Tonight Alive - The Other Side (album review)

Type - Album Review 

Artist - Tonight Alive

Title - The Other Side

Tonight Alive's much anticipated second album is available in the UK as of tomorrow and the Aussie 5-piece have produced an album which is a fantastic mix of pop-rock and some mid-2000's post-hardcore. 'The Other Side' is packed with addictive melodies and easily relateable  lyrics. The sound they have created from their cross-influence of genres gives the album a definitive rock sound, a massive improvement on their first album 'What Are You So Scared Of?', with the lead singer Jenna saying the record has both "Balls and Bite."

The record opens with 'The Ocean' a fast-paced song which is the first of many conversational pieces on this album. Jenna belts the chorus "some days it feels like the ocean lies inside of me" an extremely personal line which is the first of many throughout the album. 

The record continues on with solid songs such as 'Don't Wish' and 'Hell and Back' both songs are laden with beautiful yet dark melodies. throughout 'Hell and Back' Jenna's voice beautifully cuts through the music to deliver heartfelt lines "As the walls crash down, I felt it slip away. Because I went to hell and back just to be where I am today."

'The Fire' is the best song on the album with Tonight Alive providing somewhat of a wake-up call with this track. Just as they done with their first album 'The Other Side' ends on a catchy ballad with 'You Don't Owe Me Anything' which will pull at the listeners heart string with the lyrics being personal, honest and catchy.

'The Other Side' is a massive improvement from Tonight Alive's first album and it truly showcases this Aussie bands amazing capabilities of musicians and songwriters. Tonight Alive have big things in their future and this record is just what they needed to put out at this point in their career.

We give this album 9/10 and we would strongly recommend that everyone grabs their copy when it hits iTunes tomorrow.

@GillianLIMTV

Newton Faulkner - 'Studio Zoo' Album Review

NEWTON FAULKNER

STUDIO ZOO ALBUM REVIEW

SET FOR RELEASE AUGUST 26TH

After his most recent album 'Write It On Your Skin' rocketed to number one immediately after release, acoustic god Newton Faulkner is back with another album full of hits! His new album 'Studio Zoo' is set for release on August 26th and I advise you all to head over to his website and pre-order it, you will definitely not be disappointed.

The recording process is different for every artist and in this case, it was entirely unique. Newton set up a live stream where fans could watch him live 24/7 over a 5 week period as he recorded 'Studio Zoo' from his home studio. This gained him a ton of exposure and is possibly one of the best things -in my opinion- that anyone could do while recording an album. It gives people the chance to feel as though they are a part of the process. The album is already set for success and it hasn't even been released yet!

The first track on the album 'Where To Start' starts of with Newton's classic rhythmic picking and in come the mellow vocals, I absolutely love the lyrics of this song, he sings 'keep your love, I don't need nobody'. When you're listening to this song you can hear the atmosphere, almost as though he's performing in the very room that you're in. 

The next track on the 'Studio Zoo' is 'Treading Water'. The song is carried by the slapping of Newton's guitar, a sound that we hear often in his music. With this song his vocals are very fragile. With the next song on the album 'Plastic Hearts' Newton picks up the pace straight away, vocals are speedy and his picking is impeccable. He carries this on with 'Indecisive'. This is a song that is definitely going to be hit, the lyrics are meaningful and the chorus is one that I can picture an entire audience singing back to him at the top of their lungs. 

'Losing Ground' is also a song that catches your attention, it has that same sound that Newton's always had. The harsh guitar rhythm and strong vocals immediately make you want to sing along. This is a song that I think will gain Newton more fans, it has the classic sound of his past music although it has a air of pop around it, meaning that people who may not have listened to him before will hear this song and perhaps want to check out some of his other music too.

The last track on the album 'Orange Skies' rounds the album off nicely. With a chorus that reminds us of that folk sound that we all love. 

This entire album is fantastic, Newton has stayed true to his folk roots while adding so much of his own rhythm and talent which ultimately makes this album what it is. 'Studio Zoo' showcases his singer/songwriting abilities perfectly. Meaningful and relatable lyrics, a great voice, great rhythm and the talent that is Newton Faulkner is the recipe for another No.1 album.

-newcitylauren

Ask: The OK Social Club

LIFE IS MUSIC TV ASK: SINGER/SONGWRITER RAFF ERAGONA

How did the band get together?
We met while playing in two different bands in Stirling, we hit it off that night and kept in touch. When the time came that we were looking for people to play with we got together.

What made you want to start a band?

I always loved music growing up and I guess I had a good ear. When I saw Back to the Future the first time I knew that I wanted to play guitar, My parents were kind enough to take a punt and I got one that Christmas, I was pretty natural at it right away.

How did you come up with the band name?

It was the name of a night we tried to put on a few years ago. It was rubbish but it seemed like a good name at the time, I don't like it.

Individual musical inspirations: 

These are very varied, I love a lot of older stuff, The Beatles, Sam Cooke, Tommy James and the Shondells, The Supremes, Chris loves to keep on the pulse, anything new and interesting, Jordan likes Dave Grohl and lots of 70's Pop and Gordy likes 90's indie stuff, that's a very vague answer to be honest.

Can you describe your sound in 3 words?
"Dirty Guitar Pop"

Who is the girliest member of the band? 

Jordan, Chris, no definitely Jordan.

Describe each other in 1 word (one good thing, one bad thing) 

This is unfair as I'm the only one answering: 

Chris - Pessimistic, driven 

Gordy - Stubborn, Genius 

Jordan - Enthusiastic, inattentive

Any crazy fan experiences?

Not really, anyone that we've met that comes to see us is pretty cool. Some folks have got tattoos and stuff, that's pretty flattering.

If you had a superpower, what would it be and why? 

I'd like to time travel, just to see what things were like before. I'd probably do some paradox stuff too.

What is your songwriting process like? 

I write all the words and music then everyone plays together until we get parts we're happy with.

Tell us a bit about your most recent release: 

Our most recent release was our debut album 'Nothing in Common', it's basically 10 of the best songs we had when we recorded it. It's a great representation of what we sounded like when we started out. 

Favourite song to play live? 

New stuff is always our favourite, a song called 'Keeping up Appearances' which we played live for the first time last week seems to be everyones favourite just now. Of the older songs, 'The Shape of Things to Come' is still fun to play.

What have you got planned as a band for the rest of 2013? 

We're going to finish writing our second album and record it before the end of the year, we also have a few cool gigs coming up including a few dates in Italy.

For people who haven't heard of you before, why should they check you out? 

I guess it's all down to taste, if you like guitars and pop music check us out, if you like experiential music go listen to Aphex Twin. One thing I'd say is if you like our songs then come and see us live, it's all about live music.

Where can we find your music? 

Just search for The OK Social Club on: 

iTunes, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter.

Thanks to Raff Eragon of The OK Social Club.

Stay Awesome, Life is Music Tv x

Premonition - EP Review

Type – EP Review

Title – Beneath The Wreckage

Artist – Premonition

Premonition are a fantastic up and coming band within Glasgow’s metal scene. The band have been working hard recently and this EP shows only a small slice of what they have to offer.

Premonition do not waste time in making an impression with both songs on the EP making a huge impact from the get go. Loud, fast and designed to instigate bar brawls, it’s a monster of an EP. Neither song is bad on this EP. ‘Beneath The Wreckage’ is comfortable in is own skin full of heavy guitar riffs. Unlike so many before them, Premonition just might be able to break out and be more than just another local band.

We really enjoyed this EP and we want to know your thoughts on it, leave us a comment below telling us what you thought.

@GillianLIMTV

Sleeping with Sirens 'Feel' - Album Review

Sleeping With Sirens

'Feel' Album Review

After constantly listening to 'Feel' for the past two days, I felt that it was time to write a review.

Sleeping with Sirens are one of those bands that kids will never lose faith in, every piece of music they've released to date has had a deeper meaning behind it. 

The title track 'Feel' is a little slower compared to the other songs on the album, although that really isn't a bad thing. After seconds of the song begining you hear­ Kellin's destingtive high pitched vocals. Although it's a little different to what we're used to hearing from Sleeping with Sirens, it's a good different, definitely a feel good song.

'Here We Go' is a quick change of pace thanks to drummer Gabe's blistering speed. With 'Free Now' Kellin lets us in on a very personal aspect of his life, his family.  During an interview he said 'It's important that kids understand you can't choose your parents, but you can choose the outcome of your life'. 

With 'Low' being the first single release from the album, there's been bad reviews, there's been good reviews, but even the bad reviews can't say there's not meaning behind the song and that's one of the biggest reasons the band have such a great following that just doesn't seem to stop growing. 

One of my favourite tracks from 'Feel' is 'Congratulations' featuring Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire. The song is has much more of a rock-y feel to it, it's like Sleeping with Sirens have managed to raise the bar again! Kellin and Matty are a fantastic team, their voices work really well together and I don't think this will be the last we see the duo work together on a song.

'Satelites' is another slower paced song. It showcases Kellin's phenomenal vocal ability so well. The track talks about change, a subject that many of us can relate to. Quinn sings 'It's time we finally look at what we've done, and wake up'. It reminds me of the bands 'If you were a movie, this would be your soundtrack' release, if it was acoustic of course.

This album is definitely another great release from Sleeping with Sirens. You can tell these guys definitely put a great deal of effort into making this album what it is and the fans are going crazy for it. I can't wait to see the band perform it live! At first I thought it'd be difficult for the band to top their previous releases but I can now say they've done it, another fantastic album. 

-newcitylauren

Sleeping with Sirens
https://www.facebook.com/sleepingwithsirensband
https://twitter.com/swstheband

'Feel'
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/sleeping-with-sirens/id360773035

Life is Music Tv
https://www.facebook.com/lifeismusictv
https://twitter.com/lifeismusictv

A Rocket To The Moon - 'Wild & Free' Album Review

Type – Album Review
Artist – A Rocket To The Moon
Title – Wild & Free

A Rocket To The Moon recently released their follow up album ‘Wild & Free’ to their 2009 release ‘On Your Side’. The band teamed up with producer Mark Bright on their new album and they channelled their classic rock and country influences, from Jonny Cash and The Eagles to Tom Perry and The Heartbreakers to Brad Paisley. With the band saying “We wanted that good ol’ rock n roll fell, almost that southern rock vibe to this album,” and from what I heard the guys have definitely accomplished their goal

‘Wild & Free’ is somewhat of a departure from ‘On Your Side’ but hopefully fans of the band will notice and appreciate the seemingly natural and genuine progression of their sound and the maturity in their song writing. Plus, vocally, Santino knocks it way out of the park on this record. Their anthemic title track and fun loving sing-a-longs, “Going Out” and “Whole Lotta You,” A Rocket To The Moon pulls from their various influences for some solid country/folk/pop-rock fun. On their swoon-worthy, nostalgic and beautiful love song, “First Kiss,” the band incorporated more country flavour.

Lyrically, the band’s latest single, “Ever Enough,” a heart-wrenching ballad about devotion, and the closing track, the piano driven “Lost and Found,” are easily the two most emotionally gripping songs on the album. The honesty and vulnerability in the lyrics hit you in such a way that you can’t help but hang on to every word.

‘Wild & Free’ definitely has a large variety of songs. It jumps around from slow country-like ballads with rather deep lyrics to upbeat quirky summer loving songs. A Rocket to the Moon were known for that more pop-rock edge to their music. But this album doesn't fall into that same category. ’Wild & Free’ has something for everyone. It has smooth transitions and may be the new beginning of A Rocket to the Moon. The band tried something new and it’s definitely worked.

Make sure you head over to iTunes to get your copy of ‘Wild & Free’ and if you haven’t already go check out A Rocket To The Moon on their social media sites. Much love.

@GillianLIMTV

Kid Cudi - 'Indicud' Album Review

Type – Album Review
Artist – Kid Cudi
Title – Indicud

Kid Cudi has never been the kind to hold his tongue or boast modestly, in fact he is infamous for his onstage rants and mid-performance meltdowns. So it came as no surprise when he likened his fourth studio album ‘Indicud’ to Dr. Dre’s classic 2001 album. Straight off the back of his announcement of an amicable split with Kanye West’s G.O.O.D Music, Kid Cudi serves up his latest offering to his fans. Originally the album was meant to drop April 23^rd however the release date was moved up a week due to the entire album being leaked online.

Coming off the back of Cudi’s bold comparison to Dre, Cudi has since has clarified that on the album that he would be the puppet master behind the scenes with Cudi tweeting – “Some things I’ll produce, others I’ll feat&/or play songwriter”. Cudi’s fans are all too aware of the rapper’s affinity for things from outer space. The signature feel of his debut album ‘Man on the Moon’ and its sequel, felt like an acid trip through our solar system. After his foray into the rock world with last year’s album ‘WZRD’, Cudi is once again reaching for the stars with ‘Indicud’. This time he is the captain of the spaceship has handled most of the production himself.

One of the standout tracks from Cudi’s debut album was “Solo Dolo” and Cudi blesses his fans with a sequel and this time he has recruited Kendrick Lamar. As always, K.Dot steals the show, which is hard to do since Cudi is as razor sharp as ever. The award for weirdest collaboration goes to “Afterwards” featuring Michael Bolton and King Chip but unsurprisingly on a Kid Cudi album that already took a left turn straight out of the gate, this unusual 'gathering of the minds fits snugly in place.

‘Indicud’ is a natural transition from ‘WZRD’ back into the hip-hop realm. Cudi has never been one to remain inside the box and his fourth studio album further proves he will never be contained. ‘Indicud’ has a crossover appeal that other music genre lovers will enjoy. Cudi seamlessly weaves hip-hop, punk and alternative rock into an 18-track odyssey through space. Though he may not be the wonderful wizard that is Dr. Dre, he’s Kid Cudi and that’s good enough. 

This new album from Kid Cuddi is utterly fantastic and we strongly recommend that you head over to iTunes and grab yourself a copy. Also if by any chance you haven’t heard of Kid Cudi before make sure you go check him and his music out. Much love.

@GillianLIMTV

Deez Nuts - 'Bout It' Album Review

Type – Album Review
Artist – Deez Nuts
Title – Bout It

Deez Nuts are somewhat of a ‘marmite’ band. The band began in 2007 as a one-off project for ex-drummer JJ Peters, they have since polarised opinions all over the hardcore scene. With their music being a mashup of hip-hop and hardcore that the band describe as ‘fun’, ‘simple’ and ‘catchy, the band have also made quote the name for themselves touring all around the world over the past 6 years.

‘Bout It’ is Deez Nuts third full length album. From the opening catchy hardcore riffs of ‘Bout It’, accompanied by the heartfelt rap vocals of the bands front man JJ Peters, it is already clear that Deez Nuts plans to stick to their guns on this new album. However, there aren’t many surprises as the album continues in an assault of hardcore punk riffs and odes to partying. Charmingly names tracks such as “Go Fuck Yourself” encapsulate their outlook perfectly.

On the other hand, ‘Bout It’ does offer some attempts at changing their dynamics slightly, a lot of those new dynamics came from their collaborations with bands such as Architects and Suicide Silence. Tracks such as “What We Eat Don’t Make You Shit”, “Call To Arms” and “True Colours” are all shorter, faster and punkier than the bands previous efforts whereas “Unfuckwithable” brings some metal elements in the guitar that brings the song to an end.

All in all this new album from Deez Nuts is great and could possibly open up new horizons for the band. Make sure to grab a copy of the album on iTunes and if you haven’t heard of Deez Nuts before go check them out, much love.

@GillianLIMTV 

Anthrax - 'Anthems' Album Review

Type – Album Review
Artist – Anthrax
Title – Anthems

Anthrax has always been much more hit than miss when it comes to covering other artists’ songs. Quite often, the NYC thrash icons think way outside the box and they aren’t afraid to cover songs by acts as disparate as Public Enemy, the Smiths and the Police. Early in their career, however, they were far less adventurous, choosing instead to lazily record near note-for-note renditions of popular metal or punk tracks, from Alice Cooper’s “Eighteen” to Black Sabbath’s “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” to the Sex Pistols’ “God Save the Queen.” And once every thirty years or so, they simply struck out.

'Anthems,' the band’s brand new EP, unfortunately adds several tracks to the negative side of this equation. Instead of covering songs by lesser-known bands (Trust, Celtic Frost, Discharge) or by non-metal acts (Joe Jackson, the Chantays, Beastie Boys), the six cuts here are all classic rock gems originally recorded in the 1970s by some of the biggest bands at the time. Half of the selections are still FM radio staples which 95% of Anthrax’s fanbase has undoubtedly herded nauseam. Even worse, these new versions sound almost exactly like the originals. Instead of making these songs their own, Anthrax is content to just plug in and grind them out, almost as if they were merely warming up.

It is obvious that the band was looking to have some fun with this collection of covers that ranges from the expected (given Scott Ian’s affinity for AC/DC, “T.N.T.” feels like its almost overdue) to the unexpected (the Hammond B3 organ-laced Boston cover “Smokin”). The sense of fun definitely carries over into the listening experience. As was the cast for the band’s last “serious” album, “Worship Music,” the MVP is definitely Joey Belladonna, with a vocal performance the widely exceeds expectations. Sure, he’s always had the Steve Perry thing going, which makes the Journey cover “Keep On Runnin’” feel natural. Less expected is the way he hits the helium heights of Geddy Lee’s vocal part in the Rush cover “Anthem,” or the way he channels Bon Scott on “T.N.T.” his swag on “Jailbreak” is pure Phile Lynott.

Some of this EP is predictable and the rest is somewhat unpredictable which all in all creates a great EP. Make sure to check out the album on iTunes and check out Anthrax if you haven’t listened to them before, much love.

@GillianLIMTV

Josh Kumra - 'Good This Come To Those Who Don’t Wait' Album Review

Type – Album Review
Artist – Josh Kumra
Title – Good This Come To Those Who Don’t Wait

Josh Kumra has already had a chart-topping success when he featured on Wretch 32’s number one single "Don’t Go", but now Josh Kumra is hitting back with his debut album.  After being catapulted into the spotlight in 2011, Josh Kumra has been touring with artists such as Labrinth, Gabrielle Aplin and One Republic. But most importantly he’s been working on his debut album ‘Good Things Come To Those Who Don’t Wait’. Inspired by the likes of Tracy Chapman, Jeff Buckley, Bob Marley and Ray Lamontagne, the album has elements of blues, folk, pop, acoustic roots and soul while at the same time still sounding very modern.

Kumra’s album begins with his single, “The Answer”, which is smooth and very well produced. The ballad is light and touching with that comes a catchy chorus. While “Reckless Love” is a little heavier than the opening track, we love the combination of Kumra’s soft vocals and the edginess to the chorus. -“Keep On Walking” is a beautiful ballad and is one of those tracks that you better have a box of tissues at the ready for listening to it. The track is perfect if you are nursing a broken heart with its big chorus and a positive message, to keep on walking to get out of it.

“Don’t Go” is Josh’s collaboration with Wretch 32, the collaboration topped the charts and catapulted Kumra into the limelight. The album version doesn’t feature Wretch 32 but although different it is still great. The track is one of the strongest on the album. “Find My Way Home” is another one with its raw, southern American sound it hits all the right notes to create a beautiful sound. “Brave Face” shows how extremely versatile Josh Kumra is and gives the album a slight religious element. “Waiting For You” also has a strong choir at its core but this is completely different. The track instantly catches your attention with its fresh and familiar sound. We love the way that the track unfolds and gains more and more power until it reaches its climax.

“Be My Light” is another track that catches our attention, with its catchy melody, it is a brilliant pop song with its big chorus. It instantly stands out on the album. “I’m Not The One” is really good fun with its blues influences and the tongue and cheek lyrics really are the icing on the cake. The album ends with White and Black, another tongue and cheek track with a great melody at its core. Maiday joins Kumra on this beautiful track the combination of both female and male vocals add a new layer to Josh Kumra’s music.

Good Things Come To Those Who Don’t Wait is a fantastic album, which very well crafted and produced with lyrics that are easily relatable. Some of the music is a little generic but it appeals to fans of the genre. Make sure you get a copy of Kumra’s album on iTunes and make sure to check out Josh Kumra if you haven’t heard his music before, much love.

@GillianLIMTV

The Summer Set 'Legendary' Album Review

Type – Album Review
Artist – The Summer Set
Title – Legendary

The Summer Set recently released their third full-length album ‘Legendary’ which is their first release through Fearless Records. The Scottsdale, Arizona-based band has been making quite a name for their selves since 2009 with their fantastic melodies and upbeat pop-rock style. With Legendary being a mid-April release the album is a perfect predecessor to summer with their carefree and upbeat melodies that are made perfectly for sunshine and car rides with the windows rolled down. The album embodies love, youth, living life in the moment and also as the album suggests growing up and wanting to become better.

The twelve tracks on Legendary are not only catchy pop-rock songs that are lyrically thoughtful enough for fans to connect with. “Maybe Tonight” opens the album with a steady beat and an infectious chorus with synths and group vocals. “Jukebox (life goes on)” keeps with the carefree attitude of this album with some soft keyboard melodies in the background to accompany the vocals and beautiful harmonies. “Heart On The Floor”, “The Way We Were” and “7 Days” are beautifully written songs with catchy melodies and fantastic melodies. “Someday” is a heart wrenching song that discusses chasing dreams and finding yourself.  “Legendary” is the final song on the album. The honest internal thought expressed in the lyrics make this song the most relateable song as it deals with feelings of insignificance.

‘Legendary’ is a beautifully written album with lyrics that are easily relateable as everyone goes through the motions of feeling insignificant and not knowing who they are meant to be. Whether you have been through this or are going through it every one knows exactly what The Summer Set were feeling when they wrote these songs.

Make sure to buy Legendary on iTunes and check out The Summer Set if you haven’t heard of them before. Much love, Life is Music TV.

@GillianLIMTV

@The_Summer_Set 

Peace

Peace Live Review

The Arches, Glasgow

16/04/2013

Peace are the latest four-piece indie love band to grace the music scene. The band have constantly been building their fan base and unknowingly creating hype since the release of their EP 'Delicious' in September 2012. Attracting people of all ages and walks of life, these guys definitely have a hugely loyal fanbase. This was obvious tonight as they headlined a sold out show at 'The Arches' in Glasgow.

Opening with 'Delicious' got the crowds attention and quickly sent them into a trance of swaying before the bobbing around began as the song progressed. Peace then went on to perform 'Follow Baby', 'Lovesick', 'Waste of Paint' and 'Float Forever' before performing 'Higher Than The Sun' which seemed to unexpectedly be a crowd favourite. Everyone around me was going nuts for this song. It was the most dancing I'd seen all night and it created such a great atmosphere. It really didn't feel like it was 2013 in The Arches tonight! After performing a few more songs from their debut studio album 'In Love', Peace then left the stage, leaving the crowd chanting. I mean, we're in Glasgow, so you can guess what everyone was screaming.. 

After a couple minutes the band came back out on stage and performed 'California Daze' and 'Bloodshake'. Having had a chat with the guys prior to the show, they had told us that they've only just changed the encore, due to the previous songs not creating as much of a buzz with the fans. It was definitely a good change up, the crowd were jumping around and bobbing their heads. Watching Peace on stage, it was clear that they were a band who loved to perfom. They were feeding off of the crowd and it was great to see everyone just enjoying themselves.

Although there wasn't much crowd involvement at the gig, if I'm honest, it wasn't needed. They performed the songs the fans wanted to hear and everyone was on a high. It truly was a great event to be part of.

If you haven't heard of 'Peace' before, check them out:

www.facebook.com/peaceforeverever

www.twitter.com/peace4everever

I recommend not judging these guys on their recorded music, Peace are a band you need to see live!

Here's what some fans said following the gig:

Gary Cassidy ‏@consciousgary16 Apr

Also Peace were great live!

John McLeod Brown ‏@johnmcleodbrown16 Apr

@PEACE4EVEREVER WERE UNREAL, WELL DONE

Laura Martin ‏@lauzmartin17 Apr

@PEACE4EVEREVER were amazing tonight! Come back to glasgow soon!

Much Love, Life is Music Tv.

-newcitylauren

The Band Perry - Pioneer

Type – Album Review

Artist – The Band Perry

Title – Pioneer (Deluxe)

The Band Perry’s debut album hit shelves in 2010 from which the hits ‘If I Die Young’ and ‘All Your Life’ were released, since then the country sibling trio have been travelling around the world. After waiting just over two years their much anticipated second album was released earlier this week.

The lead single from this album ‘Better Dig Two’ was released way back in October last year with the band debuting the song at the CMA awards. The song gave some indication of where the Perry’s were going with their new album but no one could have predicted just how fantastic the whole album would turn out.

This sibling trio have stayed true to their country routes that made us fall in love with them to start with. However with having such a successful first album called for the Perry’s to come up with something that they hadn’t done before, and that is exactly what they have done. They took their beautiful country songs and rocked them up a little. Which is influenced by their upbringing with The Band Perry saying, and I quote “daddy rocked us to sleep with Rolling Stones; Mama woke us with Loretta Lynn” and this combination of country and rock really shows through in this album especially in their songs ‘Forever Mine Nevermind’, ‘Chainsaw’, ‘I’m a Keeper’, ‘Luck Ones’ and ‘Gonna Be Ok’.

As well as these rock infused songs we have some good old, beautifully written, heart wrenching songs that we are used to The Band Perry bringing us which include – ‘Don’t Let Me Be Lonely’, ‘I Saw A Light’, ‘Mother Like Mine’, ‘Back To Me Without You’, ‘End Of Time’ and title track ‘Pioneer’. A couple of songs that have been stuck in my head since I started listening to the album include ‘DONE.’ and ‘Peaches and Caroline’.

Pioneer is a beautifully written and produced, it showcases the amazing talent that The Band Perry have as musicians, singers and songwriter. Each song is powerful with fantastic lyrics and addictive melodies; they also show the amazing depth and range of Kimberly’s vocal abilities.

Make sure to purchase a copy of The Band Perry’s ‘Pioneer’ on iTunes now, and if you haven’t already make sure you check out our interview with The Band Perry’s in Glasgow by clicking here.

@thebandperry

@gillianlimtv

Hudson Taylor

Type – Live Review
Artist – Hudson Taylor 
Location – O2 Academy (Jake Bugg)
Date – 08/02/2013

By the time I arrived at the venue, which was a mere 15 minutes before Hudson Taylor stepped onto the stage, the venue was already packed and that is what I call a sign of what was sure to be a fantastic night ahead.

Hudson Taylor is a little Irish band with fantastic spirit and a huge stage presence. Playing through popular songs from both Battles EP and Cinematic Lifestyle EP such as ‘Drop in the Ocean’, ‘Chasing Rubies’, ‘Cinematic Lifestyle’ and ‘Drop of Smoke’ among others. From the get go the boys had the entire captivated in their performance from their brilliant musicianship to their absolutely outstanding vocal abilities.

Band such as Hudson Taylor that are as original as these guys are hard to come by these day with everyone wanting to be in a band. However Hudson Taylor have taken everything that inspires them and created something completely different and unique that sets them apart from others in the industry.

With the internet being what it is today Hudson Taylor have been doing things right by gaining a strong online following using various platforms to promote their music. I don’t mean to sound really cliché but it’s safe to say for these guys the only way is up and I predict a long and amazing musical career ahead of them.

If you have not heard Hudson Taylor before I strongly recommend you check them out, they’re on just about all socail media platforms and you can get both of their EP’s on iTunes. Also be sure to go see them next time they are playing in a town near you. Much love, Life is Music TV.

-       @GillianLIMTV

Gin Wigmore

Type – Live Review
Artist – Gin Wigmore
Location – O2 Academy (supporting Train)
Date – 15/02/2013

  

From the minute we arrived at the venue our night was off to an interesting start. We were taken into the venue by Gin’s manager, which is normal for us, however we were taken straight to the security at the pit and after a kind word from the manager the security guards granted us pit access for Gin’s set without a photo pass and this made for the beginning of a very exciting night.

We weren't in the venue for too long before Gin made her way on to the stage and she kicked off the night with her song the upbeat song ‘Black Sheep’ from her new album ‘Gravel & Wine’. The rest of her set was full of energy and upbeat and exciting melodies and Gin played through songs from her new album that included ‘Dirty Love’, ‘Kill Of  The Night’, ‘Man Like That’ and ‘Sweet Hell’ the set also included ‘One Last Look’ and ‘Oh My’ from her debut album ‘Holy Smoke’. From the start to the end of her set Gin was full of energy and she did not stop dancing the entire time she was on stage. Gin put the entire crowd in a fantastic mood and her stage presence and energy got everyone in the room pumped in preparation for Train to make their way to the stage.

Later on in the night Gin returned to the stage to perform ‘Bruises’ with Train, she took over the vocals in the song which were originally performed by country singer Ashley Monroe. The duet between Train’s leading man Pat Monahan and Gin Wigmore was performed beautifully and yes, there was more dancing from Gin during this song. Gin spent so much of the night dancing that it prompted Pat to make the comment “I don’t think she’s stopped dancing since she was like seven or something” as Gin made her way off the stage after the duet.

Gin Wigmore is a very talented musician and song writer with amazing vocal abilities, sounding a bit like Duffy but a whole lot better. This was the first time we have seen Gin performing live and we loved her stage presence and how much energy she had throughout the whole night. If you haven’t seen Gin live before we would like to say - Get a ticket to the next show she is playing near you it’s a night you wont forget.

Twitter – @Gin_Wigmore

Facebook – www.facebook.com/ginwigmore

Review by - @GillianLIMTV

Misty Miller

Type- Single Review

Title- Girlfriend

By- Misty Miller

South London based singer-songwriter Misty Miller has been writing her own songs since she was eight years old. Misty draws her inspitation from great artists such as Iggy Pop and The Stooges, The Velvet Underground and Patti Smith. At the age of 15 Misty recorded and released her first album, which went on to sell 60,00 copies and allowed her to work with other fantastic artists.

Now Misty is signed to Sony label Relentless, she will be continuing her success with her new single ‘Girlfriend’. Due to Mistys musical inspirations there is no surprise that this new single is full of 70’s rock guitar melodies and drum beats. The song relativly simple however saying that the simplicty of this song seems to be what makes it work. The tone of Misty’s vocals is what gives the song it’s edge and makes unique compaired to a lot of bands and singers that are out at the moment.

Misty Miller is one of those artist that through the fantastic combination of her vocal ablilities and musical style will always stand apart from the crowd. We can see Misty having an amazing musical career ahead of her. So we would just like to say keep up the amazing work and keep the fantastic songs coming and we look forward to the release of Misty’s EP.

If you havent heard of Misty’s music before be sure to check her out on facebook, much love Life is Music TV.

http://m.soundcloud.com/misty-miller/girlfriend-1

           

Twitter - @GillianLIMTV

 @lifeismusictv