Edge of Arcady

The Others – When In Doubt

We’ll level with you from the start, for any fans jumping back in from the mid-2000s. The Others’ new album ‘When In Doubt’ is not, and we will repeat it again for those at the back, down the front, or situated elsewhere, who are still, quite fairly we may add, wrapped up in ‘Stan Bowles’ and ‘This Is For The Poor’, ‘When In Doubt’ is not a punk record. Post-punk, one hundred percent yes, but the band’s sixth studio album contains much more keys, brass and varied stylistic modes than the simplistic straitjacket of punk would allow.

Those who have kept an eye on the London centric seven-piece’s revitalization during the 2020s will know this outward-looking form is nothing new, the previous two albums ‘Look At You All Now’ and ‘Difficulties Understanding’ seeing the group embrace genres and influences their original incarnation would have to eschew, but what looks to be the final instalment of this trilogy of releases, finds The Others utterly comfortable in their new skin and exploring blindsidingly unexpected terrain.

A potent statement of intent and one of the most overtly commercial efforts The Others have put their name to, ‘Chattering Classes’ even borders gloriously on britpop with brass and Hammond organ. ‘Met You In A Bar’, the band’s first official single in 14 years, veers near to The Others of old, hurtling through a tale of, well, a meeting in a bar, frantic keyboard refrain taking us through the cruel ups and downs of the unfolding relationship. ‘The Battle of Menotomy’ uses the name of a major battle from the American Revolutionary War but transposes the conflict on top of a long weekend in London with drink and drugs flowing and the heaviest of guitars, vocalist Dominic Masters audibly enraged by the monotony, or is it menotomy? Leading to the almost crooning ‘Don’t Have To Be Alone’, where the singer offers an unnamed other over to see off an eight-year-old bottle of whiskey, guitars rather Johnny Marr and Masters’ morphs into The National’s Matt Berninger for a short while. ‘Stagger To Your Feet’ is an unsettling, growling monster, continuing the alcoholic bluster and ominousness.

‘No Holding Back’ is a widescreen, brooding hymn to unrestrained communication. We will eat our earlier words slightly with regard to the punk thing, as ‘Never Thought It Would Be Difficult’ does manipulate a sped up version of The Stranglers’ ‘Golden Brown’ harpsichord to consider situational dissatisfaction: “It’s not what I want/But what can I do,” and ‘I Don’t Mind’ uses soaring synths, guitars that edge towards classic rock and Masters’ revisiting his velvety croon in a way that courts Phil Spector’s Ramones makeover.

The final four songs actually work as a brooding and intimate suite of their own, as ‘More Than Enough For Me’ wields a rumbling Peter Hook bassline, lines hesitantly declaring “Everything is catching up with me/ I’m not half the person I used to be/ I don’t know if you wanna be/ But you’re more than enough for me”. Light-hearted keyboard sirens are contrasted by overcast and intense verses, asking “Are you all that you wanted to be?/ Who is judging you and judging me?/ Are you all that you dared to be?” on ‘Wanted To Be’. ‘Who I Was’ fosters Tears For Fears synths alongside buzzsaw guitar, admitting “I don’t mind all the hurt that I caused who I was”, ending the album, and potentially this phase in The Others’ history, with the dreamy piano and organ lead confessional closer ‘All The Things You Said’.

‘When In Doubt’ leaves the way wide open for future releases from The Others, a majorly confident album traversing disparate genres but remaining euphonically coherent without losing itself in the experimentalism. An LP showing no sign of uncertainty, just unrelenting melodies and brilliantly multifaceted instrumentation. So, when in doubt, why not go ahead and put out one of the most accomplished records of your career?

The Others - 100 Club, London, 22/05/2025 — The Others live at the 100 Club, London, 22/05/2025. Credit: Rhian Cox

The Others’ sixth studio album ‘When In Doubt’ is scheduled for release on 20th February 2026, when it will be available on all streaming platforms.

Then, lucky Londoners will be able to catch a 20th anniversary gig for the group’s second album, ‘Inward Parts’ on Friday 20th March at The Grace, Islington, a show that will see them play the entirety of their sophmore record alongside choices from the very fine ‘Look At You All Now’ and ‘Difficulties Understanding’. Tickets are still available, so grab one here before they go: ‘Inwards Part’ gig ticket link.

You’ll have to wait a few weeks yet to listen to the record but digital single ‘Met You At A Bar’ is out in the wild on Soundcloud right now. Take a listen below:

The Others – 100 Club 20th Anniversary Show

The Others - 100 Club - Paul Golder — Photo: Paul Golder via facebook

The Others – 100 Club, London – 22nd March 2025 – live review

This weekend, Oxford Street’s 100 Club plays host to two returning legendary acts, the venue welcoming to its stage the Sex Pistols with Frank Carter the night before, to much controversy, noise and media interest. Tonight’s show is less controversial, the full band intact (ok – there’s a new drummer, hardly the same as sacking off Johnny Rotten), but the noise levels remain right up there.

The Others - 100 Club 20th Anniversary Show — Dominic Masters and Jimmy Lager
Photo: Paul Golder via facebook

To mark its 20^th anniversary, London’s The Others are performing their debut album in its entirety from start to finish, throwing in a whole second set of tracks from their most recent couple of records and a couple unreleased choices as well to boot.

For the purposes of performing the tracks that got them a major record deal and an NME cover, the band take to the stage in their original 4-piece form: Jimmy Lager, Johnny Others, Dominic Masters and drummer Joseph Gardiner Lowe, the bassist and guitarist playing stoically throughout as Masters prowls the stage, singing directly to their gathered 853 Squadron of old. The tracks may not have the same frenzy of youth that they encouraged a couple of decades ago, but if anything, the distance from the hype and industry buzz reveal the songs as genuinely solid and inspiring.

When playing a set revisiting a past album, some bands take the opportunity to tinker with the running order, but The Others’ debut is mostly recited from start to end. Where ‘Lackey’ was once recited by venues of kids desperate to avoid a nine to five grind, the room tonight is chanting they maybe want out of the job they’re in or want to keep hold of the worthwhile employment they’ve found. On ‘William’, the band’s frontman searches the audience for a Somerset childhood friend, the record’s subject, who may be in attendance and subsequently finds him. ‘Psychovision’ gets the venue surging with post-punk ferocity but ‘Darren Daniel Dave’ takes a sombre turn due its stinging subject matter of lost friends, with Dominic declaring that the song had only been played live three times.

With a small deviation from the LP’s track order, ‘This Is For The Poor’ tops off the first set, rooting for the underdog and beckoning the first full scale stage invasion of the night.

An extremely short interval clears the stage, sadly thinning the crowd out also, and then the full, seven strong, band return, launching into a lineup of new songs from their past two albums – ‘Look At You All Now’ and ‘Difficulties Understanding’ – as well as some choice selections yet to be recorded. ‘Chattering Classes’, ‘Never Thought It Would Be This Difficult’ and ‘Stagger To Your Feet’ show there’s a heft of new material in the band who have been prolifically recording for the past 3 years. When they’re at their peak with songs like ‘Disdain’, ‘Rights’, and the magnificent ‘Nightmare’, it’s evident the current line up is the strongest the group have ever sounded, the expanded membership boosting the original four piece’s sound and songwriting skill.

As the closing twangs of ‘Country Song’ play out, although tonight’s show is very much a celebration of the heights The Others reached at the start of the millenium, it’s also a reminder to anyone whose attention may have lapsed over the past few years that their most potent songs are the ones they’re writing right now.

The Others - 100 Club 20th Anniversary gig — Photo: Paul Golder via facebook

The Others played at London’s 100 Club on 22nd March 2025 as a 20th anniversary celebration of their self-titled debut record. Their entire back catalogue of 5 LPs was released on Spotify last year so you can hear it now if you want. If you missed them when they were released then Edge Of Arcady recommend you check out 2023’s ‘Look At You All Now’ and ‘Difficulties Understanding’, released earlier this year. You can also buy the band’s most recent 3 albums on Bandcamp.

You should go ahead and listen to 2005’s ‘The Others’ below:

00s Flashbacks – The Playlist

This is the soundtrack to swinging your jaw off in Frog after someone blagged you and 10 others in on their +1 guestlist place. This is the soundtrack to pogoing beside one of The Horrors in Death Disco at a Cribs gig. This is the soundtrack to ending up at an Others afterparty where Pete Shelley plays guitar until 5am. This is the soundtrack to getting kicked out of The Duke of Clarance after a Babyshambles gig and police bust. This is the soundtrack to buying NME and seeing if your face got in Andrew Kendall’s guerilla gig pic. This is the soundtrack to trekking the Northern Line all the way down to the Brixton Windmill for one of the greatest nights of your life.

Everyone knows about The Strokes and The Libertines, but if you don’t know about Metro Riots, Cazals, Special Needs and Chineapples then you categorically weren’t there, there being London in the early 2000s. Never fear, we’ve made this playlist so you too can find out what was going on before indie sleaze and new rave took over the Camden Barfly.

Over the next few months, Edge of Arcady will revisit records by all of these 2000s acts and maybe more. Because no one talks about them enough and it pisses us off.

Take a listen to our Flashbacks playlist below. If we’ve missed out someone essential then drop us a message:

Black Foxxes – The Haar

Written by: Laura Day

Black Foxxes are back with their brand new album, The Haar. After a long wait, a Kickstarter, and a secure distribution deal, fans remained loyal in anticipation – and our patience has been rewarded.

The album is a fearless journey into the depths of human experience. The Haar goes further than their previous albums, staring grief and sorrow in the face and demanding to make sense of it. We start with the heart-wrenchingly raw ‘I Can’t Be Left Alone With It’, laying bare the inner battle between the soul and the human psyche. An incredibly bold choice to begin our journey, and prepares us without apology.

As with the rest of the tracks, the lyrics are refreshingly simple, intentional, and to the point. They lack the pretentiousness that usually comes with trying to explain deeper emotions. Instead, the talented four Foxxes turn to the universal language of melody to communicate things we can only feel and that words struggle to convey.

Next, we’re thrust into the unnerving ‘Ha Ha Ha’, one of the heavier tracks and the only one of its kind. It’s a brash reminder of their rock and roll roots, coupled with the raw fear of becoming the person you don’t want to be. ‘Ha Ha Ha’ might be a crowd-rouser, but it doesn’t compromise on the vulnerability that Black Foxxes courageously weave throughout each song.

From there, we go deeper into the crevasse of the human condition. Just as Jacob wrestled in the desert with an angel, demanding to be blessed, so Black Foxxes wrestle with the inner critic we’re familiar with. ‘Carsaig’ is another example of this, as well as a beautiful echo of the Scottish Isles where it was conceived. You can almost feel the cold wind biting at your cheeks and the rugged land beneath your feet.

There are gentle nudges of inspiration, some songs having undertones of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Pixies, and Radiohead. Nevertheless, Black Foxxes lay claim to their own sound, weaving melodies that agonise and overthink, reminding us we’re all the same.

‘Darker Than Light’ is another stand-out track, beginning with a monotonous metronome sound that later builds to Irvine’s exceptional saxophone drifting through the layers of drums and guitar.

Finally, after this unflinching journey into ourselves, we find resolution in the bittersweet sigh of ‘In The Image of Perfection’. Somehow, the gentle piano keys tell us everything will be OK and carry our hearts somewhere safe to rest. Our final reminder that we’re all in this together is echoed in the lyrics “all our imperfections into one.”

Just over halfway through this final track, the strings enter and build, sounding like the sun breaking through heavy rain, and it’s up to us to decide if this is a sign of hope or cruelty…

The additional ad-lib recording of the boys’ laughter, whilst emerging from water, brings us back to earth gently and forces us to smile. Hope reigns after all.

‘The Haar’ was released on 7th March 2025, recorded and self-released by the band after a successful Kickstarter campaign. You can purchase a vinyl copy and various clothing bundles over on their site.

If you just wanna go ahead and listen now, you can find the Spotify link below:

Dustin’s Bar Mitzvah – Get Your Mood On

An Edge of Arcady flashback – album originally released April 12th 2006.

Although many bands sauntered about with a sneer or aggressive ambiance in the early 00s, it’s safe to say most would have legged it at the merest whiff of actual fisticuffs. Dustins Bar Mitzvah, under the innocuous guise of four floppy-haired indie-looking types decked out in t-shirts and parkas, bucked the fight-averse trend with plentiful stories about London of members giving lippy onlookers a smack on the nose or two mid-gig.

Rather perfectly, their debut album ‘Get Your Mood On’ took that looming air of threat and backed it up with an exhilarating mix of ballsy takes on politics, religion, and ex-girlfriends, scored by Ramones/Clash brashness, even roping in bone-fide post-punk Television Personalities cult hero Dan Treacy to open the record for them with ‘Artrocker’, reciting a hilariously disparaging gig review, presumably from the now-defunct music publication which shared the same name, that declares the group boasts “songs that dispute the ideas of melody, composition, and rhythm and replace them with garbled yelping.” We’ll presume the reviewer was suffering with some kind of sickness from the night of the gig until the day they put their fingers to the keyboard.

Swiftly discarding the hate behind them, the first song proper just so happens to be one of the most enduring songs of their scene. ‘To the Ramones’ has insistent, sprightly punk guitars, clattering drums, and a hearty melody, as frontman Dave Lazer recalls finding sweet solace in the New York rockers after the soggy end of a relationship.

The unrelenting speed of the tracks and the singer’s cockney yelps could have seen Dustin’s Bar Mitzvah straying into Oi! territory but moments like the halfway point of ‘Saw Right Through You’ where they momentarily sound like Weezer ensure there’s a sight more to them than that. Even the sweary title track, with jeering rabble and little more than three chords, keeps close enough to the side of jovial empathy, using a mockingly gentrified accent to console “your girlfriend’s left, you’ve lost your job, your cats just died and so’s your dog” before descending into its frenetic moshpit of a chorus.

‘Young Pretender’ ensures DBM’s mid-2000s politics are stitched overtly on their sleeves as they absolutely rinse the brilliant piss out of proto-Nigel Farage, right-wing British National Party leader Nick Griffin by mocking his short stature and astutely pointing out “he’s not a proper politician”. ‘Catholic Boys’ is relatable to anyone who was ever preached at by priests or pastors as a kid, cantillating “cos all they teach you in physics ain’t the same as R.E., you really just don’t know what to believe, you know the chaplain scared the shit right out of me”.

The brilliant ‘Goldhawk Road’ takes striding, jabbing guitars, thumping drums and sees the band sticking their head out of the window of their Shepherds Bush flat, noting of their bonkers neighbours that there’s “some who are good, some who are bad, some who are angry, some who are sad, some of them are mates but most of them are mad, it intrigues me”.

Leading us neatly to the raucous splendor of closer ‘Purgatory Girls’, featuring fast riffs, bouncing bass, and Lazer’s vocals morphing into those of Television’s Tom Verlaine as he cautioningly observes “You never know if you’re crossing the line and committing a crime.” And there ends of one of the most underrated albums of the mid-2000s: spitting out angst, politics, and anti-religious disdain whilst not being shy of squaring up for a scrap if you have an undeserving pop at them online (ok, guess I’m maybe the only one that last bit applies to).

Before we go, the version of ‘Get Your Mood On’ on the streaming platforms also includes the ‘Dial M for Mitzvah’ Japanese LP, so it’s worth giving mega quality early singles ‘Lucy’ and ‘Jimmy White’ a spin and all.

‘Get Your Mood On’ was released a whopping 19 years ago, in 2006. If you want to get your hands on it on vinyl, you can buy it over on the band’s online shop, along with the ‘Dial M for Mitzvah’ Japanese release.

Also, whilst you’re in a spendthrift mode, DBM frontman Dave Lazer has a thriving line of t-shirts – Dustin’s Bar Mitzvah and a load of other music and sundry selections, that you can browse and purchase at his site.

But for the time being, you can always listen to the record on Spotify, below:

https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/2RttropWgozBqRQwvjqlq4?utm_source=generator

The Others – Difficulties Understanding

Since the dawn of time, bands have crowed from the safe towers of record label insulated financial stability that everything they do is for the fans, that they would keep making their music for the passion, no matter what. But when the chequebooks get put away the tune tends to change, TikTok videos get made, records get released in a plethora of formats, solo tours happen, ethics get watered down until the ever-inevitable eventual silence.

Johnny Others, Steve McCready, Joseph Gardiner-Lowe & Eddie Darko at Brixton Hill Studios recording ‘Difficulties Understanding’ in February 2024
Photos credited to The Others

How many bands can you say have done things the other way around? Well, we’ll tell you one right now: The Others. As the high-profile hype has hushed, The Others sound has kept growing stronger, their records getting, frankly, better and better.

Fifth album ‘Difficulties Understanding’ came out to limited fanfare, just a post on frontman Dominic Masters’ own Facebook page, bearing the album’s stark sleeve showing all 7 band members positioned in a London backstreet (not unlike the Ramones’ self-titled sleeve), and some Whatsapp messages direct to the band’s ever-fervant 853 Kamikaze Stagediving Division devotees, but in sharp conflict with the low key nature of the launch, it turns out the record is quite solidly their strongest yet.

Dominic Masters in the control room
Photos credited to The Others

Last album ‘Look At You All Now’ threatened to show the extent of what the newly expanded lineup was capable of, well-bolstered in number since their 4-piece days of yore, and their latest has every single one of the members at the top of their game, Masters’ vocals at their demonically self-assured best fronting the most rabid and diverse compositions The Others have put their moniker on.

Joseph Gardiner-Lowe in the live room
Photos credited to The Others

Overwhelmingly, ‘Difficulties Understanding’ is a seriously hard and dark LP, a brutal mass of post-punk blues. From the get-go, ‘Everything You Say’ is four minutes of pissed-off, sustained power, followed up by ‘What Is Right For You’, a bass-lead, rumbling seven-minute slinky epic, full of scorching guitar and lilting keyboard loops, lead by what could be described as the singer duetting with himself, starting at his lowest baritone, then flipping to natural anger whilst musing on personal choice.

Johnny Others and Steve McCready in the live room
Photos credited to The Others

‘For The Living’ coldly and sardonically chuckles “What you choose, I don’t want/ What you chase, I don’t need” before ‘Nightmare’ speeds in, all fast drums and face-to-face with honest despair: “It’s another nightmare, I wake up and killed someone/ It’s another nightmare, I wake up and I’m 60 years old/ It’s another nightmare, I wake up and got no mum and dad/ It’s another nightmare, I wake up and feeling sad”.

Eddie Darko in the control room
Photos credited to The Others

‘Country Song’ brilliantly sounds as if it could fall apart at any moment, an unhinged Pogues-type melody with ragtime piano, disjointed fuzzy guitar swipes, stitched together with frustrated rage declaiming “I need to escape from your fucking gaze”. ‘Right To Negotiate’ takes an 11-minute experimental keyboard scape and peppers it with guitar chimes, ponderous bass, and unfaltering drums as Masters mysteriously states “I write you this song/ cos it’s hard to negotiate with you”.

Jimmy Lager in the live room
Photos credited to The Others

So all really fucking dark stuff then? Well not quite, as amongst the bleakness there are two glints of the lightest songs The Others have ever come up with. ‘Happy Song’ is the essence of contentment, surf guitars, and a light melody soundtrack blissed out lyrics savoring time away from the grind: “These times are special and I value your time/ Don’t want it to end and go back to toeing the line/ These times are good and these times are happy/ Sun in the sky and the drink’s on the table”. And ‘Brick Lane’ is unashamed, victorious nostalgia, a love song to the birthplace of the group’s fabled beginnings as well as London’s number one bagel shop.

In a world where Idles and Fontaines D.C. are kings with socially aware snipes and doom-laden new-shoegaze, The Others have come back at their angriest, full of fight with a toweringly fierce record, fitting better with their new 2025 contemporaries than their original East London urchin-pack. Whilst the headlines and money-men may have gone (for the time being anyhow), they’re letting the music do the shouting, and the music’s got a fuckload of seething messages to get across – there’s no difficulty in understanding that.

Joseph Gardiner-Lowe and Stef in the control room
Photos credited to The Others

The Others’ fifth studio album ‘Difficulties Understanding’ was produced by Nick Howiantz and Brixton Hill Studios. It was surprise released in its glorious entirety on 9th February 2025 and is available to stream via Bandcamp, where you can name your price. It’s also up on Spotify and Youtube.

And while you’re about it, it’s been 20 whole years since The Others released their self-titled debut album, packing singles This Is For The Poor, Stan Bowles and Lackey. To mark the big occasion, the group is playing a one-off show at London’s 100 Club on 22nd March 2025. Tickets are available now, but we hear they’re selling fast so buy now to avoid excruciating heartache and disappointment. We’ll be there. Come say hi.

You can have a listen to ‘Difficulties Understanding’ on Bandcamp below:

The Mardous – Tonic and Gin

If you ever woke up fuzzy headed in Bethnal Green after a weekday night spent staggering between various East End bars circa-2005, you may already be fondly familiar with Francophile noisesmiths The Mardous. A smidgen more artrock than the urchin-rock of their mid-noughties kin, after putting out ace single ‘Revolution Over The Phone’ on Alan McGee’s Poptones label at the height of pre-indiesleaze Strokes/Libertines mania and featuring in a slew of high-end fashion mags, the sometime foursome, sometime trio called it a day before the extent of their scintillating trove saw the light of day.

Thank all of the Gods bashing their drums in the Valhalla of Rock, then, for the current 2000s renaissance, as after nearly twenty years we’re eventually getting to hear what else The Mardous put down on wax. With a full album coming down the line, our first treat is new single ‘Tonic and Gin’: a roaring, spirit and mixer inspired title that takes a steely bassline and yoyoing rhythm, using the pairing to tell of a lovelorn tippling alliance bowling down the Champs-Elysees, belting out a riotous chorus of “la la la la la la la la”.

Flipside ‘Like a Robot’ is a naively fragile anthem that frontman Ross Stewart ensures stays powerfully reigned in, eventually evaporating instead of being allowed to float off into Coldplay realms of lofty tunefulness. Although highly tipped by many, many fuzzy heads two decades ago, the time feels ripe now for The Mardous to reap the more clear-headed but equally enthused appreciation in 2025 they’ve always deserved.

The Mardous - live — Photo: provided by band

The Mardous are Ross Stewart – vocals and bass, Benny Duff – guitar and Stevie Durkin – drums. ‘Tonic and Gin’ was recorded in December 2005 at Resident Studios, Willesden Green, London. If you were quick enough off the mark to get tickets for The Paddingtons sold out gig at The Adelphi, Hull, in April then you’ll be able to catch the lads for their first reformed live gig. Otherwise, strap yourselves in for more single releases, shows and a long-awaited album in the pipeline.

In the meantime, you can get your lugs around the single below:

Local Authority – Big Time Dreamer EP

PREVIEW: Glaswegians Local Authority ooze punk spirit, from their lo-fi sound to their Instagram manifesto of: ‘We will gig any time. Any day’, but at the same time we wouldn’t dare call their ‘Big Time Dreamer’ EP a punk record. The West Scottish three piece hold the DIY ethos close to their hearts but the melodies busting out of their latest release are more mod-rock or merseybeat inspired than indebted to the seventies leather-clad army of spitsters.

Title song ‘Big Time Dreamer’ is a roaring, full throated anthem, replete with harmonica and the humbly aspiring chorus “I’m a small town dealer, a big time dreamer”. ‘Figure It Out’ is the nastiest track of the collection, two minutes of downcast anger, with the final tracks ‘In Vision’ and ‘Broken & Blind’ nabbing the finest parts of The Kinks and The Beatles, smearing them with bits of ska and blues. If Babyshambles ever tried to write a La’s record, we reckon it could sound something like this.

If you want to catch Local Authority live, fresh from supporting The Libertines at Glasgow’s Oran Mar, you can at the following dates:

Saturday 1st June – EP Launch show – HMV, Ayr
Saturday 8th June – Hazy Sundays EP Launch – Nice’n’Sleazys, Glasgow
Sunday 30th June – The Recovery Collective Presents – Alcohol-Free Festival
Friday 9th + Saturday 10th August – Doon The Watter Revival Festival

The ‘Big Time Dreamer EP’ was recorded at Glasgow’s Fuzzface Studio. It isn’t out yet, so you’ll need to check back on Friday 31st May to have a listen for yourself and we’ll update the site with a link when it’s released. For the time being you can listen to their 2023 ‘The Time Is Now’ single on the Spotify link below:

Cambrensis launch gig -Stone Deaf, Interum, New Found Freedom – The Moon, Cardiff – 11th May 2024

Cambrensis men’s apparel brand from South Wales are in the process of putting out their latest line in defiant fashion and what better way to mark the occasion than gathering together some of the region’s best under-the-radar rock’n’roll talent for a sweaty night of festivity at Cardiff’s Moon club?

We admit to not catching the first two acts to perform, Swansea’s Motel Thieves and Airflo’s frontman Cam Artigan due to our Saturday tardiness, but when we do finally make it to the venue we’re greeted by the gritty snarl of local newcomers New Found Freedom. Having only formed in February of this year the group are clearly in their infancy, but their output is sheer 70s punk rock shot through with acrid melody, their leather jacketed, drainpipe jeaned frontman, looking not unsimilar to The Cribs’ Ryan Jarman, growling his way through a set of speedy and snotty original numbers interspersed with covers of The Stooges’ ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’s and The Ramones’ ‘Chinese Rock’.

The next band we get to see are grungey Cardiff four-piece Intërum. It turns out there is a strong contingent of the band’s fans in the crowd but frontman Jayden Davies still seems ecstatically overwhelmed with the feedback each of their metal-infused, riff-laden tunes garners. Davies and bassist Amelia Wallace pull off some awesome back-to-back guitar poses of the type not seem since Tim Wheeler and Charlotte Hatherley of Ash performed Weezer’s ‘Only In Dreams’ in the early 00’s (there’s gotta be footage on Youtube of it somewhere). Continuing the night’s custom of banging covers the group put together a satisfyingly heavy version of ‘Just’ by Radiohead and bring out their latest explosive single ‘Battery’ along with a blisteringly fierce song they announce as their newest track ‘Bucket List’.

Headliners Swansea’s Stone Deaf ensure their mic stand is clearly adorned with the Welsh flag before the whole group take to the stage, delivering a set of solid and cold rock tracks drenched in hefty distortion. Only two singles into their career, frontman Mike Pole is somewhat vocally critical of their releases so far, admitting this may be due to his alcohol intake, but acknowledges the nearly 45,000 streams their latest release ‘What Good Is Sorry?’ has gained before ploughing into a loud, caustic and excellent rendition of their most well received song to date. Their finely selected covers are Arctic Monkeys’ ‘Crying Lightning’ and The Strokes’ ‘Reptilia’, the latter tacked onto the end of their set after asking their audience whether they want an original or a sing-a-long, the two tracks appearing to signpost the lofty path the Swansea trio hope to tread along themselves. Although they may not agree, the set is a reluctant triumph, signalling an incredibly likely future for the band.

Head over to the Cambrensis site to find out more about the label, now.

You can find tracks from Motel Thieves, Airflo, Intërum and Stone Deaf on all the usual streaming platforms right now. We hope to hear some New Found Freedom on the them soon too. We’ve stuck a track we’re into from each below:

Pink Cloud – Flourish

Pink Cloud’s second single and latest blissed-up banger ‘Flourish’ teleports us right back to the early 1990s baggy scene while managing to stay very current, the clear influence of Turnstile’s heavy half-shout, half-singing vocals over euphoric and rocky rhythms, Mike Skinner inspired rap over lilting New Order guitars and an intense drum machine beat.

Multi-instrumental solo artist Jake Poll puts together words about savouring time alone after a drawn-out breakup with an uplifting composition full of dreamy keyboards, mesmerising bassline and abrasive guitars, blending well the northern sounds of his Sheffield home with his adopted South London residence.

‘Flourish’ was released on 3rd May 2024 and you can find it on all streaming services now. We’ve put the Spotify link for you below.

But if you’re hungry for more Pink Cloud you can also check out the video for his previous single ‘Cut & Run’. Definitely worth a viewing: