Bristol

Interview: The Shimmer Band

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First published October 2017. Now part of ‘The Best Of Eudaemonia.’ More info via the ABOUT page.

This Feeling’s ‘Alive’ tour has been nothing short of biblical, a turning point which proves that an underground scene is soon to shatter the glass ceiling. It is only a matter of time!

We caught up with Tom Newman from The Shimmer Band before their headline set at Nottingham’s Glee Club. The Bristol formed band have been one of our favourites for a while now, their sound is positive and infectious. Their mesmerising talents mean they are destined to the top. Check out our words below:

Eudaemonia: I think there’s only 4 dates left or so now, but how has the This Feeling ‘Alive’ Tour been for you guys?

Tom Newman : It has been been really good man. Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow and Bristol have been the standouts. Particularly Leeds on Monday, that was a really good one.

Eudaemonia: It feels like a coming of age as such for both The Shimmer Band and This Feeling.

Tom Newman : Yeah, it feels like the culmination of a lot of hard work from Mike Johnns and all the people who work for This Feeling, the London show will be a good celebration. 

They’ve spent over ten years working at building this brand to promote new music and give young bands the opportunity they wouldn’t normally get. Now it seems to be bubbling up into mainstream consciousness and people are becoming really aware of it now. It is a good source for good new music.

All their nights out are always good fun and a good laugh. If you’re into guitar music then it really is the place to be!

Eudaemonia: What has it been like to play bigger venues on this tour. We last saw you at Camden Assembly and honestly thought the floor was gonna fall through. It must be a bit different?

Tom Newman : It’s a pretty big step, that Camden Assembly gig was one of my favourite gigs we’ve ever done. I was surprised by it because we didn’t know what to expect, we turned up and it sold out with loads of people outside trying to get in. That’s what you want man!

The Electric Ballroom is a big old venue and its gonna be great on Saturday. Our music suits a big stage, as much as I love playing these sweaty little rooms. When theres a big PA our music sounds and travels better.

Eudaemonia: Freedom and Sunkick are huge anthems, has it been a journey since releasing them to where the band is at now?

Tom Newman : We sometimes struggle to fit them in the building! We’ve been gigging since we put out Shoot Me Baby and Freedom last year. We’ve been doing everything and its been good fun.

Eudaemonia: What has the reception for the new single “Ya Ya (Uh Oh)” been like?

Tom Newman: It’s been good, I think its freaked people out but you’ve gotta mix it up and try different things. It’s only a single and its still us playing it. Hopefully itll stand next to the other ones. All of our tunes have a little bit of a weirdness to them, even Sunkick isnt just a straight rock song.

Eudaemonia: Thats what makes you guys so individual. Shimmer Band sets are notorious for high energy and euphoria…

Tom Newman: We just wanna incite as much carnage as possible, get everyone bouncing around and moving. We enjoyed touring with Cabbage as we got to play to a crowd every single night which was good. It depends on the gig, sometimes supporting is really good – such as supporting Stereophonics at Cardiff City’s stadium which felt insane. 

We headlined Camden Assembly and that was one of my favourite gigs ever. 

Eudaemonia: You’ve played a tonne of festivals this year too, do you enjoy playing those?

Tom Newman: Yeah they’ve grown on me, I was always unsure because you dont get to soundcheck. we have so much going on so like a good soundcheck but we’ve got used to it now. We have a good technician who knows what hes doing. 

I really like festivals now, we did TRNSMT and Isle of Wight with The Feeling which was really good. We also did Truck Festival, Id never heard of it but we played the second stage which was huge, there were fucking loads of people there. It was a cool little festival.

Eudaemonia: What three words describe the sound of The Shimmer Band?

Tom Newman: Euphoric, Explsive and Positive.

Eudaemonia: Finally, what can we expect following the end of this tour?

Tom Newman: Its definitely a turning point. After this we will record a whole album, a proper debut. We’re gonna take our time on it, not rush and get it right. once thats ready we’ll go from there. We really want people to dig it!

First published October 2017. Now part of ‘The Best Of Eudaemonia.’ More info via the ABOUT page.

Focus: The Shimmer Band

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First published April 2017. Now part of ‘The Best Of Eudaemonia.’ More info via the ABOUT page.

Where do we even begin with The Shimmer Band… They’re refreshing, honest and pure example of all the things the modern music scene is missing. Their synth, electronic sound mixes guitar and effects to produce a cacophony of musical genius. With touring and releases becoming all the more regular, it is already clear that the band are onto something MASSIVE!

Formed in 2014, the Bristol based band have gone from strength to strength. Their sound is instantly described as explosive psychedelic rock, something which resonates most strongly in the live setting. Perhaps one of the best ways to describe The Shimmer Band’s sound is like Kasabian with a far more of an insatiable electronic edge, something which is yet to be replicated and entirely necessary. Because of their sound alone it is already clear that the band are here for the long run.

Productivity and assertion further spawns from the band, their commitment to touring and single releases is second to none. In the live setting an impeding sense of self assurance is further promoted, The Shimmer Band truly have every right to feel in such a way and it is perhaps refreshing to see a band exuding confidence. Such a mixture of sound and attitude mixed with colour and instantly recognisable sunglasses gives The Shimmer Band an ideal characterisation, they truly look like an effortlessly cool rock band.

Debut releases such as “Shoot Me (Baby)” and “Freedom” are both technically well produced and intriguing. The latter is a perfect blend of atmosphere and intense lyricism, something which perfectly characterises the Bristol band’s sound. “Shoot Me (Baby)” is all a little more heavy and suits the live setting perfectly, invoking circle pits and crowd surfing alike.

The band recently supported Cabbage on a full length UK tour, a line up which in many years time may likely go down in history. With Cabbage firmly establishing a relevant political narrative, The Shimmer Band are a far more forward, positive, ‘in your face’ kind of rock band. With support from the likes of This Feeling and BBC Introducing alongside mass radio plays on the giddy heights of Radio 1 it is obvious that these boys are going somewhere!

Third single “Sunkick” is all the more positive and literally resembles its title. Most suited (yep you guessed it) to the summer, the song has huge potential and would not sound out of place at festivals and in stadiums alike. Such a statement has already been tested when the band supported the Stereophonics at Cardiff City’s stadium just last year. It uses synths to build an intense yet energy fuelled melody mixing with superb lyricism like no other.

“Jacknife And The Death Call” continues to build upon their already flourishing sound, arguably it is their finest work to date. Heavy drum beat and crashing sounds create an energetic sense of flamboyancy with a dark edge. Much like “Shoot Me (Baby)” it has the ability to draw energy within a crowd inciting circle pits and crowd surfing alike. This mixes well with band interaction and overall musical perfection which ultimately makes The Shimmer Band one of the best bands to see in the modern era.

The accompanying music video for “Jacknife And The Death Call” is symbolic of the band’s flamboyancy. Already amassing many views, it is a mixture of strobe, smoke, colour and elaborate sunglasses which suit the dramatic yet intriguing nature of the track. One notable aspect of The Shimmer Band is their consistency in album art work. Much like their sound it is both interesting and colourful. Ultimately, a ‘mish-mash’ of sound and image creates recognisability and is a sign of great longevity.

The Shimmer Band are ever expanding their touring commitments. Currently they embark on a full length tour encompassing cities such as Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham. Such a tour has been praised for its wonderful supporting class including bands such as Ivory Wave and Vida. Their venture to London’s Camden Assembly is somewhat of a mini festival itself and features two other eudaemonia favourites in The Blinders and Sisteray.

Overall, it is clear that the band are onto something special; their sound and enthusiasm for music is second to none. We need bands like The Shimmer Band now more than ever!

First published April 2017. Now part of ‘The Best Of Eudaemonia.’ More info via the ABOUT page.

Review: The Jacques – “No Kamikaze”

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First published March 2017. Now part of ‘The Best Of Eudaemonia.’ More info via the ABOUT page.

The Jacques are perhaps one of the most promising bands existing within the UK’s burgeoning music scene. Following a year of strategic rebuilding through a new look line up and extensive touring, their latest single “No Kamikaze” is firm evidence of their impressive second coming. 

The new track is an interesting example of a gradual musical development over the last year. “No Kamikaze” almost ditches the pop-rock inclinations of their early releases and instead focuses more thoroughly upon a rawer, beautifully chaotic inclination of guitar and lyricism. Opening with a soft guitar melody which effortlessly grows into an interestingly grotty chorus, the song resembles the sounds of an artistic yet re-imagined punk heyday of the past.

The Jacques first formed in 2014 and have since then released two critically acclaimed EP’s and have played regularly across Britain, Europe and beyond. Most notably, they performed in New York at the Brooklyn store of Rough Trade Records as part of the BBC Introducing programme of which the Bristol formed band are firm favourites of. However, their newfound ability to settle upon a slightly differentiated sound alongside new band members is symbolic of the growth of the band.

Whilst its first obvious outing will come in new single “No Kamikaze,” The Jacques’ evolving musical nature appears to be developing for the better. A first taste of relatively new direction came in “Eleanor Ring Me,” their previous single. Released just last year it is a relative world away from the timeless melodies of the early “Pretty DJ” EP. “No Kamikaze” does well to also establish a heavier, differentiated sound, a move which suggests both ruthlessness and successful evolution in their musical orientation.

The Jacques have often been heralded as one of the next big UK talents. It is clear from “No Kamikaze” that they have the potential to fulfil such a statement. 2017 will once more see the band commit to touring and releases, with the prospect of further releases being a certainty as they build up to their eagerly awaited debut album release.

Whilst many bands appear content with normality in sound, it is clear that The Jacques are pioneering a new wave of creativity which will no doubt see the completion of a fruitful second coming.

“No Kamikaze” will be released March 10th, check out The Jacques live at Trans Musicales de Rennes 2016 below:

First published March 2017. Now part of ‘The Best Of Eudaemonia.’ More info via the ABOUT page.

Review: Idles – “Mother”

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First published March 2017. Now part of ‘The Best Of Eudaemonia.’ More info via the ABOUT page.

Idles are everything that is fascinating about a modern day band, chaotic, intriguing and convincingly straight to the point. Their latest single “Mother” epitomises their sound, a speedy yet interesting few minutes of beautiful chaos. 

“Mother” opens with a plethora of heavy bass and drum use mixed with violent lyricism. Incredibly relevant, Idles seem to thrive upon the uncertain nature of modern politics and social issues. This is especially resonated through the words: “the best way to scare a tory is to read and get rich.” The song grows even more intense through chorus, lyrically it resembles a modern amalgamation of the Sex Pistols, Slaves and The Clash and at times appearing to be even more interesting than such influences.

Representing the nature of the song, “Mothers” video is all the more intriguing. Set before a table of glass object it is fair to say that their eventual breakage is synonymous of the band’s angry sound. Such anger is not limiting and instead gives an edge to Idles’ sound, they provide the perfect soundtrack to most walks of life.

Debut album “Brutalism is released March 10, with a full UK tour in support of the record. Passionate, furious and darkly comedic, IDLES’ debut album was described perfectly by Uncut as: “a rare rock record with the rage, urgency, wit and shattering of complacency usually found only in grime.”

Additionally, Idles have been announced as support to The Maccabees on all three of their farewell Alexandra Palace shows in June alongside an appearance at the equally historic Reading and Leeds Festivals. Additionally, songs such as “Well Done” and “Divide & Conquer” have been well received amongst press and fans alike, it is fair to suggest that their debut album will be equally as supported. Famous fans include Steve Lamacq who suggests that “ lyrically (they are) a mixture of dry obsessional humour and poetic slogans. But, best of all, they really get the adrenalin pumping”.

It is hard to compare Idles to any of their contemporaries. Whilst they attract the chaos and melodies of other bands, their sound is inexplicitly different as proven through “Mother.” Ultimately, Idles are in a league of their own and have a perfect sound to capture the imagination of many.

Their much anticipated debut album Brutalism out 10th March.

First published January 2017. Now part of ‘The Best Of Eudaemonia.’ More info via the ABOUT page.