Guide to Wales
Culture editors Jasmine Freeman and Elouise Hobbs bring you ten of CardiffÔÇÖs cultural treasures you wish you knew about. Go unearth them! I want to do something different Ever fancied watching an opera? Well, the Welsh National Opera offers 50 ┬ú5 tickets in the top three price bands for Under 30s for every performance. What’s more, for some performances there are free Pre-Performance Talks that … Continue reading Hidden Gems for the Curious Student
Brian Fallon has been writing songs about heartbreak all his life. So what makes this collection different? The clues are in the lyrics. Gone are the yearning odes to ÔÇÿMaria,’ who one suspects was an amalgamation of teenage romances, and thereÔÇÖs scarcely a proper noun in sight. Having just come through a gruelling divorce from his wife of ten years, FallonÔÇÖs wounds are raw and … Continue reading Review: The Gaslight Anthem – Get Hurt
Twin Atlantic impressed with their cracking debut full length, ÔÇÿFreeÔÇÖ.┬á Since then, the amount of interest focused on their follow up has increased with every year that has gone by. The boys from Glasgow have coped with this unexpected pressure with ease. There are no second album nerves apparent anywhere on ÔÇÿGreat DivideÔÇÖ. The album is confident and cohesive. There is a clear sense of … Continue reading Review: Twin Atlantic – Great Divide
Biffy ClyroÔÇÖs B-side compilation album, ÔÇÿSimilaritiesÔÇÖ, is not a waste of time. ItÔÇÖs not a cheap money spinner that tides keen fans over until the next album cycle. It’s a demonstration of the hugely prolific and profound songwriter, frontman Simon Neil, and an exceedingly professional band doing exactly what they do best. The very nature of a compilation dictates that ÔÇÿSimilaritiesÔÇÖ is not as coherent … Continue reading Review: Biffy Clyro – ‘Similarities’
International tensions are increasing, conflict has provoked much political debate, and whatÔÇÖs more, the UKÔÇÖs general election is fast approaching. It is the time for celebrity cynics and anarchists to force their views upon us, increase their tabloid exposure, and make some money. Unsurprisingly, Morrissey has released a new album. While the opening lyric, ÔÇÿWorld Peace is None of Your BusinessÔÇÖ, does not provide the … Continue reading Review: Morrissey – ‘World Peace Is None Of Your Business’
With little time left to wait for PlaidsÔÇÖ self-titled debut album, punk fans may now rejoice. Unlike their scuzzy low-fi contemporaries in the DIY scene, Plaids have managed to refract their energetic songs through a prism of crystal clear production. The result is twelve tracks that fans of post-hardcore will relish. The theme of ÔÇÿspaceÔÇÖ ties the record together and the lack of song titles … Continue reading Review: Plaids – Plaids
Joyce Manor have delivered an unpretentious belter of a record. Storming past at a breakneck nineteen minutes long, the Californian bandÔÇÖs third full-length almost ends too soon. More arty than pop-punk and more hectic than plain olÔÇÖ indie, ÔÇÿNever Hungover AgainÔÇÖ forms somewhat ironically the perfect soundtrack to days spent drinking with your buddies. Themes of regret seem to permeate the record and as frantic … Continue reading Review: Joyce Manor – Never Hungover Again
Written concurrently with last yearÔÇÖs ÔÇÿRewind the FilmÔÇÖ, itÔÇÖs more accurate to describe ÔÇÿFuturologyÔÇÖ as a counterpart than a follow-up to SeptemberÔÇÖs acoustic reflection on middle age. Indeed, a lot of the songs here give a comforting feel in contrast to the heartbreaking moments of ÔÇÿRewind the FilmÔÇÖ. The opening title track bubbles through its verses until a soothing Nicky Wire vocal ÔÇ£one day we … Continue reading Review: Futurology – Manic Street Preachers
Following a successful show at Glastonbury only a week earlier, Arcade Fire are set to headline the British Summer Time festival. The atmosphere within Hyde Park is relaxed with tinges of anticipation. Combined with a wide variety of stalls and amusements that you would expect at a festival, itÔÇÖs easy to think you were a world away from the capital, rather than at its epicentre. … Continue reading Live Review: Arcade Fire, British Summer Time (03/07/14)
Following up Ed Sheeran’s chart topping album ‘+,’┬á the highly anticipated ‘x’ is set to be just as huge. Expressing his emotions of love, hurt, the pressures of stardom and of course, inebriation, we see Sheeran’s true lyrical talent in his ability to construct depth and meaning whilst keeping each track delightfully poppy. Opening track ‘One,’ whilst a seemingly bleak start to the album, is … Continue reading Review: Ed Sheeran – x
There’s a reason why Every Time I Die are heralded as one of the most consistently brilliant bands in hardcore and their latest output, seventh studio album ÔÇÿFrom Parts UnknownÔÇÖ, is definitive proof. The sombre chords at the outset of opening track, ÔÇÿThe Great EscapeÔÇÖ, signal the calm before the storm. When the song kicks in, it instigates an unrelenting torrent of pure aggression. Vocalist … Continue reading Review: Every Time I Die – From Parts Unknown
To some extent, you know what youÔÇÖre going to get with a Jack White record. ‘Lazaretto’, White’s second studio album, is no exception with most of the old trademarks present.┬áRaucous riffing and squealing solos? Check. Weird, jarring lyrics? Check. And, rising above it all, you get WhiteÔÇÖs signature hair raising yelp. Although, thereÔÇÖs also a marked emphasis on the mellower side of his sound, with … Continue reading Review: Jack White – Lazaretto
Inevitable pressure and expectation: the second albumÔÇÖs labelled ÔÇ£difficultÔÇØ for a reason. Despite extra EPs and deluxe editions, Lana Del Rey has greater expectation than most for her second studio album after breakthrough ÔÇÿBorn to DieÔÇÖ made her a teenage icon.┬á ÔÇÿUltraviolenceÔÇÖ has been received exceptionally well though, as the consensus seem to believe it eclipses ÔÇÿBorn to DieÔÇÖ with its newfound sleepy psychedelica. Del … Continue reading Review: Lana Del Rey – Ultraviolence
ItÔÇÖs safe to say that the wealth of festivals the UK has to offer can be a little overwhelming. Do you (providing you get your hands on a ticket) blow all of your savings and head to the father of all festivals, Glastonbury? Or, wander of the beaten track and pay WOMAD a visit? Well, our tip is neither. From July 11th-13th weÔÇÖre heading to … Continue reading Festival Preview: 2000trees
What initially seems like an odd choice of venue becomes painfully clear upon entering SwanseaÔÇÖs Sin City. ItÔÇÖs packed. Perhaps something to do with the Birmingham quartetÔÇÖs recent appearance on E4ÔÇÖs hit ÔÇÿrealityÔÇÖ show Made in Chelsea? Certainly not. This crowd know exactly what theyÔÇÖre waiting for and it is by no means influenced by a controversial TV cameo. An echoing intro sets the mood … Continue reading Review: Peace – Sin City, Swansea 12/06/14
Chet FakerÔÇÖs career has been one of constant battle with definitions; does he make jazz, soul, house, hip-hopÔǪ Is he where he wants to be? Minutes into his live show, as Faker dances around the array of equipment surrounding him, a wry smile on his face, it becomes abundantly clear that he has no interest in being categorised. HeÔÇÖs perfectly happy to just make music … Continue reading Live Review: Chet Faker – Colston Hall, Bristol
As one of the first acts signed to Paul EpworthÔÇÖs Wolf Tone label, the excitement around Oxford quartet Glass Animals has been gradually building over the past two years. Following a trio of well-received EPÔÇÖs that have displayed a willingness to experiment and rework their own material, the release of debut LP, ÔÇÿZABAÔÇÖ, proves reason for the aforementioned excitement. Opener ÔÇÿFlipÔÇÖ begins stripped back, with … Continue reading Review: ZABA – Glass Animals
Introducing Thumpers and their debut album ‘Galore’. Released via their own label, the band have┬áshot themselves into the ether of hype surrounding the records release. With the title track and first single from the album gaining recognition from the likes of XFM, Radio 1 and Radio 6 Music, the duo certainly have a lot to live up to. The record starts with the welcoming tones … Continue reading Review: Thumpers – Galore
