Ralph's Top 10 Blogged Band Chart - 27.9.14

OK bands you know the score .....

the more hits your blog gets by the fans ..... 

the higher you go .....

So Tweet it, Facebook it .....

Generally and expose yourself .....

Now Mr Snuggles and I Have Been sitting with our heads down counting the hits on each blog to see bands who's got which place.  

So here it is .....

The Top Ten Chart Blogged Band .....

No 1 ..... Feral Five

Ralph 's been up to His ears Gunk in this week! No not the stuff for cleaning car engines ... 'Gunk' is a portmanteau of Geek Punk and it was Celebrated in style on the 5th-7th September at the  Music Tech Fest  in London ... and  Ralph 's chums  Feral Five  Were at the forefront with a live performance prior to the launch to celebrate the official release of  3D Print Me  single on 12 "Vinyl on September 17th in the  East London Design Store .





2 ...   Desert Ships

Ships Desert are Composed of Mikey on vocals and guitar, Daniel on bass and vocals with Claude on drums and vocals and then forming in 2012 releasing Their debut album   Doll Skin Flag   in the same year. 

3 ...   Steel Threads

Ralph   played the   Steel Threads   track   It Goes On   During this week's Indie Show on   Radio KC   and such was the interest in social media via the kennel His That I was moved to take a closer look.

Describing Themselves as 'An Original band playing acoustic unique blend of Their Own Rock and Folk' and with influences as diverse as   Led Zeppelin  ,   Crowded House   and   Fleetwood Mac  , they '' are multi-talented duo of Neil Wardleworth (drums / guitar / vocals) Wilcockson and Laura (violin / vocals).

No 4 .... One Eyed Wayne

Photo courtesy of  Emma Marshall

Listening to North London band  One Eyed Wayne  is like having a flashback to putting on a  Blockheads  record (one of Those round, flat, black vinyl things) that's been re-mixed with a bit of  UK Subs  and no small amount of humor. A case in point is Their latest release  After The Break  and Accompanying video. It's fast and furious social commentary at its televisually cynical, clever and punk best.

No 5.....  Braver Than Fiction

Ralph's recently Been listening to a lot of 'proper' music for 'grown ups' and in this category comes the recently released EP  King Of Crows  by Sheffield band     Braver Than Fiction  . It's a collection of four live tracks off That September infused vocalist Mel's bluesy vocals against some snazzy    Steampacket  esque   Hammond   organ-ising.

6.....  Wullae Wright

Ralph's with previously blogged  Wullae Wright  and it's Proved to be The most well read of any over the last couple of years. Needless to say it was good news When  Wullae Wright  got in touch to say I was releasing 'Superhero' as a single. The story of the song is no less poignant than  Wullae Wright 's plaintive voice Which, overlaid on subtle acoustic guitar with an orchestral background is just as heart wrenching as the single's message. 

7..... TITORS INSIGNIA 

Well it's finally here, St Helens band  TITORS LOGO  are releasing  Get Yourself A Name  - Their long awaited 11 track follow-up album to  Fair City Riots  tomorrow. It includes rock it out Their classic track  Beg, Plead and Pray  Which featured on the  Ralph's Life CD  for mental health charity  Rethink .

No 8.....   Fragile Creatures 

Brighton Seems to be producing a wealth of musical goodness of late and   Fragile Creatures   are pushing Their Way to the forefront of That trend after an enforced hiatus due to tragic Circumstances.  After a successful start to 2013,  Including starting to record an album, David Vatchnadze , Their mentor and founder of Indie record label DNVMusic sadly passed away.

No 9..... Jingo

With the majority of unsigned bands pushing Their music via the EP recently it's nice to see That a band has the confidence in songwriting Their Ability to produce a complete album of twelve tracks in order That the listener can get a handle on Their actual music.

London based, four-piece alt rockers  Jingo  just that Have Done With the release today of  The Art Of Loving.  Comprised of husband and wife Jack and Katie Buckett along with friends Chris Smith and Joe Reeves they've compiled some delightfully mean and moody music That highlights Katie's crystal clear vocals.

No 10 ..... Villiers

Ralph s been keeping an eye on Lancashire lads  Villiers  for a bit now and, With the imminent release of a Double A Side single (You're Not Alone / Nowhere Left To Run) as a follow up to the excellent 'Dancer', This Seemed as good a time as any to spread the good word musical. They're very much in the same mold as London electro boys  Thumpers  or  Resonate  from Sheffield, but with a bit of a mean and moodier edge as shown on 'Dancer'.

Ralph's Top 10 Blogged Band Chart - 19.9.14

OK bands you know the score.....

the more hits your blog gets by the fans..... 

the higher you go.....

So Tweet it, Facebook it.....

and generally expose yourself.....

Now Mr Snuggles and me have been sitting with our heads down counting the hits on each bands blog to see who's got which place.  

So here it is.....

The Top Ten Blogged Band Chart .....

No 1.....Feral Five

Ralph's been up to his ears in Gunk this week! No not the stuff for cleaning car engines...'Gunk' is a portmanteau of Geek Punk and it was celebrated in style on the 5th-7th September at the Music Tech Fest in London...and Ralph's chums Feral Five were at the forefront with a live performance prior to the launch to celebrate the official release of 3D Print Me single on 12" Vinyl on September 17th in the East London Design Store.

No 2....One Eyed Wayne

Photo courtesy of Emma Marshall

Listening to North London band One Eyed Wayne is like having a flashback to putting on a Blockheads record (one of those round, flat, black vinyl things) that's been re-mixed with a bit of UK Subs and no small amount of humour. A case in point is their latest release After The Break and accompanying video. It's fast and furious social commentary at its televisually cynical, clever and punky best!

No 3... Desert Ships

Desert Ships are composed of Mikey on vocals and guitar, Daniel on bass and vocals with Claude on drums and vocals and forming in 2012 then releasing their debut album Doll Skin Flag in the same year.  The album, produced by acclaimed musician and producer Mark Gardener formerly of seminal shoegaze band Ride was met with huge critical acclaim.

No 4... Steel Threads

Ralph played the Steel Threads track It Goes On during this weeks Indie Show on Radio KC and such was the interest via his social media in the kennel that he was moved to take a closer look.

Describing themselves as 'An original acoustic band playing their own unique blend of Rock and Folk' and with influences as diverse as Led Zeppelin, Crowded House and Fleetwood Mac, they are multi-talented duo of Neil Wardleworth (drums/guitar/vocals) and Laura Wilcockson (violin/vocals).

No 5..... Wullae Wright

Ralph's previously blogged Wullae Wright and it's proved to be the most well read of any over the last couple of years. Needless to say it was good news when Wullae Wright got in touch to say he was releasing 'Superhero' as a single. The story of the song is no less poignant than Wullae Wright's plaintive vocal which, overlaid on subtle acoustic guitar with an orchestral background is just as heart wrenching as the single's message. 

No 6.....TITORS INSIGNIA 

Well it's finally here, St Helens band TITORS INSIGNIA are releasing Get Yourself A Name - their long awaited,11 track follow-up album to Fair City Riots tomorrow. It includes their rock it out classic track Beg, Plead and Pray which featured on the Ralph's Life CD for mental health charity Rethink.

No 7.....Braver Than Fiction

Ralph's recently been listening to a lot of 'proper' music for 'grown ups' and in this category comes the recently released EP King Of Crows by Sheffield band Braver Than Fiction. It's a collection of four live tracks that set off vocalist Mel's bluesy infused vocals against some snazzy Steampacket-esque Hammond organ-ising.

No 8.....Jingo

With the majority of unsigned bands pushing their music via the EP recently it's nice to see that a band has the confidence in their songwriting ability to produce a complete album of twelve tracks in order that the listener can get a real handle on their music.

London based, four-piece alt rockers Jingo have done just that with the release today of The Art Of Loving. Comprised of husband and wife Jack and Katie Buckett along with friends Chris Smith and Joe Reeves they've compiled some delightfully mean and moody music that highlights Katie's crystal clear vocals.

No 9..... Fragile Creatures 

Brighton seems to be producing a wealth of musical goodness of late and Fragile Creatures are pushing their way to the forefront of that trend after an enforced hiatus due to tragic circumstances. After a successful start to 2013; including starting to record an album, David Vatchnadze, their mentor and founder of Indie record label DNVMusic sadly passed away.

No 10.....Villiers

Ralph's been keeping an eye on Lancashire lads Villiers for a bit now and, with the imminent release of a Double A Side single (You're Not Alone/Nowhere Left To Run) as a follow up to the excellent 'Dancer', this seemed as good a time as any to spread the good musical word. They're very much in the same mould as London electro boys Thumpers or Resonate from Sheffield, but with a bit of a mean and moodier edge as shown on 'Dancer'.

Desert Ships

Musical news for today comes in the form of a dreamy EP release by Desert Ships called Skyliner. 

Desert Ships are composed of Mikey on vocals and guitar, Daniel on bass and vocals with Claude on drums and vocals and forming in 2012 then releasing their debut album Doll Skin Flag in the same year.  The album, produced by acclaimed musician and producer Mark Gardener formerly of seminal shoegaze band Ride was met with huge critical acclaim.







Alan McGee, founder of Creation Records described the band as having “some great fucking songs” and Mark Gardener described his time working with Desert Ships as “a total pleasure, a total trip.”

The London based trip-tonic Desert Ships describe their sound as heavily cinematic. Haunting guitar loops and hypnotic grooves allow the dream-like melodies to weave in and amongst each other, while the three-part vocal harmonies bring a spacey, ambient tint to the eclectic mix.  Comparisons have been drawn with the likes of Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Flaming Lips, Tame Impala, and at times even the rousing film scores of John Barry.  Lead singer Mikey describes the band’s music as “a reverb drenched apocalyptic experience”.

Desert Ships have played numerous festivals since the release of Doll Skin Flag, and toured with the likes of The Prodigy, Band of Skulls, Babyshambles and The Rifles as well as radio airplay from XFM's John Kennedy, BBC 6 Music's Steve Lamacq and BBC Radio London Calling's Gary Crowley.  They consistently receive radio play on local stations in the UK, US, Europe and South America.









The Skyliner EP is trip-tastic and Desert Ships are psychedelic as you can get, kicking of with the shoegazy title track Skyliner which drifts dreamily into the excellent Shell Shock. They follow that up with Heart Beats which has shades of Rubberbear, before finishing with the more industrial and edgy Ausgang, my favourite on the EP and for me it's a 9/10.




Gigs

Sat 8th Nov

 EP Launch: Cherry Cola club night at The Purple Turtle, Camden, London.