Jacket Potatoes do not make a fulfilling meal

Today is supposedly the first day of Spring and while it was nice to wake up to the sun blaring through my curtains, it was still quite cold outside.

I've spent most of the day doing Uni work, apart from the quick trip to the Library and to town to pick up 'essentials' such as a new nail varnish. I did however stop myself from going into Topshop so I deserve a treat! I usually go straight to the Barry M nailvarnishes but since I've got most of the colours, I decided on a Miss Sporty sparkly black colour.

I managed to finish off my 'Influential Artists' piece and my Diamond Head live review as well as transcribe my interview with the guitarist of DH. It's such a time consuming thing to do and you have to keep rewinding it and going back over the same bit you've heard about a milliong times. Frustrating! But it's all done now so I just have to work it into some kind of feature!

I haven't been home since Christmas and I'm starting to want a nice cooked meal and a warm living room to snuggle up infront of the TV in, I can't wait until we break up for Easter! I'm going to get some serious shopping done with my sister in Cabot Circus and meet up with friends. I'm not going to work during the first week so I can get some Uni work done and then hopefully there will be a job waiting for me for the remaining two weeks or so. And what is to come when we come back from Easter is something I just don't want to think about yet!

I need some help. I am looking for a new scarf, one of those ones that you fold into a triangle and wrap around you. Well I want a new one, with a cool pattern on, maybe some skulls? Does anyone know where there is one on a UK website or shop?

The Smoking Hearts - George Street Wrestling

The Smoking Hearts - George Street Wrestling


The Smoking Hearts will be unleashing a whirlwind of punk music into the world on March 8th 2010 with the release of their debut album 'Pride of Nowhere,' but for now, the band are concentrating on the release of the first single from the album.

'George Street Wrestling' is an in your face, spitting and snarling sort of a track. There is an air of urgency about it thanks to the insane guitar riffs and thunderous beats. Parts of the track relay the sound of old school punk which gives the track a harder, raw edge.

Having already toured with the Misfits, Gallows and Skid Row, it is clear where the band get their inspirations from. Touted as ones to watch in 2010, the album that will follow the single is certainly something to look out for if you're missing your current punk fix.

Young Guns - Winter Kiss

It seems to be becoming a bit of a trend for bands to release their music as free downloads, but if the bands are happy to miss out on making money in favour of pleasing their fans, then we are all for it.

Young Guns are the latest band to offer up their latest creation as a free download, available from January 25th. Talking about their choice to do so, front-man Gustav Wood said “we wanted to release the new track as a free download-only single, because we wanted to give something back to those that have given us so much; it’s the least we could do.”

In the blink of an eye, Young Guns have become one of the nation’s best kept secrets and recently reached number 1 in the ‘Best British Newcomer’ category in Rocksound magazine’s Reader’s Poll. And it really is no surprise at all as their new single ‘Winter Kiss’ is another outstanding piece of work from the guys. The track is a little darker and heavier than their previous releases but it is definitely a positive reflection on the band as it shows just how much they are willing to push themselves in order to make good music. The track has some epic stadium qualities about it and the strings and piano give it an almost haunting yet beautiful coating.

Young Guns are on their way to huge things. The band embark on Kerrang! Relentless Tour this month alongside The Blackout and All Time Low, so they have some giants to contend with, but we’re sure that Young Guns will pull it off. 2010 looks set to be a top year for Young Guns.

Alberta Cross - ATX

Alberta Cross - ATX
Released September 14th 2009

Taken from the band’s debut album ‘Broken Side Of Time,’ Alberta Cross are set to shake things up with the release of ‘ATX,’ on September 14th 2009.

The track, which came out of a drunken jam, is apparently about David Bowie’s ‘The Man Who Fell To Earth.’ “It’s about an alien, being out of place,” says front-man Petter Ericson Stakee; and a galactic vibe can certainly be heard throughout song. Standing at a solid 3.39 minutes, the track is plugged with fuzzy, distorted sounds, accompanied by the eerie vocals from Petter.

Though sounding like something from another planet, the track works well as an experimental alt-rock marathon but is unfortunately thwarted by its abrupt and disappointing ending.

The track is a huge leap away from their acoustic based EP ‘The Thief and the Heartbreaker,’ which was released back in 2007. Alberta Cross have experimented with everything in their reach to create this beast of a track.

Above Them - Blueprint For A Better Time

Above Them - Blueprint For A Better Time
Released September 28th 2009

West Yorkshire lads ‘Above Them,’ are back, and this time they are upping the ante with the release of their debut album ‘Blueprint for a Better Time.’ Recorded over a 10 day period, the album is due for release this September and is the follow up to their successful E.P ‘Put Your Heart Into This,’ which received rave reviews from the music media.

‘Blueprint For A Better Time,’ is one almighty crash of sounds. The furious guitar riffs and the pop punk stylings, mixed with a Yorkshire accent makes this album an extremely British affair – an album with a raw, cutting edge to rival the fresh faced, clean pop punk that makes it to the mainstream.

Listening through the album, it is easy to hear similarities to popular bands such as Fightstar and Biffy Clyro, which is something for this band to be proud of. Though they share similarities, the band still manage to boast a sound that is all their own. Monstrous and hungry for more, Above Them have mastered a solid first attempt. They show flare and guts for a relatively new band that are breaking out of the DIY music scene and into the more established.


Standout tracks: For Those Who Paved The Way, Keep Smiling
Rating: 6/10