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 .....
Now Mr Snuggles and I Have Been sitting with our heads down counting the hits on each blog to see who's got bands which place.
The Top Ten Blogged Band Chart is played every Sunday 5-7pm on Radio KC as part of Ralph's Indie Show.
Working on a debut album, The Phantom Sound aka Californian born (now living in London) Marisa Schlussel strives to create honest, powerful and emotional songs, drawing on diverse influences from the late 70's and 80's including Bowie, Blondie, The Ramones and Duran Duran and giving them a contemporary feel.
No 2...The Phantoms
Ralph's been a big fan of Edinburgh band The Phantoms since he covered them back in April last year after they played a set at the Ralph's Life CD Launch in Electric Circus for the Rethink Mental Illness charity. They've since played a succession of gigs including the one and only King Tut's in Glasgow.
No 3...Officer
So I'm watching the start of the new video from Officer for his single The Waters (a pre-cursor to his Myriads album) and thinking amiable electronica, when all of a sudden it bursts into up-beat Alt-Rock-esque swathed in an almost 80's New Wave back beat. It's made all the more lovely by Officer's celtic edged vocal and an atmospheric video that carries you along on a tide of musical goodness.
No 4...Lost Embers
Having played guitar and written music since an early age, playing in a number of bands around the Welsh valleys, the next logical step was to perform as a solo artist so Lost Embers was formed in 2013. Since then songs have been written and recorded with important thought to location and space. These recordings gave way to the first full length album The Borders of Winter.
No 5...Neutronic
Now Ralph's more of a guitar band animal, however after having covered Liverpool's The Little Secrets and SeaWitches recently he's been showing his mellow side. So much so, he had a listen in to the low-fi electronic vibings of Chester duo Neutronic.
No 6...The New Southern Electrikk
Manchester bands are coming very much to the fore currently and none more so than The New Southern Electrikk.who are looking to be one of 2015's most exciting prospects.
Their current single Brown Eyes captures the listener from it's heartrending first chords garnering them some famous fans, from Suede's Bernard Butler and The Lemonhead's Evan Dando to Creation Records co-founder Joe Foster and punk icon John Robb who is releasing the track on Louder Than War Records.
No 7...Faerground Accidents
Especially when that underdog is the extraordinarily out-there Faergound Accidents who; digitally on 9th February, are releasing the single She Makes Me Want To Die accompanied by a gorgeously glammed-up video. If Robert Smith and Jarvis Cocker have conceived a bastard son then Faerground Accidents extravagant front-man Bomar Faery is the result.
Now it's no secret that despite the volume of US rappers knocking at the kennel door, Ralph has no great love of hippety hop - however - the self styled 'Barely Rappers' Outside Your House bring a quirky lo-fi feel to the table in a crossover stylee between Ceiling Demons, To Have Is To Hold and a snippet of Snippet.
The release of The Ones That Left Town EP by duo Outside Your House is the proverbial breath of fresh air in what can be an extremely stale musical genre.
No 9...Fold
Oil Powered Machine uses the powerful ecological messages from the ill-fated American journalist and political activist Michael Ruppert. As his diatribe builds so does the addictive hook of Fold's electronic musicality.
Based in Liverpool, Jo Herring and Laura Caldwell met in 2007 through friends; a meeting that resulted in an explosion of creativity where songwriting, musicianship and visual art collided to create SeaWitches.
The band gig regularly in Liverpool, where they've played Sound City, Music Week and interestingly, the Green Party Conference as well as hosting their own nights supporting other well known bands like Eagulls and Giant Drag.
