The ever growing popularity of MySpace as a marketing tool for unsigned bands is invaluable but it only reaches those people who sign up and surf, so we here at MiM Radio thought that in this feature we’d lend a hand to the bands and artistes who have caught our attention on MySpace and introduce them and their music to a wider audience in the big wide world that is Cyber Space.
If you are a band with music you’d like to be featured here or are a new band with enough attitude to think you are the next Oasis for the Ones To Watch section, then please email us at:
manchesterismusic@gmail.com
SIX-OF-THE-BEST
1. Fox Force Five – Middle England
Raunchy rock guitar intro, sneering vocal, beats on speed, two minutes of completely packaged rock with an edge and enough energy to give N-Power a run for its money.
Who needs Pro-Plus when you’ve got this … innit!
http://www.myspace.com/foxforcefiveuk
2. Exile Parade – Fire Walk With Me
Within second’s funky beats, an Oasisesque guitar riff and more attitude than Gallagher, bursts its shirt buttons as it explodes into life. There’s a bit of everything in this track. Instantly addictive. Over 20,000 plays on Myspace says it all.
http://www.myspace.com/exileparade
NB: Check out Superstars .. another new track and a personal favourite of mine.
3. i:candi - My Best Friend
Just over two and a half minutes of absolute hyper punk pop! Music that makes the Duracell bunny look like it’s on Ritalin and the stuff mosh pit mayhem is made of.
It has a lyric that you can identify with and enjoy singing along to it before the end of the first chorus. A sure hit if ever I heard one!
http://www.myspace.com/icandyuk
4. The News – In My Room
This song has an almost lo-fi ‘in your room’ feel to the production with an ever so slightly bluesy vocal, clear guitar riffs and crisp drums. It’s the happiest sounding song about love and leaving, the kind of song that summers are made of. It’s catchy, threading old-fashioned country with a hint of boogie reminiscent of The Coral, a genre that is definitely not oversubscribed.
http://www.myspace.com/soundofthenews
5. The Would Be Emperors - Topaz Sky
Funk laden beats, 80’s rock guitar, smooth vocal and unmistakable Mancunian indie, yeah you read right … on paper this shouldn’t work but in reality it does and some!
Imagine yourself driving the coast road with the top down gazing up at that Topaz Sky cos that’s where this song takes you.
http://www.myspace.com/thewouldbeemperors
6. [We Are] The End - Cut Me Up
Rock / Electronica is how [We Are] The End describe their music and that is spot on! This song rises and falls in waves of weird and wonderful sounds, with the powerful vocal bled nice and deep into the mix so that it doesn’t overpower and distract from the panorama of sound alongside some of the most intricate and compelling drumming you are ever likely to hear. Make sure you listen on headphones because there is so much going on in this song that you won’t want to miss one glorious decibel of it.
http://www.myspace.com/wearetheendmusic
ONES TO WATCH
i:candy
It’s not surprising that a band that has one of its songs featured in the Six-of-the-Best is also picked out and earmarked as a band of the future, one of our Ones To Watch.
i:candy have not only stunned me with the selection of songs that they have up on their myspace profile which are innovative and energetic, have brilliant and funny story telling lyrics, are undeniably addictive, and also have a female lead singer that has managed to do what Lily Allen, Kate Nash, Adele, Duffy et al have failed to do and that is - impress me.
They are a four piece band that write songs about real things, every day things that anyone and everyone can identify with, they are refreshingly honest, intent on having a raucous good time and taking us all with them.
Imagine the offspring of Little Man Tate, Toyah and the Arctic Monkeys and you come pretty close to i:candy – OK so a threesome is a bit unconventional but then so are these guys.
I shall be booking my place at the front of one of their gigs at the earliest convenience, why not join me ….
Compiled and written for Manchester is Music by Kim Etheridge