2010 - WHOSE YEAR WILL IT BE?

There's no doubt in my mind that 2009 was conquered by the unsuspecting Baltimore trio, Animal Collective. 'The Post Meriweather Pavilion' is years ahead of its time and while it's an experimental mind-bloggling acid trip of epic proportions its pop credentials remain relatively in tact and their commercial heart beat remains steady and healthy.

We also had The XX. Now I'm not a huge fan. I think their debut is a good record, but that's where it stops for me. Florence stormed it with her debut, Grizzly Bear hit the critics with a heavy talk topic and Wild Beasts demonstrated their simplicity and quirk was all it needed to create 'Two Dancers' and send music hacks into a indie-folk left field-pop frenzy.

The Maccabees followed up their fantastic first album, 'Colour It In', with a mature response in the form of 'Wall Of Arms'. Jamie T's second effort has near-trumpt his first with an ambidextrous foreplay of genre-swapping, ska-hoping, rap-tapping gold dust and The Horrors are still shit.

So. 2010 hey. Well this is what I think.

Reigning Sound are a gang of husky whiskey swiggin' southern rockers who are beginning to make a dent in the music world. Bar room rock and roll without the cliches, they're a full-frontal rocking up-tempo strained out distorted race who have already served me well and I feel that the best is yet to come.

Southampton's multi-birthed and soon-to-be lovingly nurtured love child, Montage Populaire, are the most exciting band on the South coast at the moment. To find wit and intelligence integrated into such a technicolour kaleidoscopic musical back bone is a rarity but here it's evident that this is only the beginning. It's indie-pop at its finest and with recognition come from the left, right, above and fucking below the six-piece can clear their diary as they've got a busy year ahead.

The Crookes vintage swing folk-pop has proved rather popular thus far and can only continue to breed. There's literally nothing to dislike about this Sheffield four-piece. Barber shop swoons, foot-tapping jigs, wholesome home-cooked lyrics and a clear direction of where they're going and what they want means that The Revs favourite new band are going to produce a great debut effort.

As I've said before, I can see the people at This Feeling going pretty ape for Portsmouth's guitar-based indie five-piece The Rubicon. No frills or gimmicks or image-based scams, this is good indie-rock with a sold backbone that includes a gaggle of sing-alongs, five cool-as-fuck lads and an ambitious drive. 'On The Left Side' was one of my favourite songs of the year - for fans of Jersey Budd, recognise. But better, lots better.

Pheonix are going to get bigger and bigger.

Orange County folksters Local Natives are going to grow and grow. Their roots'n'country debut fused the bearded Fleet Foxes influx with the likes of My Morning Jacket and The Shins to create of melodic yet pacing debut, with 'Sun Hands' being a particular favourite with its floating rise and smash'n'grab peak.

Lavishly lo-fi indie pups The Darlings should also be set for a similar rise that we saw with Drums only a few months back. Their East Coast beach-bound surf-chirps gleam with a youthful grin - wide eyed and ready for a party, but maybe they've missed the boat with the success of Drums - despite being around longer than them, the inevitable backlash will ensue.

I think everybody who has ever spoken to me will know that I think Them:Youth are the greatest thing since oxygen. Exploding indie-dance with a brit-rock spine that will send your mind racing and your heart skipping a beat, they're heroic. Pure heroic.

Or maybe even Goldheart Assembly. I've been aching to get this London band in for a long time. Their debut single, 'So Long St. Christopher', is a harmony laced slice of sweet melodic lazy-morning pop that subtly yearns like a creeping love sick hangover until it bursts like rays of sunshine through a dispursing blanket of grey clouds.



Give me time and I'll try to come up with some more. But don't take it as gospel, aseptically after bigging up Hockey and then they decided to let us all down with their debut, polished up shit on a plate.

2009 - MY TOP RECORDS

There have been a few times upon my travels in mid-music conversation that people have been rather cynical towards me. I like to read the music press you see. I don't necessarily agree with all the articles and reviews, I don't necessarily adore the bands featured in the pages of these magazines and I don't necessarily believe that what is printed on these sheets is gospel. I'm not an idiot. The words in these publications simply reflect the opinion of the writer of that particular piece, sometimes I think they're right, sometimes I think they're wrong, but despite what some people may think, I'll be damned if those analogies sway my vote, and with that in mind, here is MY top ten records of the year - individually picked and curiously sourced, how very NME of me...

1. Animal Collective - Post Meriweather Pavilion


This record hit the Internet at the time i started blogging. Hypem literally convulsed on impact at the copious blogs that commented on the visionary state of Animal Collectives eighth studio output. Flutters of Beach Boys pop under the multi-coloured Whirlpool of LSD doused sounds that cascaded the peaks of 'My Girls' and 'Summertime Clothes' revel in euphoria as this astral record proves to be introspective of where music is heading.

I don't think that anyone expected this Baltimore trio to produce something so radically quixotic and wishfully prophetic. An avant-garde attempt that's both well orchestrated, cutting edge and years ahead of its time.




2. The Feliece Brothers - Yonder Is The Clock.


Buddies with Bright Eyes lover boy, Conor Oberst, The Feliece Brothers were birthed from the lulls and pits of a dustbowl town with very few escape routes. Suffocated by small town living and a debt of heritage to settle, The Feliece Brothers would do anything they can not to live the life that was waiting from them. Busking on the New York subway and swinging to 1920's waltz's, the three brothers and two friends take tradition very seriously, well in the folk respect that is, and it seems to be paying off.


3. Jamie T - Kings And Queens


The Wimbledon wordsmith and street dwelling ragamuffin duo that is Jamie T and Ben Bones have become something of a well refined pairing. After their chart-heavy debut that saw the likes of 'If You've Got The Money' and 'Shelia' creep into our hearts, (personally I think 'So Lonely Was The Ballad' topped the album off, but hey ho) we've become adorned by his ruff-around-the-edges scowls and ill-pronounced near-rap slurs. It was something of an eponymous effort that was bridges crossed and genre-based walls crushed under the speedway spitting of a humble curb-side music fanatic.

The second coming was titled 'Kings And Queens'. I've got to say, I think it precedes the first with fists raised high and lyrical diversity a-plenty. Richly woven melodies and scrappy vocals, cathcy hooks and pop-top harmonies, delicate acoustic pickings and scuffed-up punk-punches, Treay's second album marks a significant point in both 2009 and his very long future.



4. The Big Pink - A Brief History Of Love


The sheer beaming scope of this debut by two MDMA-taking, booze gargling new-wave romantic dreamers fought the hype and came out triumphant. All the way from commercial pop-gold 'Domino's' to the funk-driven electro-beat on 'Tonight', this album transcends what is now considered to be popular music. Who'd have thought that digi-pop and wavering shoegaze would take the radio by its well polished horns?


5. The Low Anthem - Oh My God, Charlie Darwin


I got a lot more into my folk this year. I've spent years listening to Dylan and the like, but after becoming quite obsessed with Uncut magazine I was made aware of The Low Anthem and their eclipsing versatility. Atmospheric and dainty folk pennings, 'Ghost Who Write History Books...', gruff and rustic Tom Waits-like growls, 'The Horizon is a Beltway' and KOL inspired rootin' tootin' country-rock blasts, 'Champion Angel'.

This record should predictably be unbalanced. The direction and level of eclecticity ranges from delicate twinkles of acoustic plucking to foot stompin' scouring electric wailing - a real gem.



6. Exlovers - You Forget So Easily E.P


The Exlovers are a late comer in my albums of the year, and it's not quite an album. I've only been listening to their debut studio e.p for a couple of months but already it's served me well. Candied boy-girl harmonies melodically waver over a static Pains Of Being Pure At Heart guitars with a back canvas of unpredictable uplifting hooks as the seemingly dark corners of their songs engluf with hopeful light as twilight shines through the cracks of their rusticity.

Sweet and yet alarmingly stern, it's like the Moldy Peaches grew up in the smokey alleys of noughties London listening to Teenage Fan Club on a diet of broken hearts and swifting love affairs.


7. Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros - Up From Below


This dangly haired, tie-dye wearing multi-troupe created something of a modern hippie classic with their debut output. It effortlessly sounds like a vintage Laurel Canyon creation, laced with jangles and and colourful twinkles beneath the hazey cloud of pot-smoke that stalks it like a hemp-clad pilgrimage. Layered harmonies, wishful tender hearts and uplifting atmospheric swoons, this was a surprise record for me, but one that wholesomely demonstrated a love affair with the past, confirming that what's been and gone is never actually forgotten.


8. Jim Jones Revue - Jim Jones Revue


This is rock and roll at its highest degree. Gritty and breathtaking, filthy and near-frightful, JJR's first full length album sounds like Chuck Berry raised by Joe Strummer on speed and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Doused in distortion, it's pretty much the most thrilling thing you'll hear this year.

These guys are born fucking entertainers, grasping every performance by it's unsuspecting throat they will rip, tear and screw everything until your jaw drags past the feet of everyone in the god damn room. 'Hey Hey Hey' doesn't know how to slow down while 'Another Daze' riots like a protest of punks through tunnels of patriotism. The best thing to come out of London in a long time.



9. Them:Youth


This west London band haven't actually released an album but they deserve some credibility for their innovation. Crafting demos that melt the melodies of Doves and the incendiary blast of Sprititualized, their primarily an indie-dance outfit but with a distinctly brit-rock back bone that's strong enough to width stand a tirade of criticism but subtle enough not to become a cliche. 'Halo' is one of this years best songs, 'Stardust' could be the new 'Wonderwall' in terms of nobility and brilliance and 'Get Home Safely' shows how lyrical simplicity doesn't have to mean dull and lacklustre - with its bellowing backdrop of full frontal ethereal echoes, it's hard to deny the forward thinking of this amazing new band. They're a hotly tipped act for 2010, one that could fundamentally change the face of British indie.


10. Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band - Outer South


Conor Oberst has been churning out acoustic indie pennings since the tender age of 13. He's the mastermind behind Saddle Creek records and his Bright Eyes band literally had the indie world on tender hooks and they created brilliant record after brilliant record.

To say Oberst is an intelligent chap could be a little understated. His hear-on-sleeve lyrics and open depression makes him one of the worlds greatest song writers.

This is Oberst second album with the Mystic Valley Band and it's just as good as the first. A bit more of an up-tempo rousing country-folk jig, packed with passion and yet more perfectly-penned lyrical amazement, Obersts voice is at its best and his song writing takes a less eerie and solemn turn making this a more electric-fuelled hoedown that dribbles with husk, intellect and awareness as Oberst lets his Mystic Valley cohorts take the vocals for a handful of songs.



And that is that.

18th / 19th / 20th December

I See Sparks / The Crookes / New Street Adventure


In times of hardship and squalor, as the impending hand of economic judgement is thrust upon us, a need to be entertained is primary. As my bank balance slowly diminishes to a mere pin-prick spec I find myself listening to music more, searching for bands more and ultimately scavenging for some refuge of audio satisfaction. I See Sparks have managed to quash this cloud of boredom and actually shine some light on these dark times.

Their post-rock breakdown-squeeze is admirably aided by a front man whose enthusiasm is as infectious as swine flu. Crashing across stages with an aggy finesse as finger-fast fret action glides intensely back and forth like an At The Drive in meets Biffy riot. Take Note. I See Sparks - Big.

I See Sparks - Lovers


And because I’ve been a little slack at this over the weekend there are two more downloads up for grabs. The first comes from The Crookes. A swooning swing-pop folky croon from four angelic looking Sheffield students, ‘Backstreet Lovers’ is an underground beat-tapping gem.

The Crookes - Backstreet Lovers


And finally, one more quickie from New Street Adventure. ‘Class Of Our Own’ depicts singer Nick Corbin’s time in Birmingham, his run ins with over-privileged flip-flop wearing toffs and a love for his home town friends.

New Street Adventure - Class Of Our Own

17th December - Nato

I’ve come across a lot of bands in the twelve or so weeks that I’ve been down here. Some have stopped me in my tracks - the likes of Montage Populaire and Fresh Legs should be sure things. Electrifying and innovative, the music crafted by these bands has already begun to build upon the existing foundations of this local and branching-out scene. Nato are also one of these bands.

Vocally they sound like Bombay Bicycle Club but musically and performance wise they’ve got flutters of At The Drive In with their prog-like approach, it's every man for himself! They’re Joe Parker’s favourite band at the moment, that’s got to count for something.

Nato - Daydream Rebellion Song

16th December - Dr Razzu

On February 6th we have the wonderful Perils playing Hamptons. I was thinking about support bands for this band and one gritty hedonistic indie-punk act sprung to mind, Dr Razzu.

This band have been one of my favourite Brighton acts for a long time. As of late they've been a little hiatus but thank God they're back with a new album and a sculptured sound that's sure to be as thrilling and out-paced as their steadfast and spirited demo's.

Dr Razzu's cut-the-crap ethos has served them well. No frills or polished edges, these guys attack each song with the same poetic fury as the last and I'm yet to see a half-arsed performance from the stree-dwelling party-urchins.

The song available for download is 'Old Solider'. This sprinting punk-punch is in and out quicker than a sixteen year old in a promiscuous Amsterdam window, leaving you pressing the repeat button over and over until the lyrics and stop-start rhythm is embedded in your mind.

Dr Razzu - Old Soldier

15th December - Polly And The Billets Doux

I think we're onto something here. Winchester's Polly And The Billets Doux sound like a female fronted Creedence Clear Water Revival bought up on 60s pop and a motown back catalogue.

This swinging beat-pop, finger-flicking frisky-folk makes the likes of Duffy sound both flat, lacklustre and seriously lifeless - good thing? bitch'll definitely be begging for mercy then, do us all a favour. Anyhow...

This country-rich ipod-generation barn dance is a fantastically crisp hoedown and well produced record, full of head-bobbing Aretha grooves and Alabama bar-room Gibson licks that Uncut readers would go mental for.

We have them booked in to play Hamptons on the 11th of February with Two Fingers of Firewater, Thee Chancers and Jay Leighton. Tickets are £5 in advance from Hamptons.

Polly And The Billets Doux - Follow My Feet

14th December - Declan McDermott

Declan's been a close friend of Long Live Rock And Roll for a few years now and it's his ability to pen melodically-rich, lyrically diverse and atmospheric pint-sized folk ditties that separate him from the countless other solo acts that amble on, irrelevant and talentless.

There's wisdom in Declan's narrative - accurately depicting youthful journey's of sleep deprivation and booze fuelled weekenders while showing admiration for a country-folk legacy that's been and gone, but not forgotten. Should Woody Guthrie have been bought up in our binge-drinking laced nation on a back catalogue of the Pogues we could be hearing something similar to what Declan's been churning out.

Jig-fuelled, Irish-tinged acoustic finger-clicking sing-songs to kick start your Sunday morning.


Declan McDermott - Strange Happenings

13th December - Exlovers

In these cold, dark December days sometimes hot chocolate and 'Love Actually' just doesn't provide enough warmth to see you through these disappearing times. It's one thing to get all wholesome and fuzzy via Mariah's 'All I want For Christmas...' but if you're after a real indie-grazing comfort blanket for insulation then Exlovers are the way forward.

This London four-piece have had me obsessed as of recent. 'Just A Silhouette' jangles like a ray of sunshine peaking through the cascading darkness that covers the capital while boy-girl harmonies sway 'n' swoon over twinkling guitars like lonesome stars in the night.

It's the warmth and Romanticism that comes from Exlovers simplicity that makes them noticeable. Unfazed by the pioneering age of boundary pushing, they keep keep things relatively structured without appearing stagnant and swamped. 'Wicked Game' cries like Mazzy Star's 'Into Dust' as it's lo-fi aura swoops like a looming cloud of contemplation, juxtaposed by the brilliant shimmering sparkle of the Teenage Fan Club-like pacing heard on their September single, 'You Forget So Easily'.

After playing Hamptons for the Oxjam festival a month or so back with Kurran And The Wolfnotes I was determined to get them back again so stay tuned!

Exlovers - Just A Silhouette

12th December - Fresh Legs

As the construction of this blog continues I'm beginning to realise the potential of Southampton's music scene. I thought I'd possibly struggle with collection a worthy flock of decent musical explorations, but to be honest, I'm not.

It's becoming an eclectic affair that ranges from psychotically deranged garage bands, shimmering new-wave electro synth-pop, grubby long-haired down-the-line indie-punk troupes and woefully poetic folk-based soloists. And better still, we've booked them all.

Today is the turn of the lusciously seductive disco-indie outfit, Fresh Legs. This female fronted sugar-sweet group are a marvel to discern with their brisk lithe agility, frantic femme-fatal cavorts and pacing Karen-O hysteria. Songs such as 'Chess' and 'Julian' are exciting shot-sized technicolour screamers that drip with with lavish disco-pop and shrilling bellows of pitch-perfect vocals. Dance floors in East London would literally piss themselves for this sort of out-paced candied pop.

Being a band like this in a year when electro-expeditions are rife and experimentation a-plenty you're paddling in frightful territory because distinction and divergence is a rarity. New bands like Kids Love Lies come close but there's a missing element of surprise, an absent ingredient of controlled fear that takes you to the threshold of pure excitement while keeping you relatively unscathed. Fresh Legs posses this jun ne se qua and people are beginning to take note.

Whether it's front-lady Ella Sullivan's alluring high-heeled Florence-like charm or the scrappy punky edge that creeps from beneath their rainbow-coloured musical canvas, this band will enchant you, excite you and win your over before the day is done.

Fresh Legs - Julian

11th December - Le Martells

I’m taking it upon myself to push the next band in our download feature to the highest of their possible potential. Brandishing an assemblage of resplendent guitar-pop indie-corkers, Le Martells possess the impending fame of their pin-up virtuosity warmly in their paws.

The song available today, ‘One Of Those’, is a freshly opened packet of danceable Kooks-like first album sing-ability, lavishly united beneath the gritty rusticity of Penate-esqe demo’s, back when ’Torn On The Platform’ had the trilby-clad inhabitants of the indie-disco dancing until the early hours.

We’ve got them in for their first headline show on February 12th at Hamptons and it’s sure to be an eponymous performance for this student-born band.

Le Martells - One Of Those

10th December - Drawings

There’s a change in the weather today so I thought I might change my approach a little. Rather than some fancy new-wave indie band today we’re offering a download by rock-solid three-piece, Drawings.

The enduring yell of this firmly cast band echoes with a concrete backbone of ivory-tough riffs and cascading strapping vocals that both peak at near-screams (‘Sloth’) and wallow in melodic pity (‘Lust‘). Either way, Drawings appear to be such a strong and well-built outfit whose ‘Seven Deadly Sins E.P’ radiates post-grunge goodness.

Drawings - Sloth

9th December - The Daisy Riots

Sadly I missed out a bit on The Daisy Riots. This Liverpool three-piece played two of their last shows when I begun working for Long Live Rock And Roll but the legacy they left in their destructive wake will stand the test of time, there's no doubt about that.

To be totally honest I was pretty stunned when I first saw them play Southsea Fest. The ramshackle performance they put on was one of the most exciting things I'd seen in a long time. Their zealous fuelled stop-start frenzy was poetically violent, ablaze with visual stimulation and more cut-the-crap indie punches than you can wave a record deal at.

Their non-conformist ethos reeks of teenage rebellion and that's the primary beauty of this. Fuck everything, fuck everyone, fuck all the other bands who mumble on with mediocre impact and insouciant attitudes, The Daisy Riots show pure soul in their music with an effortlessly rock and roll aura that's as uncontrived and as genuine as it comes.

To fuse the indignation of a punk-like attitude and still remain commercially viable is no easy task, but Drew, Peter and Guy have managed to harness this flare with successful results. They're a thrilling band to behold and they easily posses one of the best songs of the year ('Do You Feel Alone'). But up for grabs today is 'Life's Young Bastards'. A riot always.

The Daisy Riots - Life's Young Bastards

8th December - The Courteeners

It’s exciting times at Courteeners HQ. Album two is receiving its final polish before being distributed to the masses, their biggest sell out hometown show is looming and the press has begun flooding in, all hoping to get that second album exclusive. In the spirit of things then, The Courteeners have decided to give away a track from album number two for free. Yeaaaah!

‘Cross My Heart And Hope To Fly’ is a rhythmic life line that dips and peaks from haunting harmonies to an acapella clap in which Fray’s determined vocals launch into escapism in a land away from the scowling eyes of the judgemental press and the predictable Manc-analogy’s that he’s all too often encountered, ‘So I cross my heart and hope to fly, fuck right off into the middle of the sky, where no one can judge me, no one can see, that would be my ecstasy’.

Scrap what you think you know about Liam and co. He’s far from the misogynistic, loud-mouth northerner that some believe him to be. The Guardian ran with this and proceeded to feel the wrath of an articulate romantic as Liam proved that he’s an intelligent and passionate man with the ability to craft lyrically diverse songs with pin-point perfection. The time spent between their debut record and now has given the Courteeners time to develop, not only as musicians but also as creative minds, and that part has already become apparent simply by listening to today’s download.

By the sounds of ‘Cross My Heart…’ we’re going to be seeing a lot more of what the Courteeners do best as the four-piece veer away from the distorted guitar thrashings and opt for a more creative and industrious approach with pianos, guest vocals from Florence and a raging guitar solo from Mr Miles Kane - it’s going to be an eclectic affair, and if Fray’s lyrics are as elegantly crafted and as wit-bound as St. Jude then they could be winning a few more people over.

Download the courteeners - Cross My Heart And Hope To Fly

7th December - New Street Adventure

I've been trying to get this mod-pop Birmingham trio down to Southampton for a while now. Dates have been loosely thrown back and forth until we landed on February 27th. This show will include New Street Adventure along with ex On Offs front man, Danny Connors, who will be playing with his new outfit - Danny Connors and the Ladders.

New Street Adventure make it into today's download with a witty bubble of social commentary aptly named - 'Fate Britain'. This is one of the only New Street songs that isn't auto biographical, it's a blitz into the imagination of New Street pioneer and near-genius songwriter, Nick Corbin. It tells a tale of a young man who runs into various social obstacles on his journey through the hardships of our modern Britain. Binge drinking, lippy street dwelling ASBO urchins and life-sucking Brick Lane scensters all play their part in Nick's musical escapade through this humour-riddled tale of a diminishing nation plagued by ignorance and obsessed with appearance.

Guitarist / singer and songwriter, Nick, is one fucking clever guy, so clever in fact that I can see his band making another entry in this download feature simply so people can begin to realise the song writing potential and overwhelmingly spot-on observations of this Northern Soul obsessed young man.

Download New Street Adventure - Fate Britain

6th December - New Education

On the 19th of December we have New Education playing Lennons for a special headline show. This brit-pop influenced rock and roll band have a bit of a notorious history thus far. Their unruly swagger and questionable behaviour has seen this four piece banned from a handful of venues amidst the settling dust of the scuffles they encountered on the way.

The thing is, this isn't some sort of cliched notion of rock and roll that New Education are constructing - it's not contrived in the slightest, it's just what they're like, I mean come on, it's what most twenty-something blokes are like, these ones just happen to play music.

Throughout the six or so New Education songs I've heard there's a definite theme, a reoccurring vein that pumps optimism around these wonderfully distorted British scowls of rock brilliance. Perhaps that's what makes this special. These guys have been given a chance, a chance that so many have longed for. Stuck in dead end nine-to-fives in a suffocated town with no dreams, no hopes - or at least, no achievable ones. Maybe that's why New Education are separated from the countless other acts who try to imitate what they do, they actually fucking want it. You wouldn't see Farris Rotter or whatever the cockmuncher's calling himself now flaunting passion like that, how unbecoming! fucking do one.

'Today' is a live for the moment anthemtic howl of aspiration and promise. It's a song by four young men from Stoke who grew up covering Oasis songs in their bedrooms, sheltering from the industrial abyss and lulls of life around them. Thankfully for us though, instead of getting caught up in the tormenting clogs of a regimented existence they decided there was something worth getting out of bed for, something worth singing about, something worth fighting for.

This is the type of great British rock and roll that you pop on your ipod and walk down the street like your in the 'Bitter Sweet Symphony' video.

Download New Education - Today

5th December - Geometrics

Better late than never...

The available download today is by Geometrics who we have playing Lennons on January 9th. It's a bit of an old track apparently, however, 'Different Minds' wonderfully encapsulates a rustic unruly approach that ripples no nonsense frills - straight to the tainted edges, skipping roughly but oh-so brilliantly along the trail of poppy-punk fun it leaves in its wake.

Download Geometrics - Different Minds

Also, I've been bang into Exlovers lately but I can't put any of their songs up for download due to copy write infringements so check out the video bellow. Sweet harmonious girl-boy vocals to fall so recklessly in love with.

3rd December - The Rubicon

It's a frivolous and unstable music scene we inhabit. One minute people are appreciating the lovable audacity and geezer swagger of bands like Kasabian and The Enemy and the next it's shunned as a landscape of lads brandishing a can of larger with negative intentions. What was once a sing a-long anthem is now a tarnished symbol of antagonistic aggression - and the reason? it's probably as simple as popularity.

People become weary of a bands popularity, sometimes it ruins it for them, but those people are just pretentious scene-hungry cunts with minimal morals and a high sense of self-appreciation, so not worry about it too much. The Rubicon are in dangerous territory i would guess, primarily because they're sitting on one hell of a top-notch stack of distinctly British indie-pop gems. In particular, the song up for download today - 'On The Left Side'. It's smithsy jangle of swooning harmonic backing vocals infused with a finger-clicking brit-pop sway makes for very warm listening at this time of year.

It's either going to be the mellow Libs-like woo's that solidify the potential of this sweet song or the gaggle of wholesome, romanticised indie-disco lyrics that jive their way right into your head - This Feeling and their Weller-barnet cohorts and going to go mad for it. I already have.

Even better, we've only bloody booked them!

13th December @ Hamptons, Free Show!

4th February w/ Iron Door Club and The Radics @ Hamptons

Download The Rubicon - On The Left Side

2nd December - Montage Populaire

Day two of our December download feature and it would appear that we’ve already peaked.

Having only formed a handful of months ago, if that, Montage Populaire have already began to cause a flirtatious buzz that foresees innovation slowly peaking it’s novel features from the glorious bubble of indie-pop genius that this Southampton six-piece has only just began to compose.

Birthed from a number of local solo acts and various ex-band members of been-and-gone stage grazers, it’s Luke Donovan who fronts and soldiers this pioneering troupe head first into the scrappy battle of the fickle indie scene with a medley of twee-pop swoons, softly-spoken sincerity doused vocals and a richly woven musical back drop that forms the noteworthy tapestry in which Mon Pop are building the future of this band.

The layers within Mon Pop's songs are both dense and fulfilling. From the tweaky claps of a Los Camp-like grin ('Break Up The Band') to the swaying maturity and hesitant gloom of the Bunnymen bought up on The Strokes ('Last Among Equals'), their ambidextrous ability has only just began to shine so all we can do is get ready for the light.

Download 'Simon Says' Below...

Download Montage Populaire - Simon Says

Official Secrets Act & The Antlers @ Lennons

On the 28th of November, Long Live Rock And Roll are putting on a top-notch co-headline show at Lennons Nightclub. The Official Secrets Act will be playing alongside Brooklynite three-piece, The Antlers, a band who recently received a rave review from the notoriously hard to please music magazine, NME.

Review and facebook link below. For £2 entry just pop your name on the facebook group.


http://www.facebook.com/#/event.php?eid=185601832233&ref=ts

Long Live Rock And Roll Advent Calendar

If you believe what the papers have to say then I guess we're a nation plagued with underage pregnancy's, binge drinking and a high level of obesity. What a dross tale. However, we can assist in the alteration of one of our country's downfalls...

Rather than stock up of a chocolate filled advent calendar this year you should take a trip to this wonderful blog, why I hear you ask? Well, that's a very interesting question...

This year the Long Live Rock And Roll blog will be bringing you a musical download-aided advent calendar that offers one download a day of songs we love, bands we love, local bands and any other musical exploit that takes our fancy.

We will be going live with this project on December 1st, so get excited guys and girls!

Until December 1st though, why not check out the video below of The Crookes. A Sheffield swing-pop 60s-folk outfit who will be playing Hamptons on the 29th of November for a free entry show. Sweet.

Dan. x

Limbs Of Communication

At Long Live Rock And Roll experience has taught us one fundamental piece of advice. Like it or not, the Internet is taking over the entire world, so what better way to embrace this than to hop onto literally every available entity of online communication.

LONG LIVE ROCK AND ROLL FACEBOOK GROUP:

http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=6923515193&ref=ts

HAMPTONS FACEBOOK GROUP:

http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=239808995000&ref=ts

LONG LIVE ROCK AND ROLL MYSPACE:

http://www.myspace.com/longliverockandrollclubnights

HAMPTONS MYSPACE:

http://www.myspace.com/hamptonsbar

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So you can go ahead and add us on all of your networking facilities because not only will that make you look more popular but you will have all the up to date infromation on up coming shows etc. But enough of that. Below I have listed some of the albums that we are currently loving in the LLR&R office at the moment. Makes the days go a little smoother.

Black Lips


Julian Cassablancas


Miike Snow

Welcome to Long Live Rock And Roll

Welcome to the Long Live Rock And Roll blog. The intention of this new-age blessing and well hyped method of communication is to bring you various musical treats to help your Internet grazing days go that little bit faster.

We will be bringing you a tirade of line ups and shows we have booked in, previews of shows, photos from some of our shows and of the bands we love, reviews, information on the thriving Southampton scene and a very exciting Christmas Advent-eqse special in which you will be able to download a song a day throughout a predictably windy December, all the way up until that fat bloke in a red coat climbs down your chimney, which is in fact not as disturbing as it sounds.

So we would like to say welcome to our world, we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Dan, Ally, Owen and everyone at Long Live Rock And Roll.

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