Articles written by AndyHoldcroft

About AndyHoldcroft

AndyHoldcroft has worked with the following photographers:

AndyHoldcroft has written about the following acts:

  • Black Water Fiend
  • In Emerald Sea
  • John Connearn
  • 3 Brothers
  • Aaron Dudfield
  • Aaron Woodhouse
  • Abi Rowberry
  • Abz Winter
  • Ace & The Oddity
  • Ace Ambrose
  • Adam Barry
  • AfterKnights
  • Alchemista
  • Alex Clarke
  • Alice Hubble
  • Altum Schema
  • Alys Rain
  • Andrea Mbarushimana
  • Andrew Heath
  • Andy Beglin
  • Andy Beglin & The MG
  • Angelo Cardone
  • Anthony Gliddon
  • Antonia Kirby
  • Army of Skanks
  • Attrition
  • AutoPilot
  • Autumn Party
  • Avidfan
  • BERHN
  • Bally & Boom
  • Bar Pandora
  • Batsch
  • Becky Syson
  • Ben Haines
  • Ben Monkhouse
  • Besureis
  • Bethany Dyson
  • Bill Cameron
  • Blancmange
  • Blind Faith
  • Blind Orbits
  • Blue Moon Birds
  • Blush
  • Bob Cooper
  • Bob Halligan Jr
  • Brass Hip Flask
  • Bright Black
  • Brothers From Another Mother
  • Brudez
  • Burning Salt
  • But Is It Jazz?
  • Bygrave
  • Caitlin McCarthy
  • Caleb Murray
  • Callum Mckissock
  • Calton Kelly
  • Candid
  • Caroline White
  • Carrick
  • Cary L
  • Chalk Drawings
  • Chasing Deer
  • Chasing Deer featuring Ollie Hayes
  • Chessi O'Dowd
  • China Shop Bull
  • Chloë Boehm
  • Chris Gibbons
  • Chris Tye
  • Chxmpion
  • Clarkwell Rivers
  • Clemency
  • Concrete Fun House
  • Contacts in the North
  • Cov Kozaks
  • Croissant
  • Crokodile Tears
  • Cub$
  • Daffod'i'll
  • Daisybell
  • Dan Bygrave
  • Danny Ansell
  • Danny Ansell & Co
  • Danny Ansell Band
  • Darius Christian
  • Dark Sparks
  • Dave K
  • Dave Pepper
  • David Goody
  • Dean MacDonald
  • Dean Macdonald
  • Deathsex Bloodbath
  • Deep Sea Divers
  • Delia Derbyshire
  • Dirt Road Band
  • Dispensable People
  • Dissident Noize Factory
  • Diz n Rox
  • Dodgy
  • Dolly Mavies
  • Donnelly & South
  • Downdraft
  • Dr Feelgood
  • Dr.Um
  • Drop Down Smiling
  • Duck Thieves
  • Duke Keats
  • Earlybird
  • Eight Miles High
  • Electrik Custard
  • Ellie Gowers
  • Ellis Gallagher
  • Elvis Costello and the Attractions
  • Emily Burns
  • Emma McGann
  • Engram
  • Erin O'Rourke
  • Euan Blackman
  • Evergreen
  • Everything We Do
  • Everything We Do
  • Ex Lover
  • Ezza Brianna
  • Fairport Convention
  • Fall Girl
  • Fallow Man
  • Filkin's Drift
  • Firedaze
  • Floating Palace
  • Flys
  • Force of Love
  • Four Kings
  • Fourth in Line
  • Frank Ifield
  • Free Galaxy
  • Freezacrowd
  • Gemma Cullingford
  • Gemma Leahy
  • Generation Jones
  • Gods Toys
  • Granny's Attic
  • Grassroutes
  • Green Hands
  • Green Hands and others
  • Greengrass
  • Greg Brice
  • GunShock Big Band
  • Gus Chambers
  • HEK
  • HEK & Concrete Fun House
  • Hannah Woof
  • Heart of England Co-op Concert Orchestra
  • Hedcheese
  • Helen McCookerybook
  • Henery
  • Hoarse Whisperers
  • Holly & the Hounds
  • Holly Hewitt
  • Holly and the Hounds
  • Honky Tonk Rose
  • Huffy Acoustic Punk
  • Hugh Cornwell
  • Hungry Ghosts
  • I
  • Ian Todd
  • In Emerald Sea
  • Irene Rae
  • Isabel Horner
  • Ivy Ash
  • Izzie
  • Izzie Derry
  • Izzie Derry & Dolly Mavies
  • J J Bygrave
  • J T Wilson
  • JJ Bygrave and Brudez
  • JJ Bygrave and Shanade
  • Jack Blackman
  • Jack Blackman and the Beautiful Wreck
  • Jack O'Bones
  • Jack Rutter
  • Jackdaw With Crowbar
  • Jackie James
  • Jacob Neverhill
  • Jake Rizzo
  • James Oliver Band
  • James Summerfield
  • Jen Waghorn
  • Joe Dolman
  • John Connearn
  • John Douglas
  • John Kirkpatrick
  • John Otway
  • John Parker
  • Johnny Kowalski and the Sexy Weirdos
  • Jonny Olley
  • Jono Wright
  • Jools Street and the Tile Hill Billies
  • Joshua Bailey
  • K C Jones and Alchemista
  • Karen Killeen-Jones
  • Katherine Abbott
  • Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening
  • Katie Walters
  • Keith Donnelly
  • Keith Fabrique
  • Keltik Fish
  • Kenzie Webley
  • Kev Stanley
  • King of the Alps
  • Kirk Hastings
  • Kirsty Brewerton
  • Kirsty Clarke
  • Kristy Gallacher
  • Kyle Boswell
  • Last Man Standing
  • Lauren South
  • Lemon Boy
  • Lemon Tones
  • Letitia George
  • Levi Washington
  • Lewis Cutts
  • Liam Vincent & The Odd Foxes
  • Liam Vincent and The Odd Foxes
  • Lipshock
  • Little Girl Screaming
  • Loophole
  • Louis B Scheuer
  • Louis B Scheuer
  • Love + Madness Music
  • Love + Madness Records
  • Lucent
  • Lucifer Sky
  • Lucy Anne Sale
  • Luke Concannon
  • Luke Concannon & Darius Christian Jones
  • Luminae
  • Luna Kiss
  • M M Gibbons
  • MINTAKAA
  • MNMLST
  • Magic Seas
  • Man Made Moon
  • Mara Falls
  • Maria Barham
  • Mark Rattray
  • Martin Carthy
  • Massasauga
  • Matt Cattell
  • Matt Goss
  • Matt Hernandez
  • Matt Waddell
  • Matty Coles
  • Maz Corry
  • Merrymaker
  • Millie Tilby
  • Mintakaa
  • Mintakaa Collective 
  • Miss Songbird
  • Miss Songbird & Chris Gibbons
  • Mister Keith
  • Molotov Souls
  • Monastery
  • Monday Nights
  • Morocco Dave
  • Mos Eisley Bros
  • Mr Binx
  • Mudlow
  • Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers
  • Mugshot
  • Naomi Beth
  • Nathan Wade
  • Never Apart
  • Nicky Ager
  • Nigel Clark
  • Nigel Lomas
  • Nina Bailey
  • Nizlopi
  • Noah Dobbie
  • Noah Seleno
  • Noctium Theatre
  • Octogoth
  • Oliver Darling
  • Ollie Bond
  • Ollie Hayes
  • Ollie Lawrence
  • Orange River Remedy
  • Pandora
  • Paradise of the Titans
  • Paul Brook
  • Paul Mccormack
  • Pauline Black
  • Pete Astor
  • Peter Hall
  • Polly Bolton
  • Princess
  • Project Blackbird
  • Project Overload
  • Prole Position
  • RSB
  • Rebecca Mileham
  • Reiss Pinder
  • Resurrection Men
  • Retroville
  • Reverend Robert
  • Rheo
  • Rheo Uno
  • Rich Keogh
  • Riizbo
  • River of the Dog
  • Rob Halligan
  • Rob Lee Thompson
  • RobinPlaysChords
  • Roddy Radiation
  • Roddy Radiation and The Skabilly Rebels
  • Rosetta Fire
  • Rosie Samaras
  • Ross Darby
  • Rowan Evans
  • Roxanne de Bastion
  • Russell Whitehead
  • Sam McNulty
  • Satsangi
  • Scratchy Beard
  • Septic & The Tanks
  • Septic & the Tanks
  • Septic and the Tanks
  • Shanade
  • Shanade Morrow
  • Shanghai Hostage
  • Shannon Stevenson
  • Silver Wye
  • Simon Kemp
  • Simon Morgan
  • Simply Dread
  • Some Kinda Earthquake
  • Sophie Hadlum
  • Souki
  • South Town
  • Spa Strummers
  • Speak, Brother
  • Spiral City
  • Ste Essence
  • Steel Pulse
  • Stegosaurus Sex Party
  • Stephen Madden
  • Steven John Birks
  • Stone Bear
  • Stone Foundation
  • Street Arts Project
  • Stylusboy
  • Søjus1
  • T8PES
  • Tarragon
  • Tattoo Molly
  • Taylor-Louise
  • Tell Tale Presents
  • The Sunbathers
  • The Beat
  • The Big Sugars
  • The Bodysnatchers
  • The Bonnevilles
  • The Boy Who Invented Everything
  • The Caprines
  • The Caroline Bomb
  • The Catenary Wires
  • The Clash
  • The Cult of Free Love
  • The Della Grants
  • The Dirt Road Band
  • The Ellipsis
  • The Enemy
  • The Eyes of Isabel
  • The Fallows
  • The Folly Brothers
  • The Giraffes
  • The Glassguns
  • The Hansel Brothers
  • The Hatstand Band
  • The Institutes
  • The Jack O'Bones
  • The Jazz Apples
  • The Last Man Standing
  • The Loaded
  • The Matadors
  • The Mechanicals Band
  • The Mintakaa Collective
  • The Monochrome Set
  • The Muthas
  • The New Obsession
  • The Old Flames
  • The Old Number 7 Band
  • The Peas
  • The Phoenix Collective
  • The Primitives
  • The Pristines
  • The Ripps
  • The Rising
  • The Rollocks
  • The Rude Mechanicals Band
  • The Ruts DC
  • The Selecter
  • The Session
  • The Shapes
  • The Silver Wye
  • The Smashed Vinyls
  • The Specials
  • The Sunbathers
  • The Twin Flames
  • The Twin Flames & Hannah Woof
  • The Undertones
  • The Upsiders
  • The Wild Boys
  • Tiernán Heffron
  • Tigermask
  • Titine La Voix
  • Titine Lavoix
  • Toby Marks
  • Tom Robinson Band
  • Trevor Babajack Steger
  • Trust Club
  • TwoManTing
  • Various
  • Various Artists
  • Various artists
  • Vertigo Flowers
  • Vieon
  • Viktoria
  • Vimal Korpal
  • Vince Hill
  • Vince Ishia
  • Voodoo Kings
  • Voyeahs
  • WLDFLWRS
  • Ward & Parker
  • Warriors of the Dystotheque
  • We Are A Communist
  • Wes Finch
  • Whizzy
  • Wild Boys
  • Wilde
  • Willow & Tool
  • WorldSong
  • X Ray Spex
  • YNES
  • Year Without A Summer
  • Yes Princess
  • Yonderland
  • Zoe Konez
  • annA rydeR

To link to this page, use the URL http://www.hotmusiclive.co.uk/MAGAZINE/magazine/contributor.php?writer=AndyHoldcroft

Articles

I never dreamed that I'd ever need to type the word "Coldplay" in any circumstance let along in a review for "Hot Music Live" but now Euan ...

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To me, Emma McGann excels at both ends of the conceptual spectrum: she has the vision for substantial projects of both complexity (her ...

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When I reviewed the third instalment of the gradually building Monastery EP, it was December 2023.

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And so, inexorably, we have come to the third & final element in Man Made Moon's late-2024 singles bonanza: as promised "Tell Me When I'm Dead" ...

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Good news fans of Wes Finch, Katherine Abbott, Jack Blackman & Jono Wright: their debut single under the collective name of WLDFLWRS, "Best ...

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A selection of photos from Ace Ambrose's "Balcony Session" at the HMV Empire yesterday afternoon

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Out today is their 'Act One' EP by Everything We Do.

As the title makes so clear, part of the purpose surely is to document this initial ...

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Out today is the new single "Invincible" from Ivy Ash: her follow-up to the very successful "Tonight" which was released a month ago.

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On October 25th, Duke Keats' latest EP, ‘Bornstar' is completed with the addition of the final, title, track (joining previous singles ...

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Producer, bassman & Beat Rebel Records founder Justin Bygrave this week (Friday to be precise) releases his latest collaboration, linking up this ...

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Although I've not updated you on Daffod'i'll's releases since early August, in that time he has "only" moved on from album 186 ('Mars') to 191 ...

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Good news for all you Greg Brice fans. Very much a live performer, I long waited for him to record tracks so that I could feature him on ‘Hot ...

 [1 image]

For ages, an Ellie Gowers gig at The Tin would have seemed a suitably prestigious gig for one of the area's foremost artists.

 [7 images]

Out today is Ellie Gowers' much anticipated new EP called 'You, the Passenger'.

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Were you aware that Coventry has had a choir singing songs from the cultures of the world a cappella? You probably were but to my shame, I only ...

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The latest single ("Psycho") by Abz Winter is available for your enjoyment from tomorrow (Friday) in case you were not already aware.

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After the deserved success of Man Made Moon's recent single "McNultys Bar",  their dynamic singles campaign will move onto number two, "Brass ...

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If you've been following my reviews of Euan Blackman, then you'll be aware that he's been building towards his third EP namely ‘Thunderstorms' ...

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There is quite an argument in favour of saying that we don't have sufficient opportunities to write about one of our area's most talented & ...

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As noted in yesterday's review of Duck Thieves' 10th birthday gig, they do more or less have a new single (produced by Mason Le Long) out to mark ...

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As I've noted before, the role of a reviewer, or at least their scope is evolving.

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Only a few weeks after seeing Duck Thieves help celebrate FarGo's tenth birthday, it's their turn to reach a similar milestone.

 [8 images]

Out today is the brand new Green Hands single named "Eyes to the Skies" via Leamington's Stingo Collective.

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When I told you about the Stegosaurus Sex Party  EP ‘Helicopter Party Trick' in July 2023, I picked out the track "Wanking to Natural ...

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Coming really soon from Danny Ansell is his new single "Hurry Up & Slow Down": the follow up to April's "Fireworks".

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If you read my review of Tattoo Molly's debut album ‘Power' or if you played it (preferably you've done both), you may have been at least mildly ...

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Fans of one of Coventry & Warwickshire's most beloved bands The Ripps have longed for Patch Lagunas to return with a new band for years.

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Ace Ambrose is, to say the least, an artist who keeps springing surprises on us all.

 [1 image]

I'm so pleased to be able to report so much Monday Nights activity at the moment: plenty of people are giving them live opportunities as the word ...

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After the intense disappointment of my last experience of Monday Nights live when their beautiful songs were run through the mangle of ...

 [7 images]

After the great reception which followed their last single "Japan" (not least from ‘Hot Music Live'), Monday Nights are back on Wednesday with ...

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Out now is "I Wanna Dance With You", Luke Concannon's follow-up to his popular "Brother" single (which you can also find on ‘Hot Music Live ...

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 It's actually only three or so months since Ivy Ash released "Permission" though it does seem longer (in fact the gap before that was a year's ...

 [1 image]

As I hope my various reviews make clear, since I much prefer artists who disdain categories and genres, I strive to avoid placing them into such.

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Such is the dynamism of Ellie Gowers & her zest for sharing new music with you,  that despite the popular & critical success of her last single ...

 [1 image]

In my preview of the tenth birthday celebrations for FarGo Village not only did I unfortunately reduce it to a two day affair, but in so doing ...

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Out today is John Connearn's new EP ‘One Track Mind' which is made up of the songs "Brighter", "Somewhere New", "Simpler Times", "Hold On To ...

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One of my strategies in writing reviews is to limit the subjects to those which arouse genuine enthusiasm in me so I can pass that onto you in ...

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And so we come to what might be the third in a trilogy of singles released so late in the summer of 2024 that we might wonder if the timing is an ...

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I suppose that if you are a smart & witty artist in the mould of Euan Blackman, and you have recorded a song called "Sneak Attack", then it's ...

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Such is the modesty of  Louis B Scheuer that although I chatted with him at COVtember over the weekend, he never mentioned that he had a new ...

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As with last year's event, COVtember 2024 must rate as a roaring (in every sense) success.

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The release of "Lucky Luke" by Lemon Boy marks a moment when after my mentioning so many times that the artist behind the name is called Luke ...

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Pretty much exactly one year after Yes Princess' debut album ‘It's No One's Fault But Ours' (whose track "Conversation" is featured upon ‘Hot ...

 [1 image]

I do hope that you are already aware of the celebrations planned for the 10th birthday of FarGo Village in Coventry on Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th ...

 [1 image]

Out, right now, is "Black Cat", The Muthas' second single (following their debut "Circles (Tell Me Something I Don't Already Know)" which we ...

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Having published my review of their single "Japan" which comes out tomorrow, it was serendipitous that Monday Nights were playing this afternoon ...

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It's been a while since the last Monday Nights release ("Seasonal Aisle" back just before Christmas of last year) but they've been honing their ...

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The latest (Dan) Bygrave single "Falling" is currently out on Beat Rebel Records: following up "Long Road Home" from last May.

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As noted in my round-up from the 2024 Warwick Folk Festival, one of my personal discoveries was the duo Yonderland whom CVFolk's Pete Willow had ...

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Following my interview with Coventry Music Lead Mark Steele (which in turn was prompted by my enthusiasm for that organisation's "Live On Stage" ...

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Well, after reviewing releases by Eight Miles High last October (new songs)  & this July (from a 1991 live session), I think that we can safely ...

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I had a very pleasant couple of hours in this afternoon's late summer sun enjoying those fine acts The Twin Flames & Hannah Woof.

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Some artists like to tease new releases: others keep them more strictly under wraps to spring them upon us as surprises.

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I have been fortunate enough to hear Ellie Gowers' new song "Love in a Park (on a Sunday Afternoon") live twice this year in very different ...

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I'm glad to say I caught some great performances of original material from highly talented musicians yesterday at Coventry HMV Empire's all day ...

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It occurred to me while checking out Abz Winter's new single, "Rock Girl Summer" how I ought to credit her various producers over the years for ...

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On reviewing their "My Mamma Lives In a Bottle" single by Some Kinda Earthquake in March 2023, I reflected upon the delights of telling you about ...

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I don't know if you follow the "Hot Music Live Presents" Spotify playlists, but I try and include new releases by artists we feature on the ...

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We are delighted to announce ‘Hot Music Live Presents Volume Thirteen': fourteen more of the finest original songs from Coventry & Warwickshire ...

 [1 image]

Volume 13 (opens in BandCamp)

This collection is the thirteenth in a series celebrating the inspiring & diverse talent of Coventry & ...

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A fortnight after releasing "Brighter", John Connearn is back with "Somewhere New".

 [1 image]

I'd say "finally" here is the new Trust Club EP ‘Slump' but such is the pace of its arrival (only three days after the most recent single "The ...

 [1 image]

I first alluded to Indira Lakshmi in the magazine when reviewing a Bar Pandora gig as she plays bass & other instruments live alongside Charlie & ...

 [1 image]

As promised, here is notification of "The Fear", the third single in remarkably short succession by Trust Club and like the previous two ("All I ...

 [1 image]

In the weeks since our last check in on Daffod'i'll, the score has risen by twenty more albums to the latest which is number 186 ('Mars'): that's ...

 [1 image]

So enthused am I with Coventry Music's "Live On Stage" project that my previous article on the subject burst through the confines of the "Hot ...

 [1 image]

And in a flash, the second single from the upcoming Trust Club EP (‘Slump') is upon us.

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Having had to lower my expectations of the musical aspects of Leamington's "Art in the Park" over the years, with 2023 representing something of a ...

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As previously noted, when it comes to new releases by John Connearn, my technical knowhow & vocabulary usually runs out pretty quickly & so my ...

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Back in May 2022 I received an excited message from John Rivers at Woodbine Studio: he was recording a young musician about whom he was so excited ...

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After my over-enthusiastic attempt to visit the Vortex Creates "JOY: Inspired by Nature" exhibition at the Herbert on July 3rd (well before it was ...

 [4 images]

I am delighted to be able to bring you a great deal of excellent news from Ellie Gowers.

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As you've probably noticed (and I fear when I overdo it, been bored by it), I do try & go beyond mechanistic reviews where possible & try & ...

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Out today is the single "NOTHING2U" on Ripe Records, instalment number three from artist Euan Blackman's ‘Thunderstorms' EP (his third).

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Trust Club's new EP ‘Slump', which comes out on 16th August (there is a launch gig the previous night at Leicester's Firebug), is of course the ...

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So here we are with the third instalment of Duke Keat's forthcoming ‘Bornstar' EP (pretty apt title eh?)  as "Android" joins "Data Machinery" ...

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There can be few more civilised pleasures than sitting by Stratford Upon Avon Bandstand on a sunny summer Sunday afternoon & listening to such ...

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The world is a strange & dynamic, wonderful place. Roughly a year ago, when reviewing Jono Wright's debut solo album ‘Special Measures', it ...

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Do you like irony? I usually do, though this one has left me looking a bit foolish in terms with my keeping up with the zeitgeist….

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Thankfully there has been a short turn around between my live review of the Dirt Road Band at The Arches In which I explained that my review of ...

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You will have noticed my considerable respect for & excitement concerning the Live On Stage project if you've been reading my article over the ...

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Having previewed the Glastonbury debuts of Izzie Derry & Dolly Mavies for you, I thought readers might like a follow up piece on their experiences.

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Only a week ago, I suggested that "expect the unexpected" was a thread running through the artistry of those of whom I wrote.

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As you'll have read in my in my article about Matthew Mansfield (aka Matt Hernández) earlier this week, my intention had been to pop down to the ...

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This article is pretty much a mirror to my anticipatory one on the 2024 Godiva Festival which I wrote a month ago: having looked forwards to ...

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Frequently actual songs grab me passionately and draw me into their embrace, but very occasionally I engage even earlier when the very title is so ...

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Is this now a thing? The other day, I was flexing myself to review "Data Machinery" by Duke Keats and then he dropped a guerilla release of ...

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Although her magnificent album ‘Til We Reach The Sun' was in part a striking manifestation of what I dubbed "Angry Izzie" with her tearing ...

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I am completely shocked by the news of the death of Matthew Mansfield (aka Matt Hernandez).

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I am so pleased that if you read the magazine & check out the tracks on "Hot Music Live", one of the stories it tells about the exceptionally ...

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For ages, I regarded Eight Miles High as some form of heritage band: one whose star shone & then went out & that was the basis on which we ...

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One of the phenomena I experience with live reviewing is to enjoy the moment (and why not?) and then have subsequent reflection suggest bigger ...

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Alas: it's been over a year since I was able to review an Ivy Ash release ("Stop, Rewind"), although thankfully I have caught her live a couple of ...

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It's great to be really getting into reporting on the next generation of emerging bands in the local area: artistic quality is always welcome but ...

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Please look out for another release by Batsch: "Knew No Different". Like most of their activity, since they come from the underground, they tend ...

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Sometimes what can variously be described as either serendipity or random good luck drives a first review of an artist for me.

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Well that might be described as a double ambition fulfilled in one trip.

I set off on Sunday to catch Katherine Abbott at Pete Willow's ...

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As Stone Bear continue on their ceaseless evolution, once again they've let some marvellous music slip almost without mention let alone fanfare.

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So many musicians whom we write about can in some way or another be said to be moving forwards and making progress: artistically, careerwise or in ...

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It's that time of the year again: with Godiva Festival 2024 now mere weeks away (it's on from Friday 5th July to Sunday 7th July) and lineups are ...

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This is another of those odd "I'm not sure what category this fits into" article which crops up from time to time as the artists of whom we write ...

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Out today is a new single called "BB33": their first since their debut "Rollin' On" came out eighteen months ago (it can also be found on ‘Hot ...

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Reviewing multi stage festivals when I have limited time generates its own dynamics and when the event itself, like Motofest 2024 in Coventry has ...

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I left you in mid-April when Daffod'i'll had reached album number 156 ('Friday').

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Out right now (at the very generous "pay as you see fit/can afford" rate on Bandcamp) is the "biblically anticipated" sophomore EP ‘Kreuzberg' ...

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I'm not sure that Tony Ally, the Eyes of Isabel songwriter, is keen on ambiguity as such in his songs: clarity seems more important.

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It seems so recent that I was telling you about Euan Blackman's last single "Butterfly" that to discover that a month has in fact passed is a ...

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The first release from Luke Concannon since his staggering 'Ecstatic Bird In The Burning' collection came out over three years ago is now ...

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Out right now is the debut solo EP by Karen Killeen-Jones, one half of the K C Jones duo (check out their "Stronger" on ‘Hot Music Live Presents ...

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I don't think that Duke Keats is terribly likely to adopt "Expect the Unexpected" as his mission statement, but it would certainly fit snugly.

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Her press strapline for Abz Winter's new single "Sike", which is released on 24th May is that it will "have the listeners unsure of what to expect ...

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It seems ages since I last wrote a Silver Wye review: in fact it was over two years ago when their "Hitman" single came out.

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Despite the considerable enthusiasm (mine right up there on the list) for the cumulative build-up of tracks on her ‘Doomsday Was Yesterday' EP, ...

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It's always uplifting: morally, emotionally & physically to witness a Liam Vincent and The Odd Foxes' gig (I was sufficiently rendered ...

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Following his collaboration with Brudez ("Here and Now": you can find it too on ‘Hot Music Live Presents Volume Twelve'), Beat Rebel Records ...

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In several ways, the Sink or Swim promotion at The Tin on Saturday (John Douglas supported by Rebecca Mileham & The Sunbathers) which I reported ...

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The sad news is that there was less music than usual at this year's Earlsdon Festival.

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The latest top class Sink or Swim promotion (look out for a lengthier appreciation of what Joe Colombi does in the magazine shortly) was John ...

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The new Dean MacDonald single "Polarised" comes out as a "Bank Holiday release" (which is a bit unusual in itself) and as always is a classy piece ...

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I hope that on the relatively rare occasions (but each one is a blow to my self esteem) when I miss a release date & have to write a slightly ...

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It can be a discombobulating role reviewing. There I was, just preparing myself in all respects for the 17th May and his scheduled release of ...

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From time to time, "severe weather events" with their own names hit the UK: earlier this month we had Storm Kathleen and now Hurricane YNES has ...

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As you will know, I always greatly enjoy the music of Clemency and usually preface my reviews with an element of regret over the period of time ...

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Following the well received  ‘Rent Free On My Brain' EP (his second after debut ‘You Are The Rain'), today Euan Blackman starts letting us ...

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When I told you back in February a little about new band Everything We Do, I was keen to try and tease out what member Joe Dolman was achieving ...

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As you know, with my finite resources (especially time), I have to handle my caseload for "Hot Music Live" by prioritising those artists whose ...

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I am reliably advised that the debut album by the Dirt Road Band (appropriately enough it'll be called ‘Righteous': because they are) is now ...

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This summary of the output of Daffod'i'll is actually rather different: he has only advanced from album number 152 where we left him last time to ...

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Most of the cast both musical & cinematic for the new Eyes of Isabel single "Every Single Day" will be immediately familiar to readers of past ...

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Ironically, the tremendous personal enjoyment I got out of attending "A Celebratory Cruise on a Tiny Boat with Lauren South & friends" at the ...

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I'm sure that my review of the debut album ‘New Beginnings' from Project Overload left you in no doubt of my excitement at the emergence of this ...

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As foretold in my recent account of my visits to two workshops for Streets Arts Project, the professional musicians who facilitate them came ...

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It's been some months since I last wrote about Danny Ansell (amazing but true considering his prolific releasing and gigging) but he's back now ...

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There is not a huge lot I can offer in reviewing terms regarding Stylusboy's new release of a new acoustic version of "Fourteen Days" since I ...

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As I've said before, I'm obliged that Duck Thieves provide their own self description for the aid of potential audience members & reviewers: while ...

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I'm really pleased to be reporting on the latest single from Rheo Uno: "Dead and Done".

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As you'll know from various earlier reviews, both of Street Arts Project releases & of their associated launch gigs, I thoroughly support this ...

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Keeping tabs on the output of Daffod'i'll is frankly one of keeping score of album releases.

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It's very exciting to be able to share 'Hot Music Live Presents Volume Twelve' with you: eleven more examples of how diverse & original the music ...

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Volume 12 (opens in BandCamp)

This collection is the twelfth in a series celebrating the inspiring & diverse talent of Coventry & ...

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I have to confess that reviewing releases by John Connearn are among the most challenging for me.

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By now, I think many of us think we have a handle on the shape of an Eyes of Isabel release: Tony Ally conceives it, then he takes it to John ...

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Out today is the much anticipated new EP from Green Hands, whose title is (as hopefully you were already aware) ‘Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime' ...

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Reviewing a band's live performance when you saw them only a fortnight earlier presents its problems of finding what new to say, but given the ...

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One of the things I do like about the musicians we feature is their sense of community and personally a fair percentage of artists whom I review ...

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It's always great to catch up with John Rivers about what he's been up to at Woodbine Street Studio in Leamington: though he's been so busy that ...

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Thankfully, reactions to all forms of art are by their nature subjective. That is very liberating for me as I can concentrate my reviewing ...

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It's been much more than a year (nearly two in fact) since our last Kenzie Webley review: it was in fact for her debut album ‘All of the Fallen ...

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There are (I'm glad to say), many great original musicians around currently in our locale & one characteristic they share is producing a ...

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A few weeks after dedicating ‘Hot Music Live Presents Volume Eleven' to "Gus" Chambers, I'm able to review a release by one of his comrades in ...

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It seems high time that we say a little about the newish band Everything We Do since it features Joe Dolman whom we have written about so often.

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Among the various categories of concerts one can go to, there exists the one where the artist can not just slip one new song into their setlist ...

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I can't imagine that any regular reader of my reviews could doubt my enthusiasm for the music of Septic and the Tanks, so after a lengthy fallow ...

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Some good news just in from Brudez (hopefully you remember his "Cold Strange World" which we featured on ‘Hot Music Live Presents Volume Six ...

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Years ago, being a reviewer may have been in some respects a little easier: music arrived as artefacts and you knew that to do so, the artist had ...

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Arriving on platforms today is ‘Rent Free On My Brain' the new EP from Euan Blackman: a follow-up to his debut ‘You Are the Rain' from last ...

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Good news for all of you who have been as excited as I have by the emergence of Green Hands over the past couple of years: their new EP ...

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A mere seventeen days after my previous review of AfterKnights (their single "Breathe Juliet") here I am writing about them again as their ...

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I'm delighted to be posting my first live review of 2024 so early in the year & indeed it's my first for quite some time: too long.

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I must say how exhilarating I find it starting 2024 with articles on so many artists I'm just learning about & then sharing my experiences with ...

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Stone Bear, despite releasing a nine track album (‘Calm The Sea') less than a month ago have already issued the follow-up today: the new single ...

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Yet another quality to admire in artists is resilience and a determination to overcome obstacles on the road to ensuring that as many people as ...

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Since our last visit to the ever-expanding catalogue of Daffod'i'll he's proceeded to add twelve new albums plus one compilation to the 123 (not ...

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Just very occasionally I experience a phenomenon in my musical experience where I hear a band play (a usually unreleased) song which so impresses ...

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Many thanks to James Knight of the Stingo Collective for alerting me to the latest band to emerge from under their nurturing umbrella: Floating ...

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I've commented often enough of late on the prevailing wisdom of our days in which discerning artists write great songs & then not only share them ...

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On reflection, I think it's an exciting thing that the first "Hot Music Live" review of 2024 should be for artists appearing for the first time in ...

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I really ought to have known better when I wrote my comments the other day about Levi Washing releasing a Christmas single after Christmas as now ...

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By now you must have some inkling for what sort of things excite my interest: a marked preference for originality over the "much as we expected" ...

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It's been some six months since we reviewed Lemon Boy's ‘Imagination' EP for you & here he is closing the year with a brace of songs: "She Makes ...

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A great many reviews which I try to write fall into a fairly regular pattern in terms of how I find out about the releases, how the artists intend ...

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Until yesterday, I honestly had no idea whatsoever as to whether I'd ever be able to write a new YNES review again.

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I'd say with certainty that every artist we mention in this magazine has a significant degree of popularity but some of them are what you might ...

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That prolific releaser of music Daffod'i'll has managed eight new albums' worth of music in the month since we last checked in on him (I imagine ...

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As  I mention from time to time in the magazine, I relish long anticipated releases (though I do get frustrated sometimes waiting to be able to ...

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If, very much like me, you've been following the release by instalments of the Monastery EP & not only enjoying the great music but also trying to ...

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The release of the Septic and the Tanks' Christmas single, "Spiders" took me by surprise this morning (I knew that one was imminent but not when ...

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Out today is the new Bright Black single called "Fire", their final to feature lead vocalist Alice Clarke who is off to pastures new (I gather ...

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Local rap-master Brudez is no stranger to this magazine (check out too his "Cold Strange World" on ‘Hot Music Live Presents Volume Six'), but ...

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As I neither want you to think of me as a Grinch or Scrooge figure nor to think of myself, I have had to adjust myself to special Christmas ...

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Out today is the latest Abz Winter single: "Are You Good?" is the question it poses.

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I must say that I'm intrigued and pleased not only by what appears to be a resurgence of fresh, original punk orientated music in Coventry & ...

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'Hot Music Live Presents Volume Eleven' is dedicated to the memory of Gary Kenneth "Gus" Chambers (16th January 1958 to 13th October 2008): one of ...

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Volume 11 (opens in BandCamp)

This collection is the eleventh in a series of collections celebrating the inspiring & diverse talent ...

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We are delighted to announce the release of ‘Hot Music Live Presents Volume Eleven', the latest in a series celebrating the inspiring & diverse ...

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So busy has Rebecca Mileham been with Liam Vincent & the Odd Foxes that her debut solo  EP ‘Underground' seems to have been out longer than the ...

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Today is release day for the second Bar Pandora EP ‘Recreate This', which follows her eponymous debut in that format from last summer.

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Out on Friday is the latest Euan Blackman single called "The Last One".

It's also the third track from his upcoming second EP ‘Rent Free ...

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Debut albums arrive in all sorts of contexts, but ‘Tiny Boat' by Lauren South, which comes out tomorrow, relates to an artist whose career ...

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In my regular attempts to make sense of how music works in our time (or to be more accurate, in the creative ways in which our local artists try ...

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Coming soon from Alchemista lead singer Caroline White is a new single which includes two of her own compositions, "Space In Time" and "Honey in ...

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I'm afraid keeping tabs on the output of Daffod'i'll is becoming more and more difficult.

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As promised in my review of the teaser single "Black Sheep", Tattoo Molly's debut studio album, ‘Power' is going to be released on November ...

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 In May 2021, I reviewed the debut single, called "A Friend" by In Emerald Sea within an hour of being aware of either its existence or that of ...

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Following her last single "The Model" which came out in July, and acting as a trailblazer for her imminent second EP ‘Recreate This', (look out ...

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Once again I find myself apologising to a band for their belated first mention in the magazine: this time it's the turn of Black Water Fiend whose ...

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Making their debut in "Hot Music Live" today are The Muthas: the reason being that their debut single "Circles (Tell Me Something I Don't Already ...

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I have been very pleased to reflect in my writings & compilations the renewal of the vitality of the local punk scene through newer bands such as ...

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Liam Vincent and The Odd Foxes fans will I'm sure be aware of & anticipating that band's Hallowe'en single (the lyric video will be live on 27th ...

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Out right now is the latest HEK single, namely "Cold Sweats". HEK are one of the most talked about Coventry bands at the moment (and it's ...

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At the moment, the activities of the innovative artists who've been emerging recently have almost overwhelmed my capacity to chronicle them all.

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Some years back, I was lucky enough to attend the live debut of the Folly Brothers (back when they were a duo) and in the intervening time, I've ...

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Out tomorrow morning will be the new single, entitled "Laughing Now" by the most exciting band to break out of Leamington in the past couple of ...

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Now available for your pleasure and emotional uplift is "Calm The Sea" by Stone Bear.

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Released today is the latest Izzie Derry single, which is called "Til We Reach The Sun".

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When we included the Eight Miles High track "These Days" on ‘Hot Music Live Presents Volume Three' back in 2020, it was pretty much on the basis ...

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Following the release of "Burn", the lead single from his upcoming second EP (which we reviewed in July), Euan Blackman today shares the second ...

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The latest Eyes of Isabel single (produced as ever by John Rivers with Eddy Hewitt at Woodbine Street Studio in Leamington) is called "Crime ...

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Out now is  the "Powerhouse Sessions 001: The Mintakaa Collective" which is the first in a planned series of films ...

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The first thing to note about COVtember 2023 which was held over the weekend (three days' worth) is that as ever, it raised money for Coventry ...

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Many thanks to Yes Princess  who have kindly reached out to us in advance of the release of their debut album ‘It's No One's Fault But Ours' ...

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If you've following the saga of successive singles in advance of her new album which Izzie Derry has been releasing, then presumably, like me, the ...

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Out tomorrow (scheduled to coincide with the International Day of Peace) is the new Ace Ambrose single entitled "A Town Called Love".

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Some artists develop & evolve at a steady rate. Such is the nature of music though that some are phenomena who appear as if out of nowhere ...

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Many thanks to Ciaran Corkerry  for brining to my notice the impending release of Blind Orbits' new EP ‘The Time, The Tide' on September 29th.

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One recurring irritant for me is the spread of the use of the word "iconic" when "reasonably well known" would usually be more appropriate.

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 As the follow-up to her single pushing back against HS2 ("Waking Up To Stone"), Ellie Gowers today releases "The Stars Are Ours": her first new ...

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After much deliberation & consultation with members of the local musical community, I've decided that since matters are getting worse in terms of ...

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I'm delighted to be able to tell you about ‘Recovery', the new album by the Street Arts Project, which comes out on 1st September, with a launch ...

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I'm delighted to announce the release of 'Hot Music Live Presents Volume Ten': I hope that you'll enjoy listening to it as much as I have & ...

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I'm pleased to enable heavy rock band Tattoo Molly to make their first appearance in the magazine to mark the release of their third single, ...

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The latest Stone Bear release is now out & it is called "When You're On The Run".

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Unfortunately, life intruded and my plans to attend both days of Leamington Food Festival turned into just seeing Carrick perform on Leamington ...

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For those of you following the proliferation of Daffod'i'll releases, I can report that in the last month since my previous update on the ...

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If you explored the Electrik Custard double album 'Dyslexic Mustard' which came out on Leamington's Beat Rebel Records a year ago, you'll have ...

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Here you go: the first (and hopefully not last) article in the magazine telling you about a relatively new (2022) band who are attracting more ...

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As noted previously, Jack Telford (you can hear his track "Middle of Nowhere", made by his new band Green Hands with vocals by Kate Stapley on ...

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As noted in my review of ‘Recovery', the new Streets Arts Project album, the launch event was held at Stratford Playhouse last evening & it was ...

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It's been a while since I'd seen, or reported on, the Jack O'Bones (apart from all the issues we all know about, the band are so in demand in ...

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The release date for the ‘This Is Trust Club' EP has finally arrived (I'm not sure I need to remind you of the name of the band in question), as ...

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Rather more through luck than anything else (see below), I caught excellent sets by Hannah Woof and Monday Nights on Leamington Bandstand this ...

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In my last review for Hannah Woof, I dubbed her current single "Rendezvous" her best work, and I can't be shaken from forming that opinion.

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Volume 10 (opens in BandCamp)

This collection is the tenth in a series celebrating the inspiring & diverse talent of Coventry & ...

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As most of you probably know from various sources, including our previous articles, the Dirt Road Band has evolved from an initial single event ...

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Out right now from Vieon (hopefully you remember their collaboration with Jenny McLaren "Transmission" which featured on 'Hot Music Live Presents ...

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You'll be glad to know that I'm keeping up my record of seeing nearly every Ivy Ash gig ever.

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Dave Pepper has form in revisiting his past bands (of which there are many) and approaches rediscovering gems from them with the same level of ...

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It's always a big moment when the national media pick up on the talent we already know has been manifesting itself in Warwickshire, so how ...

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Many thanks to that great supporter of what we do (you can find him on no fewer than four tracks on "Hot Music Live Presents"), Jools Street, for ...

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There is no "one size fits all" aspect to how I end up reviewing music for the magazine (that would be very dull): some material I have the luxury ...

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Thankfully despite the rain and despite some very disappointing sound (I made an incautious comment in the magazine some weeks ago about the ...

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Inspired by the artistic paradigm shift of Izzie Derry, I'm going to challenge the format of my review & start with a comment on the artwork.

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Following very hot on the heels of their last singles "Figure It Out" and "Higher Hopes" (it's less than a month since I told you about that one), ...

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The latest batch of Daffod'i'll albums has brought the total up to 71 (the seventy-first is called ‘IP' and contains the songs "Want To Be", ...

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Today's debutant in the magazine is Jono Wright (you may know him from the Mos Eisley Brothers) whose debut album  ‘Special Measures' came out ...

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I am fairly sure that I've never before had the opportunity to tell you about a (female) boxer's story told in song, so with this review of the ...

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Like so many of the best local original artists, releases from Man Made Moon come along insufficiently frequently to meet our wishes but are all ...

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It was fourteen months ago when I wrote an article in the magazine introducing Septic & the Tanks to our readership: looking back, I think my ...

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As previously & regularly noted, that purveyor of finely & perfectly honed gems, Hannah Woof, releases new material less frequently than perhaps ...

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Following the success of their last single "Devil's Call", Monastery will release "The Shore" on the 29th of July.

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Released today is the new EP ‘Another Life or Two' by one of the bands which has most impressed me over the last twelve months: Green Hands.

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Many thanks to  Lauren South, fresh from being a guest star on the latest Stylusboy release, for the heads-up on another collaboration of hers, ...

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Bar Pandora is not one of those artists whom you ought to second guess, unless you like being wrong.

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As promised earlier this week, Stegosaurus Sex Party are unveiling their new EP ‘Helicopter Party Trick' on Friday, following the trailer of ...

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As I often say, the Godiva Festival is an event which offers so much to the lover of local music and to the reviewer of the same.

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Do you like dinosaurs? Do you like sex parties? Then you may be interested in Stegosaurus Sex Party whose latest single "Ugotowned" is now out, ...

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Out on 21st July is the latest Euan Blackman single & this one is called "Burn", which was created entirely by Euan & his home studio & was ...

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It's been quite a while since I last wrote about Trust Club in the magazine (not since their Live EP was reviewed back in November of last year) ...

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It's asking probably a great deal more than I dare ought to, to wonder if you remember my review, almost exactly four years ago, of The Rising's ...

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It's always a pleasure to give "Hot Music Live" magazine readers my impressions of the Godiva Festival: just not quite as big a delight perhaps ...

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A theme I return to from time to time is my surprise & admiration for artists whose "prime" releases seem so rooted in their arrangements and owe ...

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I was probably tempting fate when with last week's attempted update on all things Daffod'i'll I purported to be up to date.

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In the second of my post-Godiva Festival 2023 reviews, I'm now able to tell you a little more detail about the forthcoming Stylusboy EP ‘Back In ...

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As promised in yesterday's broad sweep review of 2023's Godiva Festival, here is more detailed focus on the new Chasing Deer album ‘Diamonds in ...

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A bit of a milestone for me here: this is the first review of a Monday Nights single by me which involves a song I heard them play live before I ...

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I like artists with trajectories: apart from anything else, in my role as a reviewer, trying to write subsequent pieces on someone whose work ...

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Since my last update on the prolific releases of Daffod'i'll, at which point we had reached album number fifty five, he's managed to put out ...

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This is quite a weird one.. which suits me fine. Today I'll be telling you about the new Rob Halligan single called "Small World".

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Out now (in fact released yesterday to mark World Music Day) is the latest Satsangi song, namely "Ultraviolet".

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This is going to be another unusual review as technically the song at the heart of it has already featured in the magazine as part of my article ...

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The latest Eyes of Isabel production to emerge from Woodbine Street is called "In a Girl's Paradise".

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I wouldn't write as regularly as I do I think if it wasn't for being continually surprised by local music.

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Readers of my now several Green Hands reviews will be under few illusions as to my respect & liking for the band: I've certainly not concealed it.

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June 23rd will see the release of the new Abz Winter single "Wasted Energy" and with her usual kindness (and enthusiasm to let others hear ...

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One of my favourite bands for a long time was Batsch: both on record and as a live act.

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I've never really emphasised over my various reviews how Gemma Leahy Waddell used to share with me periodically some of the tracks which were ...

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First of all, credit to Rob Halligan for pulling the music together for Coventry MotoFest 2023 (and previous years of course) & managing it over ...

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When Lemon Boy (aka Luke Bates) tipped me off about his new EP with the title of ‘Imagination', he suggested that it might be ".

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Out right now is the latest Chasing Deer single "Orchards" which acts also as a taster for the ‘Diamonds in the Rafters' album which will be out ...

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Here we go again: I keep promising to not dub any new release as "the artist's best" but once again, with the new Jake Rizzo single "Hard To Be ...

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I have tended, while praising Massasauga singles, to warn readers of a delicate disposition of the power & impact of listening to them.

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I'm not sure I often discuss in these pages the potential problem an artist might need to address in terms of responding to success: I hope I do a ...

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After the pleasures of catching The Old Flames at last week's Open Arts Festival gig on Leamington Bandstand, the weather was even more glorious ...

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It was back last March when I was privileged to be present at the live debut of The Old Flames: as part of the Open Arts Festival on Leamington ...

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Sometimes, far too long elapses between the releases of a given artist (lord knows that COVID19 affected this).

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What an historic day! I refer of course to the launch of ‘Fabric of a Flawed Society', the debut album by Liam Vincent and The Odd Foxes, which ...

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"Allesley Park" is not only the name of a Coventry amenity, but that of the latest Eyes of Isabel single which arrived yesterday, in the principle ...

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It's not that difficult really to envisage some of the issues which specialist drummers face in putting together solo records.

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Today has for some momentous reason been a bumper day for brand new, exciting & thought provoking material to be released in Coventry & ...

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I'm pleased to report to readers that the brand new Joe Dolman single, "Sabotage Myself" has been released this morning.

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Out today is the new (Dan) Bygrave single "Long Road Home".

The follow up to "Friday Night", this one is a co-write with Ryan Stanley and ...

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You can tell that "Wasted Love", the new single from Izzie Derry which is out today, takes another huge step along her road of self discovery and ...

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Stylusboy (aka Steve Jones), whose latest single, "Fourteen Days" is out today on his own Tortoise Recordings (it is taken too from his ...

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After declaring my enthusiasm for the new Andy Beglin single "Vale of Avalon" last month, here I am telling you of another release he's part of: ...

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After a (too) long break from experiencing live music, it was a joy to be there for the sets from the ever excellent Shanghai Hostage, The ...

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I can't say that I'm surprised by the release of "Waking Up To Stone" as a single today by Ellie Gowers: it's the fourth of her ‘Dwelling By The ...

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That top & beloved local band The Primitives are currently gearing up for the shows celebrating the 35th anniversary of their debut ‘Lovely' ...

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As the most cursory reading of my articles will tell you, I like artists who are confident in standing out from the mediocrity of the crowd & ...

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I had better start with an apology: this is one of my occasional (too frequent?) articles where I realise that I ought to have written about the ...

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Like all good part works, Euan Blackman has been allowing you to build your collection of his debut EP ‘You Are The Rain' if not by stealth, ...

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In another of those moments of serendipity which I keep finding when I review for "Hot Music Live" magazine, within a week of writing about the ...

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You never know what to expect from that restless musician Dave Pepper…. Most of the time he takes you unawares by mastering some new musical ...

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Back in May of last year when I reviewed Chessi O'Dowd's ‘Wine Glass Filter' album, I ventured the opinion that "…every track has the ...

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Here is something of another venture into new territory for me in an article for the magazine: telling you about a specific radio broadcast.

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The length of the heads up that I'm able to give you in relation to the new Duke Keats EP, ‘Dirty Glamour' while not quite a record for the ...

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Out now from that indefatigable artist Daffod'i'll is an album for Easter, (".

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Out next week (though please consider pre-saving your copy right now, as such action helps artists) is the latest Abz Winter single and its name ...

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One of the several reasons I (admire, respect & appreciate the art of Danny Ansell is that I don't know what to expect from his releases before I ...

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If there were an Andy Beglin fan club, then I'd surely be a paid up member. I often muse on why artists from the past never got the recognition ...

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I have to declare an interest, if not some downright sense of favouritism in regard to my review of "No Matter How Far Away", today's single ...

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It's yet another of those serendipitous coincidences that, so soon after telling you about the song which  Jackie James & Shanade Morrow put out ...

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How on earth that dynamo of self produced solo albums on such an epic scale as Daffod'i'll can have found the time to return to the work of the ...

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Out today is the latest single from Euan Blackman's debut EP: namely "Bad Things" (and it comes coupled with the previous releases "Busy Doing ...

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Out today from the prolific Daffod'i'll are four new albums of his original, solo, music.

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I obtained my high regard for & enjoyment of the work of Liam Vincent and The Odd Foxes only last year: I started by listening to their ...

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It's a big ask of you I'm sure to remember that back last August I mentioned, during my review of Ivy Ash's debut live performance (at ...

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It was very pleasing to report that the latest (and sadly final) collaboration between "Hot Music Live Presents" and Earlsdon Carnegie Community ...

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Reiss Pinder is what I might call a restless creative spirit: always looking to the future & not resting particularly on past laurels.

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I really appreciate the unusual in music and so reporting on the first single I can recall being released for Mothering Sunday is a pleasure & I ...

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Out right now is the latest Eyes of Isabel single, "To See The World".

As ever accompanied by an evocative video assembled by Andy McGeechan ...

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Just released by (Dan) Bygrave is "Friday Night": his first release of 2023 produced by Wigz for Beat Rebel Records.

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When we featured the 1989 track "Mean 'n' Moody Rockin' Machine" by Some Kinda Earthquake on the very first edition of "Hot Music Live Presents", ...

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Out now is the new Croissant single entitled "Shadow, Honey", the follow up to "Winter Days" (which you can also hear on ‘Hot Music Live ...

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New out from Euan Blackman is his single "Busy Doing Nothing", taken from his EP of the same name which also contains the song "Everybody Lets You ...

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Returning to the festival for the first time in 15 years, indie-rock superstars The Enemy will be headlining the Main Stage at the 2023 Godiva ...

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When I told you about the last Rheo Uno release, "Blur The Lines", I held back (so as to let the light shine on the single in question) on telling ...

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If it seems like ages since I was able to review an Izzie Derry release, that's because we are nearing the third anniversary of her last one.

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I try (when I know the date) to wish "Hot Music Live Presents" featured artists a 'Happy Birthday' on the appropriate day.

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When I reviewed "Standing In The Shadows" by Green Hands back in November, I am pretty hopeful that my own enthusiasm for the track & the band ...

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After a run of Stone Bear releases which were effectively solo releases by David John, you'll be pleased to hear that he's managed to get into the ...

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Just released by Chasing Deer is the perhaps appropriately titled "Now", which as collaborator Ollie Hayes is co-credited as a featured artist, ...

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Daffod'i'll has today announced the release of his forty-ninth solo abum ‘Dilluvian' which includes the nine songs "A Hand", "Follow", "ii", ...

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I'm sorry to say that what with other recent distractions, I failed to spot the new RobinPlaysChords single "The Dream" when it was released, so ...

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Some (many I hope) of you may follow Horace Panter's in depth & highly entertaining diaries of life on the road with The Specials and the Dirt ...

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I'm pleased to introduce another new name (to the magazine at least) today: that of Alys Rain whose ‘In Tension' EP is now out on Holy Crow ...

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Despite the official date for festive gifting being still a few weeks off, YNES' many fans will feel more than blessed this winter morning with ...

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Just when you thought it was safe… back come Massasauga with another of their tales of the predatory.

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Coming soon from Jackie James will be her Christmas single: "Lights On".

Described by its composer as a "lullaby", it features her six year ...

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Dirt Road Band gigs tend to be special affairs (please pardon the slight reference dropped in there): despite the fact that they are now gigging ...

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Today is the day on which Jake Rizzo has released his new single, "Same As You".

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Released today is the new single "The Reason I'm Here" from Jonny Olley, the follow up to "Tunnel Vision" which we reviewed back in May.

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"Hot Music Live Presents" are very pleased to announce the release of 'Hot Music Live Presents Volume Nine' today.

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Out today from Trust Club is their new live EP which, not messing around nor trying to confuse us, they've named ‘Live'.

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When you are as skilled as Joe Dolman at writing material, unusual things can happen.

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Most articles I write for "Hot Music Live" tend to fall into a few broad categories and my main job is to try to be as objective as possible when ...

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Volume 9 (opens in BandCamp)

This collection is the ninth in a series of collections celebrating the inspiring & diverse talent of ...

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So here it is: our first seasonal/festive release review of the year (and I'm glad it's coming at a sensible & tasteful date), namely "Winter ...

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As I indicated back in June when I covered a Greg Brice live performance at Stratford Playhouse Folk Club, anticipation of his debut solo album ...

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You probably haven't failed to notice that after a pretty much weekly review of the prolific Levi Washington, I haven't been able to do so now for ...

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One of the great pleasures in the reviewing I do for "Hot Music Live" is that it introduces me to original & individualistic artistic voices.

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I rather enjoy coincidences & rather too often perhaps see meaning in them where maybe there is less than I imagine.

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When I stood on top of Long Compton Hill on Tuesday, the day after Hallowe'en, the November wind whipped across the Rollright Stones & blew the ...

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Quite a few years ago now, one of the bands I'd have been raving about in "Hot Music Live" had I actually been writing for them at that time, was ...

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As a big fan of Rikki & Tyron Hansel from their days in the Hansel Brothers through to Evergreen & on to today, I am consequently one too of their ...

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The new Monday Nights single "Dorian Gray", is, I'm pleased to announce, released today.

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So.. another day, another bolt from the blue release, this time the phenomenon being "A Long Way From Home", the new Ollie Bond single.

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After something of a sabbatical from his previous heavy schedule with Chasing Deer, Rob Hodkinson has followed his "comeback" single "On Standby" ...

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There I was working on a review to appear next week and suddenly, to my surprise (but presumably not theirs) The Primitives dropped a new single ...

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Less than a week after that magnificent gig I reported on with T8PES, Andrea Mbarushimana's poetry & headliner Luke Concannon, here I am ...

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One of those artists whose work I have long desired to review is Noah Seleno and now with her single "Lips", that ambition is realised (though I ...

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Can I get through a review of "Hush! An Autumnal Celebration" (another collaboration between "Hot Music Live Presents" and Earlsdon Carnegie ...

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Out tonight from The Eyes of Isabel is their new single "Tropical Nightlife".

Recorded as ever at Woodbine Studio by John Rivers and Eddy ...

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It brings me enormous pleasure to review for you the new (and second) King of the Alps album, 'Heart of the Matter' which came out earlier today.

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One very big advantage of the community spirit within so much of the local music scene is that people help others so much & that extends ...

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We are now up to album forty three from Daffod'i'll with the release of ‘DILLUTED', ‘DILLWEED' and ‘Dillapidation'

Number forty one ...

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If you've caught Shanghai Hostage live, you may well have heard them perform a song whose lyrics are in French.

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It keeps you on your toes does this reviewing business… one moment you have the luxury of possessing an album such as Ellie Gowers' ‘Dwelling ...

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It's been far too long since I last reviewed  Chasing Deer in the magazine : I think it was their Christmas single "Together At Christmas" back ...

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During the lockdown period of the pandemic, like most people I had few inklings as to how any music scene might re-emerge assuming it ended.

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And so at long last I am able to review Ellie Gower's new album ‘Dwelling By The Weir' which is released today for you.

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It's been more than two months since Rheo Uno released "Me Without You" and this Friday (30th), she's back with her latest, "Don't Wanna Be In ...

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That incredibly dedicate & hard working group Luna Kiss hit us (and I don't use that term lightly) with yet another in their current top notch run ...

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As you might imagine with a three day  festival, my getting to see every act was always going to be difficult (I couldn't) but I'll begin by ...

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Hannah Woof singles come along too infrequently (it's been fourteen months since "My Phone" and five since her collaboration with Jake Rizzo, ...

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Some releases I write about are relatively easy to get my head around: others less so.

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Following up his "Do We Look Back?" single (which I reviewed for you back last month), Rob Lee Thompson today shares with us "In Between".

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Pandora Craig & Sam McNulty will not be unknown names to many readers in terms of issues such as their artistry (both for example feature on "Hot ...

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Out now from Jackie James is her new single entitled "That's The Way", though when you go looking for it on the streaming platforms, please note ...

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I'm most pleased to be able to inform you of the debut single by Riizbo:  "Do The Work" and it's his vocal debut too.

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While I admired their fortitude & commitment to rock, I was disappointed for Luna Kiss at the Art in the Park event in Leamington last month since ...

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Much as I (and loads of other people to) enjoy the Godiva Festival, it's not the easiest event to review in a conventional manner.

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The final preview single from her album ‘Dwelling By The Weir' which will be out on September 30th after much expectation, is "Ribbon Weaver" ...

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There should be no "rules" in rock & roll or indeed in any creative field. If you let yourself be limited by such things, it binds you into a ...

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Since the release of the interesting ‘GRANDY', his thirty-seventh album of his solo year, but his first instrumental one, which we reviewed in ...

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Sadly we don't feature too many live reviews from Rugby (if anyone based over that way would like to cover their thriving scene, please let us ...

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Abz Winter is back with a new single entitled "It's Not Your Movie" which comes out on 9th September which was co-written by & produced by Imad ...

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The Godiva Festival is many things to different people: indeed that is alone one of its glories: how is manages to cover so many bases at once is ...

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"Hush! A Harvest Celebration" yesterday was the latest in the collaboration between "Hot Music Live Presents" and Earlsdon Carnegie Community ...

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As  I indicated in last week's report on "Art in the Park" in Leamington, I was delighted, after reviewing a string of fine singles by her, not ...

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Out on the 20th, as a follow-up to "You're The One", Rob Lee Thompson's new single is called "Do We Look Back?"

It's the customary classy ...

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The Dirt Road Band's career has been one of those unpredictable ones their name rather implies, but I think it's fair to say that it has exceeded ...

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I hope you recollect the Clarkwell Rivers track "Bad Faith" on ‘Hot Music Live Presents Volume Six'?

Now he's back with two live ...

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In my latest look ahead to a major artist playing at the HMV Empire in Coventry (on October 6th), I'm pleased to say that I was able to chat with ...

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It's probably asking a bit much for even the most attentive reader of the magazine to recall an article from July 2019, but three years ago I was ...

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Thankfully, despite the circumstances, the unusual weather & the traditional/legendary/notorious event organisation, I managed to witness at least ...

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Out today from Ollie Bond is his latest single, "Loveable", his follow up to "Slipping Away" which came out back in April.

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 If you are a fan of Euan Blackman, then you'll know his mission statement is "Alt folk for kind folk"  and therefore won't be too surprised to ...

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It's been a little while since I last wrote of a Stone Bear release but here they are back with "Bay Tree".

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The release this morning of "Something Beautiful", the latest Luna Kiss single, not only evidences the hard work the band have been putting in & ...

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Out yesterday was "You're The One", the latest single from Rob Lee Thompson: released on his wife's birthday.

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I do try hard to get as much information about the new releases I review in the magazine as possible: after all the purpose is to recommend ...

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You may remember popular local band Fourth in Line whose "On The Run" appeared on ‘Hot Music Live Presents Volume Four'.

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I'm sure you appreciated the exclusive Ezza Brianna track "Disperse" which appeared on ‘Hot Music Live Presents Volume Seven' and later thrilled ...

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I am sure I'd have supported the Elevate Festival last evening regardless of the stellar lineup, as it was both celebrating fifty years of ...

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Hot on the heels of last week's Daffod'i'll solo album number 36 comes (you guessed it) his thirty seventh, called ‘GRANDY'.

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Out now is the new single "Got To Be With You" from The Eyes of Isabel. As often is the case with this band/project whose pivotal member is ...

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Out today is another new Ellie Gowers single from her forthcoming ‘Dwelling By The Weir' album which you can savour in full in a couple of ...

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Fresh out from Daffod'i'll  is solo album number 36 entitled ‘BABY!' with the now customary ten tracks, entitled on this occasion "Baby!" ...

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On an already rather hot July morning, here I find myself listening to the forthcoming (17th July) single from Rheo Uno: an artist with a plenty ...

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I think that the last few years taught us about the relativity of our perceptions of time if we had not considered them before.

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With her latest single "You, Not Me" (which doesn't actually come out until August 5th but please be ready for it because it's so good), Ivy Ash ...

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