review – Page 27 – Bread Records

Just The Crust 16/01/22: The Window View – Sunset Paradise ☀️

16th Jan 202316th Jan 2023artist, bread, just the crust, local scene, new music, review, videoLeave a Comment

our feature for today’s Just The Crust is the brand new tune “Sunset Paradise” from Cumbrian-based indie outfit The window view

they’ve been making waves up in the North for a while now, with singalong tunes and playing a bunch of gigs and that – they’ve pulled it all together with this release, their first single and it captures their style perfectly

full of indie-rock goodness, there’s riffs for days in it, opening with a lovely lead melody backed by a chorus-laden laidback chord progression. as the vocals come in, the track almost glides along with a dreamy atmosphere, perfectly complimenting Evan’s main vocal that creates a great contrast with it’s rough, ragged style.

boasting a fantastic singalong chorus, lyricism that creates such vivid imagery and real energy surrounding the track, it’s a fantastic debut single and really introduces the band in the best way possible. we also love the breakdown, bringing back in that lovely lead melody but expanding out to a fuller solo, without taking away from the laidback feel of the tune. well worth a listen!

you can find it on all the streaming platforms, including Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/artist/6Gf3FilMbk7EVi7fqba6Sx – well worth popping it in your indie chill playlists, fantastic tune.

find all of our features, reviews, events and more on our website at www.breadrecords.co.uk

The Wrap: December 2022 ✨

13th Jan 202313th Jan 2023artist, bread, local scene, new music, review, The Wrap, video1 Comment

We’ve got our latest feature for The Wrap covering tunes from last month, December 2022! ☀️ again, another month proper chock-full of incredible releases, it’s brilliant to see!! Finishing up the year on a high here! Find all of our in-depth reviews below ⬇️

One of our favourites over the past year or so, YNES has released a brand new EP “Born Loser“! It’s a gorgeous collection of tunes, really honing on the qualities that are present in YNES’ tunes – tongue-in-cheek humour, honest, almost conversational lyricism and oozing with britpop/indie goodness. At times it’s a brutal depiction of modern society, highlighting the contradictions of societal expectations and calling out out-dated tradition and behaviours – yet, all in front of a huge sound with catchy hooks and punky angst. Well worth a listen, easily one of our favourite artists of the year – with a no-nonsense attitude and a constant drive for creativity, it’s a brilliant release and we can’t wait to hear more! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE / BANDCAMP)

Manchester-based singer-songwriter Jimmy Page made his first mark on the scene over the course of last year, performing across the city and establishing a name for himself – the release of this second single “Days are Long” has really set him as one to watch on the scene. With a gorgeous guitar riff opening up the track, the laidback rhythm allow his vocal to excel over the beat – with an almost-relaxed approach it feels like he’s telling his story so effortlessly in this track. Speaking of, his lyricism is lovely here, in his words “about the little ones in your life” – a lovely sentiment and executed fantastically. (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / BANDCAMP)

Lancashire-based Jacob Reddy is a familiar face on our features now, having put out a string of incredible tunes and really showing him as one to watch in the North West. This new tune “Till The End” sees him taking a more stripped-back take to a personal level, with some gorgeous lyricism here – really utilising the imagery to create a lovely story throughout the track. Jacob’s vocal sounds fantastic over the acoustic guitar, and with the addition of piano melodies, vocal harmonies and use of open space in the track it’s a real lush listen. A must-listen for any fans of more relaxed singer-songwriter tunes, perfect for any relaxing playlists! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE)

Sheffield’s own Work In TV have just put out their second single, “Dance Like We Used To“! Right from the get-go, we know we’re gonna love it – kicking off right into the action with the verse coming in, the vocals perfectly balanced to create a feeling of surrounding.. for it to calm a touch with a lovely guitar melody and the track building effortlessly into a huge chorus with so much energy! It only continues with this trend throughout the track, balancing the dynamics so well to keep the track fresh whilst it develops. It almost drops fully away into the bridge, creating a real sense of tension that even falls away even more.. only to build back up beautifully into the final section. The production is sensational and just such a well-crafted track! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC)

A good friend of ours here at the label, Benjamin Finney has just put out his brand new single “Sappho” with jamie henry! Ben’s guitarwork is on full display here, perfectly complimented by the soundscape behind the track – the relaxed and steady rhythm gives such a gorgeous base for his melodies to shine, whilst keeping a real mellow and gorgeous atmosphere. The flow of the track is super smooth, with each element of it working perfectly in tandem to keep the track moving – and the electric guitar tone is beautiful, giving a new essence to the song. Well worth a listen! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE / BANDCAMP)

We’ve had Jane Lacey perform for us a bunch now here at Bread Records, and her live sets are both intimate yet powerful – and this track only solidifies that into stone. “Not a girl song” is a true alt-rock anthem, opening up with a short acoustic riff that then explodes into a full punk-rock wall of sound. Jane’s vocal comes in and commands the attention of the listener, her lyricism is direct and blunt, perfectly encapsulating the topic of the track – and with a huge chorus, it’s a brilliant tune that really shows off her abilities. The no-nonsense feel of the tune only makes it hit harder, and it’s a call to arms for anyone who’s been a victim of harassment or abuse. The power of this track only makes us want to hear more from her! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE)

Albeit a November release, this came out at the end of the month and we knew we’d have to cover this as soon as it was released. We’re huge fans of FEAR OF MARKO – with such a unique sound, incorporating elements of grunge, indie and hyperpop; his unapologetic sound is ferocious and leaves a lasting impact on the listener. This EP is a fantastic show of his skills, with hard-hitting beats, fantastic lyricism and brilliant vocal capabilities throughout, it’s a must-listen for any pop enthusiasts out there. The new tracks on the EP are incredible too, from the grungy metal atmosphere of “Skeleton” to the indie-rock feel of “Funeral” – it’s well worth a listen and sure to be a hit at any party! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE / BANDCAMP)

Another familiar face on our features, Glasgow’s Velvet have returned with a brand new release “Blue Roses“! This tune sees them take a more mellow atmosphere to their music, really using the soundscape of the track to create an ambience that perfectly balances to the vocals on the track, a much more mellow vibe than their previous releases. The musicianship on the track is gorgeous, the connection that the band has is on full display here and it’s a gorgeous listen. The song flows so well, feeling like controlled chaos that they’ve managed to manipulate superbly – and the breakdown in the mid-section of the track takes us back to their previous releases, full of energetic riffs, powerful guitar solos and a hard-hitting rhythm that really pushes the track along. Well worth checking out! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC)

this one’s been a fantastic one, really showing off the quality that we saw during the rest of 2022 – there have been so many incredible releases coming out lately and it’s absolutely boss to see, proving that there is a world of music out there to find. we hope you’ve enjoyed this as much as we have! 💥

Make sure you head on down to open mics, gigs, support local music and arts and keep your scenes going! 😊 all music, videos and images remain copyright of their respective owners. 🍞

Just The Crust 09/01/22: Kyle Toolan – Overcast 💥

9th Jan 20239th Jan 2023artist, bread, just the crust, local scene, new music, review, videoLeave a Comment

our feature for today’s Just The Crust feature is the brand new debut single from Kyletoolanmusic “Overcast”

a familiar face on the Manchester scene nowadays, Kyle has been performing across the city at gigs and open mics and making a name for himself, playing mellow indie-rock tunes influenced by artists such as The 1975 and Sam Fender – with a huge amount of original songs under his belt now too!

this debut single from him, “Overcast“, is a great introduction into his work. starting out with a grungey, droney guitar rhythm backed with a steady and maintained drumbeat and bassline, it flows super well throughout the track and the lead guitar adds a lovely contrast to the backdrop of the song, giving it a forward push throughout the track. Kyle’s vocal is restrained, almost conversational – but puts the focus on his lyricism which is personal, yet honest; showing the songwriting style he’s prolific within. the bridge is gorgeous too, balancing harmonies and breakdowns to give the track room to breathe, til it opens back up for the final chorus!

you can find the tune over on all the streaming platforms, or the full music video on YouTube at https://youtu.be/NfgKp4RJYqU – well worth a watch!

find all of our features, reviews and more over on our website at www.breadrecords.co.uk

Just The Crust 02/01/23: Marc Todd – I Got Life ⚡️

2nd Jan 2023artist, bread, just the crust, local scene, new music, review, videoLeave a Comment

our feature for today’s Just The Crust is the brand new single from Marc Todd “I Got Life“!

a familiar face on the North West scene, Marc’s been performing across the region playing his original songs and we’re huge fans of his music. he’s graced us with his presence a fair few times now, and with an album already under his belt, he’s returned with this brand new single.

it sounds incredible, maintaining an upbeat atmosphere whilst still feeling laid-back and relaxed, his vocals sit real lovely on top of his acoustic guitar playing, and his lyricism is uplifting and so put together, real worth checking out this track! it’s a great indication of his talents and we can’t wait to hear more from him.

you can find the single on all streaming platforms when it drops this coming Friday 6th January – head on over to his Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/artist/3XNMlVauQoiqjtEsVI2h3g to find all of his music!

find all of our features, reviews, music and more on our website at www.breadrecords.co.uk

The Wrap 2022 playlist ✨

27th Dec 2022artist, bread, local scene, new music, playlist, review, The WrapLeave a Comment

and we just put all of the tunes from our The Wrap feature in 2022 into a massive boss playlist as well

so many incredible tunes here, way too many to mention but there’s 88 proper belters in it from so many incredible local acts and bands!

head on over to our Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5V0ijK9FVtehYiCJjidWlo to find the playlist in full – let us know what you think!

Just The Crust 26/12/22: michael webster – waterlines 🤘

26th Dec 2022artist, bread, just the crust, local scene, michael webster, new music, release, review, videoLeave a Comment

our feature for today’s Just The Crust is the brand new tune from our very own michael webster “waterlines“, taken from his EP “a northern perspective“!

the first single from the new EP, “waterlines” is a hard-hitting alternative rock tune about the difficulty of indecision set to a background of 90s’ grunge-inspired alternative rock. it’s a tune that you will have heard if you’ve been to any of his shows, having had it in the set for the past few years and finally putting it out in a studio version

with a chorus of “i wanna stay in, but i wanna go out.. just another dilemma of the nineties’ crowd”, it’s an introspective and bleak outlook at the state of 20-odd year olds today, those who yearn for a life of adventure yet also want to take time to bask in the solitude of their comfort. it’s one of our favourites from the new EP!

you can find the full music video over on YouTube at https://youtu.be/2DWjDPo3jIg – plus, the EP in it’s entirety of seven tracks is available on all the streaming sites too!

find all of our features, music, reviews and more on our website at www.breadrecords.co.uk

ICYMI, our latest The Wrap ⚡️

21st Dec 2022artist, bread, local scene, new music, review, The WrapLeave a Comment

in case you missed it, our latest edition of The Wrap for November was incredible

so many brilliant releases last month, including music from BARDS Low Orbit Louis Cross Francis Alban Blake Hayden J Barlow Scatterchild Flowers Of Evil / Nikki & The Waves and Katie O’Malley absolutely class to see so much music coming out constantly!

you can find our reviews in full over on our website at https://breadrecords.co.uk/…/12/15/the-wrap-november-2022/ – let us know what you think!

The Wrap: November 2022 ✨

Just The Crust 19/12/22: Stan Buckroyd – BABY STEPS ☀️

19th Dec 202219th Dec 2022artist, bread, just the crust, local scene, new music, review, videoLeave a Comment

our feature for today’s Just The Crust is the brand new single from Stan Buckroyd “BABY STEPS“!

the follow-up to his previous single “GREY”, this is the title track of his upcoming EP – and it sounds proper huge. you can really hear the indie influence with elements of punk and even surf-rock with the lead guitar tone. it’s a lovely tune!

starting out in full force with a driving drumbeat, powerful guitar chords and a gorgeous guitar line, it’s a real great introduction to Stan’s music. his vocal takes command over the track as soon as it comes in, prompting the attention directly to his lyricism – and the chorus is great, a lovely hook that we’re sure will be sang right back at him at gigs and that. the breakdown is class too, really pushing the track to a more energetic feel that delves real well back into the latter part of the track.

from what this song has to offer, we can’t wait to hear more – in the meantime you can find it on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/album/0j2kniqVxaBqiN5vodPclq and all the streaming platforms! well worth a listen!

find all of our features, reviews and more on our website at www.breadrecords.co.uk

The Wrap: November 2022 ✨

15th Dec 2022artist, bread, local scene, new music, review, The Wrap1 Comment

Here’s our latest edition of The Wrap for November 😎 there’s been so many fantastic releases and here are just a few of our favourites – yet another amazing month for music lately! Find all of our in-depth reviews below! ⬇️

https://open.spotify.com/album/4JSyI0itJkiEfSnWrBzzfe?si=bR4X36IpTJachr7a2VFJxA

Manchester-based alternative rock outfit Bards have returned with their brand new single “Omega“! We had these guys perform for us back in July at The Grafton Arms and they sounded massive, such a fantastic live presence and some incredible songs under their belt. This new tune only accentuates their talent, with huge walls of sound behind them, hard-hitting rhythm and gorgeous parallels of vocals lacing the soundscape to create a truly formidable tune. As the song progresses through, the bridge is the highlight of the track for us, calming down and easing off with dreamy atmosphere and building so well to a huge open space where everyone is so in sync. Amazing stuff! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE)

We’ve covered these guys before and we were stoked to be able to hear that they’ve got a new single out! Low Orbit return with their brand new single “Your Paradise“, starting off with a melodic and laid-back groove to the track, slowly building throughout until it opens up to the absolutely huge chorus, adorned with walls of distortion, massive vocals and a huge rhythm behind it all, which all work perfectly in tandem with one another. We’re huge fans of the bridge in this too, with a lovely guitar solo that glides so well across the soundscape and ends with a real chaotic disorder that drops straight back in to the track. (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / BANDCAMP)

https://open.spotify.com/album/3GH0cTlajnSukqSQRo4FRW?si=Mp-yVknhQ5CPreKaiCMFSQ

https://open.spotify.com/album/1ddFl9lOH2IfinNXpqau8B?si=qmY3xRrpTkOTgT3btrTW2g

A familiar face on the Manchester scene, singer-songwriter Louis Cross has brought out his debut EP “A Page To Tell“! We’ve heard a bunch of these songs at gigs across Manchester and it’s lovely to hear the studio versions of them. The entire EP is full of gorgeous harmonies, lovely violin and string parts that only complement Louis’ songwriting style and performance. We’re big fans of the country-esque “We’re All The Same“, bringing a brand new feel to the track which simultaneously feels familiar and like it’s been there throughout. The full EP is well worth a listen for Louis’ songwriting ability and apt for being able to put across emotion and feeling so easily into music! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE / BANDCAMP)

Francis Alban Blake‘s new tune “Strawberry Jam” is laden with gorgeous imagery, delicate instrumentation and an inviting vocal that really creates something that is special to listen to. As the track delves through, the careful atmosphere is only extended and really shows the effort and talent that has been poured into this track. It’s an honest and gorgeous depiction of an artists’ mindset, the problems that a creative may face yet at the same time excelling and proving that Francis is one to watch and surely not a fading hue. (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC)

https://open.spotify.com/album/26LwxZRWpzpVMFwrPBigpJ?si=LA5m-M2dQkWu-SY1ticeFQ

https://open.spotify.com/album/6d305ez1t5HUZjXsNUWQRf?si=KOtA6hJ9SGKLnflnvBocFw

One of our favourites on the North West scene, Hayden J Barlow has brought out his debut album “CAUSTIC“! Full of absolute tunes, we’ve covered a bunch of these singles in the past and we can’t give him enough praise already. His unique style and ability to not be put in a box of genre blows us away. He’s able to take influence from all over the shop, the vocal melodies throughout and the synths, guitarwork and production are incredible. Hayden’s lyrical ability is absolutely on display here, he’s able to come up with some amazing hooks that are made even better with his vocal melodies – you can really get an insight into the emotion poured into each one of his tracks. Well worth a listen, there’s something for everyone in this album. (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC)

Manchester’s indie-folk artist Scatterchild has brought out his brand new EP “The Whispers We Leave“! Adorned with gorgeous soundscapes, passionate vocals and intrinsic lyrics, it’s a fantastic listen. We’ve covered their previous singles “Tough Love” and “Staring Me Down“, which both in their own right sound incredible, yet the newer tracks are a beautiful addition to this EP. “Soft Spots” is full of beautiful melody lines, intimate lyricism and a gorgeous guitar riff to lead the track. The huge shape of the bridge gives so much to it, falling back into the chorus so well and marking it as a highlight of the release. The opener “Alchemist” is a lovely introduction to Scatterchild’s style, whilst “Mayfly” is a lovely and honest depiction of emotion and feeling, a theme that we’ve come to expect from the lyricism of Scatterchild. It’s a gorgeous release from start to finish – well worth a listen! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE / BANDCAMP)

https://open.spotify.com/album/3Vzm3vO0YDpv8KQ6COhPQR?si=B8rDH415Sa-UDaz9C3J1YQ

https://open.spotify.com/album/2gqFAaGOFYt4ZXgLPMoJy3?si=s0Ah0dTSRQqvzN4c6ORC4w

Manchester-based art-pop Flowers of Evil have teamed up with Nikki & the Waves for their latest release “Cherry-AID“! With a really gorgeous groove behind the track, it starts off superbly and from the get-go, you’re absorbed into the track with the blatant, laid-bare lyrics laden over the top of gorgeous synth chords, and the driving bassline guiding the track along so well. Oscar and Nikki’s vocals compliment one another perfectly, at times the track feels almost like a conversation that ebbs and flows so effortlessly. Halfway through the track, it completely shifts into a breakdown, where the talents of the bands are fully brought into the forefront of the track. The vocal harmonisation here is beautiful, a fantastic work of music here! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE / BANDCAMP)

One of our favourites on the Manchester scene, Katie O’Malley has returned with her brand new single “Wasted“! Keeping with her signature american-rock sound, she’s gone for a more bluesy atmosphere on this track – opening with a gorgeous guitar riff to match her lovely vocal, it’s got your attention right from the start. As the bass drops in, it adds such a groove to track, perfectly matched by the drumbeat to really show off Katie and her band’s abilities. Her vocal capabilities are on point here as well, really able to capture the focus of the listener! The breakdown of the track is gorgeous as well, showing off such proficiency with a huge guitar solo that cements the track together so well and really sets this as one of our favourites of Katie’s tracks. (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE / BANDCAMP)

https://open.spotify.com/album/5OgsAEITDa1fqlkYiwReAv?si=7OU9uy9lRWylsoZaYunDeQ

we’ve heard so much incredible music this month, with so much coming out all the time – it’s lovely to see such a constant stream of quality tunes coming out and we always love writing these up and listening to all these releases in full. well worth checking out – we hope you enjoyed this one! 🤘

Make sure you head on down to open mics, gigs, support local music and arts and keep your scenes going! 😊 all music, videos and images remain copyright of their respective owners. 🍞

Just The Crust 12/12/22: VALA – Don’t Think Twice (It’s Not Alright) 👊

12th Dec 202212th Dec 2022artist, bread, just the crust, local scene, new music, review, videoLeave a Comment

our feature for today’s Just The Crust is the brand new single from Manchester indie-rock outfit VALA “Don’t Think Twice (It’s Not Alright)!

we’ve been huge fans of these guys, with a fantastic back catalogue already behind them, they’ve made waves over the past few years in the North West, and they just played a headline gig over at The Deaf Institute

this new tune here only continues with their quality signature sound, woven sonic atmospheres drowned in ambience and laced with image-inducing songwriting and down to earth lyricism. it’s a gorgeous track, and as it opens up in the chorus it’s not only a great parallel to the calmness of the first verse, but brings you into a lovely catchy hook – one that we can imagine would be amazing live. we’re huge fans of the bridge too, what a buildup to the pre-chorus at the end.. some fantastic production on this tune as well.

you can find it on all streaming sites, or you can check out the full video on YouTube at https://youtu.be/tdtIc1wR9pQ – well worth a watch!

find all of our features, reviews, music and more on our website at www.breadrecords.co.uk