Review: Lewis Murphy - Caught Up With You (Single)
In the mood for some indie-pop to add to your summer playlist? Well, look no further than Lewis Murphy’s new single, “Caught Up With You”. A catchy and melodic track, it’s sure to be one of this summer’s breakout tracks.
There’s something to be said about someone who knows how to create indie music without falling into the cookie-cutter moulds the genre holds. Thankfully for us, Murphy has a spark and is able to blend the nuances of the genre - the light instrumentation, soothing vocals and romance-centric lyrics - with the melodic and head-bopping catchiness of pop music. “Caught Up With You” is the lead single of an EP filled with this type of music and is a track that is sure to appeal not only indie fans, but those who appreciate heartfelt and well-crafted tracks.
“Cold” is the latest single from Seattle pop singer/songwriter Amanda Markley. An ear-catching track is a lot of emotion, it shows the beauty that can be created when you blend catchy pop with meaningful lyrics. Now, Markley has gone one step further and released an acoustic version of the track - somehow making it better than before.
The first thing listeners will notice about the revisited version of “Cold” is just how much more impactful it is. Supported only by piano, Markley stands out in the new version, allowing the listener the ability to really hone in on the song’s lyrical content. Covering the feelings one feels after a breakup, the song’s heartbreaking and sad lyrics contrast the beauty of what’s being played, showcasing Markley’s talent.
London, Ontario was the first Canadian stop of Enter Shikari’s North American Mindsweep tour. A show filled with energetic and hard-hitting heavy music, the tour proved to be one of the year’s best.
The show began with a set from Toronto’s Sparrows. With a set that was approximately 20-25 minutes in length, the band were able to showcase their talents and capture the audience’s attention, something that sometimes proves a but difficult with local opening acts. The four-piece seamlessly blended breakdowns with melodic intervals, creating a balanced sound that appealed to both metal and post-hardcore fans. The only complaint of the night would be that the musical interludes played during the set tended to be on the long side, resulting in audience attention to wane a bit.
In Our Bones is the debut album from Fueled By Ramen’s Against The Current. Featuring inspiring and uplifting lyrics, catchy pop hooks and a strong vocal performance, the latest release from the New York pop-rockers is sure to grab the attention of many and will continue the band’s rise.
Beginning with single “Running With The Wild Things”, In Our Bones is an album filled with pop anthems and an overall energy that’ll appeal to young and older listeners. It features a mixture of high impact pop tracks and slower, more low-key offerings, and showcases the band’s ability to vary their sound without isolating themselves or listeners.
Issues have released their new single, titled “Coma”. The second off the band’s upcoming album Headspace, it shows the band continuing to meld their heavy roots with a melodic sound.
The song starts with an instrumental introduction, reminding fans of tracks like “The Worst of Them” and “The Settlement”. Filled with hard drum patterns, high tempo guitar and electro-vocals toward the beginning, it could be said that Issues are getting back into their groove with this next hit.
Live & Unplugged is the latest album from Epitaph Records’, Sleeping With Sirens. This album is second acoustic release from the band, but features a twist 2012′s If You Were a Movie, This Would Be Your Soundtrack doesn’t - it’s live, featuring footage from the We Like It Quiet Tour stops in Orlando.
Track one is the throwback “With Ears To See & Eyes To Hear”. The song features fan chatter and sing-along backing Kellin Quinn’s vocals and features a similar instrumental to its previous recordings, except for the occasional variations in drums and with Quinn’s vocals.
Stories For Monday is the highly anticipated new album from Arizona pop-punks, The Summer Set. The album that almost wasn’t, Stories For Monday sees the band re-discovering their love of music and bringing a rejuvenated energy that’ll leave listeners hooked, and will show everyone that these five are back in music for the long haul.
Stories For Monday sees The Summer Set bringing the pop-heavy pop-punk they’re known for and mixing it with an energy they’ve never shown before. Album opener - and lead single - “Figure Me Out” brings the energy and loudness of 2013′s “Boomerang”, centred around a piano, and this similar formula is seen in “All In”, “All Downhill from Here” (a throwback to 2009′s Love Like This) and closer “Wasted”.
Limitless is the fourth full-length album from Fearless Records’ Tonight Alive. A release that sees the band moving away from their pop-punk and alternative rock-based sound in favour of one heavily influenced by pop and electronica, it’s an interesting move and one that may or may not have worked in their favour.
From the first listen, it’s evident that Tonight Alive went into Limitless with no intention of recreating their previous records. As frontwoman Jenna McDougall has stated in interviews, the band wanted to branch out and create something new - and that something new is quite apparent. Throughout the 38 minute duration, there are few instances that are reminiscent of the “old” Tonight Alive, with “How Does It Feel?” utilizing the alternative rock vibe that defined 2013′s The Other Side and “To Be Free” bringing in heavier elements that bring to mind the style one would associate with the band.
Limitless is the eagerly awaited fourth full-length from Australian quintet, Tonight Alive. Described as a release showcasing a “powerful pop” sound”, the album differs from anything the band has previously released, with them transitioning from pop-punk to power-pop. A risky move, it appears the band have potentially pulled it off and have proved just how bold they can be.
Starting off Limitless is “To Be Free”. Comparable to 2013′s “The Ocean”, it features an electronic-punk vibe that will having everyone singing along and bobbing their heads. It’s followed by “Oxygen”, which offers a slower and steadier beat, with a piano melody and light drum pattern playing throughout. The song is the first introduction to Tonight Alive’s new sound and allows listeners to take it into consideration early into the album.
Review: Apherium - Embrace The Fall That Brought Us Here (EP)
Embrace The Fall That Brought Us Here is the second EP from British rockers, Apherium. A highly energetic and infectious release, the EP is sure to bring the band the attention they so rightfully deserve.
Starting off with the melodic “Resolve”, we see that the EP will revolve around a sound that’s heavily driven by bass and drums. The track itself is probably ETFTBUH’s best offering, with vocalist Larry Turner showcasing his ability to put on an energetic and entrancing performance. Sonically, the song’s high point is the extremely catchy chorus, and the only complaint with it is the random pause toward the end, which feels a bit unnecessary and leads into a portion of the track that doesn’t really match up with the rest.