review – Page 17 – Bread Records

The Wrap: February 2024 ✨

20th Mar 202420th Mar 2024artist, bread, local scene, new music, review, The Wrap1 Comment

we’re back with our next edition of The Wrap! covering some of our favourite releases of February 2024, with so many incredible releases 🌮 you can find all of our reviews below ⬇️

we’ve had The Internet Café perform for us a bunch over the past few years, and we love their upbeat, surf-rock styled indie atmosphere, and their brand new single “Joanna” perfectly encapsulates that! laced with gorgeous guitar lead melodies throughout, a luscious flow to the track with the intertwining of the rhythm of the drums, bass and the acoustic guitar; it creates a lovely space for the vocal to cut through and tell a story through expert lyricism. it’s a gorgeous tune, and we can’t wait to hear even more from them in the future! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC)

London-based Cuties just dropped their new single “Often“! cutting a fine line between pop punk, emo, pop and shoegaze, they’ve taken a load of inspirations and really created something special that they can call their own. there’s a lovely atmosphere to the track, with gorgeous guitar tones behind the main vocal that is not only effortlessly cool, but commands the attention of the listener so easily. we’re a huge fan of how the track parallels with the calmer section to the heavier outro section, becoming more technical and interesting – proving their worth as musicians in even more ways! well worth a listen. (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE)

we’ve caught Here’s The Steeple perform a few times, and his delicate storyteller style is inspiring, and his lyrical capability seems calm and collected yet expertly exectuted. his new single, “This Machine Builds Fascists“, proves that even more – opening up with a dark yet interesting atmosphere, setting the stage for his vocal to take centre-stage; over a mellow guitar pattern – the production on the tune is fantastic, so many elements coming together, so many new phrases and melodies being introduced throughout – all whilst maintaining the main focus on his lyrical capabilities. fantastic!! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE / BANDCAMP)

after an incredibly strong 2022/23, Hayden J Barlow returns with a brand new single “absent minded” – his self-styled “hypersoul” elements to his tracks are still ever as present here, but he’s expanded even further, incorporating even more influences and genres to create something that’s not only upbeat and driving, but also dark, brooding and slightly moody; his lyrical tones to this is so introspective and reflective – showing another side to the songwriter/producer. his talent oozes from every part of this track, with so much going on yet everything feeling perfectly balanced and in place, it’s a real sign of his production prowess! we especially love the guitar solo. nasty. (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / BANDCAMP)

we’ve caught Alwyn Jones perform a few times, and had him play for us at a few gigs, and we’re always so astounded by how well his songs are crafted, the manner in which he performs them, his effortless stage presence – and his debut single “How Easily” is such a fantastic indication of exactly that. being able to capture your attention from the get-go with just his raw vocal and guitarwork, the flow of the track moving into a larger space with piano, strings, it all comes so naturally in too (the production is incredible here!); his vocal sounds so lush as well, and really gives you the opportunity to focus on his lyrics, his writing is so spot on too – painting a gorgeous picture constantly throughout the entire track. what a debut! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE)

we’ve been massive fans of Tallulah Guard for a good while now, having caught them perform a load over the past few years, and we loved their previous singles – and this brand new single “Into Tomorrow” sounds absolutely gorgeous! taking a much more intimate approach to this one, it feels almost like you’re having a heart-to-heart conversation with Tallulah, with a lovely guitar pattern forming the foundation of the track and Tallulah’s soft and reassuring vocal gliding so freely over the atmosphere; and as the track progresses, it flows so well with the introduction of piano, soft rhythm until it comes towards the end, with a gorgeous guitar tone and full drumwork opening up the foundation – it sounds absolutely gorgeous, another incredible release under their belt!! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE)

another familiar face on our radar, and one of our favourites, Walter Kocays has just released his brand new single “Explicitly, I’ve Told“! it’s a lovely, intimate track opening up with Walter’s uniquely powerful vocal commanding the attention immediately, over a flowing guitar pattern – a trademark signature for his music. his conversationalist approach to songwriting really stands him out from the rest, and the production here is incredible, the strings coming in so smoothly, the drum pattern creating a gorgeous contrast to the rest of the track – building and building so well, til it drops away for a split second until the harmonies come in and completely envelop the soundscape and open up into a luscious atmosphere. gorgeous tune! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE / BANDCAMP)

we had Ladybarn perform for us last year, and we were blown away by their musical expertise, their creative flow and the way they synced up with one another; and this brand new single “Hounds” encapsulates that fully. bringing so many different inspirations and genres to the table, the flow of the track is so smooth and the melodies of the guitar and bass compliment each other superbly, and with such tight rhythm holding the basis of it all – it’s fantastic, and it allows the main vocal to just effortlessly deliver across it all. the track breaks down, builds up, takes so many different directions but all feels so powerful and is executed excellently – a brilliant track!! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC)

yet another incredible month of music, there’s been so many fantastic releases, and there’s a whole plethora of talent out there, that we didn’t get to cover! thanks to everyone who has checked this out! 🤘

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. 🍞

REVIEW: Dilemmas – Walkaway 👊

19th Mar 202419th Mar 2024artist, bread, local scene, new music, review, videoLeave a Comment

Lancashire-based indie-rock outfit Dilemmas return with their brand new single “Walkaway“! their fifth release, they’ve been working hard across the past few years, having performed across the North West and beyond, bringing their upbeat energetic brand of indie rock to venues and audiences. the Blackburn trio have a knack for writing catchy, powerful and effortlessly cool tunes that are bound to be a hit with any indie music fan. 🎶

the track begins with a vast soundscape of noise, only to explode into the full tune with such a force, such ferocity – setting the scene for the track superbly right from the get-go. there’s a gorgeous groove to the track, with the power of the drums and bass laying the foundations to the track, a real punky element behind it – and the power of the guitarwork only adds to this, a real driving force pushing the track along throughout. 🎧

as it comes into the chorus, it changes up ever so slightly within terms of the groove and flow of the track, but maintains it’s energetic feel; a real indication of the talent of these guys! with a lovely vocal melody throughout the tune, and a sing-along chorus hook that will be definitely belted back at them when they’re on stage – plus, there’s a luscious breakdown that gives the track a great sense of clarity, a moment to breath, only for it to build up slowly and effortlessly to the latter stage of the track, a lovely guitar solo and then a grand finale for the last chorus – making you want to go back and listen over and over! fantastic stuff. 🙌

Just The Crust 18/03/24: Zara Smile – Pretty 🌙

18th Mar 202418th Mar 2024artist, 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 Zara Smile, “Pretty“! 👊

after a fantastic run of singles over the past few months, following the release of their EP last year, they’ve returned with another incredible release here with the intimate and soulful “Pretty“. we’ve covered a bunch of their previous tunes and always love to hear new music from the Liverpool-based songwriter 🌙

this new single continues with the intimate, introspective nature of their previous releases, with expertly crafted lyricism that paints a picture so well, a calm and collected guitar pattern forming the foundation of the track, and Zara’s smooth and melodic vocal ensuring the listener’s attention is focused on them – as the track flows through, the rhythm section comes in and compliments the feel of the song superbly, feeling calm and serene throughout, maintaining the focus on Zara’s lyricism and vocals 🙌

you can find the track on all streaming platforms, including Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/artist/0zzqgVJD0zGnaoNBtslwQb – well worth a listen! 🎧

all of our features, reviews, music and more can be found on our website at www.breadrecords.co.uk 🍞

: @florintein

Just The Crust 11/03/24: Casinos – Inescapable 👊

11th Mar 202411th Mar 2024artist, 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 Casinos “Inescapable“! 👊

we’ve covered Casinos a bunch in the past, with their first two singles sounding mega and really establishing them a force in the indie rock circuit here in Manchester, having performed a bunch over the past few years and getting back to gigging this year – definitely ones to watch. 🎶

their new single here sounds fantastic – taking a much more relaxed tone compared to the heavy hitting power anthem vibe of their previous singles, opening up with an intimate acoustic guitar with Matt’s vocal inviting the listener in so calmly, bringing you into his world, with conversationalist lyricism and delicate lead guitar tones – and with a tight rhythm gluing the track together, and luscious synth lines lacing the atmosphere, it sounds proper lovely. the track builds so well through to the last chorus, gaining traction throughout til the finale where it breaks down and becomes super intimate again. ☀️

you can find the track in full on all streaming platforms, including Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/artist/1iKXuTBqrvGSZTNvBeRhZ9 – well worth checking out all their tunes! 🎤

all of our features, reviews, music and more can be found on our website at www.breadrecords.co.uk 🍞

Just The Crust 26/02/24: Cottons – Laguna 🥪

26th Feb 202426th Feb 2024artist, 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 Cottons “Laguna“, out this coming Friday 1st March! 🙌

we’ve covered Cottons a bunch before, and we love their indie-pop-esque styling, with so much inspiration put into their music. they performed for us back before the pandemic and have been going from strength to strength ever since! ☀️

their new single “Laguna” comes out this Friday, and it sounds fantastic – with such a luscious groove behind it, the rhythm working in perfect unison to create such a great sound. it gives such space for the vocal to take control over the track, making sure the listener hangs onto every word, a real lovely lyrical ability present in the track as well, almost like a conversation with a more deadpan and relaxed delivery. the guitar tone is gorgeous, being super dreamy and creating a great soundscape behind the track for it to open up so well in the chorus with a massive sound, and the synth-pop elements work so well with the rest of the track – a fantastic tune! 🎶

you can find their music on all streaming services, including Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/artist/4RAFwMUN6w4OdxCtjr2BHT – well worth listening to all their tunes! 👊

all of our features, reviews, music and more can be found on our website at www.breadrecords.co.uk 🍞

Just The Crust 19/02/24: Getner – White Walls 💥

19th Feb 202419th Feb 2024artist, bread, just the crust, local scene, new music, review, Uncategorized, videoLeave a Comment

our feature for today’s Just The Crust is the brand new single from Getner “White Walls“! 🎶

having been a strong presence on the Manchester scene for a while now, with shows at Manchester Academy, Rose & Monkey and more – they’ve established themselves as a force to be reckoned with, and their debut single only proves this even further. 👊

with high-octane, energetic ferocity throughout the whole track, and lead singer Quentin commanding the space with his powerful yet dynamic, intimate at times, vocals – lending the listener to hang onto his every word. there’s a real influence of blues in their music, but matched with no-nonsense rock and roll, they’ve truly created something that is unique yet so familiar and enticing to anyone who listens to their music. well worth a listen! 🎧

the single is available to stream on all platforms, including Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/artist/531TXpl8FdE0GP7AGZBG0N – give it a listen and see what you think for yourself! 🙌

all of our features, reviews, music and more can be found on our website at www.breadrecords.co.uk 🍞

ICYMI, our latest edition of The Wrap ✨

15th Feb 2024artist, bread, local scene, new music, review, The WrapLeave a Comment

in case you missed it, our latest The Wrap for January 2024 was brilliant! out last week!

with so many incredible releases from the talents of Sietch Pizza Crunch Isaac Neilson Kerry Feeney Black Brunswicker Lydia Prettyman BAYBOARDS and We Three Kings – it’s well worth checking out.

you can find the reviews in full on our website at https://breadrecords.co.uk/2024/02/08/the-wrap-january-2024/ – give it a read and let us know what you think!

The Wrap: January 2024 ✨

Just The Crust 12/02/24: Grey Mare – Kevin 🥪

12th Feb 202412th Feb 2024artist, 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 Grey Mare, “Kevin“! 🥪

this is the second offering from the Manchester-based alternative rock outfit, after performing across the city and the release of their debut single, which garnered a great response from indie/shoegaze fans around – well worth checking out. 🙌

this new tune sounds great, with a real shoegaze and ambient element behind it – a gorgeous atmosphere behind the track. opening up with an infectious guitar melody, and hard-hitting drumwork, it sets a lovely foundation for the track; giving plenty of space for lead singer Nathan to control the track with apt lyricism, and strong vocal melodies. the lead guitar perfectly compliments the rest of the track, coming in so softly with expertly-crafted riffs. it’s a fantastic tune! ☀️

you can find the track in full on all streaming platforms, including Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/artist/4V8tr8jnCMOvR4edJ3vpH1 – give it a spin! 💿

all of our features, reviews, music and more are available to discover on our website at www.breadrecords.co.uk 🍞

The Wrap: January 2024 ✨

8th Feb 20248th Feb 2024artist, bread, local scene, new music, review, The Wrap1 Comment

we’ve got our first edition of The Wrap for you all, our first one of 2024 covering some of our favourite releases of January! 🥪 so many incredible tunes out so far this year, and we’ve written up a few reviews of our favourite ones – you can find them all below! ⬇️

Manchester-based alternative rock outfit Sietch have just dropped their second single “I Care So Much“, taken from their brand new EP (out tomorrow)! It’s a fantastic new tune from them, filled with grungey-goodness, driving basslines and hard-hitting drumwork, brought together with powerful vocals from lead singer Miles, whose lyrical capability is not only intimate, but raw and passionate. Their 90’s influence is present throughout, but they’re able to bring it all together to create a unique sound that sets them apart from the rest. We’re huge fans of the breakdowns and breaks in the tracks, that go extra hard – and a truly gorgeous guitar solo at the three minute mark to hit home. (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE)

We’ve covered Pizza Crunch a bunch over the past few years, and they’ve continuously released banger after banger, they return in 2024 with their brand new single “Advertised Enlightenment“! It still has the lo-fi, indie elements that were present throughout their 2022 album “That Serene Age” (a great listen!), yet almost takes a darker, more post-punk-esque, murky feel to it all, monotone vocals throughout, groovy and luscious guitar and bass patterns, and a steady drumwork laying the foundation for the groove of the track. Opening into the chorus, it becomes more dream-like and atmospheric, a lovely contrast to the verses. The track culminates in a dreamy guitar pattern, taking centre stage at the end and marking a true new era of music for the band. (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / BANDCAMP / YOUTUBE)

We’ve had Isaac Neilson perform for us a bunch before, and he astounds with his intense and direct stage presence, commanding the audience’s attention, and all of his releases have been incredible; he’s able to write a gorgeous track and we’ve been stoked to have written up a load of reviews for him. He’s just returned with a brand new single, “Flying“, that opens up with a stark contrast from his earlier releases, being more relaxed and mellow – yet as soon as it hits the chorus, it opens up into a whole new layer of catchiness, power and ferocity. It’s an incredible track, reminiscent of 90’s alternative and rock releases; even though it feels different to the past tunes, there’s still Isaac’s lyrical capabilities, his infectious motivation, and effortless talent present throughout the entire single. We can’t wait to hear more! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE)

Another familiar face for us here on The Wrap, Warrington-based Kerry Feeney just put out her new single “Good Girl Guilt“! We love her previous singles, with heavier rock leanings, guitar arpeggios, riffs and power chords throughout, as she commands control of the track; and this new single is no different, albeit taking a much more synth-pop vibe, with a gorgeous lead melody opening up the track, yet to only drop away to a simple yet effective acoustic guitar accompanying Kerry’s vocal. The build on the verse is extra special, production is on point here, especially complimenting her vocal capabilities, she’s still commanding the track yet it feels more effortless. There’s so much space in the song, with all of the elements working in perfect unison to create something really special. We love the anthemic nature of it, the intimacy and dynamics, and it’s another incredible tune under her belt. (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE)

We had Black Brunswicker perform for us last October for our headline with Anyone’s Ghost at Lock 91, and we’re always in awe of their ability to create gorgeous soundscapes, utilising every element at their disposal, what a talent. They’ve returned with their brand new single “The Frolic“, a luscious tune that only furthers how in awe we are of their music. The guitarwork throughout is spectacular, with some incredible melodies shining through, and backed with a plethora of effects that create the perfect backdrop; there’s an incredible glitchy-style element to it that really caught our eye. As the track flows, it becomes more intimate yet so much more intricate, and we love how slowly yet effortlessly the build is, pacing along but introducing new elements, for it to come to a calm and steady end. A lovely listen, well worth checking out! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / BANDCAMP / YOUTUBE)

We’ve been huge fans of Lydia Prettyman since she burst onto the Manchester music scene around a year or so ago, with her personal and conversationalist lyricism, her carefully picked chord progressions, and lovely vocal melodies present in her songs. She’s kicked off 2024 with her brand new single “Craft“, and you can see she really means business with this tune. First of all, the production is perfect – it compliments her style and songwriting so well, putting the focus on her lyricism; and it opens with luscious guitarwork, her vocal effortlessly taking centre-stage, drawing you in to hang onto every word. The vocal melodies throughout are incredible, placed at just the right moments, and with a soft and calming rhythm behind her, it feels as you can’t even the bass and drums were there, until the first chorus where they come in with a real force, but still maintaining the intricate nature of the track – an absolutely incredible song and we can not wait to hear more. (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE)

Manchester-based indie-rockers Bayboards have had an incredible few years already, having sold out venues across Manchester and even their debut UK tour, proving that they are easily ones to watch for the future. They’ve started 2024 with their new single “Hannah“, a punky and hard-hitting tune, with such an infectious energy behind it, and a real sense of ferocity throughout the entire three minutes. The track comes in right from the get-go with a steady and powerful drum pattern, with a luscious bassline over the top – and the main vocal comes in and takes command of the entire track with a real sense of urgency and intensity. The chorus is a real anthemic one, perfect for a live singalong with audiences; and with a gorgeous production standpoint alongside the power of the raw track, this has proved that they’re back with a real motivation to go far in 2024. (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / YOUTUBE)

We’ve covered Manchester-based punk-outfit We Three Kings a bunch over the past few years, having put out a steady flow of fantastic and energetic releases. Off the back of the success of their previous single last year, they return with the new track “Gold Digger“! The track is three minutes of pure intensity, power and ferocity – kicking off with a real raw guitar riff, and as the vocal comes in it you can tell it’s just a sense of tension until the 25-second mark when the track opens up massively with a real outburst of drums and basslines, with a real driving groove throughout, commanding vocals, a gorgeous guitar riff flowing throughout the entire track, singalong gang vocals – it’s a real banger. We can’t wait to see what the year has in store for them! (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC / BANDCAMP / YOUTUBE)

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 05/02/24: Mort Jardin – Fragile (EP) 💥

5th Feb 20245th Feb 2024artist, bread, just the crust, local scene, new music, review, videoLeave a Comment

our feature for today’s Just The Crust is the brand new EP from Mort Jardin “Fragile“!

we’ve covered their music a bunch in the past, having released a bunch of incredible albums and EPs over the course of the past few years, laced with grungy goodness and melodic guitar riffs throughout – lovely stuff!

this new EP only continues that trend, coming in at just over 12 minutes in total it’s full of bangers. there’s a more intimate and indie-rock feel throughout, especially on the first track, and with a more electronic and synthy feel throughout, it’s a less heavy release compared to their earlier work, but it’s still got the familiar melodic guitarwork and driving groove that we’ve come to see from Mort Jardin.

you can find the EP in its entirety on all streaming platforms, including Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/album/0swOpcXNQnZwxVrMybXln9 – well worth checking out!

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