Each week, there are 10 great acts in our playlist, all with a connection to Reading or Wokingham. As always, we have a wide variety of musical styles, but we think they’re all worth a listen, and we hope you find something new to enjoy as well as maybe getting out to experience the thrill of live music.
1. The Outliers – Hardest Goodbye –
Bracknell-based The Outliers is a new venture involving two members of Red Tape Resistance, Harry Elliott-Snowball and Conor O’Grady, plus Ben Britton on drums (as Harry moves up front on guitar and vocals). They’re exploring a slightly more mellow vibe than RTR, and this is a great debut track. We look forward to more new music from them, as well as from Red Tape Resistance which is also a continuing project. https://www.instagram.com/theoutliers_band/
2. Ruby Dawn – Alice Come Home –
This track is taken from the second album from Carola Baer’s Ruby Dawn, “Blood on Water”, which has been released, only six months after their debut album, which is very impressive. Carola is based in Reading, and has been developing some of the songs on this album for many years, and others are more recent compositions. This is a great example of progressive rock, and you can experience it live as the band is launching the album this Friday, 31st January, at The Butler. https:// www.rubydawn.co.uk/
3. Steve Hackett – Ace of Wands – Live at Trading Boundaries –
Steve Hackett was the guitarist with Genesis during their early classic period, and has had a distinguished solo career since. We were treated to an exhibition of music from both periods with his band’s recent visit to The Hexagon, and now you can get a feel for the live performance with his latest album Live at Trading Boundaries, from which this track is taken. https://hackettsongs.com/
4. Funke and the Two Tone Baby – Can’t Stop The Music –
Despite the act’s name, Dan Turnbull is the only person you’ll see onstage at a Funke and the Two Tone Baby gig, but he makes music that you wouldn’t believe possible from a solo performer, with acoustic guitar, keys, drum machine and loop pedals (of which he’s a master). Hear for yourself with this track from his recent live album, and if you see this in time, experience the one-man mechanical alt-blues band in person at the Face Bar on Thursday 30th January, as part of Independent Venue Week for Club Velocity. https://www.facebook.com/funkeandthetwotonebaby
5. Glitch – Patience –
Just announced as the band to open this year’s Wokingham Festival (date for your diaries – August Bank Holiday weekend), Glitch are a new young band from Maidenhead, and have just released this, their debut single. Their aim is to restore catchy pop and rock songs to mainstream radio, and we think they’re going in the right direction with this track! https://glitchmusic.uk/
6. Selina and the Howlin Dogs featuring Five Points Gang – Rock Bottom Blues –
Reading’s own funky blues rock specialists are back with the first single from their latest album, “Third Time Lucky”. It features special guests Joe Pearson and Dinho Barral from Five Point Gang, and is in part inspired by that band’s life on the road. https://www.selinaandthehowlindogs.com/
7. The Go Go Cult – Black is the Colour of My Love –
This is the title track from Reading-based gothabilly merchants The Go Go Cult’s latest waxing, released just last month. A frantic slice of dark intoxication, as Nige contemplates the dark place he’s in, and how he’s going to deal with it. http://www.thegogocult.com
8. BarrelHaus – Mayday –
Oxford-based duo of Marc Challans and Ian Mitchell played at Are You Listening Festival last May, and they return to Reading for Club Velocity at the end of April. This new single is a wonderfully layered piece, with infectious rhythms and uplifting vocals. You can pre-order “Superstition Abolition”, the album it’s from, now. https://linktr.ee/barrelhaus
9. The Dazed Minded – Oh Boy –
This is their excellent first single. They describe their sound as indie sleaze, and their influences include indie bands, 90s Britpop and 60s rock bands. https:// www.instagram.com/thedazedminded/
10. Puma Theory – Foolish Boy –
Another fine example of melodic indie rock from Reading-based Puma Theory. You can see them for yourself at the Face Bar on Tuesday 28th January as part of Independent Venue Week, courtesy of Club Velocity. https://www.facebook.com/pumatheory
You can listen to all the songs featured in our Spotify playlist at https://bit.ly/rawsoundstoday
