TRACKS

REVIEWS OF SINGLES AND EPS BY NORTH EAST ARTISTS. WANT YOUR MUSIC FEATURED? EMAIL NARCMEDIA@GMAIL.COM

(PLEASE TRY TO GET IN TOUCH 8-6 WEEKS AHEAD OF THE MONTH OF RELEASE)

Frankie Jobling Changes

Words: Claire Dupree

Frankie Jobling’s sultry vocals are a welcome pairing with the almost jazzy, minimal drums and subby bass that opens the track. Changes is a well-structured song which straddles the fine line between neo-soul and R&B, pared back in places to let the artist’s warm tones shine through, and nicely rounded with well-placed backing vocals, smooth piano lines and soulful guitar grooves which ebb and flow.

Declaring “I’ve got to get away, from all these expectations on me now”, the track speaks of both the angst and empowerment of the artist’s journey into womanhood. Frankie’s output to date has been highly praised, and considering the clear trajectory she’s on, that’s unlikely to change (if you’ll excuse the pun) with this masterful track.

Released: 07.07.23 www.linktr.ee/frankiejobling

Blame Yourself Rest

Words: Steve Spithray

The first wave of emo, namely the more accessible and melodic one coming at the glossier tail-end of post-hardcore, was where clean and distort were joined in a holy matrimony that was, presumably, not something the hardcore progenitors had envisaged. Blame Yourself describe themselves as Midwest emo from the North East which apparently means easily digested and, paradoxically for the genre, pretty good fun. Rest follows the well tested path of quiet/loud ruminations on life, death and everything else therein. A plethora of crunching riffs, melodic soloing and agreeable lyrical discourse will be just enough for the purists, while a false ending leaves enough time for a final emotionally crushing wig-out and enough crossover potential for indie and rock nights both.

Released: 07.07.23 www.facebook.com/weareblameyourself

BELLE SKIES ST. ROSE SINGS/MOMENT

Words: Michael O’Neill

A brilliantly captivating double dose of dextrous and cerebral wonder; this cracking double A-side from Gosforth-based quartet Belle Skies is extraordinary. St. Rose Sings is packed full of glorious sonic details that weave around the vivid and engaging lyrics. The way the lead guitar lines dance over the steady pulse of bass synth and cello create a rich atmosphere which acts as the ideal foundation for vocalist/guitarist Tom’s dextrous vocal runs, which expertly serve the fantastic lyrics. Moment, which is about “having a shit time on New Year’s Day”, is a dark and foreboding narrative replete with unorthodox drumming, deep cello drones and dynamic shifts which embody the anxiety and uncertainty of the lyrics.

Released: 04.07.23 www.belleskies.bandcamp.com

CHURCH, HONEY FALL IN

Words: Steve Spithray

As much a beautiful, fleeting moment as a song, Church, Honey’s latest release, Fall In, starts out as a lilting ode to cyclical romance (a kind of Groundhog Day for the seasons) where our protagonist is constantly falling in love. A play in three distinct parts; the extended intro lulls and gently tempers under light squalls of synth that segue seamlessly into an astral indie pre-chorus, itself serving only to burst uncontrollably into a modern power ballad where the “I fall in love with you every summer” refrain means everything. Structurally the track shouldn’t work and its trad indie rock leanings are hardly ground-breaking, but overall Church, Honey deliver one of the North East tracks of the year so far.

Released: 06.07.23 www.facebook.com/churchhoneymusic

Lost Lot Coffee

Words: Michael O’Neill

A buoyant sea of thrashing acoustic guitar signals a breezy and vivid slice of alt. country wonder from Lost Lot, who consider the song “an ode to long distance friendships and the difficulty of saying goodbye every time you part ways, but a celebration of the fact that everything will still be okay in the end.”

The heart-on-sleeve lyricism and the broad, widescreen-ready instrumentation immediately recalls the splendour of Wilco and Jason Isbell, with Matt Dunbar’s powerful and evocative voice cutting perfectly through an immaculate mix which serves the optimistic and profoundly emotional undertone that is shot through the song. It makes for a gloriously moving experience, universal in its sentiment but full of character.

Released: 07.07.23 www.facebook.com/lostlotband

Charts And Graphs Aiming At You

Words: Tom Astley

A beautifully angular and sparse track, Aiming At You is slightly slower, less fractious perhaps, than many of its post-punk, art rock influences. Bass and guitar riffs that leave space that feels spluttering and staccato, akin to Devo (not to mention the repeated lyrics “whip it”, but the influence is way more subtle, more integrated than that). The chorus-laden guitar tone has a Talking Heads inflection to it, and the vocals have an understated venom to them that stalk their way through the track. The breakdown section, with backing vocals stacking on top of one another on each repetition, subtly brings the song to its peak. An excellent oddity of a track.

Released: 07.07.23 www.chartsandgraphs.bandcamp.com

PARK VIEW RED & BLUE

Words: Tom Astley

Park View are a band named for the Newcastle Uni halls, aiming to “bring anthemic tunes back to indie rock”, citing Arctic Monkeys and Catfish & The Bottlemen as influences. If that sounds a little too laddish for you, then you’ll be pleasantly delighted by the actual track, which is unabashedly melodic guitar pop.

Lyrics that are nostalgic, firmly rooted in the familial, sincere and supported by a track that gradually builds into the celebratory (synth?) brass climactic ending, so the lyrics “only shy bairns get nowt” feels earned and genuinely anthemic. It’s probably easier to hear Sam Fender as an influence, then. This track is a more introspective reflection than boozy sing-along. It’s Park View, not Ricky Road.

Released: 07.07.23 www.linktr.ee/parkvi3w

CITIZENS OF YEAH! CHARM QUARK

Words: Matt Young

Summer and its hazy, hayfever free meadows are evoked in this latest single from Citizens of YEAH! It’s a tale of winsome longing, wishing and attraction. Rather than the febrile, hot-blooded thrills of first love, it skirts the edges, almost looking on from a distance. What results is almost definitely an unintended flirtation with voyeurism. That said, musically, the gentle mood and laid-back tone of the song offsets any potential for stalker-ness!

The Citizens in question are in fact a sole occupant, and the musical dynamic and pacing of the song isn’t as cohesive as one might find from a practised band. But besides this, the evocative mood and tender sound rides its own wave just enough to have some of the charm its title claims.

Released: 06.07.23 www.citizensofyeah.bandcamp.com

Wolfred Drowning

Words: Matt Young

Accompanied by suitably atmospheric brooding synth pads that build up to an explosive sounding chorus, Wilf Stone (Wolfred) takes on the themes of mental health, self-destructive tendencies and the internal battling of personal struggle.

It’s sensitively done though, without either overblown bombast or self-pity, and the track benefits greatly for having this rather straightforward approach. At various points Stones’ rap-sung vocals rasp more deeply and give the piano-led track more heft. The splashy drumbeats and fuller chorus arrangements draw much more focus from the listener, especially following a very gentle interlude two thirds into the song. With lyrics detailing the issues that are both personal and universal there’s a lot to recognise and sympathise with, whether this is the singer’s own experience or used as a narrative device.

Released: 14.07.23 www.linktr.ee/wolfredofficial

Patrick Gosling The Water

Words: Amelia Neri

South Shields-based soloist Patrick Gosling invites us on a deep-dive down memory lane with new single, The Water.

Overflowing with seaside motifs, the track opens with the gentle laughter of gulls before Gosling’s bittersweet guitar takes centre stage. The singer-songwriter’s vocals float over the instrumentation as he recalls the challenges faced during his youth. Then, seamlessly, they merge with Rachael Small’s backing vocals during the chorus to create a hazy, multi-tiered harmony. As the song grows into the bridge, a cascade of spritely and melodious lead guitar bubbles over the rest of the track. Having established himself within Newcastle’s vibrant music scene as frontman of four-piece indie band Far Pacific, Gosling now writes under his own name.

Released: 07.07.23 www.facebook.com/patrickgoslingmusic

WILLIAM DENTON WILDE FRIENDS ARE FICKLE/DARK LONELY HIGHWAY

Words: Steve Spithray

Like the metaphorical cockroach that refuses to die, goth music never really goes away no matter how much we might try to deprive it of oxygen. So, the dark synthwave of William Denton Wilde’s double A-side may grate, as much as it might delight those of a blacker disposition. Dark Lonely Highway is the kind of motorik, bass-heavy modular version of the genre that was only ever really welcome for a brief few weeks back in the second half of 1987. However, Friends Are Fickle redeems this split with more of an atmospheric drone that would perhaps serve better as an instrumental if it were not for the oddly profound lyrics that will lay musical eggs in your ear like a gothic croton bug.

Released: 07.07.23 www.williamdentonwilde.bandcamp.com

MICHAEL CURRAN’S DEAF FICTION BOOTS ON THE GROUND

Words: Adelle Sutheran

It’s certainly a seamless track, containing a bit of electric guitar, an AAAA rhyming scheme, and generally a lyrically sound approach, although it lacked punch. The artist explains that the song is based around the principles of ‘team work making the dream work’ in a literal work place scenario, but the lyrics could lend themselves to relationships too. It’s a perfectly solid track, but perhaps not quite hitting the spot for this reviewer.

Released: 28.07.23 www.facebook.com/mykel.curran