Rising Sun - Dirty Daisy EP By Steve Rudd

An indie-gilded rock 'n' roll quartet with a difference, Rising Sun here present eight extraordinary tracks that prove to be sound testament to the band members' collective talents. The title track in Dirty Daisy is up first and is bolstered by guitarist Dan's heavyweight and swaggering riff. Nathan's raw, soul-inflamed vocals work a treat, while the music is both edgy and exciting.

Their Mellow Footsteps number pits an entrancing guitar melody against Nathan's voice, with this vocal performance of his in particular succeeding in soaring high above the music, before the beautiful Burn lullaby (that, for me at least, is the EP highlight) hears Nathan intimately confide that We're all just part of this lonely show; how many times do you have to let me go?, his sensitive soul shining like blinding starlight, with Larz and Pete firmly in charge of bass-playing and drum-pounding duties respectively.

The catchy Give Me Something tune is outstanding (complete with its infectious Hey-Hey, Ah-Ah-Ah chant), but it's Experiment X which truly allows the prowess of guitarist Dan to dazzle the senses as he lets loose on his trusted electric six-string with a manic vengeance, somehow managing to make his guitar sing and the listeners' hearts weep in one fell swoop. Clearly, in Dan there sounds to be a Hendrix-worshipper like no other.

One of the many great things about Rising Sun is the way that they can both rock out with righteous attitude, and yet also produce sublime and tender-hearted songs such as For The Love Of It. The band self-recorded and self-produced this release, and as you look further into everything that Rising Sun aspires to be as a band, you come to realise that the truth is glaringly obvious. They aspire to be a life-changing band, and they are - already - most certainly ducking and diving down all the right avenues... www.risingsunmusic.com

Album Reviews - The Soledad Brothers - The Hardest Walk (Polydor) Release Date: March 6th 2006. Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	Potentially the perfect support band for any future Rolling Stones tour, these three lads that make up The Soledad Brothers are such a talented trio that they seem to be leaving most Blues-based rock 'n' roll bands in their wake right now, especially on the back of this astonishing twelve-track album that runs for almost an hour. Opening cut Truth Or Consequences is a riff-raring Read more...

Single Reviews - Yellowcard - Lights and Sounds (Parlophone) Release date: March 6th 2006. Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	They're back! And they're sounding better than ever! These punk-loving Emo-rockers return with a new single and a new album (both entitled Lights And Sounds), ready and willing to follow-up the astounding success that was the band's globally popular Ocean Avenue album that has sold well in excess of two million copies worldwide. The lads have been Read more...

Single Reviews - The Marshals - Make Her Cry (Vertigo) Release date: March 6th 2006. Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	What's in the stars is never meant to be, so croons Marshals band-leader Michael John. That might be the case, just like this song might literally Make Her Cry - whoever she might be, for this is an extraordinarily moving tune that is proving to be a wise choice for the band's debut single release, given the widespread acclaim that it's receiving. The Marshals is an Irish trio, Read more...

Album Reviews - B-Movie - The Platinum Collection (Warner) Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	Cast your hazy minds back to the glory days of the Eighties, and the Synth-Pop Brit bands that were scaling the charts, and does the band name B-Movie ring any bells? It might do for a few people, but this band isn't as much of a household name as it deserves to be, given the quality of the music. This 15-track retrospective is comprised of ten of the band's best tunes Read more...

Album Reviews - Dialog - Feel EP (Deuce Management) Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	This band is interesting from the off, with all four of its members hailing from a different European country. Frontman Plamen is from Spain, and is clearly a terrifically talented singer, while lead guitarist Adam Petty is English through and through. Dialog ply a rare brand of rock music. The strong and catchy riffs do hark back to that Classic Rock era of the Read more...

Album Reviews - Teddy Geiger Stepladder EP By Jimmy Reed
	Teddy Geiger has a voice, a look and a song writing style which will appeal to a wide spectrum of listeners; which is always a good start. A very simple formula employed on 6 track EP Step Ladder - the production is very understated, which is good to hear, and Teddy combines the elements of dusty vocal, acoustic guitar and at times, strings and a Read more...

Music, Columns - Andy Tullock's Music Column January 2006
	Hey, hey! Welcome to the first of my monthly columns, running you through the crazy, crazy world that is the modern music scene. Every month I will be going over the previous month's key events, as I see them (i.e. my get-out clause in case I forget some painstakingly obvious stuff, which, in time, will become painstakingly obvious that I do). Alright, so first Read more...

Single Reviews - Your Vegas - Flybuzz By David Thurlby
	Now don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing decadent Leeds based quintet Your Vegas of having ideas above their station, but Flybuzz has the air of a song which was composed, arranged and recorded purely for the Rock Stadium. From the opening tinkles of the piano, which would be used to portray glacial rain in a music class devoted to sound association Read more...

Album Reviews - Vib Gyor Five track EP By Michelle Dee
	The chiming keyboards and guitars opens Fallen followed by a soft breathy vocal then, as the song continues it takes on a definite Bono sound. As the guitar quickens, you find yourself exploring a fresh wind swept arena. Quiet, quick passionate wavy lines of guitar underpinned with urgent drumbeats, floating falling into deep wells of white noise. Plaintive pianos will oft be Read more...

Album Reviews - The LVRs - Death Has Become Her (Undergroove) Release date: March 13th 2006 Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	This dazzling spoken-word album is a side project for two of the members of LA rockers My Ruin, with the singer in Tairrie B doing the talking and musician Mick Murphy providing the background noise, mainly in the form of atmospheric soundscapes that are genuinely dark and deadly. Listeners of a nervous disposition might want to give this a miss, especially should you Read more...

Single Reviews - The Somatics - Elemental (Engine Room) Release date: 27th February 2006. Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	After the sad demise of cult heroes Ultrasound, ace guitarist Richard Green wasted no time in forming the Leeds-based trio The Somatics. Thus, we have Richard on lead vocals and guitar, backed up by bassist Stephanie and drummer Bruce. This single was also recorded and produced by Richard, to further prove just how talented he is both in front of and Read more...

Album Reviews - Yeah, It's Supposed To Sound Like That Vol 2 (17 Track Compilation Album - Colchester Recordings) Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	The second compilation release on the label that's run by the singing and songwriting force behind the ace band The Party, James Sherry has once again collated seventeen hugely exciting and varied tracks from some of the best underground and unsigned bands/ artists not only from around the UK, but from around the world. Having said that, most of the tracks Read more...

Music News - Zhain on Tour in USA By Rocky
	Three guys from Hull prove U.K. bands can still successfully play the U.S! We prove not only older people can still rock 'n' roll but that U.K. bands can still successfully play in the U.S. contrary to articles in The Times etc. We left for Los Angeles for our first shows in 27 years with, due to circumstances beyond our control, Anners daughter being born Read more...

Music News - Barmby Bash Could Kickstart DJ's Career
	Hull DJ Chris Plant has warmed up for a transatlantic trip by taking to the decks at a party held by Hull City star Nick Barmby. Chris is heading to America to meet with radio station bosses and representatives of broadcast giant CBS, hoping to hit the big time. But, just days before the trip, the star in the making agreed to play at Barmby's birthday party.Chris said: "Nick told me Read more...

Album Reviews - Babar Luck - Care In The Community (Rebel Music) Release Date: March 13th 2006 By Steve Rudd
	Rewind a few years back into the early 90's, and a hugely original band called King Prawn was taking the underground music scene by the storm, especially on the back of superb albums such as Surrender To The Blender. Fast-forward back to the present day - 2006 - and the former King Prawn (RIP) bassist/ backing vocalist in the Read more...

Album Reviews - Keeping It Peel (Thisisull Compilation Album) By Steve Rudd
	A fitting tribute to the legend that was DJ John Peel, this 12-track CD commemorates Peel Day from October 13th 2005. The good people behind the high-profile website www.thisisull.com put on a concert in memory of the man, and the bands that feature on this CD appeared at such a gig. In total there are six bands on this release, each with two Read more...

Album Reviews - Kelley Stoltz, Below The Branches (Subpop) Release date: February 6th 2006. By Steve Rudd
	This man is amazing; a true star-in-the-making. Kelley is San Francisco-based, and a home recording artist to boot, following-up his 2001 album Antique Glow with this astounding 13-track album that stuns the senses with its down-to-earth and humbling sensitivity that streaks through every song right from the curtain-raising Wave Goodbye: a tune that's both Read more...

Album Reviews, - Richard Ashcroft - Keys To The World (Parlophone) Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	Thank God for the songwriting talents of Richard Ashcroft. He is now some six years into his solo career since the nation's favourite band from Wigan - The Verve, that is - split. Luckily, the material that Richard has released as a solo artist has consistently been just as enticing, and this latest 10-track album of his will have surely to goodness attracted plenty more Read more...

Music News - Vib Gyor Press Release
	Combining the intensity of Radiohead with the subtle soundscapes of Sigur Ros, Vib Gyor have become purveyors of the finest atmospheric, explosive rock. With shimmering guitars, pounding drums and aching sweeping vocals, they project a rich anthemic, yet totally original sound. Frustrated with everyday life, the Leeds based band formed in 2004 through the Read more...

Music, Band Biog- Introducing Silverjet
	Since their live debut in late September 2004, Silverjet have been taking the music scene by the scruff of the neck and shaking it with their own dose of Rock 'n' Roll. Their songs are raw, catchy, loud and infectious drawing from influences such as The Faces, The Black Crowes, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, The Quireboys and Aerosmith to name but a few. The result is Read more...

Single Reviews - The Fallout Trust - Washout (At Large) Release date: Feb 13th 2006 Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	At just over three minutes long, the latest single from the London sextet in Washout perfectly showcases just how talented this band is. Given that there are six members, the music naturally has immense depth, and fortunately no elements are drowned out in the mix. The guitars ring especially proudly, as band frontman Joe Winter sings out his pretty little heart. Come the sublime Read more...

Single Reviews - Cherubs - Paper Cut Moon (Cargo) Release Date: Feb 6th 2006 Reviewed By Steve Rudd
	You might already have caught this extraordinary outfit during one of their 2005 festival appearances... perhaps at the Carling Weekend or T in the Park for starters. The widespread consensus seems to be that to hear them is to love them, and there's no wonder if this attention-demanding single is anything to go by. Paper Cut Moon pits beautifully rousing guitar Read more...