The Grace Note Blog

  Call to the Faithful & Dear Monday Live Show On Thursday 23rd September I went to the Portland Arms in Cambridge to catch the amazing and loud sets from Peterborough rock band Call to the Faithful, and Cambridge indie-rock band Dear Monday. Call to the Faithful's Matt, Oscar & Will, performed an energetic and massive set starting big with their single from earlier this year 'Animals' followed by current single 'Thieves and Liars'. Unfortunately Ethan was unwell, so Simon from Das Kapitans stepped in on bass for the evening and the guys performed one of theirs in homage. Frontman Matt told me afterwards he went too hard on their explosive Rage Against The Machine cover and blew his voice out but you wouldn't have noticed as they ended the set with a blasting new one, due for release 1st October, 'It Doesn't Matter'. Full of rock anthems with big drums and guitar solos that were on point, these guys are smashing the Cambridgeshire rock scene....

  'Doom & Bloom' - Dude Safari Single Review I have found some amazing new music since I started this blog, and this band from Surrey are up there as one of my favourites. I won't shout out who introduced me to them as he's a big enough show off already, but seriously good call! Dude Safari have released a string of 5 singles since March this year and their latest 'Doom & Bloom' came out on 17th September.  'Doom & Bloom'  is a massive grunge rock anthem with big drums and guitars, amazing choruses and when the sweet "Doooooooom" hits as the chorus starts it reaches another level of fabulousness! Dude Safari said it best themselves when they described it as having "a backline louder than Godzilla's mating calls". I can't do better than that! Jamie has a unique and beautiful voice, and the bittersweet vocals on this one are full of emotions that really come out. This is the one of theirs that seen live will be the p...

  'Wasted Time' - Candid Single Review Coventry based indie band Candid released their brand new single 'Wasted Time' on 10th September.  With a massive intro this song grabs you from the start and the addition of the synth pop blending with the indie rock makes such a distinctively unique sound. The song is big and catchy, it gets you dancing and skilfully draws you in and keeps your attention from start to finish. The expressive vocals, the infectious drum beats and the clever guitar underpinning the powerful keys give the song its character.  The video is genius and takes this track to another level, I recommend watching this first as it will make you smile and relate to the song on future listening. The band say that after two years of lockdowns and misery they mean business now and the chorus itself backs up this claim with its lyrics "I don't wanna fight, I can't sit and waste any more time". With BBC Radio backing, festivals and a support slot f...

    'Fragment of Imagination' - Mellor EP Review Reading quartet Mellor (Gary, Sam, Kris and Josh) released their EP 'Fragment of Imagination' on the 27th of August. Five indie rock tracks full of clever and complex riffs, this whole EP creates an atmosphere for the listener that fits perfectly with the nighttime artwork they used.  The opening track 'Cool, Calm, Deranged' is about the media turning people into psychopaths. It looks into the glorification of serial killers and the violent dramas which lead to people becoming immune to fear and shock. Along with the heavy-hitting lyrics, it has a dramatic chorus, that strips back for a few bars before kicking in again, which I absolutely love.  Track two 'Version of a Life' is upbeat with strong, dominating guitar riffs and an atmospheric solo. This one is about sticking to a predictable routine, rather than being spontaneous and living your best life outside of your comfort zone, with lyrics like "h...