Reading Festival: the review

The past two weeks have been pretty hectic for me. I spent a week working at Kerrang! magazine and then after a short two day rest I was off to Reading Festival, so it's all been a bit quiet on the blog front. Whilst we wait for a new week to start and for these posts to get back to normal, I thought I'd get myself through my festival blues and awful cold (chilliest August bank holiday ever spent in a tent) by giving you guys a mini review of this year's Reading Festival.

Who did I see?
Friday: Hacktivist, Red Fang, We Were Evergreen, Crossfaith, La Dispute, Drenge, Mallory Knox, Twin
Atlantic, Enter Shikari, Vampire Weekend, Jamie T, Paramore, Queens of the Stone Age
Saturday: Gnarwolves, Pulled Apart By Horses, Royal Blood, Lower Than Atlantis, Cage The Elephant, Don Broco, We Came As Romans, While She Sleeps, Issues, Architects, Of Mice & Men
Sunday: The Story So Far, Bad Rabbits, Saint Raymond, Baby Godzilla, Neck Deep, Sleeping With Sirens, A Day To Remember, You Me At Six, letlive., Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Blink 182

Seeing as my list is rather extensive, I'll let you know about my favourite bands of the weekend. Issues were outstanding. Their first time at Reading and Leeds festivals and the crowd was so much bigger than I was expecting. Their whole performance was electric and mosh pits were rife. There was so much energy from everyone there, it was pretty insane and they were the best thing I saw all weekend. letlive. were another band which fans squeezed into The Pit to see and again, they were stunning. letlive. know how to give a good show and they are never ones to let a crowd down. Jason was bouncing about and even climbed the backing rig at one point. He gave heartfelt speeches and even spoke briefly about the issues of Ferguson. In traditional letlive. style, their Reading festival set is one to be remembered for a long time. Twin Atlantic literally blew me away. I was not expecting such a crisp and energetic performance from them and I am still getting over how great they were. They had a strong crowd and an even stronger setlist and for a long time I didn't think anything would top their set for me. Even watching it back on TV has blown me away. I cannot recommend seeing them live enough. Naturally, Blink 182 were a massive highlight of my Reading festival. As pop-punk heroes, they were always going to steal the limelight and their set was exactly what was wanted. Hit after hit, sexual innuendo after sexual joke, Blink did not disappoint. Okay, they're not as beautiful sounding as they once were and it was kind of sad to see Tom Delonge looking a bit worse for wear but no one goes to a Blink show expecting crystal performances identical to the albums. Complete with a Mark Hoppus drum solo, Travis Barker actually speaking and a massive flaming 'fuck' sign, Blink 182 well and truly impregnated everyone in the field and stole the weekend.

Other points of interest over the weekend were the fact I met Valentino Arteaga (drummer for Of Mice & Men) and he was lovely. Hayley Williams and Paramore were absolute stars getting through the sound problems the way they did (the system completely cut out so they sang 'Only Exception' acapella). Jamie T showed up for a surprise set and packed out the Festival Republic tent as though he were a headliner himself. Jeremy McKinnon (vocalist of A Day To Remember) nearly fell off the crowd in his giant inflatable ball after forgetting about the barrier split. And apparently Arctic Monkeys were okay...

It was an insane weekend, my best Reading by far and I just wish Reading 2015 would hurry up!

Royal Blood: the debut album.

Brighton duo Royal Blood have been taking the world by storm ever since they emerged little over a year

ago. Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher are due to release their self-titled debut album next Monday (August 25th) but iTunes have teamed up with them to release an exclusive and limited stream of the highly anticipated album, available to listen to right now!

Ten songs of muscular riffs, heavy fills, mind-numbing reverb and head banging firecrackers, 'Royal Blood' is a powerhouse of an album. Even in it's quieter moments it still grabs you by the throat and gets you all riled up. It's a rarity to find a band that release a debut album as good as this, especially when they are less than two years young. The opening trio of songs are three which have been released as singles but are still as hard hitting on fiftieth play as they are on the first. The same can be said for 'Little Monster' but the stand out tracks on this album are the ones which have been hidden away from the limelight ready for this moment. Track after track oozes rock 'n' roll vigour and will easily soundtrack a thousand fans air guitar and home alone mosh sessions. Maybe I'm biased (they are a former band of the week) but to me, 'Royal Blood' is edge of the seat noise and is the offering of a band full of promise with a future that eclipses that of many well established bands. It's raw, it's relentless and it's ridiculous, what more could you want? This album surely means a full length UK tour too!? Fingers crossed but for now, 'Royal Blood' is getting the repeat treatment.

The debut self-titled album 'Royal Blood' is available to pre-order now and is due for release on August 25th.
Latest single 'Figure It Out' is available now.

Great Divide by Twin Atlantic

"Rock and roll music is a part of me" declares Sam McTrusty in 'It's Not Dead' (available on the Deluxe Edition) and that is evident throughout 'Great Divide'. Three albums in and it feels like Twin Atlantic are

finally becoming the big band they want to be. This album is what you want from a band like Twin Atlantic. It is full of songs that make you want to punch the air or drive down a clear freeway on a sunny day with the top down. It has it's moments where it mellows also and that is where the album lags a bit; it's just that Sam, Barry, Craig and Ross are yet to master the ballads in the same way they have the anthems. In all honesty, the anthems are good enough to make  you forget about the songs which miss the mark leaving you rejoicing at the fact that the Glasgow four piece are back in action.

'Hold On' and 'Actions That Echo' are a reminder of the fact that Twin Atlantic are masters of a catchy chorus, whilst songs like 'I Am An Animal' and 'Cell Mate' are a display of the rock 'n' roll edge this band maintain. There are many songs on the album which are just as good as the aforementioned but equally there are lows including album opener 'The Ones That I Love'. All in all, it is awesome to be hearing the riffs and beautiful Scottish accents which come with a Twin Atlantic album and it is definitely a welcome return for the lads. It'll be exciting to see how this album translate live.

'Great Divide' is available to buy now.
Single 'Brothers and Sisters' is also available to buy now.
You can catch the boys on tour at Reading and Leeds Festivals this weekend and on tour this October/November across the UK.

A week at my favourite place in the world, Kerrang! Magazine

I have spent the past five days at Kerrang! Magazine, one of the greatest places in the world. It's been amazing and surreal working in a place that I now feel plays a role in my future and I have learnt so much. I thought it would be nice for me to document my week, not only for myself but also for anyone else who is looking into doing the same.

Day 1
I was scared, really really scared. As someone who's anxiety is through the roof about pretty much anything that is the unknown, the thought of heading into central London to a building of offices where I would be sat among one of my favourite writing teams in the word, was very daunting. But all that fear and worry was soon squashed. The team are amazingly friendly, I felt like I had been there for ages and I felt like I was learning from them the moment I met them. There was plenty of banter (I got to chat about Biffy Clyro for about an hour) and there were plenty of awesome tunes playing all day.

The first task I was given was to fill out a questionnaire about myself and my music background. It was nice to know I was giving the team information about myself so they could get to know me better and editor, James McMahon even spoke to me about what I had written which I thought was awesome. I then had to complete 3 tasks; first, I had to write 2 album reviews (last album I purchased and my favourite album). I then had to turn a press release into a news feature which I found a bit more challenging as I've never done anything like that before. I then had to imagine I was a freelance journalist pitching a four page feature to the team. Again this was a challenging task but I learnt a lot about what it's like to do this as a profession. Before I left I got to write my Reader's Chart which is awesome because I'm going to be in Kerrang! It's crazy and as far as first days as an intern go, this was the best.

Day 2
My second day was much less daunting. With a key pass to the office in hand, I felt happy to return to the office and spend another day with the Kerrang! team. I spent my day reading the latest issue a day before it's release (which was pretty cool) and looking on social media to see who was announcing what (purely for my own interest). In terms of being an intern, I got to sit in on a team meeting where I got to see the stresses and sheer amount of work that goes into creating a publication in a week. I also started to post the latest issue of Kerrang! to the many freelance writers the magazine uses around the world and I helped one of the team come up with new categories, with their songs, for the random chart in the weeks to come. I heard more music which I loved and engaged in more conversation. It was a shame there wasn't much for me to do today but I hope that tomorrow will offer up opportunities to contribute to the magazine.

Day 3
As much as I had hoped, my third day at Kerrang! did not offer up much more than my second day did. Today, I spent a lot of time working on my own blog (the three posts you might have got to read on Wednesday) which was actually quite nice. I liked writing in that environment rather than my bedroom or the sofa. I felt like a proper journalist and it was nice to feel that way. I also got to contribute to the "Rock Ruck" section in the magazine where I was given a question to argue one side of. I enjoyed doing that and it's exciting to know my answer will be published against a rockstar's opinion! When there was nothing for me to do I was asked to write a review of an album I don't like, something which I found really challenging and took me a lot longer than I thought it would. Hopefully I'll receive some feedback on that, and the pieces I did on Monday, before I leave on Friday. Finally, I spent an hour or so working on a piece for "The Lists" which are published on the Kerrang! website. It might not definitely go up but it was nice to do something like that, as it's a different format to what I'm used to. Like I said, I wasn't really given much to do and although I have had a few thoughts of boredom I just really enjoy being in the office. I got to hear my favourite album of the moment from Issues and the Four Year Strong EP and I even got to hear an exclusive listen of a classic bands new album! It's such a valuable experience just sitting in that office, even if I'm not doing anything directly for the magazine. I love it.

Day 4
Today I realised the toll a 9 to 5 job can have. I physically ache and I fall asleep straight away when my head hits the pillow. It is tiring and I have a whole new respect for actual working adults. Today I finished off my post for "The Lists" whilst listening to Biffy Clyro's album in full. I then finished posting out issues of Kerrang! to the rest of the world which I realised was a kind of crazy task in itself as I was posting issues to While She Sleeps and Ronnie Radke! I've realised that I'm hearing and seeing things that are exclusive and secret and it's a massive privilege to be treated with trust like that. I was also given the long task of going through a bunch of archived issues of K!, going all the way back to 1997, to find Green Day articles to be photocopied for use. It was a long day but it was more enjoyable than yesterday and I'm looking forward to my last day with the team tomorrow.

Day 5
My final day and I did nothing. Well nothing for Kerrang! anyway. I spent my day reading Rock Sound and creating new blog posts for here. Being at Kerrang! has made me think about different things I can talk about on my blog that aren't just reviews so I started working on my "an introduction" series. Before I left the office, two of the team sat with me and went through some of the tasks I had written for them. I received praise and was given some tips on how to improve, especially if I want to write for Kerrang! in the future. One of the team also chatted to me about meeting famous people such as Biffy Clyro and Blink 182 and it was really interesting. It made everything worthwhile and reminded me once again how awesome it has been to be with some of the best rock editors in the country. Before I left I got a round of applause and a sense of sadness. I didn't want to leave, it's been an insane opportunity and I've definitely learnt a lot about the business and what I want for my future. I don't want to leave, I want to stay!

Although I wish I could do this forever, life must return to normal for now and seeing as I'm off to Reading next week, the next few days will hopefully bring you some new posts!

letlive.: an introduction

Seeing as there is little for me talk to you guys about this week (my research has been a little low due to work experience) I thought I'd give you a few sort of, introductory, posts to some of my favourite bands so you can get to know my musical background more!

letlive. (cursives and fullstop always included) are a post-hardcore outlet from Los Angeles and have been creating excessive noise since 2002. They've signed with 3 different record labels over the years and have had two massive albums both of which are superb from start to finish. Fronted by vocalist and madman, Jason Aalon Butler, letlive. remains to be made up of guitarists Jean Mascimento and Jeff Shayoun, bassist Ryan Johnson and drummer Lionel Robinson. As a five piece they have toured all over the world with bands such as Enter Shikari, Architects, Your Demise and Bring Me The Horizon and they are always a favourite on America's Warped Tour. Their sound is big and it's one that punches you straight in the chest and it is awesome. Lyrically they discuss the bigger worldwide issues but equally they describe love and loss in a manner that is so beautiful it could easily bring you to tears. Okay, a lot of you might think I'm mental for saying that a post-hardcore alternative metal rock band could reduce you to tears but it's true, especially when you watch Jason perform. There is passion and heart in this band and it is sincere. They are so sincere that Jason is often known to be the nicest man in rock, dedicating his life to his work, his family, his friends and his fans. letlive. are an illustration that it pays to be nice.


I have been lucky enough to see letlive. live and my god, it's one of, if not the best gig I've ever been to. It was in a small sweaty venue called Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff which is one of those venues without a barrier. It was gnarly, and sweaty and intense but it was so so good. During the last song the crowd got on the stage mobbing the band and Jason ended up on the floor instead and I'd never seen anything like it. I remember getting a hug out of him as he'd just come off stage literally soaked in sweat with microphone in hand, but I've never been so happy to hug someone who was so sweaty! He is a showman and a soldier and a massive admiration of mine. The guys always make an effort to hang about after shows ro meet fans as well and a lot of the fans are grateful for such humbleness and kindness. Jason also has one of the best beards in rock and that should be reason enough alone for you guys to check letlive. out!

Listen to: Renegade '86, Muther, Younger

Enter Shikari: an introduction

Seeing as there is little for me talk to you guys about this week (my research has been a little low due to work experience) I thought I'd give you a few sort of, introductory, posts to some of my favourite bands so you can get to know my musical background more!

In 2003, four lads from St Albans came together with the interest of performing as many genres
in one go as possible. Since then the band have risen to fame as one of the most hard-working hardcore bands in the business. Their music isn't just noise though, it has soul and it has purpose, with many people dubbing them 'political'. Yes, Shikari does have a political edge; they are concerned about the world and peace and equality but they are also about having fun. The music which accompanies their lyrics is full of life and energy and this, as well as the fun, translates live. They are also a band that is always evolving. From their early EPs through to latest album 'A Flash Flood Of Colour', and even to their latest track 'Anaesthetist', the boys have matured and developed their sound, "smashing boundaries" both literally and metaphorically. There is no definitive way to describe the Shikari sound. It is post-hardcore but it is also metalcore. It has elements of dubstep and it has elements of drum and bass. It is noise but it is beautifully created noise that makes perfect sense in the world today.

So who are Enter Shikari? Rou Reynolds takes lead vocals and does the programming for the bands albums and shows. He also has a jaw-achingly funny Vine account which you should check out even if you don't like the music! Chris-Batty C-Batten plays bass whilst Rory Clewlow takes on guitar and both ocassionally provide vocals. Finally is Rob Rolfe, or Lord Rolfe (he bought himself a title for the giggles), provides drums and also the odd vocal. They're all a bit mental and are often found on stage on top of amps, each other and the crowd but they are all excellent at what they do. They're also nice guys who like a good laugh! Although at the core they are discussing serious issues, they don't take themselves too seriously and that it was gives them the glowing reputation they have.

My experiences of Enter Shikari have always been positive. Since I bought their first album, 'Take To The Skies' when I was just 14 years old, I have seen the boys live 5 times, 6 after seeing them make their Reading Festival return next weekend, and it is at those gigs I have had some of the most fun I've ever had. I have been seated, stood at the back, by the mosh pit, on the barrier and queued outside venues for hours to have the Shikari experience and it has always been worthwhile (apart from the last time I saw them where a panic attack during the first song meant I had to watch the show from a balcony. I know right, I'm so cool...) I've seen them break crowdsurfing records and encourage human pyramids and I've had a bottle of their signature beer. I've also met them which was an amazing thing to have been able to do. I queued in the rain at the Reading Festival 2012 signing tent to see them and when I did they were everything I had hoped. I had made a sign for them to sign which had a sexual pun on it (cringe) but they all found it funny and it certainly made the situation memorable. There was an 8 year old kid with his dad behind me in the queue waiting to meet them too and I'll never forget that kids face light up when he saw how close he was to them. What a dude. It just goes to show that Shikari are for everyone, not matter how young or old.

Listen to: Zzzonked, Arguing With Thermometers, Constellations, Radiate

   

Who's Got A Match?

Biffy Clyro have and their ready to set Scotland on fire.

My favourite band on this densely populated Earth, Biffy Clyro, have announced they are to end the second chapter of their career by performing three intimate shows at Barrowlands in Glasgow this December. Queue tears and heartbreak because I'm too poor to travel all the way to Scotland to see what are bound to be three extremely wonderful, and quite probably legendary, shows. The Ayrshire rock heroes will be treating fans to a compilation of 'Blackened Sky' and 'Puzzle' (2002-2007) on December 5th, 'Vertigo of Bliss' and 'Only Revolutions' (2003-2009) on December 6th and 'Infinity Land' and 'Opposites' (2004 and 2013) on December 7th. Each night will involve an album from each half of their nearly 20 year career paired up and will invite fans to chose the setlists including B-sides. It sounds fucking insane. So insane that I would do some seriously unholy things to be there, especially on Sunday which will see the band perform my favourite 2 albums of theirs.

So what can you expect from Biffy in such a small venue? Seeing as I've only ever seen them on a large stage (Cardiff Motorpoint Arena and headlining Reading Festival) I'm not sure what you lucky people who are going will witness. I would imagine they won't be bringing fire, pyro and massive tree props with them but I would imagine a lot of sweat and a lot of opportunities to be body to body with 3 topless lads in tight women's trousers. It sounds like a dream, right? Right, and I cannot express how stunning they will be. For those of us who can't make it, who knows when we will expect to see the boys next. Frontman, Simon Neil, has already revealed that the band are working on new material that will move away from the sound of 'Opposites' and be much more eclectic in genres. Fingers crossed the album will be here before we know it so that they get back on tour again. Until then, MON THE BIFF!

Oh, and if anyone has a couch in Glasgow that I can kip on and if anyone wants to split a couple car journeys then that'd be great, please.

Billy Talent teaser

Canadian punk-rockers Billy Talent teased fans yesterday with a cryptic new website opener. Since 2012's 'Dead Silence' the band have been on the road without a peep about new music or new directions making yesterday's teaser a bit of a surprise. The band's website see's an old TV (which you can control) against a backdrop of peeling wallpaper. The wall beneath the wallpaper reveals images of the 2009 'Billy Talent III' album and the 2003 'Billy Talent' album. Other cracks could open up to reveal images of other album covers, but that's just a guess. Anyway, to the actual exciting bit, what's on the TV. Well. The image is very very similar to that which is on the FooFighters.tv webpage... What could this mean? Maybe a joint tour? Joint production? Joint single? Or maybe it's just coincidence? With the news of Foo Fighters' new album just announced this Monday, it's looking more likely to be coincidence. As exciting as the Foo news is, back to Billy Talent.

By turning on the TV on the wesbite you are presented with a full length video, compiling different videos the band have had over the years, alongside live footage all to the band's single 'Devil On My Shoulder.' With this in mind, now what does the cover image mean? With the date, "08/22/2014" in the corner of the TV and appearing at the end of the video, it would appear the band will be announcing something but best guesses are that a Greatest Hits may be in the pipeline. Maybe even a Greatest Hits tour. Who knows? We have little over a week to wait until we find out so until then, feast your ears on one of my favourite Billy Talent tracks.

English Kids In America

Lower Than Atlantis are on the edge of an album release and with such a thing comes a new single
and video. 'English Kids In America' is the latest offering from the Hertfordhire quartet and if I'm really honest, I'm not a fan. Lower Than Atlantis have become another one of those bands that have had mainstream day time radio play and are now making music to match that rather than the music they were making at the start of their career. Previous single 'Here We Go' was definitely more mainstream than their previous albums but it was catchy and I really liked it. But 'English Kids In America' just seems a bit cheesey and cliched. Apparently written about the first time they went to America, Mike and the boys have created a single which expresses the coolness and excitement and being English kids in America and it just doesn't cut it. They're in danger of losing old and hardened LTA fans and just getting Capital FM teens downloading their music.

The video for the single isn't much more exciting than the single itself. It sees the band performing on a plane, which I'm sure was a eureka moment when it was thought of but in execution, it seems a bit contrived. Parts of the video are also filmed in a home video fashion which is a nice touch. It presents the boys time in America as a document rather than a forced trip just to make the video. But then there's elements like the boys cruising around in a white Lamboughini. Yeah they look cool but really? It's all just a bit typical. Of course, many kids dream of heading to America to have the time of their lives and the video portrays just that. And I'm sure Lower Than Atlantis had an amazing time in America but I just think they couldn't have done anything more obvious. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh. And maybe the song will grow on me but for now it's thumbs down and a sad face for new LTA.

'English Kids in America' is available for preorder now and is due for release on September 21st.
Self-titled album 'Lower Than Atlantis' is due for release on September 29th.

2 videos, 2 weeks

5 Seconds of Summer-Amnesia

After a long and ongoing battle, 5 Seconds of Summer are still trying to brush off the 'boyband' label and as much as I love them and support their rock feel, 'Amnesia' is not a single that helps them. This soft ballady number is a nice song which fits nicely on Capital FM and despite it being written by the Madden brothers, it just doesn't feel very rock n roll. The video mirrors this as it sees the boys hanging out with a bunch of female acquaintances, hitting golf balls off cars, jumping into swimming pools and looking longingly out of car windows. Calum and Luke spend most of the video singing into the camera, undoubtedly making a thousand girls hearts melt every second, whilst Ashton and Michael give us the occasional glimpse which does the trick much better for me. It's a nice video, I mean, the boys are beautiful and who doesn't enjoy seeing Aussie's in what looks to be a wet t-shirt competition? But in reality, the video is just a bit boring. I don't see how it fits with the single and it's certainly no 'Don't Stop' or 'She Looks So Perfect.' I do quite like the "My Child Is An Honor Roll Student" sticker in the car window though; it's a sarcastic nod to their now hectic lifestyle and it shows that these boys do have a sense of humour. All in all, it's a video that's nice to look at but isn't one to remember. Sorry 5SOS!

Slipknot-The Negative One

With a video that couldn't be further away from 'Amnesia', Slipknot have finally revealed what them creepy teasers were all about in a video that would horrify the RSPCA. Goats heads, tits, fish and a lot of weird close ups of gums and eyes. I don't really know what to say other than that; it truly is just a compilation of girls and goats, classic satanic combination to be fair to Slipknot though... One girl, painted black, writhes around in a manner only an exorcist could describe whilst another lookers like she's got some watery burger sauce oozing from her teeth. This girl, who looks like Helena Bonham Carter, also spends most of the video rubbing her body and when the one painted black has overcome her possession she decides to place all her finest jewellery over some dead goat heads. It's just all very weird but it was always going to be with Slipknot. The end of the video sees what could be the new Slipknot logo; an ambigram goats head adorned with a 9 in the middle of it's forehead. Goats and the number 9 have been running themes through Slipknot's career so perhaps there won't be as much change as people are expecting with the new album. What is for sure is that Slipknot are back in fine form and whilst I won't be watching this video more than I have to, 'The Negative One' is a great song.

Slipknot return!

It's pretty much typical that my few days away from blogging would mean that I would be late to catch up

with possibly one of the most exciting releases of the year. A new. Slipknot. Single.

Slipknot are a massive force in the rock industry. For starters, they're masked which already puts them in a category of their own. Then there's the whole sniffing dead crows and shitting on stage thing. And not forgetting their own personal issues such as losing two band members and taking a 6 year break. But what I should really be saying is how Slipknot are their own noise and that it is a brilliant noise at that. Slipknot songs are unmistakably Slipknot and I don't think 'The Negative One' is any different. There is the trademark darkness that Slipknot songs have, a frantic pounding drum beat and some gnarly guitar which makes me feel like I actually can play guitar myself. It's a hell of a come back and a hell of a tune to rock out to and after weeks of teasers it's everything I'd hoped and more. When it's not on repeat through my speakers it's on repeat in my head and it has definitely reminded me how much I love this band. It's a very exciting sample of what this crazy reckless band are about to unleash on the world and I for one cannot wait. It's a very warm and welcome return for Slipknot.

Slipknot will premier the video for 'The Negative One' on August 5th...THAT'S TOMORROW!

Band of the Week: Bloody Knees

Bloody Knees are 4 lads from Cambridge who prove that the city isn't all straight A students and posh rich adults. After they were recommended to me through a friend of my brother, I discovered that their raw skate punk vibe, loud and raucous live shows and they're horror influenced lyrics are really something to rave about. Frontman Bradley and his fellow bandmates sing about the gloom which hangs over life and the sadness that shadows most things although you wouldn't know it on a first listen. They're sound is upbeat and it tricks you into thinking these guys are all about the punk partying rock n roll thing rather than the sludgy and real situations that life can bring. '(Not) Skateboarding' and 'Who's Hungry?' are contagiously catchy tunes and illustrate that whilst this band may sound rough around the edges, they're still a band to fall in love with. 'Dead' is another honest and upbeat tune and 'Daydream' from their upcoming EP is also pretty awesome. It's the rough and readiness of the skate-punk/surf-punk genre that really makes bands like Bloody Knees stand out and it's likely that this niche sound is the reason they've bagged a slot on the BBC Introducing Stage at Reading and Leeds festival this year. Unlike a lot of the monotonous music that is churned out day after day, Bloody Knees are a band which are exciting. They have an "edge of the seat" feel and yeah, it's pretty much a racket but that's what makes them great. There's definitely a lot more to come from this band.

The 2013 'Bloody Knees EP' is available now.

Upcoming EP 'Stitches' is available to pre-order now and is due for release on August 24th.