Still Inspired: Feeder's Grant Nicholas on Hope, Relief and 'Torpedo'

Photo: Steve Gullick When Grant Nicholas sang ‘scream in, scream out, time for healing’ back in 2002, he had no idea those rousing words of self-encouragement would become so resonant two decades later. As society emerges from an unprecedented period of confusion, division and grief, such sentiments have never sounded more apt or necessary.  Full of that trademark ability to mine hope from adversity, Feeder’s ‘Torpedo’ is the sort of anthemic rallying cry the world needs right now.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Thursday, 17 March 2022

Evolution, Escapism, Entertainment: The Blinders Reveal Their 'Electric Kool-Aid' Cocktail

Thanks to a dramatic combination of in-your-face power and visceral socio-political statements, ‘Columbia’ and ‘Fantasies Of A Stay At Home Psychopath’ marked The Blinders out as one of Britain’s most exciting, literate and thought-provoking young groups. Well, you ain’t seen—or heard—nothing yet.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Monday, 14 March 2022

Light at the End of the Tunnel: Svalbard on Returning to the Road

Photo: Tony Fenn It’s really, really easy for a metal band to point at something and go, “That’s bad.” It’s been a cornerstone of the genre since Black Sabbath lamented the Vietnam war during War Pigs and Iron Maiden killed Margaret Thatcher on their artwork in the early ‘80s. It’s much more special for a metal band to point at something and go, “That’s bad—how do we make it better?”

Written by: Matt Mills | Date: Wednesday, 09 March 2022

Back at it: Stereoboard's Pick Of 2022's Best Events

td#right {display:none !important;} It’s not really been wise to make plans for quite a while now. But with Covid restrictions easing and a whole host of shows scattered across the rest of the year, it’s perhaps time to dig out the diary and get booking. Here we take a look at just some of the tours set to light up the rest of 2022, from pop giants and fashion icons to thunderous metal gods and goth legends. See you at the front.  

Written by: Stereoboard | Date: Wednesday, 02 March 2022

'You've Got to Be Pissed Off': Rage and Reverence in Beth Hart's Take on Led Zeppelin

Some albums require all kinds of spin to generate interest. Others do not. So when you hear that one of the greatest vocalists of her generation has paid tribute to possibly the most influential rock band of all time, any additional hype is completely unnecessary. Luckily, Beth Hart’s powerhouse Led Zeppelin covers album more than does justice to the groundbreaking source material.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 25 February 2022

Musical Photographs: James Morrison Reflects on the Road to His Greatest Hits

If a picture can tell a thousand words, a song can conjure a vault’s worth of memories. Just ask James Morrison, who recently embarked on a rewarding, flashback-filled trip through his catalogue when he re-recorded some of his best-loved tunes for a ‘Greatest Hits’ collection with a twist. Emotionally vibrant and wonderfully performed, without jettisoning what fans love about the originals, these  versions feel like the work of a seasoned musician who’s finally at home in his skin.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Monday, 14 February 2022

Always Innovative, Never Imitated: Rolo Tomassi on Pushing Creative Boundaries

Nobody makes music quite like Rolo Tomassi. Since forming in Sheffield in 2005, they have morphed from kids playing glitchy mathcore to where they are now: a band trading in heavy music free from the constraints we might usually expect.

Written by: Will Marshall | Date: Monday, 31 January 2022

It's About the Pursuit of Happiness: How Fickle Friends Made a Glowing Return

Back in the 1980s a movie called Weird Science took cinemas by storm. Its ridiculous plot revolved around two high school geeks who used a computer program to create their ideal woman. But what if a similar, albeit less creepy, algorithm had been designed to produce the perfect pop band instead? In that instance, Brighton’s Fickle Friends might magically appear from the digital ether.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Tuesday, 25 January 2022

Undeniable Hope: The Lumineers Talk 'Brightside'

Like rays of sunshine breaking through black clouds, The Lumineers’ heartening fourth record is tailor-made to sweep away lingering pandemic blues and make everyone feel a little more positive about the, admittedly still uncertain, road ahead.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Thursday, 20 January 2022

Now and Next: Stereoboard's Ones to Watch for 2022

Every new year brings new chances to find that one song, that one record, that one artist or band, who matter to you more than anything. This year, the deck is stacked. Head below to check out a few picks from the Stereoboard team, and get listening.

Written by: Stereoboard | Date: Thursday, 13 January 2022

The List: Stereoboard's Top Tickets Of 2021

td#right {display:none !important;} Despite the uncertainty of COVID-19's impact bleeding into another year, our stats show that fans' commitment to live music has never waned, with a total of 16, 790, 678 searches for tour dates carried out over the past 12 months via Stereoboard.  Live shows are the life force of any music scene, so we can't give up on working our way back to their safe return, especially when grassroots venues that have fostered so much talent are at risk of closure and valued industry workers are in dire need of support. Head below to check out our Top 50 tours of 2021, and here to find out how to help your local venue in the new year!   td#right {display:none !important;}

Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Friday, 24 December 2021

The List: Stereoboard's Best Albums of 2021

td#right {display:none !important;} Well, that was still pretty weird, wasn't it? In, out, shake it all about etc. But this year, as difficult as it has been, was again studded with wonderful music, from introverted pandemic pieces to pop records that broke the whole thing open. Here, from the pens of Stereoboard's writers, are some of those highlights.

Written by: Stereoboard | Date: Monday, 13 December 2021

Mammy's Weird Jogger: Jimmy Watkins Talks Vega Bodegas, Sober Living And Loving Gigs Again

Time runs the same way for all of us, but some people seem to be able to cram several lives’ worth of living into one stint on Earth. Take Jimmy Watkins, for example. In a little shy of 40 years, he’s been an elite athlete, guitarist in a couple of acclaimed noise-rock bands and, now, the face of Running Punks, the internet’s favourite posi-vibe music-fitness hybrid.

Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Thursday, 25 November 2021

'I Was Taught I Should Put My Own Needs Aside': Møl Dissect the Emotional Heart of 'Diorama'

Photo: Cornelius Qvist It’s just gone 8pm in Aarhus, Denmark, and Møl frontman Kim Song Sternkopf is at the end of a long day spent reading reviews. As he talks with Stereoboard over Zoom, his band’s second album, ‘Diorama’, is less than a week away. Its transcendent blackgaze has the heavy metal press swirling in a hurricane of hype.

Written by: Matt Mills | Date: Friday, 05 November 2021

Don't Judge a Book By Its Covers: Joanne Shaw Taylor Returns With a Bluesy Bang

Photo: Christie Goodwin If you’ve been hesitant about approaching the covers record Joanne Shaw Taylor released earlier this year, leave any reservations behind a heavily bolted door and dive right in. Far from being one of those generic water treading exercises, ‘The Blues Album’ is a feast that swerves done-to-death workouts in favour of reinvigorating lesser known gems. Produced by a certain Joe Bonamassa, its gleeful, effervescent songs are sure to enthral UK audiences when she returns to the stage this month.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Monday, 01 November 2021

'I Wanted to Go Into a Magical Space': Tori Amos on the Spellbinding 'Ocean to Ocean'

Photo: Desmond Murray If anyone ever manages to write a book that comes close to being the definitive history of humanity, then it’s safe to say the past few years aren’t exactly going to be among its most uplifting chapters. Whether you’re talking about shocking political events, the Covid situation, or continued occurrences of institutionalised racism and misogyny, there has been a relentless onslaught of negativity to contend with. It has left many in desperate need of the relief provided by Tori Amos’s spellbinding new album ‘Ocean to Ocean.’ 

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Thursday, 28 October 2021

Expect Amazing Things: Rob Damiani Takes Us Inside Don Broco's Experimental New Album

Photo: Tom Pullen If ever proof were needed that we’re living in an exciting post-genre world, then Don Broco’s ‘Amazing Things’ delivers it in powerhouse fashion. The band’s fourth album smashes together rock, rap, EDM, nu-metal and more over the course of 12 dizzying tracks that pack as much lyrical bite as they do stylistic bark.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 20 October 2021

"I Will Die. This Will Live On.": Creeper's Ian Miles Talks Solo Bow 'Degradation, Death, Decay'

The solo project is a well-trodden path walked by artists during downtime away from their main projects, or when they must scratch a creative itch their day job doesn’t permit them to. They offer an interesting creative dynamic, with songs that thrive off reputations while also revealing different sides to musicians fans thought they knew inside out.

Written by: Emma Wilkes | Date: Thursday, 14 October 2021

No Way Back, Just Through: Trivium on Ceaseless Evolution and 'In the Court of the Dragon'

“Sabbath…Maiden…Metallica…TRIVIUM: The hottest metal band of the century.” These were the words emblazoned on the cover of Kerrang! magazine in July 2005. It was an incendiary statement at a time when the influence of rock’s print press was yet to be pillaged by the internet—and one the world was not ready to read.

Written by: Matt Mills | Date: Friday, 08 October 2021

A Surprise Up Your Sleeve: JOHN Talk 'Nocturnal Manoeuvres'

Photo: Paul Grace JOHN have a gargantuan sound. So big, in fact, that the band’s two members— drummer, lyricist and vocalist John Newton and guitarist Johnny Healey—might be considered alchemists. Their approach noisily brings together elements of rock, prog, punk and doom in a distinctive and eclectic style that sets them apart from their contemporaries, rendering them instantly recognisable to the ear.

Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Thursday, 07 October 2021