Mick Birchall Reviews

In October I went to see Beyond The Black in concert. They had an arduous task ahead of them. With Amaranthe having to pull out of the show at the last minute, it was up to them to step up as the main headliner and send the crowd home happy. Let me say this, they managed it and then some. They came off as true superstars and impressed me beyond comparison. I was already aware of them, but that show proved to me that they were the real deal. It was one of the best shows I saw last year. They played a few new songs that caught my ear and they announced that they would be releasing their fifth, self-titled, album in January. I have had a chance to listen to this album in full ahead of its release and I have to say that it’s pretty damn solid. I’m sure if you’re already a fan you’ve already pre-saved or pre-ordered it. However, if you’ve never heard of them or sitting on the fence, then I hope this puts some things in perspective for you. The album opens with the single “Is There Anybody ...

  Oh, 2022. What can I say about you? The year I turned 30. The year I went to my perfect holiday destination (don’t worry we’ll get to that). However, the most important to me that was the year I returned to going to gigs. Being a part of a live crowd again has meant the world to me and I have seen some pretty epic gigs this year. There’s also been a tonne of albums to boot. Like, I think there has been a little something for everyone this year. There’s been a tonne of great rock, metal, and country music this year to get my ears to. I didn’t know how to approach this year. Usually, I make a top-something album of the year list. Last year I shook things up with an album award blog. However, in all honesty, I didn’t like how that turned out. How about we reinvent the wheel again for 2022? Let’s summarise some of my favourite moments in music this year: my favourite albums, my favourite gig memories and other things. I was getting a bit bored of these blogs going amiss. Sometimes, a...

There are very few artists in this world that I admire more than, KT Tunstall . I don’t think I’ve ever honestly talked about her the same way I have gushed about other artists, yet her music speaks to me in a way I don’t think many others do. I would easily put her third albumTiger Suit in my top five albums of all time. So, when KT announced a new trilogy of albums that would tie together thematically, it piqued my interest. I could only really imagine what KT could do with such an endeavour. However, to discuss this I think it’s somewhat important to discuss my thoughts on KT’s work before this. As it does colour my opinion of the trilogy. I won’t go into them as much as the subject of the blog though. I’ve always appreciated the artistry of KT’s songwriting. Her first two albums, Eye to the Telescope and Drastic Fantastic are what I would describe as the pop sound of the early 2000s. I just remember an influx of singer-songwriter or troubadour-style musicians that congested the m...

There’s something so magical about behind-the-scenes documentaries about your favourite artists. Sometimes it can give you a new perspective on their music, sometimes it can make you see the world in a different way. The best ones can do both. For the record, this documentary is the latter. I have loved the music of LiSA for over eight years, I discovered her through her song “Crossing Field” which was the theme song to the first season arch of the anime, Sword Art Online. However, after hearing that song I just started listening to her music purely for the joy of it. I’m sure her other songs have been theme songs to other anime films and shows, but I couldn’t tell you, I just love her music. In fact, her music was the impetus for me to start learning Japanese. Just so I could understand the lyrics. Her music just fills me with so much joy and anytime I have her music on I just start smiling. When it was announced that, to coincide with her new live show featurette, there would be a f...