Ralph's top 10 Blogged Band Chart - 4.6.16

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 expose yourself .....


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Click here for the Ralph's Life website

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

Tracks from the Top Ten Blogged Bands are played 
every Sunday 5-7pm on Radio KC as part of 
Ralph's Indie Show.

No 1: Suzerain

London's Suzerain have just released their second album Identity after a two year gap, but it's been well worth the wait. As lead singer Tom Pether said - "it took a while to break into something we wanted it to be. Identity is something that is difficult to grasp on a day-to-day basis, it can change but isn’t always obvious. For us, this album feels like our identity at the moment.”

No 2: Graham Marshall

The Graham Marshall story is reflected in his catalogue of songs: survival, adventure, love and tragedy are more than mere subjects of whim to strum his guitar to.

At 20, his band, Screaming Silence, was a hit in his hometown of Glasgow, Scotland. But on the brink of the showcase gig that would “seal the deal” with a label, the lead member “disappeared” after running into some unsavoury entanglements. A couple of years later, Graham entered into a rehabilitation program for clinical depression and put on a cocktail of drugs at the hands of questionable care workers. 

No 3: Duke & The Darlings

Long-time Ralph's Life favourites Duke and the Darlings will release a double A-side, Days of Wonder and The Click, on Saturday 14th May through Sweet Sweet Records.

Days of Wonder is a feel-good anthem about not feeling good; the on-point harmonies and saccharine delivery obscure the discontent towards a growing poverty gap in the UK. The Click closes the curtains, lights a few candles and looks inwards on being a twenty-something, and explores the accompanying paradox of being young and not being young with expressive orchestration and histrionic dynamics.

No 4: T.O.Y.S

Leeds band T.O.Y.S have been percolating since 2010 but 2016 sees them coming to the boil with the release of a new video for their bouncy G-A-C release. It's the first single from their debut album SICKS which is due to come out on Odd Box Records next month.

The self-styled lo-fi pop rockers are on to a winner with this Cure-esque concoction. It's a heady blend of all that was good in 80's dancefloor electro brought bang up to date for the discerning listener and dance floor aficionado. 

No 5: Feral Love

It's just over three years since Ralph checked out Liverpool's sublime Bird and then some time thereafter they took a bit of a hiatus before parting. However, Adele Emmas and Christian Sanford have re-emerged triumphantly like the proverbial phoenix from the ashes as the nascent Feral Love.

Emmas and Sanford spent a year in a damp, windowless basement studio writing, emerging only when they knew they'd arrived at the sound they'd been striving for.

No 6: Ded Rabbit

Comprising four brothers, Ded Rabbit are an Alt rock/Indie band consisting of: Eugene (vocals, rhythm guitar), Fergus (lead guitar), Donal (bass) and Eoin Gaine (drums). 2015 was their most notable year to date - with a number of well received EP releases, they continued to complete a number of high profile performances that should be on any UK band’s bucket list.

No 7: Chris Tavener

Ralph's never averse to a bit of quirkyness and young Manchester based singer songwriter Chris Tavener has imbued his new EP i'm sorrdy b'im drunnk with no small amount of it. If you're old enough remember the unique stylings of the inimitable Jake Thackry you'll understand...no? Just me then.

It's four tracks of lyrically clever musical goodness that's a delight to listen to. Kicking off with the single release from the EP Super Cool Sadie with it's satirical look at unrequited love and it's a lyrical hoot.

No 8: This Party

A chance encounter at a Smiths tribute gig in early 2015 led to the formation of Brighton's This Party, a band that fuse sharp basslines with infectious melodic hooks. 

Charismatic frontman Matt is as well known for his energetic on-stage performances as he is for his strong vocals.

New single Taste is two and half minutes of guitar driven indie rock. A clear statement of intent from a band that have very quickly established themselves as one of the UK's most exciting prospects.

No 9: Day Old Hate

Ralph's just got a sniff about a new single from Leeds based alt-rockers Day Old Hate called Don't Chase Me so he thought he'd share the news and the video with you.

“It’s important to not to get too hung up about the people that didn't or don't believe in you”, states vocalist Ollie Swift and it is this very sentiment that forms the basis of the newly released video for the single Don’t Chase Me. 

No 10: Bloch Eyot

The story of Danish born but UK living Nikolaj Bloch who now performs under the pseudonym of Bloch Eyot is as strange and tangential as it is fascinating and absorbing. It leads us to his current incarnation which he describes as, "A new musical journey."

Born in Denmark, his mother taught him Danish political folk songs on guitar from the age of 6. he then trained in classical piano at college, and when he left school he joined a touring blues band.

Take Back Theatre

As Ralph has often been wont to say - "It's not just about the music." - So when a visit to Gullivers in Manchester was on the agenda, it wasn't for the sell-out Slow Readers Club gig on Saturday, but the (nearly sold-out) Take Back Theatre performance of Ten Takes On Hope on the Monday after.

The theatre company was created earlier this year as a response to the Tory Party Conference in Manchester and aims to produce quarterly script-in-hand performances and use theatre to make a positive change.



The evening was produced and coordinated by Grant Archer, Julie Hesmondhalgh and Becx Harrison with a view to exploring social issues and creating a springboard for debate with the audience, starting small conversations which ask big questions.

The audience was invited by Take Back Theatre to join the cast and writers in the bar after the show to achieve that very thing.



This was achieved ten-fold with some stellar script writing and performances which challenged not only what hope is, but what we can do to give hope. 

The informal setting and script-in-hand nature of the evening somehow made the stories being told all the more poignant, dramatic or added to the humour of each individual piece.





Each vignette; written by professional writers, was inspired by A Summer Of Hope and each used different themes or personal stories very evocatively to engage the audience members. 

Whether it was the humour artfully deployed in Fish (Jennifer Platt), The Hope Factor (Rebekah Harrison), Words On A Wing (Joshua Val Martin), Rock, Paper Scissors (Ian Kershaw) or Cut and Dried (Cathy Crabb), the poignancy of All Names Have Been Changed (Victoria Brazier), Marching On Stone (Gareth George) The Shoes (Louise Wallwein) and Born (Julie Hesmondhalgh) or the outstanding drama of Detention (Sandra Cole), each delivered the same thought-provoking message in its own style.

It's probably wrong to pick out individual performances however, special mentions do go to Luke Bailey, Jo Dankin and Rico Marshall.




The next event will be Take Back: Capital and will be in response to the budget and going on tonight's performance and the quality of writing and acting on display it'll be one not to be missed!

Ralph's Top 10 Blogged Band Chart - 19.7.14

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                                                    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..... 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 2.....The Holy Orders 

It's almost exactly a year since Ralph first checked out Hull band The Holy Orders and the good news is that The Holy Orders announce the release of their brand new single, the 3 minute feel good 3 minute summer pop song: The New Asbestos on August 4th.  Well, it's a cynical, pessimistic, feel good summer pop song but anyone who is already familiar with last year’s debut album For the Ears of Dogs to Come from Ralph's blog, will expect nothing less.

No 3..... Millie Manders 

Having met the effervescent Millie Manders at the Ralph's Life All Day Charity gig in Proud Camden it seemed like the release of 'Little Big Mouth' was as good a time as any to ask a few questions and see how and why her music matches her outgoing personality.

No 4.....The Bordellos

The Bordellos are the kind of quirky, lower than lo-fi band that John Peel would have featured and their current offerings, like the sultry 'Between Forget and Neglect' (think Morrissey on Prozac) leading in to the subtly funky 'Elastic Band Man' would probably have seen them playlisted on a regular basis.

No 5.....The Bedroom Hour

Ralph doesn't usually put blogs out on a Friday, what with the weekend being sacred and all, however when he heard that The Bedroom Hour were releasing their new album Hinterland on the 11th of July he made an exception and wound up the turntable.

There's a couple of old favourites on there in Nocturnal and Heart Will Haunt, but it's the new material that intrigues.

No 6....Sisteray

Sisteray have been making big waves in the indie/garage rock scene since forming in 2012 however 2014 seems to be a breakthrough year for the London four-piece.  

Working with producer Michael Smith (12 Dirty Bullets) at RnR Studios, the Sisteray debut EP ‘She Likes The Drama’ was released on digital format back in February, with praise from Ralph, Jim Gellatly, This Feeling, Music Week, XFM, RTE Radio, Louder Than War, Merc Clothing, Time Out and The Londonist.

No 7... Sonic Hearts Foundation

Seeing as Ralph's heading on a road trip home soon, it's about time a few Scottish bands were featured. The first being Sonic Hearts Foundation from Glasgow, who Ralph gave a spin on last Sunday's Indie Show on Radio KC. They're releasing a new Single 'Afterlife' on August 11th and it's a follow up to their critically acclaimed 'Into Forever' EP.

No 8.....Snippet

Snippet aka Johnno Casson is the quintessential English musician.  Prolific, diverse, entertaining, clever, wistful and whimsical (no more so on his previously released mini-album 'DIY' and the track 'Let's Talk About Us' on which he comments on his winkle (and he isn't introducing us to his pet mollusc Bria

No 9.....Cormac O'Caoimh

It's second time round for Ralph having a listen to Irish singer/songwriter Cormac O'Caoimh. A year ago he'd released his second solo album since leaving The Citadels called 'A New Season For Love' and this time round it's 'The Moon Looses It's Memory' and he's bringing us 14 tracks of love and regret, hopes and dreams, cars and girls, (OK, OK,  I've run out of descriptive song titles). Speaking of 'Love and Regret' and 'Cars and Girls I'm getting hints of...

No 10....The Actions

Normally Ralph only blogs unsigned UK Indie, but now and again some mainstream goodness drops in the kennel that peaks his interest and when 'Indefensible', the new EP by London based Alt/Rockers The Actions arrived it was time for some rule bending (Their first album 'Real' was licensed to Nikita Music, a Brazilian record label and released in Latin America).

Cormac O Caoimh

Second artiste to be featured in Ralph's trilogy of Irish related music blogs is former Citadels frontman Cormac O Caoimh, a singer songwriter from Cork.  He has just released his second solo CD - 'A New Season for Love' - and the twelve track album is currently receiving rave reviews in Ireland.  He's currently Play Irish artist of the month and featured on  RTE 1  Arena.  His smooth vocal and exquisite guitar playing is attracting the attention of the music press and an ever increasing audience.  His latest single 'Remember When We Didn’t Kiss' topped the itunes download charts on its release.






'Remember When We Didn't Kiss' is a sensitive, poignant song mirrored by the simple but effective musicality of Cormac's  acoustic guitar, an Irish James Taylor.

Cormac O Caoimh has picked up some well-known admirers along the way including Ron Sexsmith and Tom Robinson.  He's shared the stage with fellow luminaries Damien Rice, Declan O Rourke, Josh Rouse, Mark Geary, Nick Kelly, Miles Hunt and Damien Dempsey to name but a few.  He also ventured further afield playing headlining gigs and slots in Edinburgh, London, Amsterdam and New York.





He's been variously described as 'a honeyed whiskey drink', 'a fine cognac on a cold winter’s eve', 'a warm woolly jumper in muted earthy colours' and 'a colour .. a rich mahogany - warm and beautiful'.  They all pretty much sum up his sensitive, intuitive and evocative songwriting style.  His music is best served up with a nice glass of warm red and the proximity of your significant other.  'Ghosts' is a classic example of that with it's light, intimate and romantic tones, a bit of a flash-back to the early days of Stephen Bishop.