Worcester Music Forum

Travelling to over 70 gigs with Becky Rose in the last 15 months I have heard 100's of of songs that I had never heard before and I would like to recognise those that really made an impression on me.

I have not included Becky's songs here (that just wouldnt be cool as her dad!) and some of the artists here I have no connection with at all and others I got to know later.

1) Quiver (extrasimianmix): The Retinal Circus

A work of genius with a cast of Worcestershire's finest playing on it and beautifully produced to boot!

Starts with a kind of fairground folk groove and drifts to sci fi and finally to a psychedelic freak out.

Try imagining this coming up on the closing credits to Tim Burton's Planet Of The Apes, this shouldn't be a local hit it should be an inter-galactic one!

2) Footsteps: Fellfield

Fellfield sets were always a dreamy mellow affair and this is the one song that brings this together perfectly.

Lovely production work again, this songs builds gently with an instantly catchy chorus and some gorgeous treated guitar parts, deserves wider attention and such a shame one of my favourite Worcester acts have folded.

3) Strange Rain: Matt Woosey & the Strange Rain

Not many folk songs drift into 8 minute territory and then leave you wanting more but this is an exceptional song and really does come across as a labour of love.

To my ears it borders on to the acid folk genre and its that sense of other worldliness that I find so appealing.

4) John Wayne: Dandelion Killers

So catchy its unbelievable and the chorus does have that Western movie vibe in the middle of a heavy power pop framework, quite a trick to pull that off.

The Dandelion Killers seem to write songs with memorable hooks with ease and are a very tight live act, a killer combination indeed.

5) Cinnamon Flavour: Crazy Mobos

I don't know where exactly this band comes from or even if they have a my space but they have a really unusual set up and sound.

They have a very light but punchy funk sound, look like frat boys and 3 singers, one with a very high pitched voice who looks like he's just left the Walker Brothers.

Cinnamon Flavour is the most infectious song I've heard this year and I challenge you not to get it after just a couple of minutes in.

6) Hangover Blues: Flo Rowland

An excellent piece of story telling wrapped up in some very down and dirty folk blues, first you get caught up in the story and you cant help but always want to finish the chorus off for her.

Play it and youll know exactly what I mean!

7) The End: Mudball

A real driving rock song from a very tight band, I particularly like the drumming on this one especially the apocalyptic closing section, this song along with others by Mudball are always crowd pleasers but this is my favourite.

8) Bad Ass Romantic: Scarlet Carmina

Good old fashioned hard rocking metal that is pulling in a younger audience again.

This track rocks along with some excellent Guns 'N Roses type guitar and bass riffing and Albie throwing himself into the vocals.

They have a strong image on stage, a very engaging front man and they look like they are having a great time and it really makes for an enjoyable gig, could be one to watch this lot!

9) Never Tell A Woman: The Abbot Of Unreason

I like the little flourishes on a recording and the fake vinyl sound does it for me here, you feel like you've unearthed a treasured blues 78 and then you launch into a track that wouldn't be out of place on Led Zep 3.

Lovely chiming guitar sound throughout, now all I need is a Cadillac on the freeway and Id be away.

10) Navajo: The Players

This songs lulls you into a false sense of security as it chugs along at the start and then breaks down into a red Indian (Don't care if thats not PC!) hoe down and finally descending into a brilliant runaway train section at the end.

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