Mick Birchall Reviews

2024 has been a fun year for the music I got to experience. Some acts I thought I’d never get to see and I did, old favourites and interesting discoveries. It’s all been wonderful. Last year, I forwent my usual “favourite albums of the year” list. It just feels so impersonal. I’d rather go over some of my favourites and regale you with some of the best shows I have experienced. I don’t want to do a blow-by-blow, month-by-month recap. I just want to tell you about the year. This year has been a bit of a whirlwind for the blog too. 35 posts to the blog with 12 of those being interviews, the most I’ve ever done in a single year. I won’t lie, I’ve been a little starstruck that I, with my relatively small blog, have gotten to talk to some of the icons of the industry, such as Pasi from Sonata Arctica , Lena Scissorhands from Infected Rain and Peavy Wagner from the grandfathers of power-metal, Rage. I’ve also had the chance to chat with lesser-known names like InnerWish and The Commoner...

So, this one came out of nowhere. Since I first heard Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast in Liverpool last year ( click here to read ) I have been spinning their music consistently. I knew they had new music in the works, I was just surprised when their new EP hit my inbox. They have been bubbling under the surface for a while now. Their music is a modern rock interpretation of classic soul music, with big vocals and a smooth AM-rock feel. It’s just great music to chill out to. It’s something to experience with all of your soul. This new EP, Blueprints shines as a beacon in this new era of blues-infused rock ‘n’ roll. There are a lot of bands in this space at the moment, so it takes something special to stand out. This is an EP that I have consistently kept listening to since it landed in my inbox. This six-track EP is a solid release and does what it’s designed to do, it gives the audience a little taste and tests the water for ideas and concepts that can be taken forward onto a fu...

The Manchester based prog-metal quartet, Prognosis has been on the come up for a while now. I’ll be honest, I haven’t had much of a chance to listen to them over the years. The last time I checked them out live, the project was still in it’s relative infancy. Since then they have expanded and I always hear news of their exploits. Now, their new EP, Esigen is out and the band is armed with a brand new line up. Prognosis are marching full steam ahead into 2024 with an all new attitude. For this new EP, the band worked with heroes of the metal world. Including sound engineers; George Lever ( Sleep Token , Monuments , Loathe ) and Grant Macfarland ( August Burns Red , Rivers of Nihil , Polaris ). This EP is a whole different beast from what I had heard from them in the past. I’ve really been enjoying this new music and if it’s a sign of things to come, then sign me up. I think my first thoughts on listening to this EP were something along the lines of “this is one beefy boy of a record!”...

If you're familiar with this blog, then you should recognise the name The Outlaw Orchestra . I have spoken about them at length, I have reviewed their debut album and follow up EP, I have seen them live and reviewed their set. Hell, you'll probably have seen me, mouth off about them on Twitter. Honestly, I am so happy to have discovered their music. They're just one of those bands that I can just listen to and never really get bored. Their mix of hard rock and bluegrass is a fun concoction and whilst not original, I mean country-infused rock music existed before them, they certainly put their own spin on it. Ever since I did my feature article on them, I have been an avid listener and eagerly awaited new music, which is nowhere in the form of their new EP, God Knows We Tried .  I have to say, I like this EP. It's a fun and enjoyable little listen. The five tracks are indeed a great listening experience. Filled with all of those well-performed sounds that we have com...

You know, sometimes there doesn't have to be a crazy way to introduce yourself to new music. Sometimes, you can just hear about a good band that has a loyal fanbase so you decide to check them out. That's how I first heard about the British metal act,  RXPTRS . My friend told me about them and I was curious to hear their stuff. I mean, it's not groundbreaking music but it's damn fun to listen to and they definitely sound a little different to every other start-up hard rock/heavy metal acts that I've been listening to. RXPTRS  have been building up quite a bit of buzz as of late and the people who like them, really seem to be into their music and that doesn't just happen, there has to be something there. So,  I got my hands on their new EP and I have to say that I'm impressed. It's a good mix of modern day American alternative rock and some of that new hard rock sound that has been floating around the night clubs in Britain as of late. The result, a dam...

Running this blog, I come across a wide variety of diverse and interesting artists. Today on the chopping block is LA-based blues act, Edgard . Their technical skill is excellent and the music in quite interesting to listen to. The musicality on display has so much emotion to it and a lot of weight, which I found to be compelling enough to keep listening. The new EP  Live @ Bedrock  is a fantastically captured performance in which you really get a sense of what he is like in a live setting with his full band. You get a real sense of their presence and musicianship and it honestly makes me want to see them live on stage.  The album is well produced with the sound coming through clear. The wonderfully silky and smooth tone and fantastic production make this EP a fun and engaging listening experience. The band's approach is unique as they mix up their blues and jazz stylings to create a really nice tone. There's definitel...

Wow, this review got away from me a little. This year I had the chance to get myself to SOS Festival and see some good freaking music. This is where I found out about, Kikamora . They had a blinding performance that weekend and I was very curious to hear more from them. Luckily, they had a new EP in the pipeline and set for release in November. Like an idiot, I've put off this review, thinking I had more time to put it out, but man, the release date has soon snuck up on me. Although I have been listening to the EP for the last couple of months, for some reason, I just didn't write anything about it. So let's rectify that, shall I? Kikamora, for those of you who haven't made yourselves aware, is a hard rock band from the south of the UK and I would describe them as somewhere in between categories of hard rock and glam rock. They have the flair and style of an old-school glam rock act. Yet, they are far more grounded than your traditional glam rock act. There's muc...

Every now and then, I love diving back into the world of pop-punk. I mean it was such a big part of my music taste development in my late teens. Bands like The Blackout, Kids In Glass Houses, The Dollyrots & Zebrahead were a big part of my gigging life. Every weekend I used to, and still do, blast music like that. The bright melodies blended with the hard rock tone usually brings a smile to my face. So I'm always on the lookout for new talent in the genre. Bringing me to Not Ur Girlfrenz . Even at their young age, they exhibit all the star qualities needed to succeed and I can only imagine they're going to get better in time. Which is hard to believe as they're already so good. They have the personality, the talent and the tunes to back it up. Their new EP, New Kids In America is damn impressive. It has a decent range of songs, showing their musical and songwriting abilities.  The EP hits you in the face with solid track after solid track. I couldn't name a bad ...

They are one of the most exciting bands to listen to and watch live. A band that I always love to talk about. Novacrow  is a band that really encapsulates the idea of having fun with your art form. The Liverpool rockers return with their new EP, Criminal Mastermind and it's another diverse collection of bangers that will get you rocking out. They are just one of those bands that can brighten up your day in an instant with their character and energy. Their songs are a good mix of genuine hard rock with outlandish and punchy lyrics. They just have that style that keeps you engrossed and entertained and their charisma just shines through on every track.  The opener of "Fever Swamp" is this big bombastic tune that immediately grabs your attention. The heavy riff and big bass-filled tunes, really sound great as they take their clear love of alternative metal and put their own spin on it. Everything about the songwriting is great as they are clearly having fun maki...

There's something pretty cool about finding a new band. The excitement and fun of experiencing their music for the first time. It's also great when the band is just starting out. Their music is exciting and everything is new to them as well. The Jupiter Blues recently gave me a chance to listen to their new, self-titled EP. I'll admit, it's taken me a while to get around to writing this due to reasons. I've finally had a chance to sit down and listen to the EP and I like it quite a lot. The problem is that there are a lot of blues rock acts coming up through the woodwork these day it can be difficult to separate yourselves away from the pack. Yeah, that can be an issue but I like to believe though it's in the subtle differences where you can really shine as a band. Their mix of blues rock and classic rock 'n' roll is quite compelling, with a decent tone and tight rhythm to back it up. The production is super clear with an excellent balance of every ...

You know what? I love doing this, I love discovering new music and bringing it to peoples attention. When you find music so grounded, music that is so passionate, I feel like it's something that I have to talk about. Waiting for Wednesday are a country duo from Bradford, UK consisting of singer-songwriters Laura Shackleton and Anna Watkins. I have taken a bit of time now to listen to them and I have to say, I like what I'm hearing so far. Their music is so emotionally charged and really well put together. Their new EP, Routes , is a fabulous example of making something that is so simple sound so much larger than life. Their lyrics are poignant and their music is passionately played. The duo truly take you through a soulful journey on this EP. Their earnest and warm vocals really meld well together, creating beautiful and endearing harmonies. The melodies are weaved together in such a way that I instantly loved it. Just these beautiful songs with so much passion thrown in....