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Now Mr Snuggles and I have been sitting with our heads down counting the hits on each blog to see which band's got what place.Tracks from the Top Ten Blogged Bands are played every Sunday 5-7pm on Radio KC as part of Ralph's Indie Show.
No 1: Tony Steele & The Massacre
Needless to say, it's nice to be on the guest-list for a Cast gig however, Ralph's primary mission was to check out the support act on the evening Tony Steele and The Massacre whose new single was previewed on the blog late last year. let's face it, Cast are hardly going to be struggling for reviews.Finishing with a bit of a rock 'n' rolla Tony's strong, individual vocalising brought Bound to Collide to life and left me wondering how long it will be before Tony Steele and The Massacre take their rightful place as the headline act on a bigger stage.
No 2: Rony Trio
Not surprising that Ralph's been featuring Rony Trio on his Radio KC Indie Show of late, as their eclectic, poppy, folk-based blend of upbeat musical goodness always draws great feedback. Formed around London based Rony Berrebi, ably supported by Oliver Mitchell on Bass and drummer Jim McRae they've acquired an ever-growing band of faithful followers in the London area (and beyond) due to their relentless gigging.
No 3: HIGH/LOW
Ralph's given Essex based fuzzy post-grungesters HIGH/LOW a spin previously on his Radio KC Indie Show, so his attention piqued when news of a recently released,12 track, second album hit the kennel.The self-produced AUTOSPY is their first recording as a full band with new drummer Dave Pankhurst. All previous releases were recorded by Guitarist/Vocals Steve Weston and Bassist Lee Yates.
No 4: Brownbear
Not so much a group, more a self-styled musical collective, Glasgow's Brownbear led by Matt Hickman have just released Wandering Eyes as a prelude to their much-awaited debut album. Matt, along with Andrew McAllister on lead guitar, Ruairidh MacDougall on bass and Sam Waller on drums are producing melodic, indie pop songs of the highest quality.
No 5: Noiiises
When it comes to bands committed to providing an honest musical soundscape with a message, Coventry's Noiiises are heading for the top of the pile.Their brand of ambient, synth-infused electronica with melodic vocals and meaningful lyrics sets them apart from other more generic bands of that ilk.
Noiiises are composed of Swiss born singer/songwriter Ludovic Merkelbach, Johnny Catt on guitar, Sarah Ransley on bass/synth and Joe Morris on drums/SPD-S and their debut EP View Top To Ocean is set to cause a bit of a stir.
No 6: Mountain Jam
Ralph's featuring Lemon And Lime the latest release by Midlands band Mountain Jam on his Radio KC Indie Show this Sunday. It's psychedelic, 'Madchester-esque' guitar driven sound is quietly addictive and sure to be a firm favorite with their fans at gigs, the next of which is in Hinckley on March 25th.
No 7: Mildred's Dairy
Mildred's Dairy have the feel of a grown-up Orange Juice, Aztec Camera and Deacon Blue throughout this release with well-crafted, well-written tracks immaculately played and produced. Then there's the relatively tongue-in-cheek nature of the sleeve notes and the band's ambiguously anonymous bio. Possibly self-explanatory when you think more about the album's title which is based on The Helsinki Bus Station Theory.
No 8: Véloniños
One of the finest slices of Americana-esque music to hit the kennel's juke box of late is the eponymous album by Véloniños which was released on Monday.
It's steeped in Rockabilly and Rock 'n' Roll, which is hardly surprising as it's the work of former Shakin' Pyramids duo Davie Duncan and Kenny McLellan, ably assisted by Shug Jamieson and Laurie Cuff (formerly of the infamous Cuban Heels).
No 9: Living Dead Girl
London duo Living Dead Girl are purveyors of dark poppy electronica conveyed through the musical talents of multi-instrumentalists Jonno Lloyd and Jessica English.
Their self-styled sound, "combines a distinctive fusion of ethereal vocals, electronic rhythms and unique compelling instrumentation".
No 10: The London Guitarist
It's no secret that Ralph's a fan of guitar music, so it was with great pleasure that a copy of Roots, the debut album by The London Guitarist (aka Phil Anderson) dropped into the kennel. It's ten tracks of new material in a proper old school rocking it out stylee accompanied by guitar playing of the highest order.
Phil describes his alter ego The London Guitarist as "blending blues, classic rock and modern expressive guitar, think Royal Blood, Jeff Beck and Cream all mixed up into a solo act".
