Showing posts with label zurich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label zurich. Show all posts

Saturday, 10 September 2016

SHVLLOWS - Video Of The Week



SHVLLOWS are a four piece Electronic Pop band from Edinburgh, Scotland. Forming in early 2015, the band have spent the last year mastering their unique blend of hybrid synth pop and are ready to make their mark on the UK music scene over 2016. 

Their release Zurich is Ralph's Video Of The Week.

Follow them on:



Facebook - facebook.com/SHVLLOWS


Twitter - twitter.com/shvllows


Instagram - instagram.com/shvllows_uk/



iTunes: 16/09/16

Spotify: 16/09/16

Filmed and produced by OnRed Media



Friday, 18 September 2015

Ralph's Top 10 Blogged Band Chart - 19.9.15

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 .....


                                                 ralphslife.co.uk



Follow Ralph's Life Indie Music Blog on Pinterest.






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.



The Top Ten Blogged Band Chart is played every Sunday 5-7pm on Radio KC as part of Ralph's Indie Show.







No 1... Damn Vandals



Along with the 'B' Side Whisky Going Free, the tracks are from the most excellent new album Rocket Out Of London which has been recieving rave reviews from all the usual suspects and featured as a Steve Lamacq BBC6 Music Recommend. 

Lead track I Hate School is Alice Cooper meets The Stones with a soupçon of Sex Pistols and it's deeee-liciously manic rock 'n' roll by Damn Vandals.







No 2...Token Joker




Ralph's not averse to rocking it out, so when the new Token Joker single Green hit the turntable whilst making up the playlist for his Indie Show on Radio KC last week it was volume up to 11 and time to check them out more closely for the blog.


The single (taken from their Just Part Of The System EP out earlier this year) is brash, ballsy, sexy, down right dirty and in your face, old school, guitar thrashing (and breathe) rock 'n' roll.









If you've been following Ralph these last three years you'll know he's been a fan of Scottish band Vukovi as they've slowly but surely pushed their way to the forefront of the UK Indie scene. 

Well Ralph's tipping Manchester band False Advertising who have a similar feel to do exactly the same as they release their eponymou





 No 4...Zurich





Oxford based Zurich have just released their eagerly awaited debut EP Small Wars and Ralph was quick to give the single release from it, Alone a spin on his Radio KC Indie Show recently. 


They're described as post-punk with more than a smattering of eighties electro, which I feel they've managed to give a fresh twist.









Just when you thought that a quality prog-rock concept album was a thing of the past, along comes the uniquely trippy Songs From The Precipice album by John Lawrence which harks back to the heady days of Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Steve Hillage, early Genesis et al.

Songs From The Precipice is a complex work which requires an intensity of concentration from the listener rarely required in the lighter output of many bands and artistes today. Veering from jazzy stylings to folky and then rockier themes, it's as diverse in it's composition as it is compelling to listen to.








Ralph's been spinning tracks on his Radio KC Indie Show recently by Blackburn band New York Tourists who interestingly described as QOTSA meets Foals.

Their debut EP received rave reviews from some of the UK's most respected music media outlets and Chew Me Up, Spit Me Out was selected as one of BBC Intro's top 10 tracks of 2013. 













As afficionados of Ralph's Life will know we're a sucker for a good Crowdfunder, so it was with great interest that word of a campaign by Governor's Luck to fund their debut album hit the kennels inbox.

Following five years of relentless gigging and the release of The Rumour Mill EP Governor's Luck released an album Drop Everything earlier this year. It's now their intention to use crowdfunding to finance the production of a limited edition on vinyl plus a UK tour.








No 8...Officer




The last time Ralph's keyboard vibrated as he listened to the sounds of London singer/songwriter Officer was when he was bringing news of his then forthcoming album Myriads whilst listening to Glass Ceiling which had just been released as a single back in March. 














Third in the mean and moody male vocalists Ralph's been checking out this week is Liverpool singer/songwriter Tony Steele who has returned to music with a new single Starting From Scratch, released on September 25th and showcasing a stripped down folk/rock sound.


Session musicians Charlie Landsborough Jnr, Laura Mackinlay, Peter MacParland and Grant Walker complete the line up of his band Tony Steele and The Massacre.








No 10...The Pacers




The Pacers draw their influences from the sixties Psych/Garage scene, mixing it up with their own unique ideas to create unforgettable and  energetic live performances in the same vein as The Stooges and The Stones, with a healthy dose of freakout psychedelia.











Saturday, 29 August 2015

Ralph's Top 10 Blogged Band Chart - 29.8.15


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 .....


                                                 ralphslife.co.uk



Follow Ralph's Life Indie Music Blog on Pinterest.






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.



The Top Ten Blogged Band Chart is played every Sunday 5-7pm on Radio KC as part of Ralph's Indie Show.










It's not often Ralph veers off the track from reviewing unsigned indie bands, however a recent road-trip to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to see Puddles Pity Party is as good an excuse as any to buck the trend...how often do you get the chance to see a seven foot clown that doesn't talk, has the voice of a proverbial angel, makes people laugh then cry then laugh again and likes dogs!







No 2...Zurich





Oxford based Zurich have just released their eagerly awaited debut EP Small Wars and Ralph was quick to give the single release from it, Alone a spin on his Radio KC Indie Show recently. 


They're described as post-punk with more than a smattering of eighties electro, which I feel they've managed to give a fresh twist.







No 3...Officer




The last time Ralph's keyboard vibrated as he listened to the sounds of London singer/songwriter Officer was when he was bringing news of his then forthcoming album Myriads whilst listening to Glass Ceiling which had just been released as a single back in March. 










No 4...Mog Stanley


ROLAND cover artIt's been a while since Ralph checked out smooth indie blues man Mog Stanley (three years) and in that time he's been slowly but very surely composing an album of his unique bloozy styled tunes and he's called it Roland.

Preston based and armed with only a vintage guitar and home-made percussion box to keep him company, Mog Stanley uses an old-school, DIY set-up to stand out like the proverbial sore thumb with his catchy blues-fuelled and melody driven songs.









Ralph's been spinning tracks on his Radio KC Indie Show recently by Blackburn band New York Tourists who interestingly described as QOTSA meets Foals.

Their debut EP received rave reviews from some of the UK's most respected music media outlets and Chew Me Up, Spit Me Out was selected as one of BBC Intro's top 10 tracks of 2013. 













Third in the mean and moody male vocalists Ralph's been checking out this week is Liverpool singer/songwriter Tony Steele who has returned to music with a new single Starting From Scratch, released on September 25th and showcasing a stripped down folk/rock sound.


Session musicians Charlie Landsborough Jnr, Laura Mackinlay, Peter MacParland and Grant Walker complete the line up of his band Tony Steele and The Massacre.








No 7... Vukovar


EMPEROR cover artRalph's ideally placed to find out what's happening musically in St Helens and a quick trip to Kaleidescope Records on Westfield Street proved to be worthwhile as local band Vukovar have produced a gem in the shape of their recently released album Emperor on Small Bear Records.

I may have invented the phrase Bleak Pop just for Emperor as it lays it's foundations in all that's good from the likes of Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground to The Fall and Joy Division. 











It's been a while in the making, but well worth it. Hull four piece and long-time Ralph's Life favourites The Holy Orders have released a new single on the indie Mono Sound Records and it's a corker.

Recorded at Mountain Sound Recording Studio in Hull with Patrick Tobin and mixed by Mark Osborne-Lawn, The Deuce Of Hearts sees The Holy Orders taking their uncompromising guitar sound into new territory.








No 9...Cfit



Following the release of debut album, Triage and three singles Cfit are releasing Throwaway Survival Machine, an album that kicks off with the delightfully dreamy, moodily meloncholic and absolutely anthemic Salvo which trips into the Dream Poppy Dust Silhouettes.













If you've been following Ralph these last three years you'll know he's been a fan of Scottish band Vukovi as they've slowly but surely pushed their way to the forefront of the UK Indie scene. 

Well Ralph's tipping Manchester band False Advertising who have a similar feel to do exactly the same as they release their eponymous debut album. 






Wednesday, 19 August 2015

Zurich




Oxford based Zurich have just released their eagerly awaited debut EP Small Wars and Ralph was quick to give the single release from it, Alone a spin on his Radio KC Indie Show recently. 

They're described as post-punk with more than a smattering of eighties electro, which I feel they've managed to give a fresh twist.

Zurich is comprised of, Adrian Banks on Bass/Vocals, Chris Gillett on Guitar/Vocals and Leigh Taylor on Drums/Samples










Alone has already drawn Zurich to the attention of Fresh On The Net with Tom Robinson drawing the conclusion that they're the result of Simple Minds having consumed Big Country and Echo and The Bunnymen. 

For my part, I'm getting shades of Depeche Mode overshadowed with New Order and Tears For Fears.

It's a very assured piece of work for a debut EP but hardly surprising as Zurich have had award winning producer Gary Stevenson working with them.




Upcoming gigs:

Aug 29 Woodstock Live Woodstock, United Kingdom  
Aug 30 Vestival Banbury, United Kingdom  
Sep 18 ALSO KNOWN AS Banbury, United Kingdom  
Sep 19 The BullingdonOxford, United Kingdom Tickets
Sep 22 Rye WaxLondon, United Kingdom  
Sep 27 Homegrown Ox And Bucks Festival Oxford, United Kingdom 
Sep 29 Wild Boar Warwick, United Kingdom 
Oct 02 Verve Bar Leeds, United Kingdom  
Oct 05 Bannermans Oxford, United Kingdom  
Oct 07 Lancaster Uni Lancaster, United Kingdom  
Oct 08 Dublin Castle London, United Kingdom  
Oct 10 Dog And Parrot Newcastle, Australia  
Oct 14 White Bear Barnsley, United Kingdom  
Oct 17 South Sea Sheffield, United Kingdom